Acne Treatment Termatologists Recommend
30 Aug 2024

Are you 25 or older and seeing pimples, whiteheads, or blackheads when you look in the mirror? You’re not alone. An increasing number of adults, especially women, are battling breakouts.


With so many acne products available online and in stores, it’s hard to know which lotion, wash, or wipe can help clear your skin.


To get the lowdown, we asked two board-certified dermatologists how to treat adult acne at home.


Who can treat acne at home?

"Many adults who have mild acne can effectively treat it with over-the-counter (available without a prescription), acne-fighting products available today," says Ramone F. Williams, MD, MPhil, FAAD.


Mild acne means that you may have blackheads and whiteheads along with small pimples, or just small pimples.


If you have large, painful pimples that sit deep in your skin or acne that leaves a scar when it clears, you’ll need to see a dermatologist for treatment. Products that you can buy online or in a store are unlikely to treat these types of acne effectively.


Which non-prescription treatments do dermatologists recommend for adult acne?

It’s all about the active ingredient in the product, according to Julie Harper, MD, FAAD.


Tip for using acne products: When shopping for acne-fighting products, you want to find one product that contains an active ingredient which can effectively treat the type of acne you have.


Use that product for 6 to 8 weeks, taking care to use the product as directed on the instructions. During this time, don’t add another product. Don’t stop using the product you started with.


The active ingredients that Drs. Harper and Williams recommend using to help clear mild-to-moderate adult acne are:


Adapalene: A retinoid, this active ingredient helps to clear blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples.


Azelaic acid: It fights acne and can also fade the dark spots that appear when an acne spot clears.


Benzoyl peroxide: This acne-fighter is especially effective at treating mild pimples. While you’ll find products that contain up to 10% benzoyl peroxide, it’s best to start with a product that contains 2.5%. That will help you avoid side effects like dry, irritated skin or a burning sensation.


Salicylic acid: Because it unclogs pores and exfoliates the skin, salicylic acid works best on whiteheads and blackheads.

15 best foundations for all skin types
29 Aug 2024
  • Best Foundation Overall: HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Foundation

  • Best Foundation for Dry Skin: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Liquid Foundation
  • Best Foundation for Sensitive Skin: Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation
  • Best Foundation for Acne-Prone Skin: Tarte Face Tape Foundation
  • Best Foundation for Mature Skin: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Foundation
  • Best Foundation for Oily Skin: Smashbox Always On Skin-Balancing Foundation
  • Best Lightweight Foundation: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Foundation
  • Best Matte Foundation: Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Natural Matte Foundation
  • Best Buildable Foundation: MAKEUP BY MARIO SurrealSkin Liquid Foundation
  • Best Long-Wearing Foundation: PAT McGRATH LABS Sublime Perfection Foundation
  • Best Shade Range: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
The 6 Best Korean Toners of 2024
29 Aug 2024

Since skincare routines can be so time-consuming, adding a toner to the mix may seem unnecessary — that is until you start incorporating the right formula into your rotation. 

Typically a liquid consistency, toners are applied to the skin after cleansing and before moisturizing. Their main functions are to balance the skin's pH and prepare it for the rest of your skincare routine, as well as remove any traces of makeup and dirt without stripping the skin of natural oils that it needs to stay nourished. If it seems like there is an overwhelming amount of products in that category, that’s because different toners are designed to do different things: Some exfoliate and brighten the skin, while others hydrate and soothe. 


Best Overall: Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner

Best for Dry Skin: CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: CosRx AHA/BHA Treatment Toner

Best for Dull Skin: Iope Bio Conditioning Essence

Best for Sensitive Skin: HaruHaru Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner

Best for Mature Skin: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Water

Know more about makeup brush!
05 Apr 2023
To achieve a perfect makeup look, in addition to high-quality cosmetics, a professional and practical makeup brush is also important. However, there are many types of makeup brushes on the market, not only eye shadow brushes, rouge brushes, eyebrow brushes, etc. There are many styles, but the price ranges from less than 10 yuan on Taobao to a sky-high price of thousands of yuan each. For novices in makeup, the selection and use of makeup brushes is really a profound knowledge.

Types of makeup brushes:
For full makeup, you need to use eyebrow brush, concealer brush, lip brush, eye shadow brush, foundation brush, rouge brush, powder brush, and you can also add light and shadow brushes and shadow brushes. The eye shadow brush, light and shadow brush and shadow brush have different sizes to facilitate smudging.
The hair of the makeup brush is mostly divided into animal hair and artificial hair. Animal hair is softer, while artificial hair such as rayon and nylon bristles are harder and less durable.

