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Have You Been Duped by “Natural” Skin Care?

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Shedding light on the claims of natural, organic, and chemical free skin care.

Natural skin care is nearing a 2-billion-dollar industry. Yes – BILLION.

If you have done any skin care shopping in the last decade, you would be hard-pressed to have missed the (endless) products that seek to convince you of their preferability (and “safety”) with words and phrases like organic, natural, all-natural (because just plain natural isn’t good enough), green, eco-friendly, plant-based, plant-derived, derived from nature, and so on.

These terms sound fabulous on the surface, but the truth is that they hold no real weight. There is no governing of these claims, and often these terms are used to evoke positive feelings about a product that is subpar.

Example:
A formulator could put together an exfoliating face cream. Perhaps  this formulator chooses sand as their physical exfoliant, pig lard as a conditioning  base, and a  touch of lavender to make it smell nice. Next, they put this product in a lovely biodegradable piece of packaging, cover the label and write the product description with words like “all-natural”, “derived from nature”, “free of chemicals”, etc. and then give the biodegradable packaging a nice mention somewhere on  the label as well. They then charge you a premium for this product despite its extremely basic (and cheap) ingredients. The price has nothing to do with the contents, it is solely based on your perception of the value of products labeled as natural. The Natural Tax is very real. Along with paying an inflated price, that biodegradable packaging you are happy to have? It may very well be compromised by what is in the packaging – meaning it may very well degrade because of what has been put in it and there is no telling what is leaching out from your biodegradable container into your overpriced “natural” product. Sand and pig lard are a stretch, and you’ll likely not be seeing these on the shelves anywhere. My point is to highlight just how misleading labels can be.

There is no telling what is leaching out from your biodegradable container into your overpriced “natural” product

Another way shoppers pay more for less is in buying (literally) into the notion that because it came from a plant it is better than a synthetic counterpart. Not accurate. We have been told by marketers that “synthetic” always means bad. This is not based in factual science. The truth: Your body does not care how or where an ingredient is produced so long as the chemical structure is identical. That is a fact.  Your skin (and body) will react identically to glycolic acid whether it came from a lab or from a sugarcane plant. You will pay more for the glycolic acid from sugarcane, especially when your product touts “all natural”, “plant-derived”, etc.

Your body does not care how or where an ingredient is produced so long as the chemical structure is identical.

Here is where things get funky. You know the whole “environmentally friendly” push. We want to do great things for the environment, stop killing the planet and all this, right? Did you know that we are often doing great harm, environmentally speaking, to produce and  harvest plants for “all natural” skin care products? This is not the case for all plants – but there do exist endangered and exploited plants (including the Argan tree for its popular oil), endangered animals, and endangered people (used to harvest and often process the desirable plants). In the market’s push for feel-good “natural” products, the shopper is being sold a bunch of hype that not only leads to inflated pricing and subpar skin outcomes – but also stresses the environment all in the name of “natural”.

Argan Tree – an overly exploited plant species

If the above is not enough to demonstrate the con that is the “natural” skin care industry, consider this:

Plenty of natural things can kill you – dead – 100%. Plenty of things created in a lab – cannot kill you. Further, there are plenty of natural things that will not kill you, but sure aren’t pleasant.
Cow dung is all-natural, but I cannot think of a single client who would purchase a cow poop mask if I sold one. Cyanide is natural. I do not advise consuming it.

Applesauce is natural, but smearing applesauce on your face is never going to provide enough malic acid (found in apples and great for skin) to benefit your complexion. It just is not in the right form, and you would need a whole lot of apples, time, and processing to get enough usable malic acid from apples as opposed to a lab. The end result? More cost to you and the environment –  and no additional benefit to your skin.

As long as an ingredient is bio-identical, your body does not care where it was produced.

Further, if you have bought in to marketing that “chemicals” are bad and that anything that isn’t organic or all-natural is free of chemicals, let me just clarify that nearly everything in our environment is a chemical or is comprised of chemical elements. Water is a chemical. Anything made of atoms is technically a chemical. What we should really be concerned with are dangerous chemicals, not chemicals. No skin care product exists that is “chemical free”. Period.

“But my face cream says it is free of harsh chemicals,  that’s good right?”
My answer: What is a harsh chemical? Bleach? Absolutely, and it should not be in your face cream anyway. There is no need to pay extra for being told things aren’t in your skin care that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Now, a formulator may say “SLS free”. That is perfectly fine – some people don’t react well to SLS and look for products without it. Conversely, millions of people use SLS products daily with zero issues, so whether SLS is a “harsh” ingredient really comes down to the user. You should not be paying extra for SLS-free.

