Skincare Q&A: September 2022

Welcome to a new edition of our Skincare Q&A, where we answer some of the most common questions circulating on the internet on a monthly basis (From our comment sections and Google search queries).

Can you apply water-based serums twice daily?

It depends on the serum. If the contents are non-irritating (such as hyaluronic acid) then you should ideally be applying this twice a day, once in the morning and once at night to ensure adequate hydration around the clock. Of course this isn’t limited to just hyaluronic acid, and can apply to any water based serums or related products such as cooling gels, refreshing mists, and so on.

You should think twice before applying any water based serums containing potential skin-irritating ingredients, such as Retinol. While Retinol isn’t often found in a water based solution, it is still essential that you read the label. Other culprits may include AHAs (Glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid to name a few) and BHA (Salicylic acid). We typically recommend applying these once a day, usually at night and ensure you apply SPF 30+ factor as a minimum while using these treatments as they increase skin sensitivity to sunlight.

How old do you have to be to start skincare/using skincare products?

This is an extremely common question for many reasons, primarily being younger audiences having more exposure to skincare knowledge, influencers, and similar advertising.

The simple answer is: The younger the better. If you’re old enough to know about skincare and have done even a little research on it, then you’re likely old enough to start a routine! Even if it’s a simple one.

The simple cleanse, moisturise and SPF routine should be followed by everyone, regardless of age. If we had to put an age range it would be in the realm of 10-13 years, but as mentioned before there really isn’t an age where one cannot begin a simple skincare routine or start using skincare products.

That being said however, there are some products that may not be necessary if you are at this age (such as anti-aging products, including Retinoids) as they can be particularly irritating to those with younger, more sensitive skin. Besides, the last thing you should be worrying about at this age is anti-aging! You should also be using gentle cleansers as to not overly dry the skin. This can change during puberty however, where the skin can typically become more oily and require more or different products to maintain, such as salicylic acid, or physical exfoliants.

Why does my facial acne clear up when I stop using anti acne cleansers and moisturizers?

Many people find this to be the case and there could be several answers

1. You’re overusing anti-acne cleansers and moisturisers
Typically acne-related products are non-comedogenic (meaning they won’t clog pores) and also have an astringent (drying) effect. These products also usually include AHAs, BHA or Retinoids to combat acne. Using these occasionally can yield fantastic results and can help tackle skin concerns such as oiliness or mild acne.

That being said however, over-using these products can have a detrimental impact on the skin, including, you guessed it, more spots and pimples appearing. Why is this the case?

Over-cleansing and overusing anti-acne products can lead to drying of the skin. Excessive dryness not only disturbs the natural skin barrier, but it can also lead to overproduction of the oils responsible for maintaining skin health, namely sebum.

2. Your skin is purging
Many aren’t familiar with a skin purge and often jump to conclusions when first using anti-acne cleansers and moisturisers; namely that they cause acne. You have to remember that when first starting a new routine, particularly ones that are for clearing up the complexion of blemishes and acne, that there will likely be a phase where the skin purges. This is when all those new active ingredients you’re using get to work inside the pores to really slough away dead skin cells and improve skin cell turnover. This sometimes means that when first starting a skincare routine, you might suffer from more acne while the skin cleanses itself from all the gunk. Our tip is to initially persist with a new routine, especially if it contains active ingredients that help unclog pores and reduce acne. If things get particularly bad however, seek medical advice from a professional dermatologist.

3. Your skin doesn’t agree with the products
While this is less common, it definitely cannot be ruled out. Not every product is for everyone, for example if you have sensitive skin and you are using products which are drying, then this may lead to breakouts as a result of overly dry skin. Here you may have to focus on using a more gentle approach, or using direct spot treatments instead of ones that are applied to the entire face. This is just an example, it really depends on your skincare and the type of products used. In addition to this, allergies may cause flare-ups, always patch test your skincare products, especially if it’s something new.

How much serum do I need to put on my face?

We’re a big fan of the ‘less is more’ ideology here at Obviously Skincare, so that’s exactly what we’ll suggest. A few drops of serum are usually more than enough to cover the entire face, a thin, even coat is what you’re looking for when applying serum and it’s (usually) best to under apply than over apply (and better for your wallet).

Well that’s it for September’s edition of our Q&A! We’ve kept it short and sweet to begin and we’ll be answering more questions as they come. If you have any skincare questions or concerns you need answered just drop them in the comments section below or email us at ObviouslySkincare@gmail.com 🙂

From the OBVS. Team