Have you ever spent 30 minutes pampering your skin with an arsenal of products at night only to wake up with a splotchy complexion in the morning? Or maybe you’ve left the house with flawless skin only to be greeted by red patches in the office bathroom mirror?

There are a lot of reasons why, despite your best efforts, your skin could be flaring up. We asked two dermatologists to share their tips on getting to the bottom of the issue and because you can’t always control redness, the best remedies for calming down your complexion fast.

What’s going on?

Stress, spicy foods, alcohol, product sensitivity, exercise and even the temperature outside can all cause facial redness.

To help pinpoint your triggers – the first step in managing the issue – note if the redness developed after experiencing any of the factors listed above.

A red complexion could also be a sign that you’re not taking care of your body. “A few lifestyle habits that can help reduce facial redness include adequate intake of water, getting at least seven hours of sleep every night, consuming a balanced diet with good portions of fruits and vegetables and taking probiotics,” says Steve Wang, a New Jersey-based dermatologist and co-founder of Dr. Wang Herbal Skincare.

Or, your flushed cheeks could be the result of a common skin condition like rosacea, but more on that later.

How to Treat It

Incorporating calming products with anti-inflammatory ingredients into your routine may not erase redness completely, but can help prevent flare-ups and tone them down.

According to  Wang, one of these ingredients is licorice root, which can be found in the Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Advance Serum, a lightweight formula that smoothes and soothes.

Another is chamomile, a star ingredient in  RE:P’s Bio Fresh Mask With Real Calming Herb.

For redness related to dry skin, New York City cosmetic dermatologist Sejal Shah recommends nourishing ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide.

The SKINRx MadeCera Face Cream contains the latter and plumps, hydrates and brightens the complexion.
Shah will sometimes advise her patients to whip up a calming mask at home (always consult with your dermatologist before trying any DIY treatment). Her personal recipe contains oatmeal, honey, turmeric, chamomile and plain yogurt, which all have soothing effects. She’ll also apply a cool green or chamomile tea bag over an inflamed area. “It works wonders,” she says.

When to See An Expert

If the redness persists for one to two weeks, is concentrated around the cheeks and nose and includes other symptoms like broken capillaries and acne-like bumps, you may have rosacea, and Shah recommends visiting your dermatologist.

While not curable, Dr. Shah says that treatments, like topical medication and laser therapy, can be more effective if you catch it early.

Bottom Line:

You can finally start to get yourself on the path to stop asking yourself, “Why is my face red all the time?” Simply start making some lifestyle changes and start using the recommended products above. If the redness persists, it’s time to see a derm.

+ What are your best tips for combatting redness? Share them below!

The post The Reason Why You Can’t Seem to Get Rid of Your Facial Redness appeared first on The Klog.

We’re now at that point in the winter when there’s really no escaping dry and dehydrated skin. If your go-to moisturizer suddenly isn’t cutting it or you’re on the hunt for a natural, inexpensive skin solution, you may be considering incorporating products like petroleum jelly or coconut oil in their purest forms into your routine.

We’ve been having the same thoughts, so we asked two dermatologists to share their expert opinions on popular single-ingredient moisturizers and the pros and cons of applying them straight-up.

RELATED: I Used Baby Lotion as a Moisturizer for 2 Weeks and Here’s What It Did to My Skin

Olive Oil

“Olive oil is a light moisturizer which anyone can use on the face,” says Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York. “Less is more – a few drops are all you need.”

In addition to its hydrating properties, the oil – it’s best to use organic extra virgin olive oil on the face – is also rich in antioxidants that protect against environmental damage.

Hyaluronic Acid

You won’t find pure hyaluronic acid already stocked in your kitchen or bathroom cabinet, but we have it on the list because it’s a solid option for those looking to use products with minimal ingredient lists.

“It’s a great moisturizer as it pulls a lot of water and most people tolerate it very well,” says Susan Bard, MD, another New York City-based board-certified dermatologist.