No skin care product exists that is “chemical free”. Period.

Once we have figured out the marketing system and come to understand that much of what is being promoted in the natural skin care arena is not much more than the creative (and often misleading) use of words to elevate the value of skin care products, what is it we should be looking for in skin care?

The following are my guidelines for what constitutes a great product:

Safe Ingredients – Whether it was grown in a field or produced in a laboratory, is it safe? If it is not safe, it doesn’t belong in the bottle, and this is the case whether it came from a lemon or a lab.

Planet Friendly –  Are we causing irreparable damage to the earth and its inhabitants (both human and animal) with our products? Whether it is from unethical farming practices that exploit human workers, using plant species that are endangered (sandalwood and wild yam fall into this category), destroying plants that are most needed by animals as food, or using ingredients that do not dissolve in nature and pollute our waterways (like aluminum oxide crystals), our goal should be do no harm.

Effective – We want products that have a positive impact on the skin. Whether that is in balanced cleansing that does not impede the skin barrier or serums that work hard to improve the skin’s clarity, texture, and appearance – we want effective products.

That’s it. Effective, friendly to our world, and safe. None of the label claims we have discussed here ensure a single one of these. It is up to you to determine if such label claims are worth paying extra for.

How do products labels that state these trendy terms affect you? Do you automatically feel as if something marketed as natural is better? I would love to hear how these marketing terms impact your decision making!

Billie Razor Review and a Complaint, Sort of

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I have one complaint about Billie Razors, just one.

Have you seen the advertisements on social media for this trendy razor brand called Billie? If so, you know they have some pretty neat, attention-grabbing advertisements. If not, you’ll still want to keep reading. The following post outlines my experience with Billie Razor, and my ONE complaint with the brand: They weren’t around decades ago when I first began shaving my legs.

Billie startup set
Billie Startup Set

Look, it’s rare that I become one of those psycho self-imposed brand ambassador types. I am not affiliated with Billie, don’t get any kickbacks, freebies, or affiliate pay for carrying on about them. I’m just a random gal who has been shaving for, well, close to 30 years (ugh). Albeit, there have been significant periods where I’ve used an epilator (legs only), but that was primarily because I hated razors. Hated them. Severe, angry, “I really despise you” type of anger. There was no joy for me in shaving my legs: constant nicks, constant razor burn, constant nicks because of the previous day’s razor burn, stinging, irritation, etc. – my legs just don’t like razors, but that changed in 2020.

Sometime in early 2020 I began seeing tons of Facebook ads for these new razors. They looked cute enough, but I’ve bought cute before and cute has always sliced, diced, mangled and annoyed the living @!^&#! out of my legs. So, I didn’t bite, but the ads kept coming. Usually, repetitive ads super annoy me. For whatever reason, I didn’t click the whole “dont’ show me this again” option on Billie ads, and thank goodness for that. Eventually, I clicked one of the Facebook ads and began reading the comments. There sure was a lot of positive hype circulating around these razors. My internal eye-roll was in full force. “Razors that don’t ruin the !@&#% out of my legs? Right. Sure. Okay. Uh huh. Heard it before.” At some point, despite my doubt, I decided that for 9 bucks, I might as well try these razors out. I’d have to go buy some razors locally at some point, and I’d spend more than $9 on those – and I already know I hate those, so why not spend my 9 bucks and just give it a shot?

The Arrival

I’m wordy, so let’s just fast forward to the day my little $9 box arrived. Inside the box was my razor handle (in color of my choosing – cool, right?), a neat magnetic holder for the handle, and 2 5-blade razor cartridges. Cute factor: 10 of 10, but we all know that the cute-factor often leads to totally bogus garbage. A little later, I and my new 9-dollar shaving supplies were headed to the shower. Oh, by the way – I also added their shaving cream to my cart when I ordered, so I had that too (cost is separate).

The Shave…

After I wet everything down with water (myself and the razor) – I squeezed out some of that shaving cream and got to work. First use of the razor – my mind is all like “What is happening? Where am I?” I think I had a brief out of body experience, or some sort of mystical moment – who knows? Anyhow, I was in shock. This razor was SLICK, and I mean slick like snail slime – which would be gross if it were snail slime, but in this case that whole snail-slime-slick business was absolute shaving perfection. It wasn’t just the shave cream though. The shave cream is incredible, but the razor itself has the slickest little strip on the edge that I’ve ever experienced and it will 1000% change your shaving life if you’ve ever suffered with lots of razor burn no matter what brand you’ve used.

