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Beauty Tool Breakdown
There is a myriad of amazing beauty tools on the market today making it hard to decipher the difference between them as well as which one(s) would be right for your skin. We took the guesswork out by explaining a few of our favorites as well as the pros and cons of using them. Here are our top five!
Jade Roller
You’ve probably seen beautifully curated Instagram photos of these now popular Jade Rollers, but you might be wondering what is so great about rolling a green rock over your face. It turns out, Jade has been used for centuries in Chinese beauty routines and is believed to have multiple benefits for the skin. Here are a few to consider:
Pros: The most well-known benefits of using a jade roller include reducing inflammation and puffiness of the skin, reducing the appearance of under-eye circles (especially if your roller is cold), stimulating the lymphatic system and blood circulation, brightening complexion, tightening pores and helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines, and wrinkles. They
cool, tone, and de-puff the skin, improve elasticity and circulation, and increase absorption of serums and moisturizers.
Cons: Jade rollers are unlikely to alleviate rashes or wrinkles. Although jade has a reputation as a healing stone, there’s no scientific evidence that it can calm rashes or signs of age. Regardless, it is basically a risk-free addition to your skincare routine and is quite pleasant to use as well.
Derma Roller
Derma Rollers are the at-home alternative to a professional micro-needling service. The at-home device is a hand-held tool with a small wheel at the end, equipped with dozens of microneedles that you gently roll across the skin. Sounds wonderful, right? The truth is that they sound far scarier than they actually are. We tried a couple of them ourselves to get a true feel of the benefits, as well as the cons, to using a derma roller.
Pros: Derma rolling can help improve a wide variety of skin ailments including acne, wrinkles, scarring, texture loss and more, but we feel that the top three benefits are as follows:
Premature Aging–Derma rolling has the capability to prevent and reverse signs of aging by triggering collagen and elastin growth. Derma rolling thickens, repairs, strengthens and increases the elasticity of the skin, resulting in a more youthful-looking appearance. This is why it’s one of the most common skin treatments for anti-aging.
Hyperpigmentation– Derma rolling helps to shed the topmost layer of skin and produce melanocytes. Melanocytes are melanin-producing cells and when triggered, they can help replace damaged, darker-colored skin cells caused by sun exposure. Out with the old, in with the new, so to speak.
Pore Size – Clogged and large pores are not only unattractive, but they can also lead to great problems such as an increasingly acne-damaged layer of skin, blackheads, oily skin, and more. Often located on the nose and around the cheeks, derma rolling can help to reduce the size of enlarged pores by, again, producing collagen, as well as by thickening the epidermis.
The primary differences in derma rollers come in the length of the needles being used. Different lengths can have different effects, the longer the length generally the more severe the impact, so it’s important to do your research prior to purchasing to ensure you are selecting the best needle length for your needs. Needles range from 0.25mm to 1.5+mm. The shorter needles (0.25-0.5mm) are intended to increase the absorption of skincare products and treat shallow and superficial damage to the skin. Minimal collagen growth is experienced with these needle lengths, and very little discomfort is experienced. Mid-length needles (0.75-1.0mm) are the ideal solution for addressing more challenging skincare concerns such as wrinkles and scars, and longer needles (1.5mm+) are considered serious skin treatments and are most commonly used to treat severe scarring and stretch marks making them ideal for use on the body vs. the face. Regardless of the needle length, proper cleaning and sanitizing are of utmost importance. Isopropyl alcohol works great to ensure your device is clean and safe for use.
What you really want to know though, is how bad does it hurt, right? We tried two derma rollers, one with 0.5mm needles and one with 1.0mm needles, and yes, they both hurt, but only at first. The first treatment or two were slightly uncomfortable. I wouldn’t call them painful, definitely tolerable and the treatments became less painful from there. We noticed brighter complexions the next day along with a slight plumping of the skin as well. I am hooked and I now do a derma roll treatment about once per week.
Along with the great benefits do come some risks. These increase with the use of longer needles (namely 1.5mm+).
Cons:
- Skin irritation
- Redness
- Swelling
- Pain
- Risk of infection
- Increased risk of side effects caused by any skincare products applied to the area just before or just after derma rolling
- Photosensitivity (increased sensitivity to the sun, increasing the risk of sunburn)
If you are concerned about the possible side effects of derma rolling, consult a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon to discuss alternatives. Of course, you should consult a physician immediately if you experience side effects that worry you after derma rolling.