The Plant Base Waterfall Moist Balanced Hyaluronic Acid 100 contains 100% pure sodium hyaluronate, a form of the ingredient that better penetrates skin than others. Since the ingredient is a humectant and pulls moisture from skin to the surface, we always recommend applying an occlusive on top to prevent that moisture from evaporating into the air.

Petroleum Jelly (a.k.a. Vaseline)

“Petrolatum, [or petroleum jelly] is occlusive making it a heavy moisturizer ideal to lock in moisture in very dry skin,” says Dr. Bard. She does note that it’s very sticky so if the texture is an issue for you, a similar, non-sticky option is glycerin.

The ingredient also might be too much for oily or combination skin types. Hear about what happened when one writer with a breakout-prone complexion used Vaseline as a moisturizer here.

Coconut Oil

A couple of years ago, coconut oil was considered a miracle, do-it-all ingredient that could be slathered anywhere and everywhere. However, while it still has its place in one’s medicine cabinet as a body lotion or hair mask, it may not be the best facial moisturizing product for everyone.

Dr. Mudgil says he’s “not crazy” about the idea of applying coconut oil on the face as a moisturizer. “I’ve seen a lot of contact allergy in my practice from patients using coconut oil.”

Dr. Bard doesn’t recommend it to patients because the oil “has a high comedogenic [rating] which will lead to clogged pores.”

A better facial use for it may be as an oil cleanser to remove makeup and sunscreen.

Shea and Cocoa Butters

These formulas, says Dr. Mudgil, “have a comedogenic index of zero, meaning technically they should not clog pores.” Still, he says, “I’ve had many patients who have developed clogged pores using those products so it’s very patient dependent.”

Perhaps one explanation is that they’re very thick. For this reason, his advice is to use shea and cocoa butters to treat dry skin on the body and not the face.

If you do want to give either one a try as a facial moisturizer, start with a very small amount of product and apply as the last step in your routine.

Bottom Line

The products listed above could be miracle dry skin solutions for some, but they could also be recipes for breakouts for others. If you’re thinking of incorporating any of them into your routine, patch test and start small to see how your skin reacts before slathering the ingredient all over your face.

It’s also important to take the type of moisturizing agent an ingredient is into consideration. For example, petroleum jelly is an occlusive, meaning it sits on top of skin and serves to seal in moisture, but it doesn’t necessarily hydrate beyond the surface, so it’s best to apply an ingredient that’s a humectant (like hyaluronic acid) or an emollient first for best results.

+Have you used any of the above as a face moisturizer? Share your experience below! What other ingredients do you have questions about?

The post The Best (and Questionable) Single-Ingredient Moisturizers to Apply on Dry Skin appeared first on The Klog.

In the interest of being transparent – and to ride the clean beauty wave – more and more beauty brands are getting into the habit of listing the “bad” ingredients that their products are free of on the packaging. Often, you’ll see parabens, phthalates, and artificial fragrances on these lists – the usual suspects. A less common one, but one that sticks out, is gluten. If you’ve seen a gluten-free claim and thought to yourself, “What? Why the heck is there gluten in beauty products?,” well, same.

As it turns out, sources of gluten are used in skin care as conditioning agents, and in hair care to thicken and strengthen.

RELATED: Do You Really Need…CBD Oil-Infused Skin Care?

If you’re already eliminating or limiting gluten from your diet, it may seem like a good idea to also cut it out of your beauty routine. But before you denounce gluten in the beauty category, read on to hear what the experts have to say, and to learn if the ingredient could actually affect you in any negative way.

What forms of gluten are found in beauty products?

Ingredient labels on products with gluten might include some of these terms: Wheat, gluten, barley (hordeum vulgare), malt, rye (secale cereale) or triticum. “Triticum is Latin for wheat and skin care products might use this term instead of wheat,” says Dr. Debra Jaliman, an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Can applying a topical product that contains gluten cause a negative reaction for people with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity?

