For as long as I have had my blog, my ethos has been "when in doubt, leave it out!" This included the use of Benzoyl Peroxide as a topical ingredient for treating acne. I'll admit, when I first started my blog I was vehemently anti-BP because I was all about being 100% natural! As my business (and myself!) have matured over the years I've done more research and experimentation and my initial opinion on the use of Benzoyl Peroxide has changed quite significantly. I now consider Benzoyl ...
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Complete list of comedogenic ingredients to avoid if you have acne
Are you concerned about comedogenic ingredients in your beauty products? In this post, you will find a list of all the pore-clogging ingredients found in skin care and also a list of my favourite non-comedogenic beauty products that are completely safe for acne. what is product acne? Whilst those big, red pimples are usually a sign of a deeper imbalance and chronic inflammation, the small skin coloured bumps and clogged pores that you are struggling with are more likely to be caused by ...
How to reduce DHT and 5-alpha reductase activity to clear acne
This blog post looks at the best ways to lower DHT and 5 alpha reductase activity to reduce oily skin and acne. DHT is the strongest androgen in the body and too much of this androgen can cause hair thinning, excess body/facial hair, oily skin and acne. Excess levels occur when an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone or DHEA into DHT. You don't necessarily have to have high levels of testosterone or DHEA to have high levels of DHT - many women have normal testosterone levels ...
How to treat fungal acne (malassezia) naturally
In this post, we will be looking at how to treat fungal acne, or Malassezia, naturally. We will cover what fungal acne is, how to diagnose fungal acne and the steps you need to take to treat fungal acne without resorting to harsh or toxic chemicals. Fungal acne is becoming more and more common in my virtual acne clinic. With adult acne on the rise, more and more people are resorting to harsh medication and skin care products to try and beat acne, which can unfortunately cause fungal acne, or ...
Homemade ghee for acne prone skin
This step by step recipe and infographic shows you how to make clarified butter at home, I also take a look at why ghee is beneficial for acne prone skin! Ghee is a staple ingredient in Indian cooking and an important ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s revered so highly in Indian culture it’s known as “liquid gold”. Ghee is simply made by boiling and simmering the butter until the acne causing proteins and solids, such as whey, casein and lactose are separated and then removed. What remains ...
Is ghee good for acne? Skin benefits of clarified butter
I often get asked if clarified butter or ghee is good for acne and if it’s safe to eat as part of an acne-friendly diet. I mean, ghee is from butter and butter is a dairy product and dairy spells bad news for acne sufferers right? Ghee must be bad for our skin surely? When it comes to dairy, there are a few key reasons why it’s so bad for those prone to acne. Dairy products consist of three key components: fat, proteins and milk sugar. Unfortunately, more and more studies are proving that two ...
How hormones affect acne
This article looks at how hormones affect acne and helps you understand the different types of hormones that are often linked with adult acne. Due to a number of factors including birth control, diet, products we come into contact with every day and blood sugar imbalances more women are suffering from acne in their 20s, 30s and even 40s! As more and more women suffer from acne, they are turning to harsh prescription creams, birth control, antibiotics and harsh cleansing products in a bid to ...
#AcneAwarenessMonth: Everything you wanted to know about hormones and acne
Last week you sent me a tonne of skin care questions, this week I'm answering all your questions on hormone imbalances. You name it, we're talking about it in todays post - we're covering sore boobs, PMS, Endometriosis, veganism and blood testing! **Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliated. This means that if you click through one of these links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission. It doesn’t cost you any extra but it’s these small commissions that help ...
#AcneAwarenessMonth: Everything you wanted to know about acne skin care
June is #AcneAwarenessMonth so I thought it was the perfect time to ask my Instagram followers their acne skin care questions. As always, my followers smashed it and the questions came through thick and fast so I've compiled them all below. **Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliated. This means that if you click through one of these links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission. It doesn’t cost you any extra but it’s these small commissions that help keep this ...
How to reduce alcohol related acne breakouts
This post looks at how to reduce alcohol related acne breakouts. What steps can acne sufferers take to avoid spots after enjoying an alcoholic drink? As it’s officially the festive season and time to start enjoying some quality time with friends and family, I’m sharing my top tips on how to reduce alcohol related acne breakouts and letting you in on some simple tricks to help keep skin clear whilst still enjoy a drink, or two! I’ve spent too many Christmases sacrificing fun in order to stick ...