skinchemy

This post is a collab with my fellow scientists

We would like to clear up some misinformation about chemical and mineral sunscreens. Will you join us by re-posting our posts to help STOP the spread of misinformation?

There is a common misconception that mineral sunscreens (those containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) are safer for the skin because they are nature-identical. This is false. Even if they are nature-identical, when using them in a formulation such as a sunscreen, they need to be chemically processed to remove contaminants which then does not make it natural. Besides, natural does not always mean safer. Many natural ingredients can be incredibly sensitizing to the skin.

Second, there is also a misconception about chemical sunscreens. One such myth is that oxybenzone can cause hormone disruption. These effects were only ever studied in lab and animal cells (in-vitro) and the dose of oxybenzone used was much higher than what you would ever see in a sunscreen. Additionally, these effects were never seen in human studies.

Most of these misconceptions about sunscreen ingredients don't take into consideration concentration levels, exposure time/amount and formulation.

With so many misconceptions, I would like to conclude by saying that use a sunscreen that you like best, regardless of it being mineral or chemical, depending on your skin type and just what feels nicer on your skin for you to wear it every day.

This post is a collab with my fellow scientists

We would like to clear up some misinformation about chemicals and “free-from” claims. Will you join us by re-posting our posts to help STOP the spread of misinformation?

There is a common misconception that chemicals in skincare products are harmful, but in reality, chemicals are the fundamental building blocks of all matter, including our own bodies. It's not the presence of chemicals that's the issue, but rather the dose. The principle of 'the dose makes the poison' is a fundamental concept in toxicology, meaning that any substance can be harmful at high enough doses, but safe at lower levels.

Note that if there really was an "unsafe" ingredient in skincare, the FDA will take action. This is defined as "adulteration" which refers to violations involving product composition--whether they result from ingredients, contaminants, processing, packaging, or shipping and handling.

Additionally, "free-from" claims on ingredients that are perfectly safe - e.g. sulfates, parabens, silicones to name a few - often instill fear in consumers and suggest that these ingredients are inherently harmful.

With the boom of clean beauty and the subsequent chemophobia, the irrational fear surrounding certain cosmetic ingredients is frustrating because these ingredients are tried-and-tested, have decades of research backing their safety including double-blind controlled studies and yet are constantly being demonized by the clean beauty movement and organizations such as EWG that constantly cherry pick data and spread misinformation.

Ever come across a product that claims to have an x % of retinol? Sometimes, these percentage claims are false because the % stated on the label may indicate a mixture or complex rather than the PURE active ingredient. I know. 😐⁣
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Let's take a look at an example: ⁣
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🔵A product claims to have 1% Retinol. But in fact, that 1% is referring to a complex known as RetiSTAR, not Retinol.
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🔵RetiSTAR is a complex which has the following ingredients: ⁣
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol and Retinol. ⁣
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🔵When RetiSTAR is used at 1%, it results in a final retinol concentration of 0.05% in the product.
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🔵So labeling the product as “1% Retinol” when in fact it has “1% RetiSTAR” is misleading. ⁣
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🟡This type of marketing is misleading because it is considered "misbranding." ⁣
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🟣According to the FDA guidelines, a cosmetic is considered misbranded if labeling is false or misleading. But what does "misbranding" mean? ⁣
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♦️Section 602 of the FD&C Act defines cosmetic “misbranding” as follows: ⁣
- If the labeling is not true or misleads in any respect. ⁣
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🟢So in this case, claiming that a product contains 1% Retinol is not true, because the actual percentage of Retinol is lower than 1%.
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Note - not all brands do this or are trying to mislead you. ⁣
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Did you know about this type of marketing? Let me know in the comments below!

