Winter is coming– and it seems like it’s here to stay a while. But we're cool with that because we've got all the tips to help you brave out these nippy months. So let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered us anyway. (Okay, last winter reference– we promise 😉) Last week, we went over how the changes in weather make it harder for our skin to hold onto its water content, and that we should modify our lifestyle, such as our skincare routine, to include products that help our skin perform how it should. So this week, we’ll give you some pointers on what ingredients to look for to combat the cold, dry winter conditions.   Our skin faces three main concerns in the colder months: 1) Increased TEWL The lower humidity in the air means that water will be sucked out of your skin at a higher rate than in the warmer, humid months (because, just science). Luckily, we have a trusty and familiar skincare family to help us out in this department: humectants! They were there for us throughout the summer months to keep us hydrated, and they definitely help us out in the winter too. But wait a sec! We need to be smart about when and how we use them. Think of it this way: the function of humectants is to grab onto surrounding moisture and pull it into your face. So if the surrounding air has less moisture than there is within your face, the humectant will be grabbing water from your face rather from than the air (which is NOT okay). Therefore, in the winter, it's best to use humectants when you’re in a space with higher humidity levels. For example, when stepping out of the shower into a humid bathroom or when next to a humidifier, etc. Let the humectant ingredient absorb that glorious moisture into your skin while you hang out in the humid environment. Do we hear the perfect excuse for a steamy bath? Humectant Ingredients to Look For: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sodium PCA, urea, vitamin B5 (Panthenol), honey 2) Easily damaged skin barrier Once we’ve stocked up on that wonderful moisture, the next step is making sure that it’s all sealed in. Our natural skin barrier faces a lot more stimulation and irritation in the winter months thanks to harsh winds, fluctuating temperatures between the indoors and outdoors, scarves, masks, and more. So not only will your skin lose its water content faster, but it will also suffer more inflammation and redness as our weakened barrier isn’t strong enough to protect and calm itself down. Pay a little more attention to what your skin is saying and look out for these holy-grail ingredients below! Skin Barrier Repairing Ingredients to Look For: ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids Inflammation Calming Ingredients to Look For: honey, cica/tiger grass, and vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) 3) Decreased oil/sebum production One of sebum’s main functions is to essentially lubricate the surface of the face, reducing the friction our skin goes through on a daily basis simply as we speak or make facial expressions. However, since we naturally produce less sebum in colder weather, our faces are prone to feeling “tight” and can be easily irritated even with the slightest smile. This is where we turn to our lovely friends, emollients, for help. “Emollients” are a rather broad term in skincare, as they can include anything that provides the skin with softness and “glide.” In other words, they help our skin achieve the same well-lubricated surface as normal levels of sebum production would in milder conditions. For emollient basics, we recommend that your moisturizer is not only able to relieve your skin’s feeling of tightness, but also feels breathable. Facial oils can also help you prevent potential skin tightness and friction. An emollient power combo to try out this winter is to supplement your regular moisturizer with a few drops of a facial oil that works for your skin. Beware of: Over-occlusion Occlusive ingredients are a popular choice in the winter, as they work like a blanket over your skin to keep the moisture in. In particular, sleeping masks have become ALL the rage within the beauty blogger community and skincare industry in general. But while these sleeping masks can be useful in replenishing our skin’s nutrients and moisture levels with occasional use (keyword: occasional), piling on occlusive products in an already damp environment (like a gel-based sleeping mask) can lead to further skin barrier disruption and increased skin sensitivity. So while it may be tempting, try not to over-do it! Less is more.   Our philosophy is to give our skin the tools it needs to do its job properly, not slather on all the products in the world hoping to see amplified benefits (our skin just doesn’t work that way!). The products you use should be to supplement and treat where your skin is lacking to help it function at its best. That’s it. We hope that this survival guide helps you feel more prepared to protect your skin throughout the winter. Next week, we’ll dive a little deeper into a skin condition many of us suffer from (even if we don’t know it!) and that usually gets worse in the winter: eczema. Till next time!