Billie Shave Cream

This Stuff HAS to be Made by Unicorns.

It’s that good.
No nicks. No cuts. No dragging. No irritation. No razor burn. No stinging. No blood.
It’s magical, really.
By now, I’m sure you’ve come to the conclusion that I highly recommend Billie Razors, and you’re right. I do – I SO do.

No, I’m not an Affiliate

Sadly, Billie doesn’t even have an affiliate program that I’m aware of. If they did, I would totally be pressing all the buttons and typing in all the info required to get on to that wagon, because I would have everyone I know getting Billie Razors and I would love that referral bonus. They’re great enough that I’m more than happy to tell everyone about them – with the only incentive being just sharing a great product with people who may be missing out on it.

A Few Tips for When You Try Billie

  1. Even though Billie razors come with this cute magnetic shower holder, avoid leaving your razor in a spot where it can’t dry out between uses. Those slick strips on the edge will last a lot longer this way.
  2. Make sure the razor head isn’t touching whatever surface you leave it on between uses. If the razor head gets tilted and is touching, say, the edge of a surface on your tub or shower – the awesome strip on it will sort of glue itself to the surface as it dries, and though it’ll easily pull off – you’re just damaging the life span of the strip.
  3. If you decide to use the shave cream, get that skin super wet with water first, and then use a SMALL amount of the shave cream. Seriously – you do not need much. If your legs are wet, you can likely get a dime to nickel size amount to go from ankle to thigh. You can always add a bit more if you need it, but start with less. This stuff is crazy slick, so a tiny bit goes a long way. Throw out everything you know about old school shave creams and gels – this is something altogether different.

Ok, Go Grab the Magic!

So you’ve made it to the end of this review and you’re going “Surely not. No shave can be that great.” It is. Order the set. Add the shave cream if you want to be extra magical. Their Dry-Bye Lotion is fabulous as well (never experienced a matte body lotion before – and it does NOT disappoint).
Visit Billie
Go for it, and when you get your kit and try it out for the first time – stop back by and:

Let Me Know Your Experience!

If you check out Billie razors, or if you’re already using them, I’d love to hear your feedback. What color did you choose? Did you try the shave cream? Do you find these razors as amazing as I do? Shoot me your thoughts!

Botox and Fillers or Facials?

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Cosmetic injections like Botox and dermal fillers are not replacements for the care of your skin. Here’s why.

Cosmetic injections are hugely popular these days. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Botox injections were performed over 7 million times in 2016, and dermal fillers came in at 2.6 million1. The average age a person receives cosmetic injections is also lowering dramatically. Where cosmetic injections were once treatments that were predominantly sought by women in their late 40s and 50s, we are now seeing higher numbers of patients in their early 30s and even in their 20s beginning consistent use of Botox and fillers. These numbers show us that cosmetic injections are not simply a passing trend; they are a growing mainstay of cosmetic culture. But what, if anything, do these injections do for the long-term health of your skin? Are they substitutes for quality care of your skin? If you’re receiving cosmetic injections, do you still need to bother with professional-level skin care services (non-injections), and do injections like Botox and fillers manage the biological aging processes of your skin?

At the most basic level, (most) cosmetic injections are a quick-fix to common cosmetic concerns like expression lines and hollow features. Botox, by impeding muscle function, causes a facial muscle not to express in the way it would without the toxin present. This can greatly decrease the appearance of expression lines, and that is more than enough to make many patients happy. Dermal fillers are used to restore volume to the skin, improve the appearance of facial contours and smooth/soften creases and lines. Though dermal fillers and Botox can significantly improve the appearance of facial features, neither will slow the aging process or maintain the health and integrity of the skin. Cosmetic injections have their place in the beauty realm, but they are not replacement for skin care treatments and properly designed home care regimens.

Because cosmetic injections do not balance, nourish, or protect the skin itself – they do nothing for slowing the aging process or correcting problematic skin conditions. It is important to note that if you are (or plan on) receiving cosmetic injections, your skin tissues do not stop changing with age. Your skin will still need care. The two modes of services – cosmetic injections and skin care treatments – should be seen as complimentary services not mutually exclusive. Just as a facial can not impede your forehead muscle function, Botox cannot improve sun damaged skin, provide protection from oxidation, reduce inflammation, or balance skin hydration.

