So, you want to use Vitamin C but your skin can’t stand it in high doses? You have 3 options:

1. Use lower doses: Even 3% concentrations of Vitamin C have been proven to work – just more slowly.
2. Try a derivative: It’s L-Ascorbic Acid, the pure form of Vitamin C, that irritates skin. Its derivatives, like Ascorbyl Glucoside and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, are gentler – but a little less effective.
3. Go natural: Plenty of fruits and plants are loaded with Vitamin C. They’re gentler on the skin – but can’t always deliver it deep enough into the skin.

Polaar Northern Light Smoothing Fluid chose the third route. It uses Siberian olive as a source of Vitamin C. Word on the street is, it has 30x more Vitamin C than an orange.

But can it deliver it into the skin? I’ve put it to the test to find out:

Key Ingredients In Polaar Northern Light Smoothing Fluid

Glycerin To Hydrate Skin

Glycerin is everywhere, isn’t it? For a reason…

Glycerin is a moisture magnet. Literally. It draws moisture from the air into the skin and binds it there.

Your skin uses the extra moisture for all kinds of things: it plumps up, so fine lines and wrinkles look smaller; its texture gets softer to the touch; and the whole complexion takes on a dewy glow.

Related: The Complete Guide To Glycerin In Skincare

Squalane To Moisturize Skin

It’s not enough to draw moisture into the skin. You need to keep it there, too.

Enter Squalane. It’s a moisturising oil that creates a protective barrier on the skin that seals moisture in. While it’s at it, it also strengthens said barrier, making it more resistant to external aggressors, like germs and harsh winds.

The best part? Squalane is almost identical to human sebum, so it sinks in quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy residue behind.

Related: The Complete Guide To Squlane In Skincare

Siberian Olive To Fight Premature Aging

Siberian Olive is a nickname for Sea Buckthorn, small orange berries that grow in the Artic Tundra. What makes it thrive in an environment that would kill most plants?

Its high concentration of natural actives. A whooping 108, including a fair share of moisturizing fatty acids and Vitamin C.

Fatty acids are a godsend for dry skin. They seal in moisture, strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and keep skin soft and supple even in harsh weather.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals before they give you wrinkles and dark spots. It also brightens the complexion and helps boost collagen.

L-Ascorbic Acid, the most common form of Vitamin C used in cosmetics, is irritating and unstable (goes bad within a few short months).

Could Siberian Olive be a valid alternative to it? Probably. But I wish Polaar Northern Light Smoothing Fluid had way more of it.

Siberian Olive is listed towards the end of the ingredient list, so you don’t get its full anti-aging powers… Bummer!

Related: Can You Use Vitamin C If You Have Sensitive Skin?

Let’s Put It To The Test: Personal Use & Opinion

Polaar Northern Light Smoothing Fluid feels more like a moisturizer than a serum. It has a lightweight, creamy texture that glides smoothly on the skin and sinks in quickly.

I like to use it in the morning, layered under sunscreen, but you can use it at night, too. It makes a lovely base that doesn’t pill or ball up when you slather something else on top.

I love how soft it makes my skin. Now the weather’s has turned chilly, the extra moisture’s very welcome. It keeps my skin soft and smooth from morning till evening.

The extra moisture also helps to plump up my skin, so that my fine lines look a little smaller. If you have oily skin, you can get away with using it as moisturiser. Your skin type doesn’t need more moisture than this.

But I didn’t see a huge difference in the brightening department. I’m used to 15% Vitamin C serums and this didn’t give me the same glow.

One more thing: Polaar Northern Light Smoothing Fluid has a clean, natural scent that makes it a pleasure to use. I’m not the biggest fan of fragrance in skincare, but if you must have it, make it pleasant, right?

Available at: £35.00 at Look Fantastic

SHOP THE POST

Have you tried Polaar Northern Light Smoothing Fluid? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Squalane, C15-19 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Anhydroxylitol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Gaultheria Procumbes (Wintergreen) Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum (Fragrance), Xylitol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 60, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Citronellol, CI 15985 (yellow 6), Geraniol, CI 17200 (red 33)

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Remember when you couldn’t wait to grow out of puberty so you could finally say goodbye to your acne forever?

