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This past year will forever be remembered for the facial hair trends it encouraged. Men essentially gave up on the daily chore of shaving and instead covered up wherever was growing with a mask and called it a day. Quarantine times and new Zoom reality gave men the excuse and opportunity to retire the razor blade — at least for a while.
RELATED: All the Winners of the 2021 AskMen Grooming Awards
After months of putting up with beard itch and staving off neckbeards, and with the weather warming up, men have started to opt in to shaving off one again. Regardless of the prickly path that lies ahead for your facial hair, we have all the products you’ll need to get anything from a smooth shave to a well-maintained beard with our picks for the best shave and beard care products of the 2021.
These pros gave us expert insight into what they believe to be important in their expertises. Look out for what they said throughout the awards.
Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali, Dermatologist and Founder, Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery Dr. Matt Nejad, DDS, Cosmetic and Biomimetic Dentist Ian Michael Crumm, Hair, Skin, and Makeup Content Creator Cassandra Bankson, Medical Esthetician, Skincare, Beauty, and Lifestyle Expert Siqi Mou, CEO and Co-Founder, HelloAva David Petrillo, Cosmetic Chemist and Founder, Perfect Image
“When trying out anything new, make sure you only do one product at a time and give it AT LEAST two weeks before adding [more],” says board-certified dermatologist, researcher, and laser surgeon Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali of Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery. “You usually need four weeks to start seeing results, so don't be discouraged if it takes a bit of time.”
“Take before and after photos,” says medical aesthetician, and science-based skin care expert YouTube influencer Cassandra Bankson. “It’s hard to see changes when we rely on looking at our reflection every day. Try not to switch things up too dramatically more than once a month, and give yourself two-to-three [months] to really see results from active ingredients or treatment products.”
“When trying out new products, especially ones that contain harsh actives like [alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids] and retinal, you always want to start slow, one night a week, and do a patch test first,” adds Siqi Mous, founder and CEO of A.I.-powered personalized skin care site HelloAva.com.
It’s not just skin or hair care products you need to be careful with when experimenting with the latest seen in your social feeds.
“Many oral care products are unsafe and ineffective,” Dr. Matt Nejad, biomimetic and esthetic dentist and Fellow of the Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry tells us. “Even worse, many products and techniques that are hyped are dangerous and damaging to your teeth.”
Just like we did here (or not just like we did here), if you are going to be trying anything new you aren’t sure of, talk to a reputable and respected dermatologist or dentist.
If you’re not a skin care nerd like us, you could really be missing out on some great new ingredients and updated formulations of the classics.
“We are bringing it back to the basics,” says influencer, esthetician, and content creator Ian Michael Crumm. “[I love] zinc in mineral sunscreen because protecting the skin from the sun is the best anti-aging treatment.”
Another ingredient favored by our experts? Niacinamide. “I like more anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric and niacinamide,” says Bhanusali while Mou adds “niacinamide — also known as vitamin B3 — has become very popular for its many benefits including protecting the skin from environmental aggressors, it’s the ability to treat acne, improve texture, and its brightening abilities.”
“[Niacinamide] is amazing to help with decreasing redness in the skin (a great choice after shaving), provide hydration, prevent excessive pigmentation, and even strengthen your skin barrier by stimulating the production of ceramides, amazing substances your skin naturally makes,” Bankson adds.
Speaking of brightening, there is nothing better than vitamin C when it comes to brightening skin's appearance. “Vitamin C is a powerhouse antioxidant which protects the skin cells from free radicals from UV exposure that can prematurely age our skin,” Mou says. “[I use] vitamin C to fade dark spots and discoloration while stimulating collagen production,” Crumm adds.
We would be remiss not to include what Bankson calls the “gold standard” in dermatology: retinoids.
“Retinoids are really an umbrella term, they include everything from retinol that you may see in your partner’s cabinet, to retinoic acid, a powerful prescription only a doctor can prescribe.,” she says of the potent and powerful vitamin A derivative.