Dermablade
Dermablading is the process of removing dead skin cells and vellus hairs (peach fuzz) from the top layer of the epidermis using a sterile blade or scalpel. This process results in a stimulating effect causing the skin to produce more collagen, which increases skin tightness and texture. You simply position the blade at a forty-five-degree angle and gently scrape the skin, like you’re giving yourself a barber-shop shave. It’s quite gratifying to watch the dead skin cells and fine hair come off your face, leaving silky smooth skin behind. Your skin may be sensitive afterward so be sure to use a soothing serum or cream to calm the skin.
Pros: Exfoliating the skin increases blood circulation, delivering vital nutrients to the skin surface which results in more youthful, healthy-looking skin. Dermablading removes fine hairs from the face making the skin feel ultra-smooth and soft. It will not result in the hair growing back darker – whew!
Cons: As with all treatments that scratch or pierce the skin, there is a risk of infection if not performed correctly. You want to ensure your blade is properly sterilized before and after each treatment and that you do not apply too much force as to scratch the skin. Like with the dermaroller, proper cleaning and sanitizing are also important.
Cleansing Tools
There are a wide variety of cleansing tools on the market, so in lieu of reviewing them all, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of incorporating one of these tools into your beauty routine.
Pros: Super smooth and glowy skin – Facial cleansing brushes like Clairsonic, give your skin a deep cleansing in very little time. They are very effective at sweeping away dead skin cells and removing dirt, grime, sebum, and other debris and do so far more effectively than cleansers that contain micro-beads. Cleansing your face with a brush can mimic the skin’s trauma/regeneration response, as with many of the tools mentioned above. That said, it’s important to not overuse a cleansing brush. The skin needs time to heal and regenerate between treatments. Using a cleansing brush two to three times per week is more than enough.
We love the Foreo Luna™ Play available at Sephora for RM199. Besides thoroughly cleansing the skin, it’s super handy and the silicone bristles make for a super satisfying cleansing routine.
Cons:
Over exfoliating is a thing and it is not pretty – It’s easy to go overboard with exfoliation especially when you’re all excited after purchasing that super-nifty cleansing brush. But over-exfoliation can lead to premature aging and skin irritation, which is never a great thing. So don’t go overboard with the face brush, use just a few times per week and adjust from there.
It can trigger melanin activity – Which ultimately results in increased skin discoloration. When using physical exfoliants like brushes, washcloths or even facial scrubs, it’s super important to use caution. For skin that is extremely reactive to stimulation, be sure to use it gently to avoid post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
It can lead to breakouts – This is ultimately because when using a face brush for the first time, the skin goes through a “purge” as you remove dirt and grime. As you brush regularly, they may go away on their own. But if your skin gets inflamed from the brushing, stop using the device and stick to mild face cleansers and be sure to limit exfoliation to once a week.
The bottom line? Clean and clear skin is good and it’s recommended that you exfoliate 2-3 times a week. However, bear in mind that your skin also produces a certain amount of good bacteria in keeping the skin healthy so you don’t wanna strip them all off by overusing a brush. ?
LED Lights
The latest buzz in the skincare world are facial treatments using LED lights for everything from acne to anti-aging. LED lights come in different wavelengths which have different skincare benefits. Amber-colored lights stimulate collagen and elastin, red light promotes circulation and improves the look of fine lines and wrinkles. White light penetrates the deepest and works to tighten and reduce inflammation while blue light kills bacteria. Professional treatments are widely available, but more and more companies are making at-home devices as well.
PROS: LED Lights improve the look and health of the skin over time and are recommended as an add-on treatment to your current regimen vs a stand-alone treatment. These treatments can enhance and expedite the results you are working to achieve with your current regimen.
CONS: LED therapy is considered safe and gentle, but like most things, there are some potential risks including pain, swelling and discoloration. If you are considering LED light therapy, do your research to understand which type of LED treatment is right for you or book a consultation with a skincare professional.
As skincare junkies, we feel blessed to live during a time when we have more skincare options available to us than time or money. We also understand that the vast landscape of options can be overwhelming. That said, we are more than happy to help you navigate your skin health journey and answer any questions you might have about products, or in this case, devices to help you achieve your best skin. Feel free to give us a call or reach out via our online chat feature. We’ll be here waiting, likely with a mud mask on ?.
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