Is willow bark extract containing salicin an effective alternative to salicylic acid? Let’s dive into some details..⁣⁣
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🟢BHA ingredients may be listed as: salicylic acid (or related substances, such as salicylate, sodium salicylate, and willow bark extract). Note - this is from the FDA website. ⁣⁣
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🟣 Salicylic Acid is oil-soluble and is the most common BHA exfoliant used in skincare. Effective concentrations are generally between 0.5-2%. Note that anything over 0.5% in the US, the FDA considers it to be an OTC. ⁣⁣
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🟠 Willow Bark Extract contains Salicin and is touted to be more gentle on the skin than Salicylic Acid.⁣⁣
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🔹🔹Quick side note: K-beauty generally only allows 0.5% of a salicylic acid in their products due to regulatory restrictions in South Korea. ⁣⁣
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🔬We don’t have many studies out there that show that Salicin is expected to give similar results to salicylic acid. One study (1) did show that a 0.5% salicin reduced visible signs of aging such as improvements in wrinkles and pore-size. However, the results don’t really mention its exfoliating properties. ⁣I personally think salicylic acid is a better option for those looking to target acne.
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⚡️⚡️Marketing claims: ⁣⁣
- A product could be advertised as “2% BHA” which most assume means 2% salicylic acid. Be careful though - willow bark extract is technically also a cosmetic BHA and there could be a chance the product contains willow bark extract instead of salicylic acid. ⁣⁣Don’t shell out $$ on willow bark extract, if that’s not what you want.
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(1)https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-2165.2010.00512.x⁣⁣
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Let me know if you have any questions or comments! ⁣⁣

Hi friends - let's explore 𝐊𝐨𝐣𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐢𝐝 and some of its main functions in topical skincare. ⁣⁣
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🟣 Its main use is to inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme necessary in the production of melanin, which helps in fading dark spots and discoloration. It also delivers some level of antioxidant protection. ⁣⁣
doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.12.006⁣⁣
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🟢 Helpful for those that want to reduce any discoloration caused by UV exposure, melasma, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, hormonal changes. It's especially helpful for those that can't tolerate Hydroquinone. ⁣⁣
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🟣Maximum concentration used in cosmetics is 1% or less. And that's more than enough for it to be effective. Higher % doesn't mean more effective. ⁣⁣
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🟢 Btw - cosmetics can't claim to treat melasma and hyperpigmentation. These are medical conditions. Cosmetics CANNOT treat medical conditions. ⁣⁣
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🟣A combination of glycolic acid and kojic acid has shown to be highly effective in reducing the pigment in melasma patients.⁣
DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1996.tb00345.x⁣
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🟢Kojic acid also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects which can help with acne to a certain extent. Though, mainstream acne treatments are still benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. ⁣⁣
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2018.12.006.⁣⁣
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Do you have a favorite kojic acid product? Comment below if you have a question or comment!

Arbutin is a natural occurring version of Hydroquinone found in many plant sources such as bearberry, mulberry, and pomegranate. ⁣⁣
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🔵Most brands talk about "alpha-arbutin" which is just the synthetic form. Alpha arbutin is a brightening ingredient because it's a derivative of hydroquinone, one of the most effective skin-lightening actives. ⁣⁣
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🔵The issue with HQ is its safety profile. hydroquinone can be toxic to living cells and has the potential for side effects such as ochornosis (a bluish-black discoloration of the skin tissue) as well as irritation. Not to mention, HQ is banned is many countries. ⁣⁣
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🔵Arbutin works by slowly releasing hydroquinone over time, inhibiting tyrosinase, the key enzyme responsible for the production of melanin in the skin. ⁣⁣
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🔵The cool thing about Arbutin is that it's shown to be tolerated by almost all skin types (i'd still do a patch test to be on the safe side) and it doesn't have any negative interactions with any other ingredients. ⁣⁣
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🔵We see a lot of brands formulate with a host of brightening agents like arbutin, kojic acid, azelaic acid, niacnamide etc. Often times these actives work together to offer more effective results! ⁣⁣
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What is your favorite Arbutin product? Comment below or ask me a question =)