I am often asked by my guests if I think it is “time” for them to start getting injections. My personal opinion on injections is this: if the appearance of a certain feature is causing you actual anxiety – go get your injections, but don’t forget your skin! If you don’t love the fact that we’re all going to age, but those tiny little lines don’t really bother you so much, I say hold off – and don’t forget your skin! Whatever you do – just don’t forget your skin.  We are quick to confuse cosmetic injections and skin care; the two are dramatically different.

For happy skin, you want nourishment, protection, and balancing. A properly designed home care regimen and specially selected skin care treatments should support those goals. Healthy, balanced, happy skin will make for a much better overall appearance than through injections alone. 

 

  1. American Society of Plastic Surgeons; 2016 Top Five Cosmetic Minimally Invasive Procedures Chart

Aquaphor: Keep it on Hand

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The many beauty uses of Aquaphor – and why this esthetician thinks it’s a must-have.

There’s one product I’m always recommending to my clientele that elicits surprised reactions almost every time: plain ole over-the-counter Aquaphor (or a generic knock-off which is even cheaper). Yes, I know: As an esthetician, I am supposed to market nothing but high-dollar skin care potions and consider anything over-the-counter as sub-par garbage unworthy of my or my guests’ attention. There’s plenty of over-the-counter garbage out there, there’s also a good bit of “professional” garbage too – but the renegade esthetician in me will not disqualify a product simply because it’s found on a shelf at Wal-Mart. There are always a handful of hidden gems on big-box store shelves and Aquaphor just happens to be one of them. Think I’m crazy? Talk to just about any surgeon and  they’ll say it’s fabulous stuff as well.

So here’s the thing – when you read the list of ingredients on Aquaphor (Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabol) there is nothing all too magical going on with the list. Yet, I do find the product pretty magical. Granted, you’ll not get coated in unicorn dust when you open the unassuming tube or tub – but use it in the ways I’m about to describe to you, and you’ll see some benefits that are pretty fantastic – AND – you’ll find these benefits come to you at a heck of a better price point than $100 night creams, over-priced cuticle creams, fancy foot creams, boutique lash conditioners, and a slew of other over-priced and over-rated products.

Now, I know when some folks read this post, there will be some bulging eyes because I am recommending a product that contains mineral oil and petrolatum. Just as an FYI – if you’ve read the fear mongering around petrolatum and mineral oil, please go do a little new research. The old and ridiculous “studies” that gave these  two substances a bad name have been disproven and have also been shown to be politically motivated (yes, all going back to issues with the oil industry and politics). In reality, petrolatum and mineral oil are chemically inert and cannot chemically interact with the skin – they are also large in molecular size making them too large to penetrate into the pore (this means NO they cannot clog  your pores). So in case you’ve read the fear-mongering chaos on the “Interwebs”: No, mineral oil and petrolatum are not unsafe, no they will not clog pores, no they do not suck vitamins out of your skin (geesh – the fear mongering is severe), no they will not cause acne (anyone who says that has zero idea about the formation of acne), no they will not “make you get oily skin”, and no they won’t ruin your life in any way. In fact, these two simple little ingredients that are not respected enough (in my opinion) could go a long way to improving some things many of us are aggravated by: skin irritations, dry and flaking skin, skin that cannot stay adequately hydrated, dry and funky looking feet, cuticles, and hands, brittle eyelashes, rough and scaly body skin, and more.

Alright, so now maybe you’re willing to give it a shot. Here’s some ways I consistently use Aquaphor:

  • To amp up a daytime moisturizer and make it function like a $100 night cream: mix a bit of your daytime (non-spf) moisturizer with a little touch of Aquaphor and avoid having to buy a “night-time” cream. This doesn’t replace your active skin care serums – I’m talking about creams. Most creams sit on the skin and condition as well as create a protective barrier to prevent water loss in the skin. Moisturizers and serums are very different, and it is my opinion that 85% of the moisturizers marketed as night creams are over priced and under-quality. I don’t care to pay $95 for a pretty little jar of night cream when I can take my quality day moisturizer that runs me about $35 and add a hint of Aquaphor to it and end up with something on my face that performs far better than the stuff in the fancy $95 jar. If you’re wearing corrective serums overnight, this mixture would go on top. [Lightest to heaviest is general rule of thumb for product application.]
  • Use a q-tip and apply Aquaphor to your eyelashes overnight. Yep, just a thin layer of Aquaphor consistently applied to your lashes overnight will condition them and reduce lash breakage. Many a model uses this little trick to keep nice, pretty lashes. If you’re a contact lens wearer, do NOT do this while your contacts are in – you’ll end up with a film on your contacts that will make light look rather trippy; take lenses out first, then apply. Of course, if you’re wearing artificial lash extensions, you’re left out here – the Aquaphor will dissolve your adhesive, so skip this trick if you’re doing the lash extension thing.
  • Hands, feet, cuticles: Aquaphor will transform dry and rough hands, cuticles and feet almost overnight. No, it can’t rid you of thickened layers of dry skin (see this post for getting rid of excessive dead layers of skin), but it can help with softening, smoothing, and soothing and it can do it fast. What you need to do: hydrate your skin well with water (this is best done via a bath or shower). While your skin is still damp, apply a thin layer of Aquaphor and work it in to your heels, cuticles, toes, whatever part of your feet need the help – work it in; do the same for your hands and fingers (even elbows while you’re at it). The trick is having hydrated skin. In chemistry, oil sits on top of water, so applying Aquaphor over well-hydrated/damp skin means the Aquaphor will sit on top of the water and create a protective barrier. This locks the water in and decreases evaporation. To make this point even more clear, I usually have remaining water droplets on my skin when I apply. I am not completely toweling dry and then applying. I’m patting off “excess”, leaving a little water on, Aquaphor goes on top – mixes around a bit – warms up, melts in, and boom – skin feels amazing. Doing this regularly is where you’re going to see crazy improvements, and don’t forget: don’t let your skin go totally wonkers before you start… Just make this part of your routine. You’ve probably read suggestions of putting a thick layer of Vaseline on your feet and wearing thick socks to bed. Well, I can’t stand sleeping in socks, and I hate having a thick layer of greasy stuff all over me. You can avoid those things if you’re like me – by just regularly applying a tiny amount of Aquaphor to your damp feet. While I’m thinking about it, it also makes natural nails look healthy and with a beautiful sheen. So, if you’ve got dull nails, this will also help them!
  • Post-treatment flaking and dryness: Say bye-bye to over-priced post-peel balms and use Aquaphor. This is what I recommend to all my clients who receive chemical peels to get through days of dry and flaking skin. Throw on a thin layer at night, or use to spot treat areas that peel excessively (like smile lines, dip of chin, etc.).
  • Help dry, scaly, itchy body skin: Body skin always dry and scaly and sometimes itchy? Go up to the directions for hands/feet/cuticles. Use Aquaphor over damp skin… THIN layer… You do NOT need to be overly greasy. It seriously doesn’t require a thick coating of this stuff to reap benefits. Thin, thin, thin layer – over damp skin. Can I say that enough? This is also a good time to mention that Aquaphor now comes in a SPRAY application!!! It’s marvelous for legs, arms, shoulders, and back. Use it exactly as described above – on damp skin, and thin layer.
  • Face, Eye and Lip mask: Give a little life back to your face, eyes and lips with Aquaphor. Use your favorite hydrating gel or spray to dampen the area (if you use an eye serum, you can use that first) then apply a nice layer of Aquaphor to your entire face or just underneath  your eyes and to your lips. Leave this on 10-15 minutes then gently remove excess. When removing, just use a gentle damp cloth  – no need to wash it all off, just remove excess and let the residue stay to continue conditioning and protecting your skin. Tip: I love to use rosewater underneath Aquaphor. I spritz my face with it or tap a bit under my eyes then apply the Aquaphor.
  • Calm irritated skin: There are a lot of pricey products out there for various skin conditions, and Aquaphor certainly won’t answer every concern, but before investing in extremely expensive products for chapped skin, eczema, dermatitis, etc. – try Aquaphor. It really amazes me at how often this particular product out-performs very pricey options when it comes to irritated skin.
  • Protect and sooth wounds and lesions: Did you pick a bit too much at that pimple you felt coming on? Been there, done that. I know it’s hard to leave them alone. Obviously, try not to – BUT when you inevitably do pick and realize you’ve just created a wound – dab it with Aquaphor here and there until it heals. The skin will be much happier, will heal better and more quickly, generally leaving less of a mark behind. There’s a reason doctors recommend Aquaphor after many cosmetic treatments and surgeries, it really is an amazing skin protectant.