“Retinoids were developed to help with acne, but can also help resurface scars in skin, plump up wrinkles, and help your skin build new blood vessels which lead to better skin structure due to increased collagen. It’s one of the most trusted, well studied ingredients in medical skincare.”
If you have signed into Amazon or skimmed your favorite website (AskMen, obviously) you know that some skin care products can come with a hefty price tag while others can cost next to nothing. What makes the price jump? It boils down to this: ingredients and marketing.
“Turn and learn your ingredients,” Bankson advises. “The front is all marketing, but the ingredients list (and actives) reveals what’s actually in a product.”
“Most skincare is marketing and it is important to make sure products are working,” adds Bhanusali. “I generally like things that are lower in price but certain ingredients CAN be expensive and price reflects that. Again, it is important to separate marketing from quality.”
“Some ingredients do cost a lot more to source than others, so not all the high price tag products are marketing tactics,” Mou agrees. “We think this is a very personal decision based on your budget and your willingness to spend.”
Bankson has her strong convictions on how to get the best bang for your buck. “The medical side and marketing side of skincare can be different, but as with everything there really is no ‘always right’ or ‘always wrong,’ just gray space on a spectrum in the middle,” she says. “Unless the product has little elves that jump out of the box and will extract my blackheads, it’s not worth [more than $100]. I know that marketing in the skincare industry wants you to believe that spending $400 on a product will give you the best skin in the world, but that’s simply not the truth.”
She continues: “I personally love Indie skincare brands. Yes, corporations can offer great research and expensive products, but does it come at the exploitation of people, animals, or resources?”
Once again, Nejad weighs in on the oral care side of science as well. “Many small, independent brands sacrifice adequate research and development ... More times than not, products from small brands are less effective or potentially damaging to teeth. This is not a rule, but merely an observation which means that you need to be especially careful in researching and reviewing products from small, independent brands.”
So which is it? Mega brand or mom and pop? The answer is both. Savvy consumers today require more from brands than a pretty package and a high price tag. We want to know about sustainability and where our ingredients come from. In fact, we deserve to know. And if a brand does a good job communicating its values and morals to us, we are more likely to not only buy, but be loyal.
That’s where our 2021 Grooming Awards come in. We combed through over 1,000 new products from the past 12 months and picked which ones we thought deserved some time in the spotlight.
Formula: Is it made from quality ingredients? Is it pleasant to use? Does it do what it claims?
Packaging: How easy is it to use? How does it hold up over time? Is it reusable, recyclable, or eco-friendly?
Value: Measured against comparable products, is it worth the investment?
Brand: What does it stand for? Is it BIPOC-, AAPI-, LGBTQ-, or women-owned? Is it a small business? Does it give back?
Testing: Review over 1,000 new 2021 products and pick only the best based on first hand experience, expert-panel advice, and the above criteria.
Why it’s our winner: Infused with cucumber and seaweed extract, this non-drying, dermatologist-tested face wash is a great way to freshen your features on a daily basis. Packed with plant-based cleansers, it gently removes everyday grit and grime leaving your face feeling so fresh and so clean.
Why it’s our winner: X-Punge Foaming Face Wash helps clear up pimples and blemishes for good while replenishing your skin with botanicals like tsubaki oil, arbutin, and peach leaf, helping to moisturize, reduce redness, and protect against future problems. licorice root, aloe vera and vitamin C reduce inflammation and future breakouts.
Why it’s our winner: The creamy, pH-neutral amino acid base gently cleanses and balances skin while Japanese rice powder softens boosts brightness. Hyaluronic acid and a special Okinawa algae blend are clinically proven to boost skin's hydration an average of 39%.
Why it’s our winner: Whipped Greens is a soap-free, oil-free and pH-balanced foaming face cleanser that cleans pores and draws out dirt and oil without over-stripping.
Why it’s our winner: This soap-, fragrance-, alcohol-, and paraben-free cleanser is clinically formulated for sensitive skin. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin’s moisture balance and an extra mild yet effective cleansing complex gently removes impurities, without stripping or irritating the skin.