Should you moisturize on damp or dry skin? 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫: 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫! A well formulated product will work on both dry and damp skin. 𝐃𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮! ⁣⁣
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But let's explore this in a bit more detail.. ⁣⁣
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🟣The logic is that damp skin is more permeable and hence better for absorption of moisture (PMID: 29229630). So the idea is to hop out of the shower and apply moisturizer on damp skin. That makes sense and for many, it works great.
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🟣But there are a subset of people that experience quite a bit of burning, irritation and stinging when using moisturizer on damp skin. But they continue to do it anyway but that's what social media has told us to do. Lot's of posts claim that "moisturizer on dry skin won't do much" which is far from the truth. ⁣
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🟣Chemists test efficacy of products on dry skin, not damp skin. This includes moisturizers and hydrating serums. ⁣
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🟣PMID: 32038748 - this study made sure that their participants tested micronized hyaluronic acid on "on clean and completely dry skin" and found it to be an effective anti-aging topical therapy. ⁣
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🟣Also note that the overall formulation is more important than the application method. 𝐀 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧. ⁣⁣
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🔵Bottom line - you can use your moisturizer on damp or dry skin. The best method is the method that works well for you, WITHOUT irritation. ⁣⁣
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Comment below for questions or comments!

Mandelic Acid has some really unique properties compared to the rest of the Alpha Hydroxy Acid family. All functions listed in this post are from peer reviewed papers. ⁣
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🔵Antibacterial study: One study found that MA had antibacterial activity against MRSA, a dangerous form of staph bacteria that can infect the skin and body. This means it’s good for those that have acne and folliculitis. Btw - they recommended MA in a moisturizer form.⁣
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2014.31.05.2011 ⁣
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🔵Anti-fungal study: Scientists tried to use MA in a Petri dish to see if can act as a preservative to keep fungus from growing. So they let strains of bacteria and fungus to grow in a Petri dish and found that it worked - MA killed the bacteria and fungus.
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2014.31.05.2011 ⁣
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🔵A blend of Salicylic Acid + Mandelic Acid showed effective results for PIH - specifically, post-acne blemishes. These results were as effective as a glycolic acid peel, but with less side effects like irritation.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34383.x⁣
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🔵One study found that both 5% and 10% mandelic acid caused a gradual improvement in all types of acne (nodules, pustules, and comedones). Basically, you don't need super high % of mandelic acid. ⁣
DOI: 10.5114/dr.2015.53419⁣
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🔵One study found that when participants applied MA twice a day and then measured "viscoelasticity" - basically, stretching people’s eyelid skin and then measuring if it could quickly return to its original shape or not. They found that skin firmness and elasticity increased - as in, skin was more tight. ⁣
PMID: 30513536⁣
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🟠Mandelic Acid is an effective AHA with many unique properties. It's nice that we see brands incorporating mandelic acid in their products. ⁣
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Comment below if you've used Mandelic Acid!

Here are some ingredient combinations that can have synergistic effects. Remember - no hard and fast rules on these.
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🔵⚡️Retinoids + Salicylic Acid ⁣⁣
🔵⚡️Azelaic Acid + Salicylic Acid ⁣⁣
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🟣The ideal situation is if you can find these ingredient combos in the same product. ⁣⁣
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🟣Though - keep in mind that these are strong actives and one must take into consideration their skin type and tolerance level. ⁣⁣
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🟣As mentioned in the post, tailor your skincare routine to what works best for you. ⁣⁣
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Let me know if you've tried a product with these combos and if that worked better for you! @ New York, New York

Salicylic Acid has pretty solid data in terms of its clinical effect in topical applications in both OTC and prescription applications. For the purposes for this post, we will only be covering its OTC application. ⁣
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Let's go through some of these data points: ⁣
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🟣𝐋𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 - Salicylic Acid's lipid soluble property makes it an attractive ingredient for those that have acne, oily-prone skin as well as those with blackheads. ⁣
W Brackett - Cosmet Derm, 1997⁣
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🟣𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 - Salicylic Acid's lipid soluble property allows it to break the junctions between corneocyte cells, thereby leading to weakened intercellular cohesion, ultimately resulting in exfoliation. PMID: 26347269 ⁣
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🟣𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜 - exhibits keratolytic action by dissolution of intercellular cement substance causing desquamation of the h***y layer of skin that holds debris and oil in your pores. PMID: 25604924⁣
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🟣𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: inhibition of the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase (COX) modulates COX2 gene expression to decrease formation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. ⁣
PMID: 14592543⁣
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🟣𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: One study found that Salicylic Acid, when applied prior to UVB exposure, had photo protective effects almost up to 12 hours after application. The reason being Salicylic Acid has a benzene ring in its chemical structure. Though, sunscreen is still an absolute necessity regardless of Salicylic Acid’s photo protective effects. PMID: 1676212⁣
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🟣𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐦: Decreases secretion of sebum in patients with acne. One study looked at the effect of pyruvic acid and SA on skin lipid film in patients with acne vulgaris, and found that SA had a greater effect in reducing sebum compared to pyruvic acid. (J Cosmet Dermatol. 2014;13:15–21.) ⁣
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What's your favorite salicylic acid product? Comment below!