That didn’t happen. Now you’re dealing with both adult acne and wrinkles. How unfair can life get?!

If it’s any consolation, you’re not alone. Adult acne is on the rise. It plagues more than 50% of women in their 20s and and more than 25% of women in their 40s.

The good news: you don’t have to put up with it. Adult acne is just acne. Once you know what’s behind it, you can get rid of it. So what’s behind it?

What Causes Adult Acne?

Why is acne so much on the rise? Blame it on a modern blend of hormones, diet and bad lifestyle habits:

• Western diet: Certain foods screw up your sugar and insulin levels, triggering inflammation and excessive oil production.
• Hormones: A woman’s hormones are on a rollercoaster ride all her life. Pregnancy, your monthly cycle, even menopause can create an hormonal imbalance that triggers adult acne.
• Makeup: Don’t get me wrong, makeup itself isn’t the problem. It’s when you don’t take the time to remove every last trace of it that pimples rear their ugly heads.
• Pollution: Those nasty particles in the air puts an extra layer of crap on your skin that clogs your pores.
• Stress: When you’re under a lot of stress (and who the heck isn’t?), you’re body releases more cortisol and testosterone. Yep, hormones that trigger the overproduction of sebum. Hello, pimples!

Now you know what you’re dealing with, here’s a quick guide to prevent and treat adult acne and get your clear complexion back:

1. Exfoliate Adult Acne Away With Salicylic Acid

Acne begins with clogged pores. Here’s how it goes:

Your skin pumps put too much sebum (your skin’s natural moisturizer). The excess gets stuck in the pores, where it mixes with dead skin cells, forming a sticky goo that clogs pores.

This sticky goo happens to be P.Acnes’ fave food. This bacteria thrives on it. The more clogged your pores are, the more P. Acnes grows and spreads.

There’s no way around this: if you want to get rid of adult acne (and you do!), the first step is starving those little buggers. If they can’t eat, they can’t multiply, right?

Enter salicylic acid. Also called Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), this multitasking exfoliant treats acne in three ways:

1. Exfoliates: Salicylic acid dissolves the glue that holds skin cells together, so they get off your skin instead of falling into the pores and clogging them up.
2. Unclogs: Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so it can get inside your pores and get rid of that sticky goo P.Acnes loves to munch on.
3. Soothes: Salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce redness and irritation (another cause of acne).

If you have oily skin, you can get away with using salicylic acid every single day, either morning or night. Dry skin? Three times a week is enough for you.

P.S. Salicylic acid isn’t a one time deal. If you’re serious about keeping those pesky pimples off your face, you need to keep using it long after the breakouts are over.

Best Picks:

Related: Why Salicylic Acid Is Key To Acne-Free Skin

2. Stay Away From (Most Oils)

I’m not a huge fan of using oils on skin prone to adult acne. Your sebaceous glands already pump out too much oil. Add more and you’re just giving more food to P.Acnes.

It’s no secret oils contain fatty acids like Lauric acid that can clog pores. Coconut oil is the WORST culprit. It’s made up of 50% Lauric Acid!

And don’t get me started on essential oils, like citrus, geranium and sandalwood. The fragrant components that make them smell so good also cause inflammation. Guess what acne is? An inflammatory disease!

It’s enough to make you want to stay away from all oils, right? Personally, this is the approach I recommend. Using oils on acne-prone skin is playing with fire.

But… There’s an exception. Acne-prone skin usually lacks Linoleic Acid, a moisturizing fatty acid with anti-acne powers:

1. Exfoliates: Linoleic acid helps your skin exfoliates on its own. If you’re deficient, those pesky dead cells are more likely to fall into your pores and give you breakouts.
2. Regulates oil production: It inhibits the activity of enzymes (5α-reductase, to be precise) that trigger testosterone to produce more sebum than your skin needs.
3. Soothes: It has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce redness and irritations.