Why it’s our winner: Urth Skin Solutions extracts the best elements of traditional remedies, combines them with innovative techniques, and creates a product that’s greater than the sum of its parts. The popular scrub has been totally reformulated, so it no longer includes sulfates, phthalates, PEGs, ethanolamines, BHT, and BHAs.
Why it’s our winner: This is a great multi-use product that can be used anytime you need a quick cleanse or as part of your daily routine to deliver skin-perfecting extracts. Soaked in a proprietary active acid complex and super-powered extracts like witch hazel, orange fruit, and willow bark, these all-purpose exfoliating pads will leave your skin instantly cleaner, brighter, and toned.
Why it’s our winner: This is the ultimate exfoliating solution, formulated with a complete blend of AHA, BHA, and PHAs plus anti-inflammatory niacinamide to eliminate dead skin cells, unclog pores, calm redness, and brighten skin over time.
Why it’s our winner: This mega-strength serum can be used either day or night, and combines the strongest levels of skin-fortifying signal peptides, plant-derived growth factors, and supportive amino acids. Add to that the 10% exfoliating lactic acid and you get dramatic improvement in the appearance of skin’s texture, tone, and radiance.
Why it’s our winner: This potent retinol serum rapidly accelerates cell turnover too slow and reverse the signs of aging. By using a serum retinol formula, the actives can get to work even deeper, boosting skin’s natural collagen, visibly reducing the look of dark spots, enhancing elasticity, and giving a more youthful complexion — all for under $30.
Why it’s our winner: Not only do you get clinically-proven visibly brighter skin and improved skin texture with this triple-threat Vitamin C formula, but you get it in super biodegradable, vegan capsules that maximize potency packaged in a paper tube. No plastic here.
Why it’s our winner: This is what we call big bang for your buck. This powder format offers the most direct topical exposure of niacinamide.
Why it’s our winner: While nothing replaces a professional facial, at-home exfoliation enables the maintenance that keeps skin radiant and healthy-looking. When tested head-to-head against a microdermabrasion facial, Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial delivered comparable results in just one use.  
Why it’s our winner: This mask has a modeling clay texture to prepare at home and rebalances and soothes thanks to prebiotics. These nourish the good bacteria naturally present on the skin surface to the detriment of harmful bacteria and probiotics that support the action of prebiotics by providing additional beneficial bacteria to rebalance the microorganisms of the skin.
Why it’s our winner: This gentle mask revives dull, dry sensitive skin without irritation to reveal a healthy-looking complexion. Mild AHAs exfoliate and microbiome-balancing prebiotics support a healthy skin barrier.
Why it’s our winner: This sheet mask is designed with expandable nose slits to fit to just about any face size and shape. Formulated for those with beards, this mask and beard oil duo consists of one half mask with nourishing, anti-aging, and hydrating ingredients — niacinamide, cactus, and camellia japonica flower extract — and a beard oil treatment with argan oil and jojoba oil.
Why it’s our winner: Clean, vegan, and sustainable (and with 50% Post-Consumer Recycled packaging) this serum targets three major signs of aging: it improves skin clarity by evening tone and reduces the appearance of sun damage, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and firms skin. All this while providing advanced antioxidant protection to fend off new environmental damage.
Why it’s our winner: This moisturizing nighttime treatment is formulated with high levels of botanical and marine-derived proteins that replenish the skin’s supply of DNA repair enzymes. It helps tackle modern-day environmental stressors from simple UV exposure to tricky “tech neck.”
Why it’s our winner: This eye cream works hard to restore the delicate skin around your eyes with a rich mix of peptides, antioxidants, niacinamide, 2% kojic acid, 2% hyaluronic acid, and 1% caffeine.
Why it’s our winner: This energizing eye gel features organic red ginseng extract combined with bison grass extract and gymnema extract to help fight tired eyes, dark circles, and puffiness while protecting the overall eye area.