Unlike ingesting gluten, simply coming into contact with a topical product that contains the ingredient will not trigger a reaction such as a rash or gastrointestinal symptoms for those with intolerances – gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin.

The reason why there is potential risk, says Dr. Jaliman, is because if the product gets into your mouth from your hands or enters the skin through a wound or sore, it could cause a reaction.

For this reason, “the products [someone with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity] might want to avoid are any products applied to the lips or near the mouth,” says Dr. Jaliman.

So should you be using gluten-free skin care?

“If you have no sensitivities to gluten I wouldn’t worry about it being used in a product,” says Dr. Jaliman. The only group of people that Dr. Jaliman says should definitely be using gluten-free products are children with gluten intolerances. “Even if it is a cream applied to the body, children tend to put their hands in their mouth,” she says.

And if you do have sensitivities? One study often cited is one that was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics by registered dietitian and gluten-free expert Tricia Thompson in 2012. It tested a small number of cosmetic products containing gluten “to provide an assessment on whether lipsticks and lotions contain quantifiable gluten”. The results showed that there was “no quantifiable gluten” in any of them, meaning that the amount of the ingredient found in the products was likely not enough to have any kind of adverse effect if ingested.

According to the National Celiac Association, more studies are needed on the topic in order to make a conclusive recommendation either way.

Still, if the potential of ingesting a gluten product is a concern for you, be sure to wash your hands after application, especially before eating. And if you don’t want to even risk it, by all means, look for gluten-free products – no one knows your body better than you!

+Do you use gluten-free skin care? What other ingredients do you have concerns about? Share them in the comments below!

The post Do You Really Need…Gluten-Free Beauty Products? appeared first on The Klog.

The skin below the eye is thin, delicate, and is in frequent motion, so it’s the first area of the face to show signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, and a lack of firmness. This is why beginning in your twenties, making an eye cream part of your daily AM and PM skin care routines is essential. However, because these “signs” are likely different if you’re 55 versus if you’re 25, it’s important to choose a formula that targets your skin’s current needs and to switch things up as these needs evolve.

Here, we’re sharing our top eye cream picks for every age, plus what to look for in a formula.

RELATED: How Your Skin Changes as You Age and How to Evolve Your Routine Accordingly

In your 20s? You’ll love the Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron Eye Serum

In your 20s, the name of the skin care game is prevention. For the eye area, this means keeping skin hydrated. Other issues you might be experiencing at this time are dark circles and puffiness. The Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron Eye Serum targets all of the above. The formula is refreshing and lightweight making it a good starter product, yet packs a punch with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica extracts that effectively lock in moisture, plump, and rejuvenate. It’s applicator is cooling, also helping to reduce puffiness!

In your 30s? Go for the I’m From Ginseng Eye Cream

By now, you want to start ramping up your defense against premature aging. Ginseng root extract, the star ingredient of this cream, helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and because it’s high in antioxidants, it helps prevent deeper wrinkles from forming. The formula also works to smooth and plump with hyaluronic acid.

RELATED: Can Eye Creams Really Lighten Dark Circles?

In your 40s? Check out the Dr. Different VITALIFT-A Eye & Neck

If you’re experiencing fine lines and wrinkles, this eye serum is here to help. The formula features retinal and niacinamide, a dream team that works to tackle lines and wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

In your 50s and beyond? Try the Elensilia CPP Collagen 80% Intensive Eye Cream

Because your skin is more susceptible to collagen degradation and deep wrinkles, we suggest looking for an eye cream that’s packed with a powerful blend of active ingredients like peptides. The Elensilia eye cream contains two types of patented peptides that promote collagen production and improve circulation to de-puff and reduce dark circles, respectively. It also boasts 80% hydrolyzed collagen to firm, plump and improve overall skin texture.

Bottom Line

Eye cream is an essential part of any skin regimen. While most are good for hydrating and targeting fine lines, some are better equipped than others to treat concerns like deep wrinkles, dark circles, and lack of firmness. For more eye cream suggestions, click here!