Here it is: the annual change in weather = change in skincare blog post you’ve probably seen a million times while roaming the world wide web. And the gist of it always is packing on more moisturizing and hydrating products, but did one ever actually tell you why your skin feels tighter and more uncomfortable in the colder months? We’ve got you covered. At Krave Beauty, we believe you need to truly understand your skin and its struggles so that you can decide on the best plan of action to help your skin thrive --and we’re here to help. So yes, a change in your skincare routine is one of the many steps you can take to minimize your skin’s discomfort during the colder, drier months, but let’s get to the bottom of why the heck our skin is even acting out. Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin To start, let’s clear up what the difference between dry skin vs. dehydrated skin is because they definitely are not one and the same. Dry skin = your skin is lacking in oil production Dehydrated skin = your skin is lacking in water content We know how tough it can be to decipher what the heck your skin is trying to tell you every day, like determining whether your skin is either dry or dehydrated (note: dehydrated skin can still be oily and feel tight, while dry skin may just feel tight). And just when you feel like you’ve got a handle on your skin, the colder seasons decide to throw you off course with a whole new set of challenges, like the drastic changes in indoor-outdoor temperatures and overall lowered humidity levels. But the key to solving a problem is understanding it. So let's break down what happens to your skin during the colder seasons even more, shall we? Weather Effect 1: Your oil glands produce less oil, and now your skin is drier and more dehydrated Regardless of whether you have oily or dry skin, the skin’s oil glands are programmed to produce less oil when they’re exposed to colder temperatures. And when our skin produces less oil, which acts as its natural moisturizer, water escapes more easily from our skin and leads to further dehydration and dryness. Weather Effect 2: Lower humidity levels and intense indoor heaters are NOT our friends. We all love that feeling of walking into a toasty, heated room after being out in the cold, but this is an absolute nightmare for our skin’s hydration levels. Indoor heaters pretty much zap any moisture in the air and the lower humidity levels also allow water to escape from our skin (aka increased TEWL) and further dehydrate our skin. (Image source: https://www.blisterprevention.com.au/blister-blog/the-problem-with-lubricants) Weather Effect 3: Skin Dehydration -> More Oil Production -> Less Water Retention And so begins the vicious cycle— (1) the cold weather conditions make your skin dehydrated (2) if left untreated (unmoisturized) your oil glands produce more oil, (3) more oil production means your skin is less focused on retaining its water content, and (4) repeat throughout the entire, frigid season. This cycle leaves our skin looking more cracked and feeling tighter, which is definitely NOT the look and feel we’re going for. So now that we know what our skin is going through, the next big question is what do we do to prevent this from happening? 5 Tips to Prevent Dry and Dehydrated Skin Keep your skin hydrated and moisturizedThe obvious one, but: The key here is to not only hydrate your skin, but to also seal that hydration in. It’s inevitable that the drier seasons will cause more water to escape from your skin, but you can help your dehydrated skin out by applying hydrating products with a potent occlusive that make it more difficult for the water to escape in the first place. Face oilsFace oils can be your ultimate savior during these trying times. To compensate for your skin’s lowered amount of oil production, an oil based skincare product can help to add and seal hydration in your skin and further prevent the vicious cycle of dryness and dehydration. Use a humidifierHigher humidity level = less water escaping from our skin. Using an indoor humidifier increases the moisture level in your room, which helps your skin retain its hydration and any extra you’ve been feeding it through your skincare products. Avoid long hot showersThis one’s a tough one, because who doesn’t like a hot steamy shower after a long day? However, putting your skin through a consistently high temperature like that will suck out your skin’s internal moisture and you may walk out of that shower feeling ironically more parched. Last but not least, apply sunscreen!!!We’re sorry to mom you here, but sunscreen is just THAT important. No matter what the season is, what it looks like outside, you should apply sunscreen EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, but sun damage due to UV ray exposure is the number one cause of accelerated aging and UV rays strike through windows, clouds, etc. Just because the sun does not feel as hot in the colder months doesn’t mean it’s not there and doing the same thing to the same effect! Let us know what your tips and tricks are to keep your skin feeling hydrated and moisturized during the colder months!

