Tag: Skin care

5 Expert-Backed Tips To Treat Crepey Skin Head To Toe

The key to exfoliation is finding your sweet spot. You don’t want to do it too frequently or with too abrasive products, as you’ll run the risk of compromising your skin barrier. (A compromised barrier means damaged collagen, increased dryness, and inflammation—so ultimately, you’re back where you started.) However, when done correctly exfoliation can keep skin looking vibrant, improve product penetration, and even spur more collagen production.

When exfoliating the face, chest, or neck, error on the side of caution. These are really delicate areas, so you don’t want to go overboard. Look for gentle chemical exfoliants such as lactic acid, mandelic acid, and low level glycolic acid. The latter of which has been shown to improve collagen production and dermal thickness 2 in the skin.

On the body (like the legs or arms) you can usually opt for something stronger, as the skin is thicker and more durable. You may want to try a body scrub or a body serum with chemical exfoliators.

Alexandra Engler

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March 26, 2023
HigherDose Red Light Therapy Mask Review, From A Shopping Editor

As much as I love testing every new skin care product and device under the sun, I’ll admit I’m a bit lazy when it comes to developing a lasting routine. Again, if something doesn’t prove to be worth my time, it’s likely collecting dust in my beauty basket. Even when I see visible results, I don’t want to go out of my way to incorporate a product into my daily routine.

The HigherDose mask wins huge bonus points for how easy it is to integrate into my day. When testing other red light therapy masks, I had to carve out time to use their corded designs, forced to sit by an outlet (and stressed about the things that I should be doing instead). Luckily, this mask is wireless, making it a great option for multitaskers who need to knock out a report for work or prep for dinner. What’s more, the battery lasts for a surprisingly long time; I use the mask four times per week but rarely have to charge it.

And if you’re intimidated by skin care tools, this red light mask is perfect for newbies and pros alike. You simply use the included remote to pick the length of your session—10 or 20 minutes—and put on the mask. Typically, I’ll use the mask for the shorter treatment time at least four times a week while reading or watching TV. Occasionally, I’ll even go full-on relaxation mode, which includes laying on my PEMF mat or using my Hyperice Normatec boots.

Carleigh Ferrante

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March 24, 2023
Want Your Hair To Grow Faster? Don’t Skip A Scalp Detox

For the sake of brevity, we’ll keep it simple here. When you don’t use a scalp detox product like a scalp scrub or exfoliating scalp treatment, that buildup can clog your hair follicles. When this happens, your hair has a harder time growing, thus may not grow as quickly as desired.

“Buildup” encompasses many different things: Dry shampoo, silicone-based hair products, hair spray, dead skin, oil, dandruff, and more. Each person has different levels of buildup depending on how often they cleanse, what products they use, and so on. But nobody is exempt from it—at some point or another, all of us have to deal with it.

Ready for the buildup fix? Detox your scalp. As mentioned above, there are a few different ways to do this. We dive deep into the processes here, but we’ll add a scannable list below as well:

Hannah Frye

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March 21, 2023
The Benefits Of Marine Botanicals For The Skin

It’s not always the case that what’s good for the gut is equally beneficial for the skin, but in the case of sea vegetables there’s quite a bit of overlap. Sea veggies—like kelp, algae, chlorella, and spirulina, for example—are hailed as superfoods in nutrition, as they are loaded with antioxidants, minerals, proteins, and fatty acids. Many of these botanicals are beloved in skin care formulations too, with a variety of benefits including improved barrier function, smoother texture, eased appearance of fine lines, and brighter tone.

A caveat: Superfood isn’t a specific class of foods, with defined parameters. It’s very similar to how “clean,” “hypoallergenic,” or even “dermatologist-tested” aren’t regulated words in the beauty space. However, many folks have come to understand that “superfood” denotes an ingredient with above average qualities—and that’s how I’m using it here. Because, truly, sea veggies go above and beyond for the skin. Here, what to know and look for.

Alexandra Engler

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March 21, 2023
A Hand Cream To Help Keep Hands Supple & Healthy

Our special strain of postbiotics provides skin with very specific fatty acids and peptides that have been shown to soothe inflammation, help protect skin against environmental stressors, regulate microcirculation, and activate the skin’s immune system. For added support, we also included prebiotics to make sure that the living flora already present on the skin are being taken care of, too. There are several kinds of prebiotics to use, and we selected one made from microgreen algae that has been shown to have a soothing effect on the skin by preventing inflammation triggered by an unbalanced microbiome.

