Questions and Answers
Can laundry products lead to breakouts?
If you’re experiencing high levels of breakout activity on your skin (commonly known as pimples, acne, zits or spots) try and avoid using fabric softeners on your sheets and pillow cases. They contain ingredients that coat the fabric, making it feel smoother and softer – but they also coat your skin, restricting its natural function and creating a barrier which can lead to breakouts.
Ensure you’re cleansing your skin thoroughly each day, removing all traces of dirt, grime, make-up and other pollutants (like fabric softener) to keep skin clear. A cleanser with active ingredients like Salicylic Acid will help to clear trapped oils and breakout-causing bacteria. You might like to try Wash Off.
Can hair products cause breakouts?
The hairy truth...hair care products like shampoo, conditioner, hair spray and hair gel often contain plastics which can block pores and trigger the process that leads to breakouts. Scalp, hair line and chin break outs are good indications that hair products are a contributing factor. Chin breakouts are common with those who touch their hair then touch their chin.
Always take your cleansing routine right up to the hairline, and style your hair off your face whenever possible. Salicylic Acid is a fantastic ingredient to help clear trapped oils and breakout-causing bacteria. Try Wash Off, a foaming face wash that helps clean deeply to banish breakouts.
Do I really need sun protection even on a cloudy or overcast day?
Sun protection is really important, even when the sun isn’t visible – like in winter. Statistics show that 1 in 6 people will develop skin cancer and 90% of these cancers are a direct result of UV light exposure and the sun. A severe burn before the age of 18 can dramatically increase this risk. UVA rays are also the number one cause of ageing – think Magda in ‘There’s Something About Mary’ all wrinkly and leathery.
While some sunscreen ingredients can make skin feel greasy and clog pores advanced formulations now provide sun protection with skin care benefits as well. Try Welcome Matte SPF15 with chemical sunscreens to help provide critical defence against damaging UV rays without a chalky, heavy, greasy feel while also containing oil controllers to minimise shine and essential moisturising agents to keep skin hydrated.
Is exfoliation really that important?
As your body’s largest organ, the skin sheds 1 million dead skin cells every 40 minutes. While it might sound a bit gross it’s a natural process essential to rid the body of dry, old, hardened skin cells so new cells can come to the surface. Oil on the skins surface can act as a glue binding cells to the surface, contributing to clogged pores leading to a build up of bacteria that causes breakouts. Exfoliation is essential to help rid the skin of these dead skin cells and other debris. Skin with increased oil production (often seen as shine) especially benefits from regular exfoliation. In addition to smoothing, improving skin tone and enhancing skin’s receptiveness of oil-controlling ingredients, exfoliation helps rid oily skin of dulling skin cells to help keep skin clear.
You might like Ready, Set, Scrub! with Silica to polish skin to a smoother, brighter finish while removing clogging dead skin cells.
How often should I wash my make-up brush?
Good hygiene is essential for keeping bacteria at bay. You’re only as clean as your towel or face cloth! Make sure you clean both frequently, as well as paying special attention to those tools you can’t live without...like tweezers and make-up brushes, they all need cleaning once a week. It pays not to share brushes, tweezers, even products that touch your skin to reduce the spread of bacteria.
Wash Off is not only great to use on your skin but you can also use it to keep your brushes and tweezers nice and clean. The Salicylic Acid is ideal for banishing nasty bacteria that can lurk between the bristles.
How can I prevent pimples spreading to my back?
If you’re experiencing breakouts on your neck, chest or back avoid synthetic fabrics and tight fitting clothing that can trap sweat and dead skin cells leading to a build up of bacteria causing breakouts.
After cleansing with Wash Off, spritz on All Over Clear, a refreshing skin toner that controls oil with Sesame Seed as well as minimising bacteria with Lemongrass. Its unique trigger also helps target those hard to reach places.
Why is artificial fragrance bad for my skin?
When choosing skin care products avoid those that contain artificial fragrance, while they might smell nice artificial fragrance can cause sensitivity and photo sensitivity (reaction to sunlight) commonly experienced through itching, burning, redness, flushing and heightened sensitivity.