There you have it – my long spill on why just about everyone should keep Aquaphor on hand. It’s worth mentioning that the generic formulas are just as good. Just check the label to make sure it reads the same as the brandname Aquaphor. I commonly buy the Walgreens version. There is zero difference except in price. When referring to Aquaphor, I am discussing the original “Healing Ointment”. They have a few different varieties now, including a baby version – but I always just use the standard formula.

Have you tried Aquaphor? Do you have any great tips of your own that I should add here? If so, just leave a comment and let me know!

 

Blackheads? Maybe Not.

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Those little dark dots on your nose may not be blackheads. Let’s take a look!

More than lines and wrinkles, more than spots and poor texture – more than dry, oily, sensitive and any combination of complaints I may hear, “I have blackheads” is THE number 1 complaint I hear in the studio. It seems we human beings, despite whatever other skin care concerns we may have, are plagued with these pesky dark dots that like to appear, most commonly, on our noses and chins, and very inner cheeks. These little dark dots may be less or more severe depending on  the individual, but for most us, they’re there.

Now, as a skin therapist, I don’t care how my guests refer to these – clogged pores, blackheads, “stuff in my pores”, junk, whatever. I hear it all. What I do mind, though, is the mass  market that sells to the notion of “blackheads” when often these are not blackheads at all, but instead “sebaceous filaments”. Most of the products out there that claim to resolve blackheads would never even begin to impede the existence of a true blackhead, and half  the time will do very little for sebaceous filaments either.

So, let’s look at a real blackhead so I can show you why all those products that claim to get rid of blackheads – don’t.

Used with permission. DermNetNZ ©Professor Suhonen.

See those dark plugs in the skin? THOSE are blackheads. They are large, solid masses that have formed inside a follicle. The mixture here is of skin cell protein (keratin), and oil (sebum). These are sizable impactions that come out as a solid plug, or what I often call a “kernel” as that is what they look like when extracted. True blackheads may squeeze out with pressure when extracted, but they often need assistance from tweezers to pull out the entire mass. The top of the blackhead will be the size you see at the skin’s surface, while the bottom end will be thin, light in color, and not hardened like the top. The darkness on top is the result of melanin-filled skin cells and sebum that  have been oxidized by air – not dirt.

Let’s say all those magical blackhead-removing products cleansed the tops off these blackheads (they won’t) – but what’s the chances they’re capable of literally pushing them up and out of the skin, freely and clearly?

They can’t. The takeaway here is that what are marketed as blackhead removing products are really marketing to clogged pores/sebaceous filaments.

Unless you have large, hard masses in your skin that resemble the above, you likely do not have true blackheads.

Now, let’s take a look at what is probably more the case.

Used with permission. © DermNetNZ

See the tiny specks on this particular nose? These are sebaceous filaments. Feel free to call them whatever you like, but when you’ve got out that 50x beauty mirror, don’t let it lie and tell you that you have the world’s worst case of blackheads. You don’t. Promise.

This nose is classic for what I see on a day to day basis. Heck, I even have sebaceous filaments on MY nose, and let me tell you – they’re there, they are never going to permanently go away, and all  these trendy tools for ridding your nose of them may do more harm than good.

What’s a sebaceous filament? Well, these little “holes” in our skin that we most often call pores are actually tiny, tiny hair follicles. At the bottom of that hair follicle is an oil gland. Inside that hair follicle are skin cells that shed on a daily basis. Within that tiny follicle, there’s a miniscule little hair that you’re unlikely to ever be able to see. That virtually invisible little hair acts as a wick to deliver all the aforementioned “stuff” up to the surface. What creates the darkened effect at the surface is pretty much the same as with blackhead – it’s just cells and fats that have become oxidized. It’s not dirt. It’s not that you don’t wash your face, and there’s nothing you’ll do to stop these from forming forever. In fact, in dermatology, sebaceous filaments are considered a standard, normal feature of human skin.

Now that we’ve discovered what those pesky dark specks in our pores really are, we’ll go over what to do – and even more importantly – what not to do about them.