Biotic ingredients can be challenging to talk about, because what they’re doing for the skin is somewhat invisible at first. But with time, you’ll notice changes like I did: The skin is more resilient and doesn’t feel as sensitive. The complexion quality improves, easing the appearance of fine lines and fading dark spots. And overall, the skin just functions healthier.

To amp up its skin-supporting benefits, we included powerful antioxidants like coenzyme Q10, a potent antioxidant naturally found in the body, and a watermelon, lentil, and apple complex that delivers a wide range of nutrients and benefits. These help support your skin barrier and offer free radical protection. They also provide many aesthetic benefits, such as brightening tone and smoothing out fine lines.

The hydrating base of the formula contains several botanicals to moisturize and soothe the skin: shea butter, moringa seed oil, aloe vera, and oat oil. Each of these individually is a powerful natural ingredient, but together they’re far more robust in their efficacy. We wanted moisturizers that were going to instantly calm and condition the skin—easing any irritation. The backs of my hands tend to get flaky, and this cream has been one of the only things that stops that.

But I’m a firm believer that products are only as good as they feel when you apply them. No matter how good or valuable I think an ingredient is, I’m just not going to use it diligently if I don’t like the texture or experience of it.

That’s why we took a long time perfecting the texture of the cream. It’s decadent, rich, and slightly whipped like really good butter—but then it soaks so quickly. That’s why I like using it both day and night: It’s thick enough for a night cream, but fast-absorbing enough for day. (My major stipulation when creating this was that I could go back to work right after applying and it wouldn’t leave an oily residue on my keyboard.)

Alexandra Engler

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March 19, 2023
Why You Should Consume Collagen Daily For Firmer Skin

It’s simple: A loss of collagen causes wrinkles. But what does collagen have to do with skin aging, anyway? Well, let’s not forget that your skin is made up of collagen. It’s an essential part of the structure of our skin, bone, cartilage, and muscle that helps tissues to be more elastic and withstand stretching (so, for example, it keeps skin looking young and supple).

While you do make your very own supply of collagen naturally, it declines as you age. Starting in your 20s, collagen levels decrease about 1% each year 1 (we know—much sooner than expected). Plus, other lifestyle and environmental factors can reduce your collagen production, such as sun damage, high-sugar diets 2, stress, and more—you can read about all of them here.

So when your collagen begins to degrade at a quicker rate than you naturally produce it, whether that’s caused by environmental changes or age, that’s when your skin’s elasticity and tightness become compromised (among other full-body effects).

The answer: While you can’t apply collagen to your skin and expect it to replenish your internal bank, you can ingest it. Specifically, hydrolyzed collagen peptides have been shown to help promote the body’s natural production of collagen 1 and other molecules that make up the skin, like elastin and fibrillin—so keep an eye out for “hydrolyzed collagen peptides” on your product labels.

Not sure where to look? Here’s a curated list of the nine best collagen supplements on the market, (all backed by a nutrition Ph.D.) to get you started.

Hannah Frye

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March 18, 2023
How To Get Plus, Cloud Skin With One Essential Step

As any makeup artist will tell you, proper skin prep is crucial; before you even pick up that beauty blender, make sure to use plenty of humectants (hyaluronic acid, aloe, glycerin, etc.) to provide a temporary plumping effect pre-makeup. “By prepping the skin and ultra-hydrating it, your matte look will just be a texture finish and not a distraction,” celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg tells us about matte makeup.

We love a good HA serum, but to really secure an ultra-hydrated appearance, you don’t want to forget about internal methods—like, say, collagen supplements.

After all, collagen is what helps keep your skin firm and taut, but your natural supply begins to dip around your mid-20s 1. But research shows consuming hydrolyzed collagen can help maintain dermal thickness and support elasticity and natural moisture levels 2. Translation? You can secure naturally plush, cloud skin without a drop of serum—and you won’t have to worry about your matte makeup flaking off midday.

Here, you can browse our favorite high-quality collagen supplements, all backed by a nutrition Ph.D. To go the extra mile, make sure to choose a formula with hyaluronic acid as well (yes, the buzzy humectant works topically and internally). In fact, 50% of the body’s total amount of hyaluronic acid resides in the skin 3, and consuming it can help replenish your natural reserves.

Jamie Schneider

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March 18, 2023
Why Cuticle Care Is Essential For Nail Growth + A Quick Tip

The secret: Start with your cuticles. Cuticle care isn’t just about looks (although, frayed, rough skin does take away from an elevated mani). Your cuticle has an essential function, too, as it provides a barrier around your nail bed and protects it from bacteria. This means when your cuticles are in less than ideal condition (dry, peeling, etc.), that function will be affected as well.

