Beauty Tips For Body Care
I started following this sub when I realized I had a melasma mustache and was desperate for it to go away. Thanks to the great advice here, I'm now nearly melasma free! My cousin was dealing with a melasma mustache too, so I wrote up what I've learned along the way, and thought others might find it useful too. This is what worked for me, but please correct any information I might have gotten wrong. I've included some links to information and products, though I'm sure there are better sources out there, so please take them with a grain of salt. A big thanks to everyone's amazing insight in this sub. Cheers!Always Wear SunscreenSo you wake up one morning, and discover you are rocking a Tom Selleck. You panic, grab the tweezers, and maybe even a razor, but that dark little caterpillar just keeps creeping along your upper lip. You grab some mustache bleach at the drugstore and nearly give yourself a chemical burn, but the little dark turd hasn’t budged. You realize it’s not actually hair that’s darkening your pie hole’s doorway, it’s a discoloration of your skin! Yay! You don’t have bearded lady syndrome, you have melasma!So what now?1. SUNSCREEN ALL DAY ERR DAYMelasma gets a lot worse in the sun. You have to double down, nay, triple down on sun protection. WEAR SUNSCREEN, and not just in your makeup. Reapply when you’re in the sun for more than a couple of hours. Also, invest in a couple cute hats to wear when you know you’ll be outdoors.There are organic (chemical) and inorganic (physical) sunscreens. Both work, and both have advantages and disadvantages. This super detailed page talks about the differences and how they work in a lot of detail if you’re so inclined. TLDR of the link above: Organic/chemical sunscreens are generally lighter weight, easier to apply, and likely won’t give your face as much of a white tint. They do absorb into your skin versus sit on top though, so they have a higher chance of causing irritation. Personally, I prefer these because I’m super pale and don’t want to look more like Edward Scissorhands sister than I already do. Inorganic/physical sunscreens can be better for sensitive skin (particularly Zinc oxide), and generally don’t contain chemicals (i.e. oxybenzone) that destroy coral reefs; however, they can be harder to apply, give you a white cast, and may rub off more easily thus have to be applied more frequently.Sunscreen recommendations:OrganicLa Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light SPF 60 (I use this one)Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50*I haven’t yet tried this, as it’s not sold in the US, but it’s apparently the holy grail of sunscreensInorganicLa Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral SPF 50CeraVe Sunscreen Face Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 502. HYDROQUINONEThis is considered the go-to skin lightener. Michael Jackson was a big fan, seriously no joke. There is some controversy about this ingredient, but desperate mustaches call for desperate measures. It is in over-the-counter products at a 2% concentration, but your doctor can prescribe you a 4% concentration. A big concern is that it can cause your skin to darken even more (called Ochronosis), although this has typically been observed in people with darker skin pigmentation. Also, chances are it will work and then you won’t have to keep using it. It’s recommended to take a break from using it after 4 months. Note: apply to your whole face and blend into your neck region. If you spot treat, you could get a “halo” effect. Some information about HydroquinoneHydroquinone recommendation:Paula’s Choice RESIST Triple-Action Dark Spot Eraser 7% AHA Lotion (2% Hydroquinone)Think about using hydroquinone with AHA because this will cause more cell turn over and get rid of the darker areas faster. Go easy with this product, and either use this or a retinoid, not both. Spot test first, and then build up use to every 3-4 days. YOU MUST WEAR SUNSCREEN IF YOU USE THIS PRODUCT.3. RETINOIDRetinoids are amazing. They cure acne and wrinkles. If you’re not using a form of it in your routine, you are missing out. They promote skin cell turnover and increase collagen production. They help reduce the effects of sun damage and help smooth your skin texture. 10/10 would recommend. Downsides are they can be super drying and, once again, YOU MUST WEAR SUNSCREEN because your skin will become hyper photosensitive. You won’t tan, you’ll just burn. Retinoids come in different strengths, with Retinol being sold over the counter and Adapalene (Differin) and Tretinoin (Retin-A) being prescription only in the U.S. The higher the strength, the more effective it is, but only use the highest strength your skin can tolerate. Using a strength that’s too high isn’t worth the drying/irritation effects. Once again, spot check, and build up your use of this product if you choose it.TretinoinRetin-A (prescribed by a doctor)RetinolNeutrogena Rapid Tone Repair line (Dark Spot Corrector is a good place to start)4. Other stuff that’s helped me bash my ‘stache in a flashVitamin CThis stuff does wonders to brighten up your skin and help fade dark spots. Also really helps with keeping your skin moisturized. Be aware, using it with products that contain Niacinamide will cancel its effects. Also note that Vitamin C is often not in a stable form and will start to oxidize. Don’t use if it starts to turn orange or amber. The Clinique version has about a 10 day shelf life (they say 7, it only started to oxidize after day 10 for me). The Ordinary version is more stabilized, but you don’t get the immediate results you do with the Clinique product.Clinique Vitamin C Fresh PressedVitamin C Suspension 23%+ HA Spheres 2%Hyaluronic AcidThis is my go-to for keeping my skin soft and moisturized. It’s a very common ingredient in a lot of products, but keep it in mind if you find your skin starts drying out.Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water GelCeraVe Moisturizing CreamSo melasma really, really sucked for me. It was a huge blow to my self esteem, and I feel a lot better now that it's significantly faded. Please don't think that I'm saying your melasma is bad or even noticeable, cuz it's not! I just know it really brought me down. It's funny to joke about now, but it just really, really sucked. I did a some research to make it better though, and it worked! I'd love it if some of the hours I spent searching for a treatment can help you too. And if it still seems like nothing works,Just remember, always WEAR SUNSCREEN
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by jaqiohno
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