Don’t:

  • Rely on pore strips. Though these can occasionally rip off the tops of little plugs in the pores, they do nothing to further purify or clarify the pores and can cause damage to your skin and leave behind more visible capillaries.
  • Buy into those trendy rip-off masks that are circulating social media. The same downsides to pore strips apply to  these painful masks.
  • Obsess over washing your face. AM/PM cleansing is all that is necessary for almost all skin.
  • Over exfoliate. Over exfoliation is one of the biggest problems in all aspects of healthy skin. Check with your esthetician on the appropriate form of exfoliation for your precious skin and the proper frequency of use.
  • Fall victim to the beauty mirror. The magnified beauty mirrors are great tools for applying makeup, but please for the love of good skin – don’t post up in front of that thing and start digging, prodding, poking and picking. A) NO ONE is looking at your skin that close unless it’s your esthetician, and B) If you start looking in those mirrors for imperfections, you’ll literally never see the end of them. Walk away!
  • Perform self-extractions. The problem here is that most of us just can’t stop. If you are red, swollen, inflamed, and standing there for more than 2 or 3 minutes – it’s too much. Angle and technique are huge for extractions, and it’s extremely difficult to do them properly on yourself.

Do:

  • Cleanse your skin AM/PM with a cleanser appropriate for your skin. [Tip: That may not always mean a foamy cleanser!]
  • Exfoliate according to your skin care professional’s recommendations. This varies by the individual. From type of exfoliant to frequency of use, it’s super important you have a personalized exfoliation routine. Dropping countless bucks down the drain at counters on products that look pretty but aren’t ideal for your skin – just a waste of time and dollars.
  • Get regular professional treatments. Professional extractions, done properly, do not damage skin. A well-trained skin therapist has the proper technique, preparation products and tools to perform safe extractions and knows when enough is enough.
  • Be consistent. A facial twice a year will never be enough to keep pores refined and clarified. If clarified skin is truly what you want, consistency is key.
  • Keep in mind that everyone’s skin does not follow the same timeline. In general, it is typical to expect visible plugged pores to return within about 30 days. For some, this timeline will be even shorter. This is one of the reasons we suggest monthly skin care services.
  • Avoid pore clogging ingredients and especially coconut oil on your face. Coconut oil has become such a popular oil and is touted as a miracle cure for just about everything. Unfortunately, as healthy as it is for some to eat, it’s a 4 on a 5 point scale for being pore-clogging.

Professional Treatments for Sebaceous Filaments

My go-to treatment for cleaning out pores are Ultrasonic Facials. These are painless, non-invasive services that use ultrasonic frequency to pressure wash the skin and force debris out the of pores without causing damage.

Next, skin peels. Light peels can really work to dissolve the contents of the pores and also superficially tighten the pore’s surface. This combination can be a fabulous one for reducing pore visibility and increasing clarity. It does not require super strong peels to accomplish this, so just about anyone can receive a mild peel for clarifying purposes.

What About Real Blackheads?

Although we all will likely have a true blackhead at some point or another (even if not on the face), blackheads are more associated with acneic skin conditions and must be softened and removed from the skin through a series of professional extraction services and proper home care. If you’re struggling with blackheads as a result of acne, please check out the Acne Clearing Program.

In Conclusion

I see new products hitting the social media feeds each day that promise to remove every last “blackhead” from a person’s complexion. In reality, blackheads are an entirely different skin condition, and the sebaceous filaments that consumers actually are looking to get rid of are a perfectly normal aspect of human skin. It is possible to dramatically improve the appearance of the pores, but no product will permanently remove them or tighten pores to a non-existent state. Customized home care and consistency with targeted professional services are the best way to achieve clarified skin.

An Esthetician’s Review of Tarte’s Full Coverage Powder Foundation

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Update: I’ve left this post here simply as a memorial to what was my absolute favorite powder foundation – ever. For anyone who is looking for a somewhat similar product, try Tarte’s Shape Tape Powder Foundation. It does not have the exact silky feel that the old formula had, but it has performed well for me and is what I continue to use for daily makeup. It has buildable coverage as well.

Photo Credit: Tarte Cosmetics

To give you a little background on why I’m writing this review, I’ve been hunting for a new foundation for quite some time. Years ago (and I mean more than 10), I was a fan of Bare Minerals products. They were new-ish, trendy, all over television, and their line was unique at the time. After a couple of years of drilling their loose mineral foundation into my skin via a kabuki brush, I developed an allergy to the extremely cheap (for the manufacturer), and rather questionable filler that is prevalent in Bare Minerals (and many other mineral lines), bismuth oxychloride. After a series of events of nasty hives and awful itching and pain, I thought I’d be done with mineral makeup forever, as it was next to impossible to find it without the bismuth oxychloride. Again, this was over 10 years ago.