“If the cuticle compromise persists, the nail will eventually grow in irregularly,” board-certified dermatologist and nail expert Dana Stern, M.D., once told mbg. “This is because the cuticle overlies the nail matrix, which is the nail-producing center of the nail.” To sum it up: Cuticle care is essential for thriving, long nails.

So while cuticle oil might seem like a frivolous addition to your routine, let us be very clear—it’s not. But that doesn’t mean you must buy a super expensive yet tiny product; you can actually use clean and organic body oils for that dual function.

Hannah Frye

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March 18, 2023
Is Skin Care TikTok Gen Z’s New Magnified Mirror?

If you’re not familiar with TikTok, here’s a simple explanation of how the algorithm works: The more you engage with a video, the more similar content you’ll get. So if you like or comment on a skin care video, TikTok takes that as a sign that you enjoy those videos and, theoretically, would like to see more.

For some niche TikTok communities, this can be harmless (what’s wrong with more recipes to try out, right?). However, the situation looks quite different for anyone already searching for answers, be it about clearing acne, optimizing gut health, balancing hormones, etc., because the mass amount of content provides countless solutions—none of which are guaranteed to work for you. But still, all of these might convince you that you need to act in a certain way or buy a certain product.

Seeing more and similar content, in this case, is not better. Consider every time you log on to TikTok and all you see is the best products for clearing acne, the one trick that erases wrinkles for good, how to smooth your skin texture in two days‚ and so on. Regardless of the social media platform you use, this rabbit hole can become overwhelming and addicting.

What’s more, “Skin requires time and patience to heal, so it’s actually the worst type of thing to pair with the 24/7, instant gratification style of content we get on social media,” psychologist Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D., tells mbg.

Hannah Frye

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March 14, 2023
How To Actually Re-Grow Your Eyebrows: 8 Tips + What Not To Do

While brow growth and hair growth on the head are slightly different, a few things remain true to both—including the fact that massaging the skin underneath your hair is an A+ habit for growth.

In one 2016 study, a small number of men received a daily four-minute scalp massage. At the conclusion of the study, the investigators found an increase in hair thickness 3. A more recent 2019 study found that of the 300 or so participants who followed a specific massage regimen, nearly 70% reported improved hair thickness at the end 4.

Knowing this, why not give your brows a good massage? If you can, commit to a daily massage habit for your brows to see the best results. Use a gentle face oil or carrier oil (like jojoba, grapeseed, or squalane, for example) and massage the brows using your fingertips—you can even do this during the double-cleansing step of your evening skin care routine if applicable.

Just make sure to be super gentle; you don’t want to pluck out any precious hairs.

Hannah Frye

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March 12, 2023
5 Natural Oils For Brighter, More Supple Skin

For those who are serious about wanting supple, glowing skin—it’s time to invest in a good oil. Oils are so spectacular for the skin for a few reasons: First, many types can act as emollients, which means they soften and repair the skin with things like fatty acids, ceramides, and other lipids. But they also have occlusive properties, so they sit on the skin creating a barrier—keeping hydration underneath, and helping shield the skin from environmental stressors. Finally, many botanical oils come loaded with antioxidant powers, which will help ease oxidative stress, protect against dark spots, and smooth texture.

If that all sounds like skin care qualities you’re after, allow me to walk you through some of my favorite oils to look for on ingredient lists.

Alexandra Engler

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March 11, 2023
How Ceramide Supplements Support Skin Hydration*

You may be familiar with the idea of skin supplements, but many of them are more geared toward easing fine lines or brightening complexion than supporting hydration. For those looking to check off the latter box, keep an eye out for ceramides in your supplement formulas.*

A quick science lesson: Ceramides are polar lipids, key lipids that are naturally present in our skin cells 1. They make up the barrier between the outside environment and our body, locking in moisture and protecting our skin from environmental aggressors.

If you think of the skin barrier as the “bricks and mortar,” ceramides are part of the mortar holding it all together—about 50% of it, in fact 2. However, your body naturally begins to lose ceramides as you age—so if you want to get to the root of wrinkles and dry skin 1, look to the loss of ceramides. Plus, many other common skin gripes 3have been linked to low ceramide levels.

You’ll find ceramides in topical products, but those don’t contribute to your inner ceramide bank—hence, why you should look for high-quality, science-backed ceramides in supplements, specifically as phytoceramides (or plant-derived ceramides).

Hannah Frye

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March 8, 2023
What Is MoCRA & What Does It Mean For Beauty Regulation

Going forward, brands will need to provide proof of safety for their products and ingredients (as part of the registration process). But the FDA could—and should—go further on what they qualify as safe.

