Our skin is constantly sloughing off dead cells, but dry and/or ageing skin can have a harder time shedding these cells, leaving skin that looks rough and pasty. These dead cells can also clog pores, leading to adult acne. Exfoliating helps to remove these dead cells, uncovering “fresher” skin. There are two types of exfoliants:Continue reading “Skincare Ingredients – Other Exfoliants”
Author Archives: Ally
Skincare Ingredients – Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
AHAs are exfoliating ingredients, and are thought to help with fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and may help to shrink pores. They break up the “glue” that holds dead skin together, creating a brighter look. It should be noted that these ingredients can increase skin’s sensitivity, especially to sun (another reason to use sunscreen, everyday!)Continue reading “Skincare Ingredients – Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)”
Skincare Ingredients – Not Yet Classified/Other
As my education continues, I hope I’ll be able to better categorize these, but until then, this will have to do: Benzoyle Peroxide: A great acne fighting ingredient, benzoyle peroxide inhibits the growth of p. acnes, a bacteria that can cause acne. It also reduces excess oil as well as dead skin which can clogContinue reading “Skincare Ingredients – Not Yet Classified/Other”
Skincare Ingredients – Humectants
I know I’m ahead of schedule, but I was just too excited. Time to start looking more into the primary ingredients in the skincare world. First and foremost, I wanted to start with ingredients focused on moisturizing your skin, but I’m now updating this post because as I went through things, I realized there areContinue reading “Skincare Ingredients – Humectants”
Large Pores and Skin Dullness
Large looking pores are those that open. This can be caused by a variety of causes: High levels of sebum production Reduced elastin/collagen around pores Thick hair follicles Genetics Cleaning out pores can make them appear smaller. Dull skill has a drab, sallow appearance, and can have a rough texture. It has many causes, including:Continue reading “Large Pores and Skin Dullness”
Hyperpigmentation
When some patches of skin are darker than others, this is referred to as hyperpigmentation. It happens when melanin deposits occur in excess in certain spots in the skin Age or “liver spots” occur due to sun damage. These tend to get darker with more exposure to the sun to help protect skin from overexposureContinue reading “Hyperpigmentation”
Acne and Pimples
Each pore in your skin contains a hair follicle and sebaceous gland. Long story short, acne and pimples happen when your sebaceous glands become plugged up. Blockages occur when your skin is producing too much oil, dead skin accumulates in your pores, or you have a bacteria build-up in your pores. This generally happens inContinue reading “Acne and Pimples”
Aging Skin
Now that I’ve got a baseline of skin research under my belt, I want to start understanding what’s really going on with different skin conditions. Fighting aging seems to be where most of my skin-care budget goes, so I thought I’d start here. So what’s going on when our skin ages? As collagen production dropsContinue reading “Aging Skin”
Skin Appendages and the Subcutaneous Layer
There are several appendages located in the dermal layer of the skin: Sweat glands: Specifically, Eccrine glads. The glands create sweat which helps to cool off the body as it evaporates Sebaceous glads: Glands found all over the body secreting sebum into hair follicles. Sebum is an oily substance which acts as an bactericidal andContinue reading “Skin Appendages and the Subcutaneous Layer”
Dermis
Under the epidermis is the dermis, the thickest layer of your skin. It’s what provides strength and flexibility to your skin. It also the origin point of a lot of your skin appendages, such as nerve endings, sweat glands, and hair follicles (next post). Interestingly, most of the body’s water is stored in the dermis.Continue reading “Dermis”
My 52 Week Project 