Over the years, I’ve played with lots of different foundations. I used a liquid brand from Origins for a number of years and later began trying some newer mineral powder foundations as a number of brands began ditching the bismuth oxychloride for higher quality, non-toxic ingredients. I’ve been using a great powder foundation from Osmosis for the last few years, but since I no longer carry their skin care line in my studio, I wanted to find a new option.

To qualify as my definition of a great powder foundation, I have quite a list of qualifications:

  • Not overly dewy; my skin is naturally oily, so any excess shine or glow is not desirable
  • While not being overly dewy, it also can’t dry out the surface of my skin or make the skin surface look papery and dehydrated
  • Can’t settle into fine lines
  • Doesn’t appear to sit “on top” of the skin, but instead blends beautifully to the texture of skin
  • Comes in an array of colors suitable to seasonal changes in skin tone
  • Must provide buildable coverage that I can use to accomplish full coverage on days I want it
  • Staying power – must still look great after 8+ hours of wear
  • Can’t contain bismuth oxychloride

On a recent visit to a local beauty retailer, I dug through probably 10 different varieties of mineral powder foundations. Some had the dreaded bismuth oxychloride along with way too much shine, others had really poor color selections (how could anyone think 6 shades is enough for the variety of skin tones that exist), and yet others just didn’t blend well or have a high-quality feel.

Then, I discovered Tarte’s Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation. I was rather leery of the term “creamy” in the name. It gave me the impression this would be some sticky, thick pancake makeup. This turned out not to be the case. Instead, I found a gorgeous foundation powder with the most gloriously silky feel. It is soft, velvety, and so luxurious feeling. I color matched myself, and decided I’d give it a try.

The following morning, I ripped open the box, unpacked my new little compact, and started to apply with my favorite kabuki brush. It was a grand morning. This stuff went on so beautifully. I needed very little product to get a great level of coverage; it literally took just a minute to get my foundation applied. I picked up a small concealer brush and gave a quick touch up to my under eye and moved on with the rest of my “face”. My blush went on beautifully over this foundation, and I found blending a breeze. I had no insane alien-esque glow like I know many mineral lines provide. Don’t get me wrong, some glow is a beautiful, but looking like you’re radiating a layer of Vaseline is not.

Despite being thrilled with the application, I still had to be won over by the product in regard to how to would wear throughout the day. Well, I’m happy to report, it wears beautifully. I’m almost positive that I have less shine after hours of wearing this product than I did with my previous mineral powder foundation. It must having something to do with the clay in the powder, but whatever it is – I’m impressed. As another bonus, it doesn’t have that wear-off effect where you feel like you lost 75% of your coverage by the end of the work day.

Tarte’s Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation is also called Double Duty Beauty Confidence Creamy Powder if you’re shopping at Ulta. Ulta claims this product is only available at their locations, however, it appears that is the case only in regard to name. So, Double Duty Beauty at Ulta, Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation elsewhere. Don’t let Ulta confuse you. 🙂

If you’re looking for a fantastic new foundation, I give this my highest recommendation. If you have extremely dry skin and really need the enhanced moisture that thick creams and liquids deliver, you may not find this powder foundation (or any powder foundation) to provide quite enough moisture. However, if you do not have extreme moisture needs, definitely try this gem of a cosmetic. As a side note, this product can also be applied wet if you need a bit more creamy texture!

If you’re looking for a fantastic new foundation, I give this my highest recommendation.

One last word: There’s a trendy concept going around to create duo skin care and makeup products. In the end, let your makeup be your makeup and your skin care be your skin care. Although this brand as well as many others do market their products as being chock full of antioxidants, peptides, etc. – those ingredients often do not perform well for the skin when tied up in a makeup formula. So, although Tarte does promote this as also being an anti-aging cosmetic, I would count more on the cosmetic function than the skin care function for this and any other makeup.

If you’d like to see this fabulous find in action, check out Tarte’s video below.

I had to share about my most recent fabulous find because I am asked every week what my favorite foundation happens to be. Well, for now – this is it. So long as the formulation stays the same, I don’t see switching any time soon!

I’d love to know your favorite cosmetics (gives me ideas on what to try), and if you pick up the Tarte product, I’d love to know you like it – feel free to leave a comment below!