“This is such a huge step in the right direction that most of us are just immensely glad that something is changing. Can more be done? Absolutely! But this is a great start,” says Koestline. “In the future, it would be good to see maybe clearer testing requirements for each manufactured lot of cosmetics, raw materials as well as formula itself; better definitions of what an ‘infection’ means, clearer regulations on what can and cannot be said on the label in terms of claims.”

Davis also notes she’d like to see more clarity around how they define safety. “The act asks for ‘safety substantiation,’ but the definition of “safety” is quite vague,” she says, adding: “I would love to see greater accountability in the supply chain; ingredient suppliers should show that they’ve evaluated a material, it’s hazard and risk before they sell it to beauty brands to use in products that we use daily over our lifetimes.

As most beauty folks know, the EU bans far more ingredients than the US. The EU follows the “precautionary principle” with ingredients, which means they more eagerly ban ingredients that could potentially be harmful to human or environmental health.

While no ingredient bans were made under MoCRA, they are making steps to investigate some of the more questionable ones. For example, there is now stricter testing on talc (a great step!), and a directive for the FDA to investigate PFAS in cosmetic products and provide a report on their safety—but that won’t be coming for another three years.

In the meantime, you can continue to purchase from brands and retailers who align with your values: “MoCRA is a much-needed step in the right direction, but we still need to vote with our dollars to support brands that are pushing for more safety and sustainability data,” Davis says.

Alexandra Engler

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March 7, 2023
A Holistic Nutritionist On How She Approaches Collagen Support

Treating something holistically isn’t just for feel good vibes: there’s an art and science to it. The gist is that you can’t properly treat a concern by addressing one singular pathway if other parts of the system aren’t functioning properly.

“[You can use topicals and treatments] to stimulate collagen production in the skin, but if you’re inflamed, then you’re not going to be able to regenerate that collagen,” says Hanway. “Or if you have too much sugar in the diet, any collagen that’s getting regenerated is just going to get broken down again. Or if the gut health is impaired, then you’re not going to have those raw materials. Finally, if you’re not putting in those raw materials—like amino acids—then you have nothing to build with.”

I found this insight to be particularly helpful in my own approach to skin care. Products can transcend their base efficacy when paired with a well-rounded approach. A vitamin C serum (beloved by dermatologists as vitamin C is a vital part of the collagen synthesis process) won’t work as effectively when skin is in an inflamed state. You can’t just apply a serum to aggravated skin and hope for the best—you need to find the root cause of the inflammation, which can be from stress, too strong of beauty products, environmental aggressors, or diet.

Similarly, your body can only produce what it has building blocks for. Amino acids, for example, are the building blocks of collagen and elastin. Without a balanced diet that prioritizes protein intake, your skin and hair may not have all the materials it needs to keep the skin structure strong. You can support your body’s natural collagen production through your diet, as well as supplements.

Alexandra Engler

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March 5, 2023
A Derm’s Makeup Hack To Make Textured Skin Look Dewy

We say it all the time in makeup tutorials: A striking face beat always starts with a hydrated, fresh canvas. Without a healthy base, cosmetics can look cakey and patchy, no matter how many creamy, dewy formulas you pile on.

And if you have textured skin (read: fine lines, large pores, acne scars, etc.), it’s even more important to focus on moisture, which is why Idriss swaps the highlighter for Weleda’s Skin Food, a balmy, rich face cream. “I take a wet beauty blender, and I put a little drop of the Weleda on that beauty blender, and I apply it to the high points of my face,” she shares.

She winds up with three dots on her cheekbones, a dot on each side of her forehead, and a dot on the tip of her nose, but feel free to add more wherever you see fit (Personally, I also like to highlight right underneath my brow bone.)

Bounce the sponge gently to blend, but don’t let the moisturizer fully melt into your skin. “Allow it to stay on the surface of your face without getting absorbed too much,” says Idriss, so “you’ll look overall nice and dewy.” If the product soaks in, you’ll lose that subtle shine.

And there you have it: A hack to make your cheekbones pop without accentuating any textural concerns. Of course, you’ll want to have a moisturizing base before you even begin your makeup routine; think of the face cream as an extra tap of hydration for that fresh, dewy glow.

Jamie Schneider

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March 3, 2023
Should You Use The Same Type Of Shampoo & Conditioner?

The hack: Don’t exclusively shop in bundles for your shampoo and conditioner. Unlike a coordinating workout set, matching isn’t always better when it comes to hair care. You know, those washday duos with the same end goal: hydrating wash sets, volumizing wash sets, etc.