Why it’s our winner: Rather than loading up on aggravating ingredients, Peace Out paired high-potency anti-acne actives including maximum strength salicylic acid to clear pores, niacinamide vitamin C to brighten and even the skin's appearance, and triluronic acid to both soothe and hydrate.
Why it’s our winner: We love all of Jack Black's first ever acne line, but this adaptogen-rich spot treatment, containing the maximum level of sulfur at 10%, takes the cake. Sulfur helps clear up acne blemishes and blackheads and allows skin to heal. This treatment is formulated to absorb excess oil, eliminate acne causing bacteria, and soothe skin.
Why it’s our winner: This blend contains borage oil, evening primrose oil, and coconut triglyceride to nourish and hydrate the skin while soothing, healing, and protecting it from external damage and inflammation — a perfect participant in your shaving routine.
Why it’s our winner: Rich might sound heavy, but this supremely hydrating gel is anything but. Verified clean by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), this eco-friendly, sustainable moisturizer is a lightweight gel cream formula with hyaluronic acid that seals in moisture and protects skin.
Why it’s our winner: Formulated with 99% pure Cannabidiol (CBD), this lightweight, nourishing cream absorbs quickly to moisturize and soothe even the most sensitive skin. Designed to calm, hydrate, and visibly reduce redness for a healthy-looking complexion.
Why it’s our winner: Ceramides are a lipid and are necessary for their water-retention capacity and with a blend of over 2% ceramides and 17% lipid blend, plus the antioxidant-rich emollient squalane, this silicone-free ultra-nourishing cream deeply moisturizes and replenishes skin to not only hydrate deep down, but help protect the skin barrier to keep it hydrated longer.
Why it’s our winner: This lightweight formula instantly hydrates, controls shine, and reduces the appearance of pores all day. Inspired by the “cold plunge” step of the detoxifying Scandinavian sauna cycle, this lightly cooling, oil-free moisturizer gives oily skin a much-needed burst of hydration, without leaving it looking wet and shiny. It’s specifically formulated for those with oily skin, and includes salicylic acid and lipo hydroxy acid to help loosen and lift dead skin cells that are the leading cause of clogged pores.
Why it’s our winner: This oil-free, lightweight, non-greasy broad-spectrum SPF moisturizer is just about perfect for daytime wear. There is zero white residue left behind, even on melanated skin, and thanks to hyaluronic acid, all day hydration and great sun protection is easy. To further help prevent signs of aging, this multitasking moisturizer has antioxidant-rich Alpine Caribou Moss, vitamin E, and vitamin B5.
Why it’s our winner: If you’re looking to layer your sunscreen over your moisturizer, then this is the best you can get from 2021. It’s an oil-free, all-physical broad-spectrum SPF that blends into every skin tone found on the Fitzpatrick scale — not an easy claim for a mineral sunscreen. This incredibly lightweight, fast absorbing SPF not only protects from UVA and UVB rays, but also from pollution as well as blue light emitted from phones and computer screens.
Why it’s our winner: Mineral sunscreens have really stepped it up in 2021, which is ironic since the vast majority of us have spent the greater part of the past year indoors. This SPF 40 sunscreen balm from Supergoop! is 100% mineral — already a rare find in such a creamy, smooth texture — and provides deep conditioning for both face and body. It’s great to have on hand for hydrating relief for dry, flaky, and irritated spots caused by extreme climates, altitudes, or face coverings.
Why it’s our winner: Sunscreen should be as easy as possible, and should be worn as often as possible (i.e. all the time). This is one of the easiest applications we found. This refreshing SPF 45 sunscreen face mist is designed to deliver sheer, lightweight protection from harmful UV rays, and to help relieve minor skin irritations and soothe sensitive skin, with calming Witch Hazel.