+What do you look for in an eye cream? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Eye Cream You Should Be Using, Based on Your Age appeared first on The Klog.

A few years ago, coconut oil was THE “It” beauty ingredient. It was the subject of countless articles and blog posts praising it as a miracle solution with a laundry list of skin and hair benefits and uses to boot. Brands pounced on the trend, infusing it into every kind of personal care product under the sun, and it seemed there wasn’t a celebrity or model who didn’t name it as their top beauty secret.

The craze has since come to a simmer, and as is the nature of the trend cycle, it’s received its fair share of backlash. Many of the same sources that once waxed poetic about the ingredient are now cautioning against using it all.

So what’s the deal? Should you use coconut oil on your skin or not? Because it remains a popular ingredient both in the DIY beauty space and on the shelves of your favorite beauty retailers, we talked to a handful of experts to explain the pros and cons of coconut oil as a skin care ingredient and how best to use it.

The Benefits of Coconut Oil on Your Skin

“Coconut Oil is rich in fatty acids, with lauric acid being the most prominent, and its complete profile can offer benefits for skin types that experience irritation, sensitivities, and breakouts,” says Heather Wilson, a licensed esthetician and director of brand development at InstaNatural.

Dr. Susan Bard, an NYC-based dermatologist adds that “Lauric acid has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifugal properties.” Plus, coconut oil’s “high lipid content can help speed up healing.”

Since it can break down even waterproof formulas, coconut oil is an effective makeup remover. In addition, the ingredient has antioxidant properties. “This means that it can help neutralize and prevent damage from free radicals from UV rays and pollution,” says New York City-based dermatologist Hadley King.

Because it’s an emollient rich in triglycerides (fatty acids), Dr. King says that dry skin types that aren’t prone to clogged pores can benefit the most from coconut oil.

The Potential Cons of Applying Coconut Oil on Your Skin

Coconut oil is considered comedogenic (it’s rated as a 4 on a scale of 5), meaning it can clog your pores.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that those with acne-prone skin should stay away from the stuff.

Lauric acid, which as mentioned above is abundant in coconut oil, has been found to be an effective acne-fighting treatment. While applying 100% raw coconut oil on your face may be more risky because of the pore-clogging fatty acids, a product formulated with coconut oil as an ingredient among others may be a better bet in avoiding a negative reaction. For example, an oil cleanser that contains coconut oil will likely also contain an emulsifier to help ensure you aren’t left with a coating of the ingredient on your face after use.

And just because an ingredient is comedogenic doesn’t mean it will definitely clog your pores. As blogger Lab Muffin deftly explains here, the scale is more of a guideline than a rule.

RELATED: What to Know About Comedogenic Ingredients If You Have Acne-Prone Skin

“Essentially, the potential downfall of this ingredient is the same as any other ingredient – some skin types may love it while others may react negatively to it, it simply depends on your skin’s own unique chemistry,” says Wilson.

How to Use It

In skin care, coconut oil is most commonly found in lip treatments, body scrubs and butters, moisturizers, and makeup remover/cleansing oils. If you’re using the latter, we recommend making sure you effectively emulsify the formula before moving to a water cleansing step, and exfoliate regularly to keep pores clear.

And if you’re more into the DIY approach and are using raw coconut oil from the jar, choose organic, virgin, unrefined coconut oil. “Not all coconut oils are created equal, and the refinement process can actually cause the oil to have a higher risk of causing breakouts because the natural lauric acid levels will be decreased,” says Wilson.

When applying, a little goes a long way. “I recommend warming about a pea-sized amount of oil between your hands and pressing the oil onto the skin. Your skin shouldn’t feel or look greasy, and with this application you should notice that the oil absorbs quickly,” says Wilson.