Breakups are never a simple matter, and our relationship with acne is no exception. Just as we have all kinds of emotional scars to sort out in our hearts after saying our farewells, we also have to deal with the physical scars left over after finally giving acne the boot: PIH, PIE, and acne scars. But also just like any other breakup, you have your emotional support group to help you through this difficult time. That’s where KraveBeauty comes in— to help you deal with the scars left behind by the acne in your life. In this article, we’ll give you the break down of the different types of acne aftermath we often deal with, how you can treat them, and what you can do to prevent them from showing up in the first place. This is the last hurdle of your acne battle, but we need to put in just as much care and attention to our skin as we did when dealing with our active acne. Let’s get over this breakup once and for all. Acne Aftermath The pain resulting from acne inflammation was one thing, but now we have to deal with the awful aftermath of that inflammation: discoloration and scarring. (When does the suffering end...) Discoloration: PIH (Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation)You know those dark spots that show up where your acne previously called its home? Meet Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation, PIH for short. This annoying bugger is caused by the overproduction and deposition of melanin to the skin in response to inflammation, thus giving it its dark - brown color on your skin. PIE (Post-inflammatory Erythema AKA Redness).We are all guilty of picking at our pimples (no matter HOW MANY TIMES we were told not to), and then feeling even more guilty when our skin just became even more red and aggravated afterwards. I’m sure you've already met Post-inflammatory Erythema, or PIE, before. This pink - red discoloration on your skin is caused by blood vessel damage within inflamed skin. How do I tell the difference between PIH and PIE? In order to begin treating these skin concerns, we first need to differentiate PIH and PIE from each other. From there, we’ll be able to form our plan of action for each distinct type of discoloration. Here’s a test to help you distinguish these two from each other: “The Pressure Test” Put some light pressure on the discolored skin Observe the change of color If the skin temporarily changes color, then you’re having a case of PIE. This is also called skin blanching, where the pressure from your fingers are constricting the blood vessels and causing the skin’s discoloration to disappear temporarily. If the color doesn’t budge, then it’s probably a case of PIH. Scarring: Source: cureacnehelp.com Atrophic Scarring This type of scarring is where skin appears as if it’s indented or pitted. Atrophic scarring can be divided into more specific types based on their shape and depth (as shown in pictures)       Hypertrophic Scarring This thicker type of scarring occurs when there’s an overgrowth of skin tissue over the surrounding non-inflamed skin. It will often appear as if it’s raised above the rest of your skin. How to Treat the Acne Aftermath First thing firsts, please take a moment to understand that this process will take time. Just like with acne, there won’t be any magical product or skincare routine that will get rid of discoloration and scarring overnight. Be patient with your skin, and the results will follow. Apply sunscreen! Every single day. Period. Sunscreen is our best friend in many ways, and ESPECIALLY so when it comes to treating and preventing hyperpigmentation. UV radiation affects how pigment appears on our skin, effectively making us more prone to hyperpigmentation and prolonging the healing process even more. Fading hyperpigmentation already takes so long, so why make things more difficult? Protect yourself from the UV rays by applying your sunscreen, avoiding mid-day sun exposure, and put on that anti-UV gear. For PIH: Exfoliate regularlyYou can use your favorite gentle exfoliating products to boost your skin’s cell regeneration powers and to remove dead skin cells. Use skincare products that help fade pigmentation.Skincare ingredients such as Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Hydroquinone are awesome at fading pigmentation. For PIE: Be gentle to your skinApply soothing and gentle products to your skin, and avoid harsh physical scrubs to prevent further irritation   How to Prevent Them Source: http://www.skinetrate.com/transepidermal-water-loss.htmlMaintaining a healthy skin barrierYour skin barrier is your own personal bodyguard who’s in charge of keeping the good stuff in, and the bad stuff out. When your skin barrier is fed and treated with tender love and care, you can count on it to do its job to keep the bad bacteria out and skin inflammation to a minimum. As a result, your skin’s discoloration and scarring will heal even faster.Don’t pick your acneThe severity of your post-acne scars is largely dependent on the intensity of your skin inflammation. When you pick your acne, you’re basically creating more chances for bad bacteria to enter your skin and cause more irritation and infection. The more bacteria inhabiting your skin, the deeper and longer your scars will be staying.

