Fiona Quinn, owner of Dollyblue Beauty and Advanced Skincare, is a Beauty Therapist, Educator and Obsessed Skincare Nerd who shares the latest beauty industry tips, products and updates with us each month.
The sun is shining; our skin is glowing, well almost, until that spot appears…
Major breakouts can be daunting especially this time of year when we are hoping to look cool and fresh and to cut down on the many make up items we have hoarded over the winter months. Last month (June) just happened to be Acne awareness month; which meant most of my time was spent finding solutions for this skin condition. I never tire of seeing what the impact of treating my client’s skin can have, the results can be amazing.
According to the NHS 80% of people aged 11 to 30 are affected by acne, with 5%of women and 1%of men suffering from the condition over the age of 25. And it’s not just us mere mortals that can suffer; some of our favourite celebrities have or had acne.
Emma Stone’s blemishes were ‘kindly video airbrushed out’ when shooting Easy A. Victoria Beckham resorted to eating salmon daily to combat her acne skin and Natalie Portman cut out dairy.
But what is Acne? The oil (sebum) in our skin is made by sebaceous glands that reside in our pores. When cellular debris blocks pores, the sebum becomes trapped. Bacteria multiply, which feed on sebum, which then multiply further resulting in comedones and spots.
There are many available treatments that help to combat acne and the key ingredients you should look out for are salicylic acid to exfoliate inside the pore, hinokitiol to control acne bacteria, retinol for improved cell turnover and zinc oxide for UVA/UVB protection.
Adult skin is different to teenage skin as it produces less oil, has a slower rate of cell turnover, and heals at a different rate (oh the joys of growing old)! Products designed for teenage skin are often too harsh for adults, so using them can lead to irritation and dryness. At the same time, adults are concerned with visible signs of ageing like fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone. So until the fountain of youth has been found my preferred skincare is AlumierMD which is what I use and retail at Dollyblue.
I know when skin is oily we feel the need to scrub and clean obsessively, DON’T DO IT! When sebum builds up under the plugged pore it causes an inflammatory response. Kxeeping skin moisturised is an important way to balance sebum production. If skin dries out due to excessive washing or harsh chemicals, it will produce more sebum to compensate.
My top tip may sound obvious but makeup brushes, phone screens and pillows can be the biggest offenders when it comes to spreading acne causing bacteria. Clean your brushes change that pillowcase and wipe those screens.
