Cornstarch! Adult Acne’s Best Friend!

Mineral Veil, HD Microfinish Powder, Light Reflecting Setting Powder.  I see these a lot among my clients’ makeup arsenals, chiefly because my clientele all have breakout issues.  Summer can really be gross.  There’s very little that’s worse than a greasy mess over layers of makeup.  These powders are not just setting powders, they do serve a great purpose for oily skin; they absorb oil like no one’s business and the white ones don’t clog pores or irritate inflamed skin.

Thing is, considering they run anywhere from $20-50, and considering most are made with just one ingredient, the white ones in particular, do we really need this?  In my opinion, this is really one of the things we can indeed save money on.  Like I said, these powders are great.  But they’re not all there is.

Do I need an eye cream with oily skin?

One of the first things I was taught in Beauty School (where I went in my early 30s in 1997) was that at that time, just in the United States alone, the skincare industry boasted $3.2 Billion in sales annually.  The reason stated?  "It’s incredibly easy to sell moisturizer."  I’m not kidding, that’s really what they said.  Frankly, I think it’s extremely impressive.  Everyone needs moisturizer.  There’s a reason there are so many out there to choose from.  Like I always say, “Everything works for somebody, nothing works for everybody.” 

My job in specializing in Adult Acne is to make sure my clients are getting adequate healing and hydration in their lotions while avoiding pore clogging and irritation.  In addition, my job especially is to make sure they’re getting anti-aging concerns taken care of without clogging pores and causing breakouts unnecessarily.  Prevention is a big part of anti-aging consciousness these days, and it comes up a lot in my practice.

So what about eye cream for prevention?  

Gimmick, or necessity?

Demystifying Large Pores in Adult Acne Skin

As an Adult Acne Specialist, I get asked all the time how to get rid of large pores - slash - make them smaller - slash - make them disappear, etc.

The answer is pretty disappointing (no, they cannot be shrunk), but also kind of fascinating.  

There is, however, a way to prevent them from looking bigger than they already are.

What does Comedogenic mean?

For those of you with Adult Acne, this is real information you don't want to miss!

I’m sure you’ve seen this term before.  
Comedogenic.  
Let's break it down;  

comedo = an impaction of varying size containing a mixture of sebum (fancy name for our skin’s oil) and dead skin cells, often known as a “blackhead”;  

genic = creating.  

 

Cheek Breakouts and the Blush Brush Conundrum

Have you ever experienced breakouts along your cheekbones that just don’t go away no matter what you do?  While there are several possibilities that could explain this annoying problem, my first go-to in diagnosing the problem is to look at your blush and bronzer.

You may have also come to a similar thought, but from a different angle.  After asking at Sephora, or perusing Pinterest, there's no doubt that you've come across the advice to wash your makeup brushes.  It only seems to make sense that your dirty makeup brushes would cause breakouts, right?

Actually? NO !  

As I always tell my clients,

 "It's  the blush, not the brush!"

Allergies and Adult Acne

What is the Allergy-Acne Connection?  If you have environmental allergies or even food sensitivities, they could provide clues to your persistent breakouts.  Sensitivity in one area can contribute to sensitivity in another area.

As part of my online skincare coaching service, Eval by Email^® Adult Acne Clearing Program, vital information about your skin’s history is gathered along with full names of all the products you use from head to toe. 

One section that may surprise you is dedicated to listing your allergies -- anything related to food, environment, cosmetics and even medication.  Why do I need such details about everything topical or ingested?  Is there a connection between allergies and acne breakouts?

Kitchen Esthetician or How to Navigate Acne DIY

Working on my Adult Acne Online Coaching program, helping people adjust their home routines to clear their breakout issues, coming across some kind of DIY facial oil, mask or cleansing oil is an almost daily occurrence.  Between Instagram, TikTok, and beauty blogs, the skincare consumer is bombarded with all sorts of advice on how best to deal with acne in general, but particularly on how to save money and health by making your own products right in your own kitchen.  I can’t blame anyone for trying these things.  Who can possibly object to saving money and guarding their health?

There are three problems with the logic here.

All About Blackheads plus Tips for Adult Acne

What is a blackhead exactly?  And why are they black?  Is it dirt?

No.  It’s not dirt.  If you have blackheads, it does not mean you have a dirty face.  And it certainly doesn't mean scrubbing the hell out of your face is going to do one bit of good.

Exactly what is a blackhead?

A blackhead is an impaction made up of various oils and waxes made by your skin, mixed with skin cells that have died and have dislodged from the very top layer of your epidermis.  The same top layer that makes up the surface of your skin lines your pores as well. 

Adult Acne Tip : You really do need a moisturizer !

There are often times when a new client fills out my Eval by Email® consultation form, and they leave the Nighttime Moisturizer field blank.  It seems many people think they don’t need a moisturizer because their skin is oily, or they’re uncomfortable with the idea because they’ve broken out so much from them in the past.

I’d like to shed some light on moisturizers, why they seem to break you out, why you actually do need one, and how to obtain the right one for you.

A big part of the problem is they way most moisturizers are made.

How often should I replenish my skincare products?

Why the worst thing you could do while clearing Adult Acne is let yourself run out of product.

I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m repeating myself.  :)  This is really just a follow-up to a previous post where I talk about how much of each product you should use at a time.

I started it out with a conundrum I often experience when facial clients check in, where we don’t see as much progress in their acne clearing as I think we should.  I take a look at when they last purchased.  I know approximately how long each type of product should last when it's used properly (which I will go over a little later), so if it’s been a while, it's not always the case that they’ve stopped buying their products and let their skincare go; often the client has either stretched the products out for budget reasons, or stretched them out figuring they have an upcoming appointment so why not wait. 