You see why a Linoleic acid deficiency can worsen acne? Add it back in and your skin heals faster.

The trick is to choose the right oils. You want oils that are high in Linoleic acid and low in other types of fatty acids, like Oleic and Lauric. The best ones are:

• Evening Primrose oil (75%)
• Grapeseed oil (72%)
• Hemp seed oil (55%)
• Rosehip oil (45%)
• Safflower oil (68%)

Even so, I don’t recommend using oils too often. Three or four times a week is more than enough.

Best Picks:

• Kiki Health CBD Oil 5% (£40.00): available at Cult Beauty
• Now Foods Grapeseed Oil Sensitive Skin Care ($5.79): available at Walmart
• Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil (£19.50): available at Feel Unique and Look Fantastic

Related: How To Fight Acne With Oils The Right Way

3. Reduce Oil Production With Zinc

Zinc is an essential nutrient your body needs to work properly. For example, wounds can’t heal without it. It also helps with acne:

Let’s be clear: zinc can’t single-handedly rid of your adult acne. But these superpowers make it a precious alley in the fight against it.  

Studies show that when you use zinc together with prescription topical antiobiotics, for example, you get better results than when you use antibiotics alone.

Again, choose wisely. Zinc oxide is a common ingredient in skincare, but it works as an UV filter. It can’t fight acne. Zinc PCA is a better choice.

P.S. Skincare isn’t the only way to get your daily dose of zinc. If you’re dealing with acne, it’s a good idea to eat more zinc-rich foods, like oysters, beef and nuts.

Best Picks:

Related: Everything You Need To Know About Zinc For Acne

Not sure how to put all this together? Click on the image below to subscribe to my newsletter and receive the “Acne + Aging Skincare Routine” cheatsheet:

4. Tweak Your Diet

Acne is like any other disease. You can treat the symptoms, but you’ll never get rid of it if you don’t eliminate the cause. Often, your fave foods are to blame. Things like:

• Dairy: Lots of dairy products contain hormones that trigger the overproduction of sebum, leading to clogged pores.
• Processed foods: They’re loaded with sugar and other inflammatory chemicals that trigger inflammation in your skin.
• Sugar: It makes your insulin levels spike up. When this happens, your body also releases IGF-1, a hormone that triggers the overproduction of sebum.
• Food you’re sensitive to: Foods that doesn’t agree with your body (even if they don’t give you a full-on allergy), can cause inflammation and worsen acne.

FYI, I’m not saying you have to eliminate everything that tastes good from your diet and eat only raw carrots. You’re not a rabbit.

But if you’re dealing with adult acne, it’s worth to experiment and take out a different food every few days to see if your skin improves.

The triggers are different for everyone. Maybe your skin’s fine with milk, but when you eat a Big Mac, it erupts in pimples. Or it can take a few biscuits every few days, but it can’t cope with daily croissants. You get the drift.

The trick is to focus on what you CAN eat. Fruits. Berries. Fatty fish like tuna and salmon. Grass-fed beef and poultry. Eggs. Nuts. Vegetables, even. There are so many foods that taste good and don’t give you pimples.

Struggling to make the switch? Check out these 5 delicious alternatives to commonly problematic foods to help you get rid of adult acne faster.

Related: Is The Low Glycemic Diet The Best Diet For Adult Acne?

The Bottom Line

Adult acne is more common than you think, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. A few tweaks to your skincare routine + diet can give it the boot once and for all. If you can only do one thing, go with salicylic acid. It’ll exfoliate your adult acne away and keep it from coming back.

How are you dealing with adult acne? Share your experience and what’s worked for you in the comments below.

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Things I wouldn’t do for beauty:

• Botox (if it involves a needle, I’m running in the opposite direction as fast as my legs are carrying me)
• Tea detox (it doesn’t work anyway)
• Slathering nightingale poop all over my face (yes, that’s a thing)

Look, I’m all for experimenting and trying new stuff that could keep your skin young and flawless (if they’re science-approved). But, some trends are just taking it too far.