Why it’s our winner: Sometimes, less is more, and with Atolla’s custom skin care regimen, you’re not only spending less time using a bunch of products, you’re also getting less of the stuff your skin doesn’t need. Atolla allows you to pick your skin goals and product textures and encourages you to change things up as your skin care needs change. Using complementary ingredient combinations, you see results faster, with less work.
$79 per month at Atolla.com
Why it’s our winner: One of our biggest pet peeves? Single-use plastic items designed for daily use. That’s why, when quip launched the first-of-its-kind floss pick, we knew we were in love. The long-lasting reusable handle makes it easy to floss hard-to-reach places while the compact, handsome dispensing case — with built-in mouth mirror — makes flossing accessible and worry-free for on-the-go use. With this design replacing 180 floss picks with one, and the quip refill plan costing on $5 every three months, it’s time we ditched the plastic picks.
Why it’s our winner: Speaking of lessening our use of plastic in our mouths, this toothbrush embodies the future of standard brushing. Made with 85% less plastic, compared to a standard manual toothbrush, it rocks a replaceable brush head with precision tapered, floss-tip bristles, and an ergonomic aluminum handle that's as reusable as it is stylish.
Why it’s our winner: Philips Sonicare continues to be a leader in oral care and its new 9900 Prestige shows off just what the brand is really capable of. SenseIQ technology senses, adapts and cares for your teeth and gums, offering a truly unique and customized brushing experience. This smart brush uses sensors to detect the pressure you apply, the cleaning motion you use, and the coverage you achieve, while the premium all-in-one brush head scrubs away plaque, removes stains and cares for gums without having to switch brush heads.
Why it’s our winner: This new fluoride toothpaste is designed by gum care experts to help reverse early gum damage, ensuring a healthy, bright smile. Everything from brushing too hard to grinding at night can lead to gum recession, so it’s important not to forget about them when you take that toothbrush to your teeth twice a day.
Why it’s our winner: Spotlight’s Men’s Teeth Whitening Strips are a sustainable whitening strip created by two cosmetic dentists. These strips share the same clean and clinically-effective formula as Spotlight’s original teeth whitening strips, but in a slightly bigger size and ergonomically designed to cater for the anatomical differences in the male mouth. Add to that, the strips come with a comforting gum oil to ensure minimal tooth sensitivity.
Why it’s our winner: As one of the newest wireless, water-resistant teeth whitening devices you can buy, this mouthpiece accelerates each whitening session for stronger, longer-lasting results. The system is safe to use on sensitive teeth, dental work, and braces, with a proprietary formula designed to whiten all types of teeth.
Why it’s our winner: It’s not your normal mouthwash. It’s best to brush after every meal, but, who really does that? This daily foaming mouth rinse can be anywhere, prior to eating or drinking, as a protective shield against everyday stains, or after your last cup of coffee, when brushing your teeth just isn’t going to happen.
Why it’s our winner: Even lips need sun protection, and eos offers it up at our favorite sun protection factor with a whopping 30. Formulated with sustainable shea, natural extracts, and moisturizing oils that work together to protect lips and reinforce the skin’s natural barrier.
Why it’s our winner: This is a blurring, mattifying primer that minimizes the look of pores, visibly evens texture, and controls shine. Whether you wear it to grip makeup all day or just to keep skin looking flawless without, a dab'll do you when you want to look your best.
Why it’s our winner: This new hydrating cream concealer was formulated to brighten dark circles, moisturize dry skin, and hide redness and blemishes. Available in 13 nude shades, Nudefix is a hydrating concealer that compliments all skin types and tones, while offering buildable coverage from sheer to medium.
Why it’s our winner: Meloway is coming at you with a lightweight formula that instantly creates thick, matte, full brows. A fiber and pro-vitamin B5 infused formula paired with the patented brush fluffs, fills and thickens with just a few swipes.
Why it’s our winner: All Good stuck with what they know when it comes to its first clean makeup product — it’s a sunscreen, but that’s not all. It boasts an ethically derived and botanically rich formula and is available in four simple shades, the creamy pigments are packed with botanical ingredients including shea butter, avocado oil, and calendula, and are even packaged in recycled glass jars.