AYEEEE! So we covered all the major types of acne in our previous post. Now, you may be thinking, “OKAY, GIMME THE SOLUTION NOW!” Don’t worry, we got your back. We’re gonna talk about how we can care for acne prone skin, and how the battle is 85% in your mind! (IKR? Mind over matter applies on your skin too) {Analogy break} Acne prone skin is like that kid who is a super picky eater. There are many things it will not like, and will throw a tantrum if you feed it something it doesn’t. Sometimes if you feed them at the wrong time, they will still give you trouble. So how do we keep this kid happy while making sure it gets the nutrients it needs? Solution 1. DITCH YOUR ACNE TREATMENT We know what you’re thinking. And we can already hear all the dermatologists yelling at us. But let’s confront ourselves, if you’ve been using benzoyl peroxide for 5 years and you STILL get acne, there is something that’s fundamentally wrong. Ever experienced going down the antibiotics route and when you finally thought you cleared acne, as soon as you got off the meds, it all came back? All of these conventional acne treatments are only masking the problem while damaging the skin in a long term by weakening your skin barrier. So, what do we do? Solution 2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO MOISTURIZE “WHAT? Are you trying to get my pores, even more clogged, girl!?” We know. But have you heard of the term ‘oily but dehydrated skin’? Yes, apparently and unfortunately that’s a thing now which basically means that your moisture barrier (skin barrier) ain’t functioning. Many of you will shy away from properly hydrating and moisturizing your skin thinking it will make the skin “even more oily”. And you’re probably addicted to that ‘squeaky clean’ feeling post-cleansing and you’re addicted to overstripping the skin. But then your skin underneath may feel like a desert, huh? Go read this post to keep everything intact. “What happens if I rebuild my moisture barrier? And how does that affect your acne?” The moisture barrier is basically a bodyguard for your skin. And you need this more than anyone because your skin is already inflamed and this bodyguard will protect your skin from external pollutants, irritants, and foreign stuff that could potentially trigger more inflammation. Did I also tell you this bodyguard also helps your skin hydrated for longer, too? :) “But I’m still scared to apply a moisturizer…” Choosing the right one is important for sure but having acne prone skin doesn’t mean that you have to only use oil-free moisturizers. Some oils can actually be beneficial for you balancing out your oil production. And a lot of studies show that people with acne prone skin are deficient in linoleic acid (one of the fatty acids) but we’ll talk about this in another time. In the meantime, you can refer to Liah’s video on how to choose the right oil for you. Gel moisturizers could be a great option. Look for the one that’s packed with humectants (glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid) and antioxidants. And, please don’t go down to the rabbit hole of ‘comedogenic rating’ as our friend who also happens to be a chemistry genius, LabMuffinBeautyScience uncovered, “non-comedogenic” is not a regulated term and there are many flaws in the rating system. Look for a short ingredient list with beneficial components that you know your skin likes. As always with acne prone skin, **LESS IS MORE** Solution 3. KEEP IT SIMPLE AS 1, 2, 3. CLEANSE - MOISTURIZE - PROTECT (SPF) Start simple. Go on a #SkincareDietChallenge and give your vitamin C serum to your mom. This strategy is to give your skin a break and lower the chance of irritating or sensitizing your skin from skincare products because your skin is fragile now. Pay attention to your skin and adjust your skincare game around it. Close to the time of your period, the hormones in your body can cause higher water retention, creating pressure against the skin and pores. During this time, the oil your skin produces is thicker than usual, which can lead to…….CLOGGED PORES. So just keep your skincare as simple as possible. In the dryer/colder months, it is important that you supplement more of what it needs so that you can help maintain a healthy moisture barrier. Many do this by mixing in a few drops of acne skin-friendly oil into their gel moisturizers, or going for an emollient moisturizer that works for them. We’re also working on a kick-ass formula to solve this need! (wink) SOLUTION 4. BE GENTLE Let’s not piss off this picky eater. Trust us, there hasn’t been a single case of acne in the world that was solved by washing the skin more and more. Many also use harsh topicals to treat acne simply because they wish to hit them hard and be done with acne forever. It simply doesn’t work that way. Temporary and hard-hitting solutions may seem to work at first, but to keep acne away for good, you have to respect your skin and help it heal. Otherwise, it creates a vicious cycle of overdoing actives and damaging your skin barrier, which can cause more acne, leading you to use more actives. (link skin barrier post) SOLUTION 5. MIND OVER MATTERBattling acne is 85% in the mind and there is NO magic fix out there. Nurture