I get it that brands want to keep it interesting, but bird poo? REALLY? That’s not even the weirdest thing that’s lurking in your cosmetics right now. You can find all sorts of gross stuff in there these days.

Here are the top 4 (according to yours truly) weird ingredients in skincare right now:

1. Placenta

Yep, the organ that connects a woman (or a mammal) to her baby. Its job is too feed the fetus and allow the wee thing to dispose of waste (yes, babies make waste even in the belly).

The good news is, you’re not slathering human placenta all over your skin. The type used in cosmetics is derived from cows (it’s purified, by the way). But, why?

Placenta contains vitamins, minerals and proteins that have moisturizing and antioxidant properties. They hydrate skin and make it more elastic.

The dark side (apart from the gross factor)? Placenta is full of hormones that could potentially cause problems (think premature breast growth in toddlers and risk of developing certain types of cancer).

2. Snail Slime

I blame the Koreans for this. The Brazilians may have discovered its super moisturizing properties, but it’s the Koreans who made it famous.

Snail slime contains allantoin, a soothing substance that regenerates snail shells when they get damaged. It works for humans, too. If you have any wounds on your skin, snail slime will help them heal faster.

It’s very moisturizing, too. It can make even the driest, flakiest of skin soft and healthy in a few days. But, I’d rather stick to natural oils. You know…

Related: What’s snail slime doing in your skincare products?

3. Nightingale Poop

Legend has it it was geishas who noticed how good nightingale’s poo is at clearing up their complexions (don’t ask me why they even tried it in the first place. Ewww).

Now, a spa in New York offers a offers a Geisha facial that is supposed to soften and brighten your skin. For $180, you can have bird’s poo slathered all over your face.

In case you’re wondering, yes, it works. Nightingale’s poo contains guanine, one of the four bases found in DNA. Guanine is iridescent, so it brightens your skin very well.

Plus, the poo also contains urea, a humectant that draws moisture from the environment into your skin, helping to keep it hydrated for hours.

P.S. There are plenty of non-yucky ingredients that do the same thing. No need to put poo on your skin to make it glow, ladies!

Related: Why Geisha Facials Are A Waste Of Money

4. Sperm

This is not an urban legend. Sperm makes your skin younger.

Sperm contains spermine, an antioxidant that’s said to help with acne, too. If you have $250 to waste, you can look for a spa that offers a sperm facial.

I have no intention of trying it ever, but if I did, I can think of more fun (and free) ways to get my fix. Ahem…

Would you try these weird ingredients in the name of beauty or do they gross you out too much? Leave a comment and let you know.

Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping

Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams – even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and get access to the skin library.

Once upon a time, when I was young and naive and didn’t have a clue what I was doing, I thought I could just pour a bit of serum on my hand and rub it on my skin for it to work its magic.

As I grew up, I realised things aren’t that easy. If you want a product to REALLY work (and why would you even buy it, otherwise?), you also need to make sure it can penetrate your skin as deeply as possible.

But… how? Here are 4 way to apply your skincare products currently to ensure maximum skin penetration:

1. Cleanse Your Skin

This should be a given, but who has never applied moisturizer over makeup after coming back home at 3pm? Come on, we all did it at least once.

Truth is, you shouldn’t have bothered. All that makeup creates a barrier on the skin that prevents your skincare products from penetrating it properly (dirt will do the same, by the way).

Always, always, always, cleanse your skin before you put on any skincare products.

Related: How To Choose The Best Cleanser For Your Skin Type

2. Apply Products To Moist Skin

Washed your face? Don’t towel dry it.

Not completely anyway. Leave it a little damp.The extra moisture helps your skincare products get deeper into your skin.

FYI, this is the secret of Korean skincare.  Each product provides a layer of hydration that helps the next one better penetrate into the skin.

Related: 4 Things I Learned From Korean Skincare

3. Exfoliate

Makeup and dirt aren’t the only things that create a barrier on the skin. Dead skin cells do too – when they accumulate too much.