The truth is, using too little of each product renders them pretty much useless.

20 Ways to Keep Adult Acne Clear While Traveling

How to keep up with Your Adult Acne Skincare Routine While On Vacay!

You have a great routine at home, you’ve done amazing things to clear up your Adult Acne following the advice from my Eval by Email® service and instructions for using my products to the letter. 

Now. 

Taking all your products in full sizes on your upcoming trip is not an option.  On the other hand, transferring them into tiny bottles is time consuming and wasteful.  There are also extra considerations, like hotter or more humid weather, constant sunscreen applications after swimming, evenings out and late nights.

So.  Here is a list of tips for packing your toiletries for your carry-on or checked-in luggage:

What can I expect after starting a better skincare routine ?

I get asked this question all the time, and rightly so.  A great deal of trust is being put in me.  The focus of my skincare practice is acne and sensitivity experienced by adults aged late-twenties on up.  Why is that?

There are two reasons for my focus on clients in their late 20’s and older. 

One, I believe that those of us who are looking for anti-aging products that won’t break us out and acne products that won’t dry or irritate our more mature skin, are being largely ignored.  I want to fill that void.

Is Benzoyl Peroxide The Devil ?

In my 23 years of helping to clear Adult Acne, I’ve heard differing opinions about Benzoyl Peroxide, aka BPO. Some say it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread when used properly and under a very specific protocol.  Others believe it damages the skin leaving it thinned out and oxidized, contributing to pigmentation issues and aging.  Some don’t like it just because it’s a “drug”, preferring a more “natural” approach.

 

But learning exactly what BPO does, how it works, and how it can actually help rather than hurt, took more than just hearing an opinion or two.  I’d like to share what I’ve learned with you, and perhaps demystify, and even shed a positive light on Benzoyl Peroxide.

How Much of Each of My Skincare Products Should I Use?

After filling out the full Eval by Email® form for Adult Acne and Sensitivity issues, a sample packet of an entire skincare regimen is sent to your home to check for likeability, but mainly for any adverse reactions, after which full sizes are purchased from my web store.  

Of course, accompanying this sample packet is a full set of instructions with the order in which the products are to be used, and how to use them.

However, in addition to daily and weekly instructions, I also include a special post card with information on how much is used at a time, and how long each product should last when used in the amounts and frequency they're meant to be.

For your convenience, there are full step-by-step instructions in my web site’s Advice Section for an entire skincare routine for every skin type.

Every time a client comes to get a facial at my skincare salon, Daniela’s Facial Studio, or when a remote client checks in when they need to order more product, I check on their previous product purchases and the date they purchased last, because that's how I can tell if they're been using the products the way they've been instructed to.  Then I check whether they might need to repurchase, or tweak their routine. 

"Can I Use the Same SPF for Face and Body?"

As an online skincare coach, a great many of the Eval by Email® forms I receive on a day to day basis reveal a pretty substantial number of Adult Acne sufferers who use the same moisturizer for day and night, or the same SPF lotion for face and body.  It may seem like this wouldn’t have any part in acne formation, and indeed, the part that moisturizers play in worsening acne is the same for all types of lotions; the presence of pore-clogging ingredients.  But there are other things to consider as well.

So, this week I'd like to tackle the question of Face vs Body SPF, and next week SPF vs Night lotions.

Is there really that much difference between 

Face and Body SPF lotions?

 

Let’s consider a few things.

SPF lotions for body are more likely to be pore clogging

This is true even of “sensitive skin” brands, and brands whose advertising implies that their products are healthy for the skin.  Since most people forget how much the hands and arms can touch the face every day, it’s easy to see why so many skincare formulators would use moderately to highly comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients in body moisturizers, figuring it doesn’t really matter. 

Does a Change in Weather Mean a Change in Skincare ?

This is SO typical me.  Yes, it’s confession time. 

Nutrition that Might Help your Adult Acne?

With summer coming, Adult Acne sufferers know there are two types of “glow”...

There’s the glow of better health from finally getting outside and into fresh air and exercise, more fruits and veggies in one’s diet since it’s no longer uncomfortable eating cold foods, and the rosy glow that can come from sun exposure (we want to avoid that, though, don’t we!). 

The other glow is one we don’t like so much.  The glow of excess oil from increased exercise, heat, and goopy SPF lotions that clog pores.  Not to worry, though, I’ll be discussing solutions to all of those in upcoming blog posts !  In the meantime, you can check out the best SPF product in the world that I carry at my web store, which is not only guaranteed non-clogging, but is hydrating and really comfortable to wear.

What do masks do? Part 2

Last week I talked about a few of the types of masks used in clearing Adult Acne to calm, soothe, heal and purify.  Having gone over Clay and Gel Masks, this week I’m concluding Mask Madness Month with an overview of Cream and Exfoliating Masks, as well as some of the other types of masks you may have come across.

What Do Masks Do? Part 1

In my skincare practice and my remote skin coaching program, Eval by Email^® Adult Acne Clearing Program for adults 24+, an at-home weekly use of an exfoliator and mask is an integral part of my method of clearing Adult Acne.  I wrote a little about this last week when talking about how to prep for vacation. 

Continuing Mask Madness Month at Daniela’s Facial Studio^®, let’s talk about how masks work and what ingredients and benefits make them such an integral part of an at-home regimen and in-studio facial.

March is Mask Madness Month at The Acne Whisperer !

Yes indeed, folks, it’s Mask Madness time here at The Acne Whisperer! The entire month of March will be devoted to the masks offered at my main web site, what they do, how they work, how to use them and how to choose them.

With so many choices and benefits, I thought I would start out with a simple lesson in the best way to apply a mask.