Concerned about coconut oil clogging your pores, or have a jar to get through after it broke you out on your face? Use it on your body instead. “It’s great for ashy elbows and cracked heels – your hands, feet, legs, anywhere it will not break you out,” says Victoria Lewis, medical aesthetician at Tribeca MedSpa.

Bottom Line

Coconut oil may be a holy grail ingredient for you, or it may be something you try once and never try again. “It’s most certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution,” says Wilson. The best way to find out is to patch test before slathering it all over your face.

The post Is Coconut Oil Good For Your Skin? appeared first on The Klog.

Green tea is one of the best natural skin care ingredients out there because it excels at so many things. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that make it a great ingredient for soothing redness, irritation, and breakouts. The tannins in green tea also have astringent properties that can help reduce the production of excess sebum. Then the ingredient is a rich source of antioxidants that help skin fend off free radicals that cause damage and speed up the aging process.

The powerful ingredient is why Amorepacific’s Vintage Single Extract Essence, which only has six ingredients – green tea leaf extract being the star – is such a prized skin care possession. The anti-aging formula is designed to target and treat fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improve skin tone and clarity. Renee of Gothamista has raved about it on her YouTube channel, calling it a “real treat” for her skin and it gets frequent mentions on skin care-related Reddit threads.

RELATED: Meet the K-Beauty Cream That’s a More Affordable Dupe For Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Cream

The only thing that might keep you from clicking “add to cart” and slathering it all over your face? A 4.05 oz bottle costs $145, which is a splurge to be sure. Thankfully, we’ve recently discovered a product that’s pretty similar, and it costs a whole lot less: the Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner, priced at just $20 for 6.76 oz.

The Similarities

Like the Amorepacific essence, green tea leaf extract sourced from Jeju Island, an island off of South Korea, is the main attraction of the Isntree toner; the formula contains 80% of the ingredient. It’s unclear exactly how much green tea is found in the Amorepacific formula, but considering the brevity of the ingredient list, it’s safe to say that it’s a very concentrated amount.

Thanks to all that green tea goodness, both of the formulas have a natural tea scent and a brown-ish hue.

RELATED: 9 Powerful Anti-Aging Ingredients Popular in K-Beauty

Like the Vintage Single Extract Essence, the Green Tea Fresh Toner is nourishing and designed to protect, brighten, and clear up the complexion. In addition to the green tea, the essence contains glycerin, a humectant, to moisturize, while the toner contains hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, also a humectant.

The Differences

Let’s talk about the major one: price. If you’re wondering why the Amorepacific essence is so expensive, we have one idea. In order to give their green tea even more oomph during production, the leaves are fermented for 50 days and then buried in the earth in an onggi (Korean earthenware) for another 50 days before being slowly extracted for 24 hours. That’s quite the process!

And then of course the obvious difference is product type. Yes, one is an essence and one is a toner, but because the green tea is so concentrated in both, you’re still going to reap similar benefits. However, the Isntree goes a step further to help balance skin with ingredients like willow bark extract. It also includes additional soothing ingredients like centella asiatica water, allantoin, and blueberry fruit extract.

Bottom Line

While these two products aren’t carbon copies of one another, the Isntree formula is definitely a worthy alternative if you’re not ready to pull the trigger on the Amorepacific essence. It’s also a great product to incorporate into your routine if you’re interested in seeing what wonders green tea can do for your complexion.

The post We Found a Dupe for a Popular But Pricey Anti-Aging Essence From Amorepacific – and It Costs $125 Less appeared first on The Klog.

Fall is coming up fast, which means it’s time to start thinking about swapping out your skin care routine to help prepare your skin for the long winter months ahead. For me, it also means focusing my attention on those areas of my skin that I know will get dry and flaky due to the drier months, like my limbs and my lips.

As I detailed back in the thick of the cold weather season last year, I struggled to find a lip balm that worked, so I know I will need to do more thorough research this year so that my lips don’t suffer from serious dehydration.

