Sensitive skin and acne? Try Short Contact Therapy with Benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide using the short contact therapy method has changed my life and skin. I used to have to decide between burning peeling skin with slightly less acne or more acne but less burning. It turns out, the benefits of BP happen in about 2 min meaning that you do not need to leave it on your skin for it to be effective. Please try this if you are struggling to tolerate leave on actives.
Acne has three main causes: overgrowth of P. acnes bacteria, hyperkeratinization (dead skin buildup), and inflammation (as the skin forms pimples or cysts filled with pus rich in white blood cells).
Benzoyl peroxide is an over-the-counter acne treatment that works by killing bacteria through oxidation, thereby reducing inflammation. It also has a mild exfoliating effect.
Benzoyl peroxide (C₁₄H₁₀O₄) consists of two benzoyl groups connected by a peroxide bond. In the skin, this peroxide bond is broken, releasing two benzoyloxy radicals—unstable, oxygen-rich molecules that seek electrons to stabilize. P. acnes bacteria thrive in anaerobic (low-oxygen) conditions. When the highly reactive benzoyloxy radicals encounter these bacteria, they oxidize bacterial proteins—including the cell wall—leading to bacterial destruction.
Short contact therapy is the practice of applying an active ingredient for a brief, set period and then rinsing it off to maximize benefits while minimizing irritation.
A study demonstrates this effect using benzoyl peroxide foam:
"Utilizing a 2-minute skin contact time with BP 9.8% emollient foam once daily over a 2-week duration."
Results showed that this short-contact method was "highly effective in reducing the quantity of P. acnes organisms on the back and provided comparable colony count reduction to 'leave-on' therapy using BP 5.3% emollient foam," with significantly less inflammation and irritation. Study on PubMed
PRODUCT MYTHS: Silicone-based vs Water based products
Silicone: any of a class of synthetic materials which are polymers with a chemical structure based on chains of alternate silicon and oxygen atoms, with organic groups attached to the silicon atoms" (Oxford Dictionary).
Silicones are often clear and resemble oil. The same silicone oil can have different textures even if it is the same type, depending on how many chains the silicone polymer. For example, a longer dimethicone molecule means there is more of the attractive force between the silicone molecules. This results in a thicker consistency as the molecules clump together. This size and molecular difference can also affect the volatility or its rate of evaporation, some stay on the skin, others evaporate very quickly. Sillciones should not be discussed as a monolith.
What are silicones for?
In skincare and makeup products, silicones such as dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane are used for:
To suspend or dissolve ingredients. Ex: pigments in a foundation to prevent clumping or patchiness
To form a lightweight film or binder. Ex: mixed with powders to allow the grains to be pressed and hold its shape(pressed powders, eyeshadows)
To deposit and enhance spreadability ingredients without leaving a film. Ex: Foundation for oily skin tends to use more volatile silicones to allow the user to spread the pigment, and to have the product dry down and set
To preserve ingredients unstable in water. Ex: Water soluble and oil insoluble Vitamin C can be formulated into a suspension in oil or silicone to slow the oxidative reaction with water and oxygen
Pilling is when the product binds with itself, forming balls of product that collect on your skin. The reasoning behind not using silicone-based products and water-based products is that since oil and water don't mix, that must result in pilling. Some contradictions:
Oil and water don't thicken without and emulsifier
Oil and water do not mix, yet do not pill or form balls of product because they have no film-forming capabilities. The two liquids have too low a viscosity to thicken and clump on the skin. The closest way to thicken the two and combine them is with a emulsifier, an ingredient that bonds to both water and oil, but that would result in a cream.
Most silicone-based products are exposed to water in many different ways
Wetting the beauty blender is considered a first step in millions of makeup users, yet we don't hear about the issue of pilling as often as we should, if logic that water and oil don't mix. Even if there was no water, in any step, normal sweat and transepidermal water loss(water that naturally leaves the skin from blood to regulate body temperature) that builds up in minutes still do not cause the product to pill.
Silicone-based and Water-based are not established terms
Most foundations have both water and dimethicone
Elf Foundation:
water (aqua), isododecane, glycerin, coco-caprylate/caprate, dimethicone, propylene glycol, cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, tridecyl trimellitate, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, sorbitan sesquioleate, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, hydrogenated polyisobutene, silica, boron nitride, peg/ppg-15/15 dimethicone, ethylhexylglycerin, caprylyl glycol, magnesium sulfate, magnesium stearate, disteardimonium hectorite, silica dimethyl silylate, triethoxycaprylylsilane, phenoxyethanol, aluminum hydroxide, fragrance (parfum), limonene, hexyl cinnamal, alpha-isomethyl ionone, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, coumarin, benzyl benzoate
Water formulations can have water-insoluble ingredients
Even without silicones, many setting sprays contain film formers such as PVP that form a protective coating over your makeup to protect it from water, but still do not cause pilling, refuting the idea that simply having two isolable compounds results in pilling.
