Was that time long enough to digest all the acne facts? Ready for some more?! I know you are! So lets pick up from where we left off last time. We were discussing my SCRUB, CLEANSE and CLOSE method. You already know about scrub and cleanse so you know where we are headed now…yes! Time for closing those clean open pores. Constricting skin pores is very necessary to keep our beauty products from entering them. We don’t want to any kind of moisturizers or creams or makeup entering and clogging the pores. When I say close, I do not mean shut off completely. That can never happen. If we could completely close pores, we would be able to change our skin texture totally and that is years of research away! While we discuss our third step, we will be looking at a product which is commonly used by estheticians… Alba Botanica’s ACNE DOTE DEEP CLEAN ASTRINGENT.
Whenever I talk about this, the first question I hear is…What is the difference between an astringent and a toner? I know, you had the same question! Astringents and toners both are water based formulations that remove any residue remaining in the skin pores after a wash and constrict the pores. But there are some minor differences between the two…lets compare them:
Both astringents and toners are to be applied in the same way. Use a cotton ball, wet it in the product and gently dab it on your face covering every inch. Both of the products generally tingle a bit. I personally prefer toners over astringents and like me, all my friends who have combination skin have this option to choose what you like the best. As we know what these products are and why they should be used, lets see if our product today stands up to our expectations.
This Acne dote astringent by Alba Botanica, like all other astringents has 2% salicylic acid - The hero ingredients fighting against acne as we know and the willow bark extract - the loyal sidekick! The formulation is loaded with good anti-oxidants like green tea leaf extract, chamomile Recutita extract, Calendula Officinalis flower extract and such. All these are plant extracts. It also contains some great humectants like aloe juice, glycerin and sorbitol, which ensure the skin moisture. Two special ingredients in this astringent are Bergamot fruit oil which reduces scars and evens out the melanin distribution, and Orange peel oil which is a natural fragrant and a very good stabilizer. No wait! Don’t jump to conclusions just yet! This product has some major flaws!
It contains Arnica Montana flower extract and Lavander extract. These substances are major skin irritants and are notorious for stripping off the naturally present anti-oxidants from the skin. They are sun sensitive and sometime cause the death of skin cells in presence of sun. Moreover, it is also not free of the tangy flavors and fragrances which are irritants too. The physical appearance is to the point. It is a water based solution so has less viscosity as expected and the right density. But when you apply it on your skin, it not just tingles but literally burns. I personally cannot handle it. This experience is the same for people with any skin type. The product claims to be 100% vegetarian which we can see it is. It is also free of parabens, phthalates and is not tested on animals. But I don’t think beauty should be painful so I would not recommend using it unless you are a die hard fan of Alba Botanica.
MYTHS: I am going to add this one little section as I promised you last time. So are you ready to be shocked? Here goes…
Clogged Pores = Acne Most of the people think that clogged pores cause acne which is not necessarily true. Sometimes it can cause a lot of other skin problems.
Regular scrubbing = No Acne So not true guys! Scrubbing removes the dirt and opens the pores to welcome more dirt!
Steam opens up the pores and cold water closes them This is one of the most believed myths! The skin follicles do not have muscles which can open and close due to temperature changes. So scrub to open and tone to close.
You can shrink your skin pores with some products FALSE! There is no product that can decrease the size of your pores unless you are taking the laser treatment (not recommended). These products unclog the pores. And as skin is elastic, with no grit inside, it goes back to maintain its shape so the pores look smaller.
That is it for today friends! I hope you Understand the entire process and acne-skincare well. Stay away from the alluring myths and come know the truth from me. Until next time now.…Stay Healthy, Stay Gorgeous!
Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.