In general, when you need to hydrate or rehab dry skin, it’s most effective to apply moisturizer on a smooth canvas, hence why exfoliating is such an important step in one’s routine. For the lips, this means using a lip scrub, but lip scrubs can be harsh on the delicate area and also require adding yet another product into your regimen.

RELATED: Keep Your Skin Hydrated During the Day by Following These Four Tips

All this is to say that when a sample of the Mamonde Lip Mask, a multitasking balm that contains the chemical exfoliant glycolic acid, came across my desk, I knew my chapped lips were about to be transformed.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8haQWhHQp-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The formula features plum blossom extract to soothe, shea and muru muru butter to moisturize, and then just enough glycolic acid to smooth lips without irritating them. I have sensitive skin and I can attest that I haven’t experienced any tingling or sensitivity post-application.

After using the mask just one night, I woke up to noticeably softer and hydrated lips. Even the natural color looked pinker and less dull than usual. I still needed to apply lip balm in the morning, but I didn’t have to reapply as much throughout the day that followed.

I find the product to be similar to the popular (and Klog team favorite) Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. However, if your lips get chapped easily and you don’t love using physical lip scrubs, I definitely recommend giving the Mamonde formula a try.

Soko Glam used to offer the full-size lip sleeping mask only as part of an exclusive four-piece set that includes some of the brand’s best sellers, but they now curate the lip mask on its own! Shop it down below.

The post You’re Probably Not Applying a Chemical Exfoliant on This Delicate Area – But You Should appeared first on The Klog.

Maintaining your skin is a lot like exercising. To reach your goals, you have to put in the work. You might have to pay attention to what you eat, too, as well as manage your stress. There will likely be setbacks and there’s no one formula that works for everyone. But if you stick with it, success can be yours – and boy does it feel good!

And as with working out, once your goal has been met, you don’t just stop everything and revert back to your old ways. Now, you have to maintain that complexion.

RELATED: What Are Your Skin Care Resolutions?

Wondering how to keep your skin clear, hydrated, youthful, or even-toned? Below, skin experts share their tips on what to do when you’ve achieved your skin goals.

Acne

“Even after your face is clear, you should continue to treat your face to prevent a recurrence,” says New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner. For this reason, it’s not just about spot-treating, but treating the whole face.

Adriana Martino, esthetician and co-founder of SKINNEY Medspa, recommends using products that contain glycolic and/or salicylic acids to “help stop a breakout in its tracks to prevent future breakouts.” The Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30Days Miracle Toner contains both AHAs and BHAs (salicylic acid) to keep skin clear.

Hyperpigmentation

“The number one reason for developing dark spots is UV light exposure from the sun,” says Dr. Zeichner. “Once you have successfully brightened hyperpigmentation, make sure not to forget to apply daily sunscreen. Look for a product that contains at least SPF 30 with broad spectrum protection.”

Josie Holmes, an esthetician at SKINNEY Medspa in NYC, also recommends continued using of brightening ingredients like vitamin C and licorice root. Try mixing the Neogen Real Vita C Powder Lemon with the Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner.

If you want to go the professional route, Holmes suggests looking into laser facials like Clear & Brilliant or Fraxel.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

“Continued use of ingredients like retinol will improve the appearance of wrinkles over time. It is important not to get lazy and skip your treatment in order to stimulate collagen production and keep the skin foundation strong,” says Dr. Zeichner.

Professional treatments like like Fraxel, Microneedling, Botox and radiofrequency like Thermage will keep your skin looking younger longer, says Martino.

Dryness and Dehydration

In order to keep your skin hydrated, it’s important to understand the difference between dry and dehydrated skin, which according to Holmes is about “what your skin is lacking.” She explains, “with dehydrated skin, you are lacking water, but with dry skin you are actually lacking oil.” While dry skin is a skin type, dehydrated skin is a condition that can be caused by harsh products or the environment. Learn more about the differences and how to treat them here.