Potential causes of pilling can be from dead skin, or the product acting as a glue to bind skin and products together into clumps. Mixing silicone and water-based foundations is unlikely to be the main cause of pilling because of the requirements of the product to bind together to pill. Oil and water simply don't get 'sticky when mixed'. In addition, many people do not have an issue when different forms of water are introduced into silicone-containing products or when products that pushed into these arbitrary categories are mixed and used together the:Elf Grip Primer: Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-150 Distearate, Polysorbate 80, Niacinamide, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Water, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Menthol, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Trideceth-9, 1,2-Hexanediol. May Contain (+/-): Blue 1 (CI 42090), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).
This primer has been marketed to be used in combination with their Elf foundations, which ALL contain silicone.
Instead of trying to find out what your product is "based" on, try testing out the products on your own in-store with your skin and routine. Also, try to see if it is the primer and foundation, or if it is a sunscreen that pills but is enhanced when more product of any type is added. This problem is frustrating when you have to restart your makeup all over again, but don't feel like you need to be overwhelmed by these new rules that don't help, and try to test out products on your own.
You don't need a Hyaluronic Acid Serum:
Hyaluronic acid deposition the name, hyaluronic acid, is not an exfoliating acid like salicylic acid, but is a sugar molecule with a PH of 5.5-7.5, ranging from mildly acidic to mildly basic when dissolved in water, but is a sugar. It is commonly used in its salt form, sodium hyaluron, for its ability to bind with water. It is also used to thicken products.
Problem:
Most products already contain HA or a superior humectant such as glycerin, both ingredients have a percentage sweet spot where they deliver maximum moisture holding abilities without drying or hydrating the skin.
The overuse of these ingredients can lead to irritation. This is more apparent in hyaluronic acid serums with multiple molecular weights of the chemical. Multiple MW of hyaluronic acids are thought to hydrate the different layers of skin each size is able to penetrate. However, the deeper penetrating molecules have been shown to have pro-inflammatory effects that irritate the skin.
Gariboldi et al. (2008) demonstrated that LMW HA can induce keratinocytes to produce β-defensin 2 via TLR2/4 activation.
Leratyinocytes are the skin cells mainly found in our epidermis or top layer of skinand β-defensin 2 are inflammatory cytokines that are part of the TLR2/4 activation pathway. What this means is that HA is released in the skin as an inflammatory response to help signal skin repair. The study showed that introducing a lower molecular weight HA in the form of a topical serum can trigger these inflammatory cascades and cause more skin irritation.
(Silvia Gariboldi, Marco Palazzo, Laura Zanobbio, Silvia Selleri, Michele Sommariva, Lucia Sfondrini, Stefano Cavicchini, Andrea Balsari, Cristiano Rumio; Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid Increases the Self-Defense of Skin Epithelium by Induction of β-Defensin 2 via TLR2 and TLR4. J Immunol 1 August 2008; 181 (3): 2103–2110. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.181.3.2103)
While Hyaluronic acid crucial ingredients that are a part of our skin's natural moisturizing factors, concentration and formulation are very important in allowing us to experience the benefits of these ingredients. More is not always better, especially with humans, always make sure to patch test and don't feel like you need an extra serum, to achieve healthy hydrated skin.
Skin Prep Tips Leading up to Wedding Day!
Avoid trying new products in the week leading up to your appointment
New products mean more chance of irritation you may not want on your big day
Avoid over-exfoliating or waxing the day before
Over-exfoliating can damage your skin barrier, leading to dry patches, sensitivity, and irritation. The skin’s outermost layer, the stratum corneum, is made up of corneocytes—dead skin cells that help protect the fresh, developing skin underneath. If you’re dealing with dry or flaky skin, it's better to use a gentle moisturizer or ointment instead of trying to scrub it away.
3. WEAR SUNSCREEN! YESSSS!
Using sunscreen reduces your risk of skin cancer, sun spots, hyperpigmentation, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from acne and scaring.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6986132/ (The Role of Sunscreen in Melasma and Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation)
4. Drink water and eat plenty of fresh produce
Now, drinking water likely will not clear your acne, as some people claim, but it will help you feel refreshed on your big day and keep your lips plump and hydrated