Hi Stephen! Why are certain ferments beneficial for our skin while others like plain alcohol are not? Thank you – Joan

KindofStephen 1 Comment

Hey @jxxn!

It depends on what part of the fermentation we’re isolating. Ethanol is the pure alcohol that’s a product of fermentation, whereas a ferment lysate used in cosmetics is generally the entire system (lysate means that the cell walls have been ruptured).

It’d be like comparing yogurt (a mixture) to lactic acid (a pure substance).

The yeast used in brewing is filtered out of the final product and sold as a nutritional supplement, brewer’s yeast. Brewer’s yeast is rich with B vitamins, minerals, and proteins.

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On the left is unfiltered beer, and on the right is filtered beer.

Hope that helps!

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For everyday sunscreen, how high should the PPD (UVAPF) be? I’ve been on the hunt for a new sunscreen, so I’ve been thinking about this a lot!

KindofStephen

Hi @wormspoor,

Thanks for the question! I’d recommend that SPF and UVAPF are similar. So if a product’s SPF is 30, the UVAPF should be around 30 as well.

Why? This best mimics the reduction in UVA and UVB that shade provides.

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As well this gives you a better idea of how much protection from the entire UV spectrum you’re getting. Imagine you’re using a sunscreen with SPF 50+, but only UVAPF 10. While you’re not sunburning, you’re still exposed to a good amount of UVA energy – this is why people are often confused when they develop a tan despite wearing a very high SPF.

P.S. PPD is just one of the methods used to determine UVAPF, it involves human subjects and compares how much protected vs unprotected skin darkens. Other methods involve measuring transmittance in the UVA wavelength bands.

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#BeautyRecap: October 19th, 2015

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Retail

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Kid Licks launches edible nail polish | Refinery29.com

Beauty balm with Viking roots set to become household name again | TheGuardian.com

New color brand Winky Lux launches online, targets Millennials | WWD (Paywall)

Carmex revives discontinued mint flavored lip balm | DrugstoreNews.com

Birchbox launches its own beauty brand | PowerRetail.com.au

Panasonic launches interactive mirror in Dubai | KhaleejTimes.com

Read more

How much powder foundation you need for the labelled SPF

KindofStephen 1 Comment

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— Figure 29-5 from Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition by Leslie Baumann

All products with an SPF or UVAPF are tested at the exact same amount, 2 milligrams per each square centimetre of skin (2mg/cm2). If you’re just dusting on your foundation or powder with SPF, to matte the skin or provide minimal coverage, you’re not getting the SPF/UVAPF on the label.

I’d recommend that you use a sunscreen (about ½ a teaspoon for the face and neck), let it dry (about 15 minutes), and then apply your powder for best protection.

There are newer sunscreens that contain primer ingredients like silicones and hydrogenated polydecene built-in.

P.S. Where’s the ½ a teaspoon for the face and neck recommendation coming from? Estimations – two of them. The first estimation is the density of an average sunscreen, and the second estimation is the average area of a face. It’s not accurate for everyone, but the exact amount (2mg/cm2) is difficult to translate!