No matter which relates to your skin, “using a creamy cleanser and a good hyaluronic acid as part of your daily skin routine will keep your skin hydrated all year long,” says Martino. “Also, exfoliating your skin is very important to reduce dry dull skin enabling fresh youthful skin to shine through.”

The Plant Base Waterfall Moist Balanced Hyaluronic Acid 100 serum is favorite among the K-beauty community. Top it off with a moisture-sealing cream.

Plus, “for someone who suffers from either dryness or dehydration I always love to suggest a nice facial like the HydraFacial treatment,” says Holmes.

The post So You’ve Reached Your 2020 Skin Goals – Now What? appeared first on The Klog.

Actives are science-backed ingredients that target specific skin concerns and deliver physical results. So if your goal to see a noticeable change in your skin, using a product that contains the right active ingredients is essential.

To find out how to choose products based on their active ingredients, we asked two New York City-based dermatologists, Dr. Joshua Zeichner and Dr. Hadley King, to break down which are best for common skin concerns.

If you have acne, try…retinoids or benzoyl peroxide.

You may know retinol as an anti-aging ingredient, but did you know that it can also be successful at treating acne? “Topical retinoids help reduce inflammation in the skin and act like pipe cleaners to keep the pores clear,” says Dr. Zeichner.

A popular over the counter option is adapalene, which Dr. King says, “has a decreased risk of irritation compared to other prescription retinoids, and excellent efficacy for treating acne and acne scars.”

For something stronger, talk to your dermatologist about prescription retinoids like tretinoin or Altreno. The latter is a new formula that Dr. Zeichner says “contains 0.05% tretinoin in a specially formulated vehicle that minimizes skin irritation.”

RELATED: I Use Tretinoin to Treat My Acne and Here’s What I Learned

Another option is benzoyl peroxide. “Benzoyl peroxide has mild [blemish-inhibiting] properties compared to salicylic acid but it also has other acne-fighting properties like anti-bacterial powers, which make it a great choice for both comedonal and inflammatory acne,” says Dr. King. ” With benzoyl peroxide, 2.5% is strong enough to be effective. Higher strengths are likely to be more irritating.”

If you have fine lines and wrinkles, try…retinoids or glycolic acid.

As mentioned above, retinoids are known for their anti-aging powers. “They are able to produce significant changes in the skin,” says Dr. King. “They increase the turnover of skin cells, reduce the tendency of cells and keratin debris to clump together and clog up pores, increase collagen production and decrease discoloration.”

An alternative (or supplement to) is glycolic acid, which isn’t just great at exfoliating. According to Dr. Zeichner, it has also been shown to “help stimulate collagen to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.” For best results, he recommends using a formula that contains 10% glycolic acid like the Saturday Skin Pore Clarifying Toner.

If you want to target both acne and fine lines and wrinkles, try the Isntree Clear Skin 8% AHA Essence. This essence contains 4% glycolic acid and 4% lactic acid, which work together to gently exfoliate and plump the skin to reveal a smoother, brighter and more youthful complexion.

If you have hyperpigmentation, try…vitamin C.

In addition to protecting the skin from free radical damage, vitamin C can also help block the production of abnormal pigmentation. To best target spots, Dr. Zeichner suggests formulas of 15% to 20% vitamin C. The Neogen Real Vita C Powder Lemon contains 17% ascorbic acid (pure vitamin C). If you want a liquid form vitamin C product for more sensitive skin, the Good (Skin) Days C’s The Day Serum contains 10% ascorbic acid (pure vitamin C) to help lighten scarring, dark spots and other types of pigmentation to give you a more radiant and even complexion.

If you have dryness or dehydration, try…hyaluronic acid + an emollient.

Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. “It pulls in hydration to the outer skin layer,” explains Dr. Zeichner.

For best results, Dr. King recommends pairing hyaluronic acid with an emollient to lock in that moisture. “Good emollients include petrolatum, dimethicone, squalene, shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and ceramides,” she says.

