Some of the most common questions we hear from our community are answered below! Skincare can be as complex or as simple as you make it, but finding a routine and products that make you and your skin feel great is what we aim for!
I am having a reaction to something! WHAT DO I DO?
If you are having a reaction to something there are 3 questions we ask right away:
- Diet - did you recently eat, drink, put something on your skin that you have never tried before and might be reacting to?
- Environment - have you traveled anywhere recently, or are the seasons changing where you could be exposed to something?
- Stress - are you dealing with stress (physical or emotional) and your skin is hyper sensitive as a result?
Our first suggestion for treatment is almost always... nothing. Reflect on the root of the problem, minimize opportunity for more irritation, and monitor the situation.
Miiko Tip: Wash off whatever might have caused the reaction, hydrate, and moisturize with something hypoallergenic like the Simplicity Serum. If the symptoms progress seek medical help. A cooling treatment with witch hazel, aloe water, or rose water diluted in water is often effective. A zinc based cream like the i-Zinc can also be effective after you have determined the root cause of the problem.
Perhaps book in with our in house herbalist, Avery, of Mindful Medicine. You may benefit from a consultation to get to the root of the problem.
Why am I dealing with adult acne?
Adult acne is one of the most common skin conditions we hear about. Often due to hormonal changes from pregnancy, birth controls, or even diet and topical creams rich in estrogen mimicking ingredients. We must ask... how serious is your acne? Take a look at our acne classification blog post here.
Another great resource is Facial Mapping, an ancient practice that connects regular facial skin disturbances with the health status of an internal organ or body part.
Usually when we break out we assume it is because we are dirty, and we wash with soap more and more. This disrupts the natural state of the skin creating an even more hospitable breeding ground for bacteria. We designed the Apple Toner to help protect your skin against environmental aggressors and kill acne-causing bacteria.
Miiko Tip: Try the Finding Balance Collection, and follow the routines that will be emailed to you.
I am having a break out! What do I do?
Break outs happen to everyone. Usually at the most inconvenient time possible. Here is the pep talk we give ourselves when it happens:
"DON'T TOUCH IT! Don't touch it... RESIST! This will go away so much faster if you resist the urge!"
Seriously, the recovery time between picking a zit and not picking a zit is trifold! But, we know the reality of this situation is sometimes you can't help it! If you must pick (which again we are not recommending) try pulling the skin away from the pimple to pop it instead of squeezing it like a mountain.
If you do pop the pimple, you must make sure the infection does not spread. DO NOT EXFOLIATE the open wound.
Miiko Tip: Try spraying the Apple Toner on the zit to make sure bacteria doesn't spread and create a new infection under the skin. Follow that up with a light application of the i-Zinc over top to help soothe and protect the skin.
What is the purpose of a toner?
The toner acts to balance the PH of your skin. It helps to reduce the risk of breakouts and other topical reactions. Other ingredients in a toner can help to balance the state of your top layer of skin quickly.
Toners rich in alpha-hydroxy acids (like ours) will also exfoliate your skin leaving it looking tighter, and younger.
Watch our YouTube video to learn more about the purpose of our Toners!
How often should I exfoliate?
There are two kinds of exfoliation:
Physical Exfoliation: using abrasive ingredients topically to remove dead skin. Examples include DIY scrubs using fine foods (sugar, herbs, crushed apricot kernels, almond shells, or coffee grounds), derma-rollers, micro-fiber cloths, loofahs, brushes, and our choice: Konjac sponges.
- How Often: Max 2-3x per week
Chemical Exfoliation: using chemical ingredients such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), or enzymes to loosen the bonds that hold dead skin cells together (aka dry skin). This helps to promote the growth of healthier skin cells by way of the dermis
- How Often: Can be done daily or every other day (depending on the level of chemicals in product)
Watch our fun video to Understand more about Exfoliation!
If you are over 25, you can exfoliate more often because your skin is not as good at turning over as it used to be. A regular exfoliation practice with age will help to reduce the appearance of fine lines.
If you are younger and acne-prone, exfoliation can help to clean out dirt and infection in the pores which can cause break outs.
How often should I wash my face?
- Do you often touch your face, wear makeup, sweat often, or struggle with acne? You will probably want to wash your face after the gym or sweating, and in the evening to remove makeup.
- Do you rarely wash your face, wear makeup, sweat, or struggle with acne? You probably don't need to wash your face unless you feel the need to clean off the grime. This will most likely just be in the evening.
Will Miiko Face Serums make my face more oily?
It shouldn't. Your skin naturally produces oil (called sebum) and it serves an important roll to keep your skin hydrated.
Depriving oily skin of moisture can actually backfire by making it more irritated and dry... which causes it to produce more oil. Using an oil on oily skin may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually helps to balance oil production over time. Oily skin types are best suited for carrier oils such as jojoba oil because it is the most closely matched to the skin's natural sebum. Check out our blog here to learn if our serums are right for you!
Think about your hair... When you were a kid you never had oily hair. Then you started washing your hair and it got greasier. The more you washed it the faster it got greasy again. Your skin is the same.
What is the difference between a serum and a face cream?
The main difference between a serum and lotion is the rate of absorption. Serums are formulated to absorb quickly into the skin to deliver essential vitamins and minerals to help repair and nourish the tissues.
In general, serums can be water-based, oil-based, or have a gel-like texture. Miiko Skin Co Serums are oil-based, which makes the absence of water the main differentiating factor between our serums and a lotion.
At Miiko Skin Co, we wanted to create a safe skin care line that is effective and simple. Adding water to oil-based products not only dilutes them down but significantly shortens the shelf-life of the product.
Water and oil do not mix, and when cosmetic companies manufacture water-based lotions with oil they are required to add preservatives to reduce the risk of bacteria and mold in the product. Choosing products like an oil-based serum decreases the risk of rancidity and increases the shelf life of the product significantly.
Will Miiko make my wrinkles go away?
We can definitely make a difference to the appearance of the fine lines and discolouration of the skin, but to eliminate years from your skin cannot be done naturally.
Aging is a natural process and there are many things you can do topically to help nourish your skin to age gracefully.
Incorporating a skincare routine rich in antioxidants and free from toxins and harmful particles is the most important first step to supporting a youthful glow. Next is hydration using natural oils and vitamin rich serums daily which are important to help maintain your skin's elasticity over time.
Miiko Tip: Try the Rejuvenation Collection, which we've designed to give skin a daily dose of antioxidants and deep hydration.
Do you have a skincare or skin health question that you'd like answered? Please send us an email at hello@miikoskinco.com. We love to chat about all thing skin-related!
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