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Community Wisdom: Homemade Skincare Treatments We Used Before Skin + Me

Did you ever buy into the idea of nappy rash cream to tackle your spots? Or use toothpaste as acne treatment hype back in the day? Perhaps went all-in on sugar-as-exfoliator, avocado, honey and a plethora of messy homemade face mask recipes? Rest assured, you definitely weren’t alone. 

We reached out to our Facebook community, The Collective to ask what topical ingredients you dabbled in while searching for a skincare holy grail. That’s before you discovered science-led skincare that actually works. We loved your honest response – and shared the collective sigh of relief that we’ll never have to cover our faces in pure coconut oil again. 

What at-home skincare treatments did you use before you discovered Skin + Me?

Courtney: Sudocrem on my acne! I used to slather it on every night!

Katie: I used to put garlic on my spots – random (and pungent!) but I thought it would reduce the swelling. At least it kept the vampires away! Also tried a homemade sugar scrub once, which tasted good enough but didn’t really work. More recently, I’ve been tempted by the TikTok turmeric face-mask but convinced myself I didn’t need another fake-tan horror story.

Kershia: I’d try any treatment that could be left on overnight. I always hoped that it would be that simple, and in the morning I’d wake up with flawless skin.

Emma: I hate to say it but toothpaste and Germolene were my downfalls, I even tried pure lemon juice and homemade face masks of porridge oats and honey. Unsurprisingly, none of them worked.

“I hate to say it but toothpaste and Germolene were my downfalls.”

Jackie: It’s like I was sponsored by Colgate! I smothered any spots in it – what a sticky minty mess.

Alex: I’d use pure tea tree oil on my breakouts. Warning: It BURNS!

Heloise: When I had weepy sore spots I’d put antibacterial hand gel on my skin. It burned so bad and made the whole healing process take so much longer. I hoped that drying out the wound and then applying moisturiser would help. I would also scrub my face until it was red raw to unblock my pores.

Five science-led skincare swaps

Used toothpaste to dry out spots? Swap for azelaic acid

Azelaic acid acts as a chemical exfoliator, unblocking pores, while also killing the bacteria that often causes acne. It removes dead skin cells that can cause dull skin and reduces inflammation.

Used tree oil to prevent breakouts? Swap for clindamycin

Clindamycin is the topical antibiotic of choice by dermatologists. An antibiotic ingredient only available by prescription – you may find it in your Daily Doserclindamycin helps to soothe inflammation, reduce the visible redness and swelling from acne. To reduce the possibility of antibacterial resistance, Clindamycin is best combined with other ingredients like Azelaic Acid.

Used honey to soothe irritation and moisturise? Swap for glycerin  

Glycerin is a natural moisturiser that’s also in our skin (termed ‘skin identical’ which is true also of ceramides and hyaluronic acid). Glycerin keeps the lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation and helps to restore a compromised skin barrier.

Active ingredients in your Daily Doser that can help here? Niacinamide is a great all-around active ingredient that increases the natural production of ceramides, which also moisturise the skin.

Used oats to hydrate and protect? Swap for shea butter

Shea butter is used for its moisturising and emollient properties. It’s not only a simple emollient, it regenerates and soothes the skin, protects it from external factors (such as UV rays or wind) and is also rich in antioxidants. 

Used harsh scrubs or sugar to treat skin texture? Swap for chemical exfoliants 

One of the most common chemical exfoliant AHAs used in skincare is glycolic acid. Azelaic acid can work well here too. It slows the production of melanin which can help fight the pigmentation caused by acne, treats sun damage and improves skin texture. A commonly used BHA is salicylic acid, and this is especially good for oily skin.

N.B Some quotes have been edited lightly for length and clarity. Thanks for all your contributions. 

Medical facts checked by Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Malvina Cunningham.

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