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While consuming sugar is bad for your waistline, the granulated form of sugar has some uses topically. Sugar is a sweet, grainy ingredient extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets. The main use for sugar in topical skincare products is as an exfoliant in sugar scrubs.
Sugar scrubs are great for exfoliating and getting rid of dead skin. Exfoliation is a great habit to address acne, blackheads, whiteheads, clogged pores. The large granules of sugar physically scrub out dead skin cells. This leaves the skin feeling and looking smoother. Sugar is relatively inexpensive and easily available, so many people will use sugar in DIY exfoliants.
Sugar scrubs can be a little harsh, so it’s better to use a gentler method of exfoliation. Using something coarse like sugar can cause mini tears to form on the skin surface, through which bacteria can enter and cause issues such as acne. In addition, using a sugar scrub too often can irritate your skin. If you’re looking for a gentler exfoliant for your skin, try our skin quiz.
Dark spots on your skin is known as hyperpigmentation, age spots, or liver spots. There are several reasons you might experience hyperpigmentation, but those we are referring to today are those that are caused by acne scarring or sun exposure. Dark spots are most common on the face, the shoulders, and the back. There are some dark spots that might appear as a side effect of certain medications. Dark spots are typically harmless, but we always recommend conferring with your dermatologist if you’re experiencing a larger-than-usual area of dark spots, or if they are changing in color, thickness, or appearance in any way.
Hydroquinone, an exfoliator that increases cell turnover to reveal newer skin such as retinol, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, a melanogenesis inhibitor that stops melanosomes from transferring newly produced melanin to other skin cells (such as vitamin C), and vitamin E. (Vitamin E is an antioxidant well known for soothing properties, helping protect from damaging sun while moisturizing and healing skin cells).
Sugar may be effective for dark spots, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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