Happy New Year! For the first post of 2019, I’m answering questions readers have presented on age-prevention, acne and skin care. Please keep them coming–I love hearing from you!

How do lactic, glycolic and salicylic acids function to help balance, reduce dark spots and achieve healthy skin?

Each of these acids exfoliate, which is essential for encouraging new cell growth. Exfoliation helps to remove the upper layers of dead skin, reducing dullness and stimulating collagen production. Salicylic acid is fat-loving and dissolves oil-clogged pores easily. Lactic acid stays on the top of the skin’s surface dissolving dead skin with light exfoliation. Glycolic is a middle-man, so it works on the surface and gets into the pores deeper than lactic acid.

A facial peel is a great way to introduce professional strength acids to the skin. Depending on the issues we’re trying to solve, Estheticians utilize various acid types and in different potencies. We can also vary the length of time a peel stays active on the skin. It’s a good idea to plan for a peel, so you can prepare your skin with a melanocyte-suppressant serum for 2-3 weeks prior to the appointment. The serum will reduce any chance of accidental hyperpigmentation.

Depending on the strength of the peel, you may experience flaking. So you should ask your Esthetician at the time of your consultation if you should work from home for a couple of days. The post-peel product I always recommend is Cherry-O which is a shea butter-based soothing balm to help with flaking skin.

If someone can’t make it in for an appointment or doesn’t want to experience peeling or flaking, I have developed two types of freshly-made exfoliating masks for home use. Each one is filled with plant stem cells which are extracted from organic sprouts. The Hello Mask contains lactic acid and is best for age-prevention. If you’re looking for oil and acne reduction, you’ll want the Goodbye Mask which is packed with salicylic acid. They both work well on scars and provide significant exfoliation and antioxidants. These masks are designed to give the results of an in-spa peel treatment without the downtime. They stay fresh in the fridge for at least 1-month and should be used 2-3 times per week.

What advice do you have for people trying to achieve plump, supple, moisturized and balanced skin? Are there any common practices that everyone can afford to implement in their daily self-care routine?

Yes! I tell all of my clients to train themselves to sleep on their back, number one. If you’re a side-sleeper you will squish your collagen and eventually have one side of your face less plump then the other. Additionally, compressing the skin for long periods of time can decrease circulation leading to further problems. A second tactic is to think of your skin as a feather pillow and fluff it up. Basically, you need to pat, tap and/or smack your face. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s important to stimulate the collagen and elastin within our skin. Here is a post and video that I made with my previous company which demonstrates the technique.

A third measure is to use a special anti-wicking pillowcase by Circadia. It has 20K microfilaments that act like a compression sock for your face. If you are interested in getting one I can special order it for you. My email is: shelleyc.skincare@gmail.com Personally, I have 3 of these pillowcases and I rotate them weekly and leave one for my travel bag.

What products do you recommend that can reduce hyperpigmentation?

Number one, I recommend the Brighten-up Bar, which contains natural ingredients that really pack a punch when it comes to brightening the skin. You can leave this on as a mask for a few minutes several times a week or just wash your face with it once or twice a day.

Number two, the Adios Ingrown Hair and Razor Bump Tonic is an easy product to add into your arsenal. It’s a toner with a blend of salicylic and glycolic acids to breakdown old scars from acne and to prevent new ones from forming. People use it with a sprayer head (sold separately) for back acne or a cotton pad for the face and neck.

Number three, you can find all of my product recommendations on the Shop World page on my website. Here, I have created a world of skin care products broken down by categories that I have thoroughly researched and reviewed. Clients often update me on their progress with the various products and I continue to add new content regularly.

What are the pros and cons of organic or handmade products versus mainstream?

I do a lot of research on products and I’m always blown away by the false claims and unhealthy ingredients I find in mainstream brands. That said, “organic” and “handmade” definitely don’t mean that a product is effective. It only means that it is safe and healthy to use. We need to have a balance of Mother Nature and science to make real changes in the skin. With that in mind, I always work with a medical professional to develop products, bounce ideas off of and write my blog. 

Thank you for reading The Freckle blog! Please subscribe to stay informed of all things relating to skin care. Also, check out my website and YouTube channel for product news and recommendations.

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