Clean Start by Dermalogica is a range of 8 dual-action, fresh, skin healthy products that feel and smell great but without any artificial fragrances. Try the Clean Start Kit, the perfect introduction to the skin care line that addresses the concerns of young skin.
Which ingredients lead to breakouts?
Avoid skin care products that contain mineral oil, it creates a barrier on the skin, blocking normal function and preventing water loss and absorption. Mineral oil can be found in many skin care products, most commonly eye make-up remover and has been shown to cause and aggravate acne.
Clean Start by Dermalogica is a range of 8 dual-action, fresh, skin healthy products that feel and smell great but without mineral oil. Try the Clean Start Kit, the perfect introduction to the skin care line that addresses the concerns of young skin.
Why does make-up make me break out?
Artificial colourings might make products look appealing but colouring ingredients are known to aggravate the skin. D & C red pigments often found in make-up are known to clog pores and lead to breakout activity.
Instead look for products that use natural mineral pigment like the Iron Oxides found in Brighten Up SPF15. This dual action moisturiser provides a natural tint, a slight shimmer as well as critical UV protection - all while locking in moisture.
How can I get rid of breakouts fast?
Don’t squeeze and pick your breakouts, picking can lead to long term scarring. Plus the bacteria on your hands and under your finger nails can make the break out worse taking longer to heal. Try to avoid removing blackheads yourself too – leave it to the professionals – you run the risk of damaging the skin and causing broken capillaries (blood vessels).
Instead try a concentrated spot treatment on your breakouts, like Hit The Spot with Zinc Sulfate that helps eliminate bacteria and control breakout activity.
As a preventative, a product like Bedtime For Breakouts which you apply at night is a treatment which helps wipe out future breakouts, reduce redness as well as clearing under the surface congestion (lumps and bumps).
Am I too young for skin care?
It’s never too early to start a good skin care routine. A good skin care routine is as important as brushing your teeth and maintaining a healthy diet. While you might not be concerned about them now, skin issues like adult acne, age spots and fine lines caused by sun damage, and dry, dehydrated skin can start as early as your 20’s. The more you take care of your skin now, the easier it will be to maintain healthy skin now and into the future.
But stick with a new routine for at least 4 weeks to start seeing results. Why? Because when something new is introduced to your skin, it needs time to adjust to active ingredients. As your skin adjusts more breakouts may arise initially, this indicates the elimination of toxins and represents the effectiveness of the ingredients.
Clean Start by Dermalogica is a range of 8 dual-action, fresh, skin healthy products that feel and smell great. Try the Clean Start Kit, the perfect introduction to the skin care line that addresses the concerns of your skin.
Do chocolate and other junk foods really cause breakouts?
Avoid foods high in sugar and salt, while they don’t directly cause acne and breakouts they may feed the breeding ground for acne by accelerating oil production and over stimulating the oil glands. Maintaining a healthy diet is important for healthy skin, try eating foods high in sugar and salt in moderation.
As your skin is your largest organ of elimination it’s also important to drink lots of water to encourage healthy elimination of toxins and makes you feel better too!
How important is cleansing?
Cleansing your skin morning and night is essential in the process toward a healthy skin. It all starts with getting skin clean. Skin must be properly cleansed for two reasons: it rids the skin of dirt, oils and pollution that can lead to breakouts and make skin look dull while also making it more receptive to treatment and moisturiser benefits.
If you wear make-up never sleep in it, but whether you use make-up or not it’s important to cleanse every night to avoid a build up of debris which can lead to congested skin.
A cleanser like Wash Off with the active ingredient Salicylic Acid, is easy to use and will help leave skin squeaky clean.
How does an alcohol based toner affect my oily shine?
Stripping the skin of moisture and oil with alcohol based toners can cause skin to produce more oil than before. How? When the sebaceous glands (producers of oil) sense a loss of moisture and oil (that’s there between your skin cells to protect your skin), they kick into overdrive trying to replace all that’s been lost. By using an alcohol based product skin is often left dry, dehydrated, irritated, sensitive and oilier than before. Instead try All Over Clear with Sesame Seed to control oil and shine in a refreshing mist.