Why it’s our winner: This is a skincare and makeup hybrid that gives you healthy skin beaming with hydration without the chunky glitter or flakiness of more traditional highlighters.
Why it’s our winner: No, this technically isn’t new, but it’s breakthrough FDA-approved use sure is. JUVÉDERM VOLUMA XC is an injectable hyaluronic acid gel for use in deep injections in the cheek area to correct age-related volume loss and for augmentation of the chin region to improve the chin profile.
Learn more at Juvederm.com
There is a lot of information up there, so we asked Cosmetic Chemist David Petrillo to help us dissect some of the most talked about skin care ingredients. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what’s in your favorite product.
Aloe: Known for its medicinal properties such as burn and wound healing, because it contains hundreds of active components. Aloe is a succulent (xerophyte), plants which are accustomed to living in very dry and harsh conditions with minimal water, so naturally they retain and store a significant amount of water in their tissues. Additionally, it contains phyto components with biological properties that can promote healthier skin. The aloe vera plant improves skin’s hydration and stimulates proliferation of cells, while providing a mix of natural vitamins, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties to soothe, repair, and nourish the skin.
Glycerin: This mimics the skin’s natural moisturizing properties and works to draw water into the skin, which helps to hydrate and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. By helping ease dryness and prevent loss of hydration, glycerin is important to use for its potential to keep skin younger, smoother, and more supple.
Retinol: A vitamin A derivative with collagen boosting and wrinkle reducing properties. Vitamin A penetrates the outer keratinocytes (an epidermal cell which produces keratin) of the epidermis, causing a reaction to remove the dead superficial cells sitting on the surface, increases the blood flow in the skin, leading to new cell replication and organization in the dermis. Retinoids have also been proven effective in helping with blemishes such as pigmentation and scarring, plus reducing fine lines and improving skin texture. Additionally, vitamin A has been shown to improve skin elasticity and slow the breakdown of collagen. If you are using stronger exfoliators then you need to discontinue those before using retinol, as it can increase the sensitivity of your skin significantly.
Niacinamide: This is one of the two major forms of vitamin B3 that has been used to address a host of skin concerns, such as rosacea, acne, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. It has been shown to contribute to a healthier lipid layer which increases moisture retention. It has soothing and anti-inflammatory benefits, along with the ability to strengthen cell bonds within skin. This helps to prevent breakouts, smooth skin appearance, and increase skin radiance.
Malic Acid: An alpha hydroxy acid found naturally in many unripe fruits and vegetables, this promotes cell renewal, fights wrinkles while exfoliating, and moisturizes. It also evens skin tone, reduces signs of age spots and freckles, tightens pores, and can decrease appearance of melasma and rosacea. Malic also has the ability to adjust the pH or acid-base balance of products. Products work best when they are a specific pH, and the addition of malic acid makes it much easier to adjust a product to an optimal pH.
Salicylic Acid: This is a beta hydroxy acid and outstanding deep cleanser most commonly used to treat comedonal or non-inflamed acne. Acne originates by an excess secretion of oils from the sebaceous glands in conjunction with dead skin cells (corneocytes) which block the follicle of the hair. These oil secretions build up underneath the blocked pore, creating a perfect environment for bacteria. Salicylic’s larger molecular size, allows it to generate less irritation than the alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc.), permitting the structure to cling to the surface for longer periods of time, which results in a more efficient cleansing of the pores. Salicylic also destroys the bacteria below the surface, helping to unclog the pores through exfoliation, creating better breathing passages for the skin.
Green Tea Extract: More formally known as camellia sinensis leaf extract, contains a catechin (antioxidant), known as epigallocatechin (EGCG) which exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea will help reduce inflammation in the skin and fight off free radicals that cause damage to the cells and tissues in the body. Green tea’s antibacterial properties are capable of also killing the propionibacterium acnes responsible for acne.
