A while back I told you about my new skincare guru (Danielle, owner of the SD Acne Clinic– if you live in here, she is amazing!!) & how she has really taught me the importance of ingredient checking… which, has been a major game changer for me & my skin.
Along with helping me purge no good skincare products (FYI- anything with coconut oil is a MAJOR no go!!! It clogs your pores & then hardens in them. SICK), she also informed me about one product I should be using that really was a major shocker to me.
AQUAPHOR… you know, that stuff that’s basically a huge tub of vaseline.
I trust this lady big time, but I couldn’t help being a skeptic. My first question was– no coconut oil because that clogs my pores, but I am fully allowed to slather thick grease on my skin?
Her response- absolutely! Because this stuff is so damn thick, it just sits on top of the skin & literally can’t even penetrate pores. Okay, good to know… but still, I am a Google-r… so too Google I went.
I was already sold & bought a huge tub of the stuff, but just had to see if other people do this, & guess what I found…
Not only do a lot of people do this on the reg, including a ton of celebs, but BEYONCÉ swears by it & goes to bed every single night with a layer of Aquaphor all over her face.
To quote the queen herself- she told Elle Magazine that she always “goes to bed totally greasy [with Aquaphor]”.
Let’s get real, if someone told me Beyoncé slathers her face with ketchup every night to get that envious glow she’s got going on, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Queen B is drinking from the fountain of youth, & I just want a sip. Plus, the girl can afford just about any beauty product in the world… so you know if she’s swearing by a less than $10 drugstore product, it’s gotta be good.
OKAY, But Why & How does Aquaphor actually help your skin?
You may think that the reason it work so well is because it’s hydrating your skin with all that greasy goodness, but that’s not really the case. It does provide some moisturizing aspects (we will get to this in a minute), but for the most part, it’s a barrier. It protects your skin & is a great way to to lock moisture in.
That said, you only use it at night & it should be the last step in your nightly skincare routine. My routine, for the most part (sometimes I switch things up a bit), goes like this: exfoliating cleanser, hydragel, Mandelic Acid serum, night cream + eye cream, & then- to lock in all that moisture and help protect my skin while I snooze, I slather on the Aquaphor.
The Ingredient Breakdown
Now that I am all about ingredients, I’ve gotta break this one down for you. First & foremost, it’s a petrolatum, which is derived from petroleum. Petroleum usually scares people away, but when it’s Petrolatum, you’re all good. It’s a mix of hydrocarbons which is what makes Aquaphor an occlusive (locking in moisture) & noncomedogenic (non pore clogging) emollient.
That’s not it though… this powerhouse potion also contains:
1. Mineral Oil: There is a lot of controversy about mineral oil for skin, but I promise you- it’s a good one. My skincare lady is an ingredient MASTER & would never ever reccomend I put anything dangerous on my face. It is also derived from petroleum & is also an occlusive + noncomedogenic emollient. The controversy comes from the fact mineral oils has been linked to cancer in industrial situations where exposure is HIGH, also the extraction process is COMPLETELY different than the kind of mineral oil used in skincare products. Cosmetic mineral oil has not once been linked to any type of cancer.
2. Lanolin Alcohol: This is a natural waxy substance that is produced by sheep/wool covered animal. Sounds kinda gross, but actually works as a great emollient & also has a similar structure to human skin lipids- making it extra effective at keeping in moisture.
3. Panthenol: Panthenol is a provitamin of B5 & is mainly used in the skincare industry as an emollient & a humectant (reduces loss of moisture). It is able to easily penetrate the skin & aids in healing.
4. Bisabolol: basically, a concentrated form of Chamomile. This ingredient has GREAT anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps other skincare products penetrate skin easier, stimulates healing, moisturizes, kills bacteria, fades hyperpigmentation, & helps to get rid of fine lines/wrinkles!
5. Ceresin: this ingredients is just a waxy substances that is used solely as a thickening agent.
6. Glycerin: this ingredient you may have hear of before, cause it’s in a lot of beauty products! It is a humectant that works to moisturize the skin by drawing water from the air into the skin & also forms a barrier layer that helps to prevent loss of moisture.
K. There you have it, a full breakdown on my new skincare favorite!!! I have been using the stuff for about a month & a half now and… you really wouldn’t believe the difference it has made. I wake up looking so damn fresh faced & my skin is so supple (I kinda hate that word, but it’s the best way to describe it).
I am now fully addicted to Aquaphor.
I also use it on any dry/itchy skin spots, chapped lips (esp. during winter), my cuticles a few times a day (I love moisturized cuticles, & lastly- when my feet need a pick me up, I slather it on them before bed & sleep with thick socks… waking up with soft baby feet (kinda weird… but it works wonders!).
SO- are you sold on Aquaphor? Do you have any other unexpected skincare products I should know about? SPILL your secrets! x, E