Instead, “Buy shampoo based on what your scalp and roots need and conditioner based on what your ends need,” New York City–based hairstylist MariLynne Cosmillo, founder of professional-grade consumer hair care line hOURS, tells mbg.

When you think about it, this makes perfect sense: If your roots are flat, you’ll need a lighter, volumizing shampoo. If your ends are dry, you’ll need a heavier, hydrating conditioner, and so on. Your roots and lengths aren’t always on the same page, and your hair care should follow suit.

“I recommend having more than one set of wash products that can help you meet your hair needs for the day ahead, which change with the weather and our styles,” she says. As a general rule of thumb: Have one deeply hydrating shampoo and conditioner and one volumizing shampoo and conditioner to check the basics off the list.

Or you can sub in your hydrating conditioner for a hair mask, like the hOURS In Minutes treatment mask. Masks tend to be a bit heavier than a standard conditioner, so only use them on days you’re looking for hydration, not necessarily loads of volume.

Hannah Frye

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March 3, 2023
What Is Castor Jelly? Benefits Of The Petroleum Jelly Dupe

The answer to why we should do so is simply it’s the right thing to do: For the earth, for your skin, and for product integrity. Petroleum jelly is commonly used because it’s inexpensive, it has broad name recognition, and it is widely available. But as cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline once told us, “It’s environmentally irresponsible to use mineral oil when there are vegetable and fruit oils that are more sustainable.”

Ultimately it’s just following this motto: If you can do better, you should do better. It’s a saying that helps guide me with our personal care line as we formulate, package, and create these products.

Take, for example, the tube the lip balms are housed in. It’s made with a special Eco-Smart Resin© that is 100% recyclable with like materials. This material, however, goes a step further than simply “recyclable”: Eco Smart containers are a proprietary technology that enables plastic components to fully break down in biologically active environments. Finally, the formula is made and filled in a factory powered by 100% wind energy. This is as eco-friendly of a lip balm as you can get.

Alexandra Engler

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March 3, 2023
3 Easy Weekly Habits That Will Tighten + Brighten Your Skin ASAP

Last but not least: Give yourself ten to fifteen minutes once a week (at least) to massage your face. This one checks multiple boxes—it’s great for tightening your skin naturally, it encourages relaxation and presence, and you’ll get a few minutes to just focus on yourself.

Consider pairing your face massage ritual with relaxing music or nature sounds, your favorite podcast, an evening bath, etc.—whatever works for you.

You can opt for a hands-only face massage, or call upon tools like gua sha and face rollers to help you out. Just remember to apply a face oil or hydrating serum beforehand for an easier glide.

For a step-by-step facial massage routine, check out our full guide.

Hannah Frye

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March 1, 2023
12 Best Under-Eye Patches 2023 For Puffiness, Fine Lines & More

Does 24K gold make the eye mask experience a whole lot fancier? Absolutely. However, the ingredient has some skin care benefits of note: According to Nichols, gold acts as a natural antioxidant, and it has anti-inflammatory properties ideal for reducing irritation and puffiness.

“The true benefit to gold, however, is that it helps increase the efficacy of other ingredients a product is formulated with,” she adds. “When combined with ingredients such as caffeine, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid, gold under-eye masks help to brighten, de-puff, hydrate, and soothe the eye area.” So along with gold, these masks feature hyaluronic acid, collagen, retinol and bakuchiol for supple, smooth under-eyes.

Jamie Schneider

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February 27, 2023
Does Retinol Work For Hair Growth? What Research Says

You probably know retinol as the popular acne and wrinkle treatment dermatologists swear by, but did you know it can help prevent hair loss, too?

In this TikTok video, cosmetic dermatologist Noman Mohamed, M.D., applies a retinoid to his hairline and says it helps with thinning—and research backs up his claim.

Specifically, one in-vitro study 1 shows promise for the use of retinol for hair growth when combined with another active ingredient called minoxidil (a common addition to many popular hair growth products on the market).

However, minoxidil can be quite irritating to the skin for some people, and retinol is also a common irritant for those with sensitive skin. This doesn’t mean it will trigger scalp troubles for everyone, but those with sensitive or reactive skin should proceed with caution and patch-test before you apply it to your entire hairline.

If you want to try something a bit gentler before opting for this method, consider adding rosemary oil to your hair care routine, as it’s been shown to be just as effective as 2% minoxidil 2. Not sure how to use it correctly? This guide will help.

Hannah Frye

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February 26, 2023