Tips for choosing a makeup brush:
Generally speaking, the requirements for makeup brushes are divided into three points: the bristles are soft and full, the bristles are not easy to fall off, and they are easy to use. If the bristles are soft and full, the smudge effect of the makeup will be more natural and the color will be developed; if the bristles are easy to fall off, it means that the makeup brush is not durable, and it will become inconvenient when applying makeup. The last point is whether the makeup brush is convenient to use, such as the feel when it is held and the cutting of the bristles.
When you want to test the quality of the makeup brush, you can first press the brush on the back of your hand, and then gently sweep with a circular brush to see whether the brush is neatly cut, and you can also test whether the bristles are soft and comfortable.

Is a high priced makeup brush the same as easy to use?
"You get what you pay for" is of course the same truth, but in fact, when buying a makeup brush, you don't necessarily only ask for expensive prices. For example, eyebrow brushes and lip brushes are mainly used to apply thick creamy cosmetics. Even if the bristles are harder, there is no big difference, because you can choose this cheap makeup brush. Eye shadow brushes, rouge brushes and other makeup brushes that specialize in powdery makeup need soft and comfortable bristles to create a natural blending and uniform color makeup.

How to clean and maintain makeup brush:
Cleaning and maintenance of makeup brush Recommendation of makeup brush Cleaning of makeup brush Maintenance of makeup brush Novice makeup
If the makeup brush is not cleaned frequently, it is easy to harbor bacteria. If you use a dirty makeup brush every day, it means that you will keep sweeping bacteria on your face. Make-up brushes should be cleaned every week. First, soak the make-up brush in soapy water for about ten minutes, then rinse it in a circle under cold water. After finishing the bristles, you can lay them flat on a towel, or hang them to dry with the bristles facing down. .
In addition to regular cleaning once a week, after daily use, you can gently wipe the makeup brush on a clean paper towel in circular motions to wipe away excess residual makeup in the bristles.
Teach you how to choose the most suitable type of base makeup for you!
26 Mar 2023
Compare the types of base makeup! Liquid foundation, vermicelli and pressed powder, just the three most common base makeup products, many people can't tell the difference between these products. The skin types and characteristics suitable for each type of base makeup are listed below, for everyone to make refer to.

Base makeup type 1: liquid foundation
The advantage is that you can create any makeup look, with a wide choice of color numbers, and the makeup is more detailed and close-fitting. There will be different makeup effects when you apply it with bare hands or using tools. The disadvantage is that it is not easy to touch up makeup when you go out.
Suitable for skin type: any skin type

Base makeup type 2: vermicelli
The advantage is that the makeup is fast and the coverage is high. The disadvantage is that the makeup feels thick and unnatural.
Suitable for skin type: combination skin, dry skin

Base Makeup Type 3: Pressed Powder
The advantage is that it is quick to apply makeup, dry like ceramics, and can show a matte makeup feeling, but the disadvantage is that it has low coverage and dry skin.
Suitable for skin type: oily, combination skin

Base Makeup Type 4: Air Cushion Powder
The advantage is that it is easy and fast to apply makeup, and it can create a glossy makeup look. The disadvantage is that the concealing power is weak, there are not many choices of powder textures, and the makeup is easy to take off when the weather is hot.
Suitable for skin type: dry skin, combination skin


How to choose the base makeup color number?
3 strokes with zero mistakes, accurate analysis and selection of the right color number!

The first trick of base makeup color selection: actual use
If you want to know whether the foundation color is suitable for you, it is recommended to choose a foundation color that is similar to your skin tone, and apply the liquid foundation on the border of the chin and neck to find out the foundation color that suits you.
Usually, it is more appropriate to choose a color that is the same as the skin color, or a color that is a little brighter, so as to avoid the excessive color difference of the face, hands and feet and other exposed parts, which will cause a sense of incongruity. Go to the counter store to actually use the trial products, the best way to see the appearance of the makeup.

The second measure of base makeup color selection: blood vessel color
If you can't use the foundation yourself, you can choose from observing the color of the blood vessels on the inside of your wrist. People with cool-toned skin have purple blood vessels; people with warm-toned skin have greenish blood vessels. Some people have blood vessels of both colors, which is a neutral skin tone.
However, Asian skin tone is more yellowish than other races, and even neutral tones tend to be warmer. So people with cool-toned skin can choose a pinkish foundation to cover a paler complexion, while people with warm-toned skin can choose a warmer, and those who want to brighten their skin can choose a nude foundation.

The third way to choose the color of the base makeup: Judging the skin color by accessories
If the above two methods are still not sure about your skin color, there is another way, you can wear silver or gold jewelry (such as earrings, necklaces, etc.), and observe which color jewelry will make your skin look ruddy and brighter .
If it is gold jewelry, the skin tone is warmer; if it is silver jewelry, it is cooler; if both gold and silver are suitable, the skin tone is neutral.