As a dental hygienist I have had problems with my skin breaking out, especially in the chin area. Face it, wearing a mask all day and sweating underneath it, makes for a perfect environment for clogging pores and irritating the skin. I am always in search of skin care ideas because outside of clinic, your face is the first thing people see and it is important to take good care of it.
In place of or in addition to getting a facial, I try to use products that will help take my skin to the next level and keep it its healthy best. Incidentally, I had a facial the other day and it was the longest hour and a half of my life! I laid there thinking of all the things I should have been doing, it was almost torture, not quite, but almost.
In keeping up-dated on the best products for my skin I scoured the internet. I found some of the skincare trends of 2020. I decided to share what I discovered with all you fabulous dental hygienists. Some of these I have heard of for years and some, like Snail Mucin, not so much:
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a substance found naturally in our skin that holds water and helps keep it hydrated and plump. Who doesn’t want a plump, hydrated face especially after wearing a mask and goggles all day? I don’t know about you but with the mask pressing down on my under eye area, it tends to dry the area out resulting in a dry, wrinkly appearance. Not very becoming.
2. Retinol
This is another skin plumper. Retinol can help with fine lines, acne, moisture and just about every other thing a dental hygienists’ skin needs. It boosts the amount of collagen your body makes and plumps out skin, cutting down fine lines and wrinkles. Go Retinol!
3. Snail Mucin
I know, sounds gross, right? But hey, guess what? Snail mucin naturally has antimicrobial properties, which helps to keep acne-causing bacteria at bay. This slime also has glycolic acid, glycoproteins and hyaluronic acid. Three winners at improving skin. Read more about Snail mucin here.
4. Cryofacial
My friend who suffers with chronic pain gets Cryotherapy once or twice a month and she swears that it relieves her chronic pain. I don’t like to be cold so I have not gone that route for my body but I think I could try a Cryofacial. A Cryofacial helps encourage lymphatic drainage, reducing puffiness, tightening pores and reducing inflammation. This might be something to try in the future. Read more about it here.
Bacillus Subtilis fermentation are fermented mushrooms and they say they serve as excellent exfoliators that can correct hyperpigmentation. This is highly beneficial for those developing dark spots on cheeks. Popular bioferments can come from sugars, seaweed and yeast.
6. Ceramides
Ceramides are lipids that help form the skin’s barrier and help skin retain moisture. Ceramides also help the skin protect against environmental aggressors like irritants, and pollution. As dental hygienists we know of all the pollutants we face in the dental environment. Read more about that here.
7. Electrolytes
Electrolytes, known for replenishing hydration, are minerals that conduct electricity when mixed with water. Moisturizers with magnesium, calcium and potassium are becoming popular and are excellent hydrators. Again, great for skin that is hidden all day under a mask and goggles.
8. Niacinamide
Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinamide, niacinamide helps visibly improve enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, and a weakened surface. This product has it all!
9. Bakuchiol
“Bakuchiol is an ingredient derived from the psoralea corylifolia plant,” aka the “babchi” plant, Perry Romanowski, a cosmetic chemist, tells Allure. Compared to retinol, this plant based product is successful for reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Did I mention that it is vegan?ome hail it as amazing as retinol for its success on fine lines and wrinkles—all while being vegan. It may be the star ingredient in a growing line of vegan or “clean” products.
10. CBD
This one caught me off guard because I use CBD oil sometimes for my chronic neck pain but when I saw it listed for skin care I had to read more. There really isn’t that much research on optimal dosages and proven effects, “The jury is still out if it’ll work for skin conditions like acne, eczema and acne, noted Dr. Boris Zaks, a dermatologist from California. However, this trendy ingredient is being added to cleaners, masks and moisturizers.