Try The Plant Base Waterfall Moist Balanced Hyaluronic Acid 100 with the Skinrx MadeCera Cream. The Waterfall Moist Balanced Hyaluronic Acid 100 ampoule contains 100% pure sodium hyaluronate (a stable, water-soluble form of hyaluronic acid that has smaller molecules than hyaluronic acid resulting in better skin penetration), while the MadeCera Cream contains ceramides to lock in the sodium hyaluronate from the ampoule, instantly hydrating, plumping and refreshing the skin.

If you have enlarged pores, try…salicylic acid.

“This beta hydroxy acid helps remove excess oil from the skin which can fill and dilate the pores,” says Dr. Zeichner. “By removing oil from the skin, it is not there to stretch out their appearance.” To be most effective, look for products that contain 2% of the ingredient.

The post How to Choose the Right Active Ingredient For Your Biggest Skin Concern appeared first on The Klog.

We get a lot of great questions from readers in our inbox about common topics like acne, the do’s and don’ts of mixing ingredients like acids, and how to build a skin care routine from scratch. Recently, we got one we hadn’t heard before and we weren’t quite sure how to answer it. 

The reader who wrote in said that after he started incorporating the double cleanse method into his routine, he noticed lines developing on his forehead. He wondered whether his products were actually causing wrinkles to form and if he should stop double cleansing.

Our instinct was to tell him, “No way! Double cleansing improves your skin, it doesn’t give you wrinkles!” But to be sure, we consulted Dr. Debra Jaliman,  an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist, and her answer made a whole lot of sense.

While using a cleanser for a few weeks can’t exactly cause new wrinkles to develop, it can make existing lines that may not have been so noticeable more pronounced, depending on the formula.

“Skin care that lacks the right ingredients will end up drying your skin out. When skin lacks proper hydration your fine lines and wrinkles are accentuated,” says Dr. Jaliman.

Cleansers that contain ingredients like harsh surfactants (cleansing and foaming agents) can strip the skin of natural oils and weaken the moisture barrier. While that squeaky clean feeling may seem like a good thing at the time, your skin shouldn’t be tight and devoid of moisture after cleansing.

In addition to tautness, you can tell that your skin is dehydrated if it appears dull, has a rough texture, if you’re breaking out, or if your fine lines look deeper. For more on signs of dehydration, click here.

Look for a cleanser that contains natural surfactants like amino acids, has a low pH, and is infused with soothing and hydrating ingredients like aloe leaf extract and hyaluronic acid. The Acwell pH Balancing Bubble Free Cleansing Gel, for example, contains hyaluronic acid, and is formulated to balance the skin’s pH level and protect the moisture barrier.

RELATED: How to Shop For a Water-Based Cleanser

Once you’ve made sure that you’re using a non-dehydrating cleanser, Dr. Jaliman recommends reassessing the rest of your routine.

Any skin care routine, no matter how expansive or minimal, should include a good moisturizing product. Dr. Jaliman suggests looking for ingredients like hyaluronic acid and fatty acids that can help replenish skin’s moisture levels after cleansing. The Plant Base Waterfall Moist Balanced Hyaluronic Acid 100 is both soothing and helps skin maintain moisture. 

Then, to prevent lines from forming in the first place, Dr. Jaliman recommends incorporating an anti-aging product like retinol into your routine. “Retinol stimulates a quicker renewal of skin cells – the outer layer of the skin is sloughed off and the newer skin underneath is revealed. It also reduces the appearance of fine lines and helps with skin discoloration by fading dark spots.” Because retinol can be extremely drying, make sure you’re using it correctly and moisturizing well. Dr.Different’s Vitalift-A Eye & Neck is formulated with retinal to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face.

Lastly, reevaluate your daily habits. “Smoking and sun damage all contribute to fine lines and wrinkles looking more noticeable,” says Dr. Jaliman. “It’s important to stay hydrated. Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water. Your skin will look better and your makeup will go on smoother.”

The post Are Your Skin Care Products Giving You Wrinkles? appeared first on The Klog.