Tocopherol Acetate: A form of vitamin E, this is a powerful antioxidant and nutrient found in many skincare products thanks to its ability to fight against free radicals and environmental damages. Vitamin E treats wrinkles by boosting collagen production, a tissue which keeps the skin elastic. It also speeds up cell growth and regeneration, while rehydrating and smoothing the skin’s outer surface.
Shea Butter: An emollient and occlusive agent, these are larger in molecular size, so they do not penetrate the skin very well, which allows them to remain surface level, and create a protective layer that prevents water from evaporation.
Hyaluronic Acid: A naturally occurring sugar which plays an extremely important role in the health, appearance, and function of your skin. The connective tissue matrix within the dermis is made up of collagen and elastin. Hyaluronic acid (HA) increases absorption and maintains water within the extracellular matrix, promoting hydration, increased volume and density. HA holds more than 1000 mL of water per gram, a key factor in its ability to retain water, provide hydration, and a healthy transport of essential nutrients to viable cells. As hyaluronic penetrates into the dermis, it helps boost elasticity while creating a protective breathable layer on the skin which locks in moisture, promoting a more youthful appearance of the skin.
Vitamin C: This is a powerful antioxidant and essential to healthy skin. Some studies suggest that vitamin C may prevent and treat UV induced photodamage. Aging causes a decline in our body’s natural vitamin C content within the epidermis and dermis, so it is important to replenish this as vitamin C as it helps to tone, revitalize, and boost hydration. In addition it serves as a tyrosinase inhibitor, so it helps reduce melanin production and encourage skin lightening or brightening. Additionally, it’s been shown to aid in the skin’s natural regeneration process and speed up recovery by boosting collagen and elastin production.
Argan Oil: This is a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins A, E, and F, essential fatty acids including Omega 6 and Omega 9. Often referred to as “liquid gold” it is produced from kernels of the ancient Moroccan argan tree. It also contains squalene, phenolic oils, and phytosterol compounds which support healthy skin. This oil is considered a “superfood” for the skin due to its healing, moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties
Lactic Acid: An AHA that is best for dealing with pigmentation issues. It’s also a powerful humectant that pulls moisture into the skin and improves overall hydration and absorption of other topical products. Derived from milk, lactic acid is a gentler exfoliator used to even and lighten skin tone, and improve overall skin texture.
Glycolic Acid: This is a deeply penetrating acid best for cellular renewal and collagen stimulation. It is the smallest of the AHAs, which allows it to pass through the skin more easily than other acids and target deeper issues. It helps improve tone, texture, and smoothness by increasing collagen and elastin.
Ceramides: Part of the lipid family, along with fatty acids and cholesterol, make up the lipid bilayer that holds our skin cells together. Ceramides are also important because they maintain stratum corneum function, and studies have suggested that there is an important relationship between lip roughness and specific ceramides, as it affects the stratum corneum levels. Product packaging will typically tell you if ceramics ingredients are present.
Avocado Oil: May be one to try as it can mildly penetrate layers of the skin to moisturize, and also serve as a protective layer to lock in the moisture. Aside from its ability to moisturize, it contains antioxidants that have inflammatory and healing benefits.
Zinc Oxide: This is a mineral sunscreen. Mineral sunscreen filters tend to be safer since they do not absorb into the skin, and reflect the UV rays by forming a protective barrier on the skin. Since the active ingredients in most chemical sunscreens are being absorbed into the skin to convert the rays into heat, they can cause inflammation, irritation, possible skin reactions, and discomfort for more sensitive skin types. Studies have shown that sunscreen formulated with “non-nano” zinc oxide are safer for reefs than those with nano zinc oxide. Non-nano means the particle size needs to be above 100 nanometers in size so as to not be ingested by coral. Always check the labels and ingredients for what type of zinc oxide the sunscreen is formulated with. Zinc oxide is still a better option than oxybenzone due to the damage it causes on coral reefs but non-nano is going to be the safest option for the health of the ocean.
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