the mental strength to accept that removing acne takes time, and that you are playing the long game. More stress raise the cortisol levels in your body which creates more inflammation and triggers more oil production anyways. So might as well, come to a peace with it. We know how tempting it is to grab your benzoyl peroxide or other this-stuff-cured-my-acne-overnight products. Adding an active ingredient will just overwhelm the workload of your skin, leading to more inflammation at this point. Because if it was that easy, everyone would be acne-free. Remember that we are all in this together. Look to each other for support, and remember that your skin doesn’t determine your self-worth and there isn’t such a thing as ‘flawless skin’. Was this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below! - by Cece & Liah

To All the Skincare We’ve Used Before—we need to take a break. We’ve tried to make things work, but it’s just become too much for our skin to handle. Each new essence, serum, and cream that we added to our routines just gave us false hope for our skincare concerns, even making our skin more agitated and sensitized in the process. And with so many steps to keep track of, skincare has just become too complicated and simply… not. fun. We deserve better. What our skin really needs right now is some time to heal and find itself again, so it’s time for us to try something new. Goodbye 10 step skincare routine—we’re taking the #SkincareDietChallenge. Our skin is smarter than we think, so it really doesn’t need a 10 step routine to look and perform at its best. That’s why KraveBeauty is here with an easy as 1, 2, 3 guide to the #SkincareDietChallenge so that you can give your skin some time to find itself and remember how to do its job. What is the #SkincareDietChallenge? It’s exactly what it sounds like — a “diet” for your skin. Through this challenge, you’re cutting down your skincare routine to the basic essentials of cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting (using SPF). This skincare cleanse is all about giving your skin the chance to recover from its sensitive, irritated state after dealing with skincare product overload. Learn more about the Skincare Diet through Allure’s recent article. Let’s break down the #SkinCareDietChallenge into three simple steps, shall we? Step 1:  #PressReset on your current skincare routine (Skincare Fasting) We’re going to need to start off with a clean slate. This step is essential for rebuilding our skin’s barrier, which may be damaged or compromised after handling so many products that it really didn’t need. In other words, it’s time to #PressReset on your skincare routine by prioritizing two skincare goals: hydration and recovery. Here’s what we recommend for morning and nighttime skincare fasting routines! AM: Step 1- Skip cleansing, or opt for a gentle, non-foaming cleansing gel such as our Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser Step 2- Hydrator/moisturizer Step 3- SPF, SPF, SPF— because UV rays are NOT FRIENDLY! PM: Step 1- Double cleanse/cleanse off your SPF and makeup Step 2- Hydrator/moisturizer + add oil if your skin is too dry Stick to this phase for a month or more. And try making overall transformative lifestyle changes during this period by working on your diet, sleeping habits, and stress levels. Before you know it, your skin will be feeling happier, healthier, and overall more balanced, just the way it should be. Step 2: Add a supplement! (targeted solution) After your skin has calmed down, you’re ready for step 2: adding supplements to your routine. This is the time for you to listen to what your skin craves and only add products that target your skin’s true needs. So if your skin is loving just cleansing and moisturizing, then there’s no need to add another step! Please be strategic about this— make sure to add one product at time, and slowly build the frequency and potency of the active ingredient as your skin can handle it. Rushing or overdoing this process will just bring you back to square one! Some supplementary skincare product suggestions based on your skin cravings: Dehydrated Skin- Humectants such as Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Squalane Oil, or any other oil to compensate Congested and Dull Skin- Occasional AHA exfoliation such as our Kale-lalu-yAHA Oily, Acne Prone Skin- Niacinamide, zinc Weakened Skin Barrier- Ceramides, Cholesterol, fatty acids such as facial oils For overall skin's health- Antioxidants like Vitamin E or Vitamin C* * Go for Vitamin C derivatives such as Magnesium Ascorbic phosphate or Sodium Ascorbic Phosphate instead of pure forms such as L-Ascorbic Acid or Ascorbic Acid that may irritate the skin further! Step 3: Commit! Throughout the #SkincareDietChallenge, you and your skincare products should act as if you’re in a committed relationship — so no cheating! Trust the process and the products that you’ve whittled your routine down to because seeing results takes time. Give your skin the time it needs to adjust and embrace this healing process. So, have you tried the #SkincareDietChallenge before? If so, please share your story in the comments so that you could empower others how it helped heal your skin💚