Niacinamide is one of those ingredients in skincare that we have pretty solid data for in terms of its clinical effect in topical applications 🙌🏽⁣⁣⁣
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Let's go through some of these data points..⁣⁣⁣
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🟢𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫 - The proposed mechanism is an increased synthesis of ceramides via upregulation of serine palmitoyltransferase, which results in an increase in epidermal turnover and hence an stronger skin barrier. (PMID: 10971324)⁣⁣⁣
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🟢𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - One study showed that 5% niacinamide moisturizer provided 35–68 percent inhibition of melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes. (PMID: 12100180)⁣⁣⁣
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🟢𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐦 & 𝐚𝐜𝐧𝐞 - we see these results in a few clinical studies where 2% topical preparations with niacinamide were shown to reduce sebum production. (PMID: 16766489)⁣⁣⁣
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🟢𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭 - The mechanism is that it acts directly as an antioxidant where NADH (the reduced form of beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) can effectively protect skin cells and its membrane from free radical damage. (PMID: 12558633)⁣⁣⁣
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🟢𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 - the mechanism here is that inhibits oxidative processes, such as protein oxidation, glycation, and the Maillard reaction, which produces Amadori products. Amadori products are yellowish-brown in color and accumulate in skin matrix components, like collagen, in response to oxidative stress as we age (PMID: 8514858). ⁣⁣⁣
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🟢𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬 - The mechanism is that it reduces GAGs and increases dermal collagen and protein production (i.e., keratin, fillagrin, and involucrin) (PMID: 18492135)⁣⁣⁣
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Also note that most of these studies were done on Niacinamide between 2-5%. Higher percentages don't always mean better results. It really depends on your skin. ⁣⁣⁣
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I hope this was helpful! Comment below for any questions!

When are you supposed to your AHAs, BHAs, Antioxidants? Is there a right answer? ⁣⁣⁣
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🟢A lot of it really depends on what you feel gives you the best results. Note also that many of these are formulated together in the same product. So it really depends on what your skin can tolerate and your personal preference. ⁣𝐀𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. ⁣⁣
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🟢For example, many choose to use a glycolic acid or lactic acid exfoliant at night due to the fact that both are AHAs and can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. But that doesn't mean you can't use them during the day. Adequate sun protection using a sunscreen can help protect your skin so it's totally fine to use them in the day time, if that's what you prefer. ⁣⁣⁣
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🟢For antioxidants, many choose to use it during the day time. Studies (PMID: 23741676) also show that Vitamin C, when used under your sunscreen can do a better job at fighting free radicals and hence best to be used during the day. However, not all skin types can tolerate Vitamin C during the day and prefer using it at night -- that's fine too.
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🟢When it comes to Retinoids, it can get a little tricky. Some Retinoids are photostable, which means they don't break down when exposed to UV light. These types of Retinoids CAN be used during the day, as long as you don't experience any irritation. Examples of photostable Retinoids are Adapalene. ⁣⁣⁣
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🟢Non-photostable Retinoids such as Tretinoin and Retinol should be used at night. When in doubt, always consult a Dermatologist. ⁣⁣⁣
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🟢As always, every skin type is different. Do what works best for you and what you feel gives you the best results. ⁣⁣
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I hope this was helpful! If you have any questions or comments, let me know!