If you want your skincare products to get through your skin, remove this last obstacle too. Here’s how:

Just, don’t do it too often!

A little exfoliation enhances penetration of your skincare products. Too much, it’ll irritate your skin real bad.

Two or three times a week is usually enough for most people (I use glycolic acid 3 times a week, in case you were wondering).

Related: How To Choose The Best Exfoliator For Your Skin Type

4. Follow the right order

Yes, there is a proper order to apply skincare products.

As a rule, products with the thinnest consistency (think toners and serums) go first, and those with a heavier consistency (i.e. moisturisers and sunscreens) go last.

That’s because a thick consistency can create a barrier that would be impossible for a lightweight, runny formula to get through, preventing it from working its best.

Are you applying your skincare products correctly so they have the best chance of penetrating your skin? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping

Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams – even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.

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Have you noticed I tend to stick to SPF 30? I rarely go higher – for a reason…

As a rule, the higher the SPF, the greaser the texture gets. I don’t about you, but I don’t feel like going through my day with 3 inches of grease on my skin. Yuck!

But when the temperatures hit 30ºC, SPF 30 isn’t gonna cut it for me. I’m so pale, the sun fries me red if I dare spend more than 20 min under its burning rays. I had to go higher…

That’s when I met Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF 50+ Aquafluid. It has one of the most lightweight textures I’ve ever come across and no white cast. How does it do it?

Key Ingredients In Photoderm Max SPF 50+

UV Filters To Provide Broad Spectrum Protection

Bioderma Photoderm MAX SPF 50+ Aquafluid uses a combo of old and new generation chemical UV filters to provide broad spectrum protection:

I’m a huge fan of Tinosorb M and S. They’re new chemical UV filters that provide stable protection without irritating sensitive skin. Alas, they’re still banned in the US (the FDA is taking its sweet time to approve them – ah bureaucracy!).

Related: What Are The Best UV Filters?

Glycerin To Hydrate Skin

Glycerin always manages to slither its way into every skincare products. Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF 50+ Aquafluid is no exception.

What does it do here? It hydrates skin.

Glycerin is a humectant. That’s a fancy way of saying it draws moisture from the air into the skin, helping it to keep it softer, suppler and glower for longer.

Related: The Complete Guide To Humectants: What They Are And Why You Need Them In Your Skincare Routine

Let’s Put It To The Test: Personal Use & Opinion

Bioderma Photoderm MAX SPF 50+ Aquafluid is almost as fluid as water. The white lotion is a bit on the runny side, sinks in quickly and dries down to a satin finish. It’s by no means shiny, but if you prefer a matte look, just dust some powder on top.

As the texture is so light, you can easily slather on 1/4 of a teaspoon (the recommended amount for the face) without turning your skin into a greasy, white mess. It’s easy to reapply on the go, too.

My friend Andrew of The Skin Saviour mentioned it leaves a very light white cast on the skin – yes, even though it’s a chemical sunscreen and there’s no zinc oxide in sight!

I personally didn’t notice it, but then my skin is so pale, the whiteness just blends in. Heck, even zinc oxide rarely makes me look white. But if you have a darker complexion or are tanned, this may be a small issue for you.

I wore this sunscreen on some of the hottest days of the summer – yes, we had a proper summer in London this year. I’m happy to report, the scorching sun didn’t burn my skin or leave too much of a tan behind.

If you have oily skin or just want to up your sun protection without dealing with the greasy factor, you’ll fall in love with this sunscreen, too.

Available at: £13.50 at Escentual, Feel Unique and Look Fantastic

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Octocrylene, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (Nano), Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Polymethylsilsequioxane, Methylpropanediol, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Decyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Mannitol, Xylitol, Sodium Hydroxide, Cellulose Gum, Rhamnose, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Ectoin, Tocopherol. [BI 642]

Have you tried Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF 50+ Aquafluid? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping

Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams – even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and get access to the skin library.