12 May ZO Brightalive
The Non-Retinol Skin Brightener Cream
Summertime is just around the corner which means time to put away your heavy jackets, another jacket, wool sweater and definitely those scarves! The only layering you should be doing this summer is your skin care. During this season, we have more risk of hyper pigmentation, oily t-zones aka breakouts, sun burns, redness, and the list goes on. However, we can prevent those from happening by updating our skin care routine as well.
One of my biggest skin concern all year round, but especially during the summer is hyper pigmentation and my melasma coming back up. Melasma is a common skin concern that appears as brown to gray- brown patches on the face and sometimes the body when you are heavily exposed to the sun which is the more known cause. When it comes to dealing with my melasma, Retinol based products are my skin savers, BUT because retinol causes photosensitivity to light, it’s best to take a little break from it even with all that sun protection. Not to worry, there are still other options to maintain that glow and making sure your skin doesn’t go into shambles *drumroll*… Non-Retinol Skin Brighteners paired with a good sunscreen!
My personal favourite is the ZO Brightalive skin brightener for many reasons. First, it provides skin brightening and blocks new pigment from forming on the skin with Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, which is a patented molecule that aids in inhibiting free radical formation, which could result in hyperpigmentation and sunspots. Second, Brightalive also contains an ingredient called Papain, which is an enzyme derived from papaya. Papain is beneficial for the removal of dead skin cells and helps purge out existing pigmentation. Third, it doesn’t cause any irritation or aggressive reaction that way retinol does for a few weeks, so you can actually still treat your skin without sacrificing your social life! Instead, it is calming and soothing for the skin because of the licorice root extract, papain, and beta-glucan which aids in skin healing from excessive sun exposure, rashes, mild burns, and wounds as well. Fourth, it is a great alternative for those who cannot tolerate retinol even after the reactive phase or if you are pregnant/breastfeeding. Last but not least, it smells great and non-greasy which in the summer is a big must! If it has to stay on your face the whole day, might as well make it worthwhile. Just apply this cream after getting your skin ready (cleanse, exfoliate and tone), follow it with your favourite sunscreen and voila you’re all set to face the day and sunshine!
There you have it, no need to be a vampire this summer, the key is to protect, reapply and swap out your retinol products for non-retinol skin brighteners, to avoid hyperpigmenation and those annoying sun spots during those pool and bbq days!
Xoxo,
Justine