Ask anyone with oily skin and chances are, they’ll tell you that along with skin oiliness comes frequent acne breakouts. It seems like oily skin and acne breakout tend to go hand-in-hand and while there are several causes of acne formation, there’s one that is particularly linked to oily skin – oil oxidation.
In other words, oxidation has not only been found by experts to affect skin ageing but it can also lead to breakouts, specifically from oxidant of sebum, opined Leslie Harris, who is the Global General Manager of medical aesthetic skincare brand, SkinCeuticals.
In fact, such oxidation not only creates a favourable environment for the blemish-causing C. acnes bacteria to breed, but is also capable of damaging skin if nothing is done to keep it under control.
It also doesn’t help that blemish-prone skin has been shown to have a lower level of antioxidants, leaving it more vulnerable to oxidative damage. Blemish-prone skin also tends to be more oily, which means more sebum oxidises. Daily environmental aggressors like UV and pollution generate free radicals that can further exacerbate this condition.
While there are numerous topical treatments for oily, blemish-prone skin on the market, many of them are mainly developed as corrective treatments instead of preventive formulas. Other formulas such as vitamin C serums, which are known to help stubborn breakouts, can be a hit-and-miss for oily skin primarily because most of these formulas are too moisturising.
Meanwhile, oil-soluble vitamin E is often a go-to for oil oxidation but its heavy, oily texture is not ideal for this skin type. As a result, those with oily skin usually end up relying on doctor’s prescription medications and topical skincare to treat acne breakout in their skin type.
But, is correcting pimples the only way to go? Is there really no way of keeping it at bay – effectively?
SkinCeuticals may have uncovered the answer to preventing acne breakouts… for good
After seven years of science-backed research, close to 200 formula combinations, and countless clinical trials in four continents later, SkinCeuticals may have solved the mystery with its latest innovation called the Silymarin CF.
Developed as a potent antioxidant serum that’s perfect for daytime use, the oil-free formula is enriched with 15% pure vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), 0.5% ferulic acid, and 0.5% salicylic acid, together with silymarin at 0.5% optimised concentration.
The hero ingredient is an antioxidant extract derived from milk thistle that’s already been used in the supplement industry, and has also been included in much lower levels in a handful of SkinCeuticals’ skincare products previously. However, this is the first time that silymarin is being used as a high-potency extract in optimum concentration to help inhibit oil oxidation effectively.
Lightweight and comfortable on the skin, this potent vitamin C-based serum is specifically formulated for oily and blemish-prone skin, making it a game-changer for this skin type.
P.S. You’d want to keep reading to find out how you can score samples of this breakthrough formula to try it for yourself!
What does the SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF actually do?
The innovative combination of potent ingredients in the all-new SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF helps to provide antioxidant protection for oily and blemish-prone skin, so that oil oxidation – which can lead to blemishes – can be significantly reduced.
In addition, it can also help reinforce skin’s natural protective barrier while improving common age markers such as fine lines and wrinkles.
Based on the description, it may be easy to categorise SkinCeuticals’ Silymarin CF as an acne treatment but in reality, the formula is far from being one. Labelled as a daytime vitamin C antioxidant serum, the Silymarin CF can be used in your daily regimen with your topical acne treatments, which means there’s no need to swap out your existing acne products for this new serum.
In addition, the SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF can also be used in tandem with the Blemish + Age Defense serum (S$178) to prevent and correct the visible skin concerns associated with breakouts and premature ageing.
As a pioneer of integrated skincare, SkinCeuticals’ formulas are designed to prevent future damage, protect healthy skin, and correct previous damage.
While complementing and protecting clinical procedure results, SkinCeuticals’ products – like the all-new Silymarin CF – can be used in an at-home regimen to complement the results of procedures such as LED therapy or micro-needling – after consulting with a medical professional, of course.
Can SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF really deliver what it promises?
As mentioned earlier, SkinCeuticals tested the effectiveness of Silymarin CF across four continents to find out if it’s compatible with global consumers regardless of race and skin colour. Based on various tests, Silymarin CF has been clinically proven to:
- Reduce oil oxidation by up to 76% (based on a four-week clinical study of 35 subjects in China in year 2020)
- Improve appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by up to 24% (based on an eight-week clinical study of 55 women in the United States of America in year 2019)
- Reduce excess sebum (oil) by up to 15% (based on a 12-week clinical study of 60 women in Brazil in year 2020)
As part of a self-assessment study conducted by the 60 female participants in Brazil last year, additional findings are further reported, as seen below:
- 76% agreed that the product helps reduce the appearance of blemishes;
- 71% saw a visible improvement in the appearance of pores;
- 81% agreed skin looked smoother;
- 73% agreed skin tone looked more even; and
- 78% saw improvement in the appearance of skin clarity.
Need more convincing? Just check out the following before-and-after images yourself! Both users showed a visible difference in the appearance of pigmentation on their skin within two months of regular usage of Silymarin CF.
(Open in a new tab to view a larger image) Left: Before | Right: After using SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF for eight weeks, signs of improvement in the cheek area can be seen
(Open in a new tab to view a larger image) Left: Before | Right: After using SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF for eight weeks, signs of improvement in the forehead can be seen
How to use Skinceuticals Silymarin CF
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In the morning after cleansing and toning, apply four to five drops of SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF onto dry face, neck, and chest before following up with other skincare products. Be sure to complete your routine with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
DV tip: Apart from incorporating the brand new SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF into your daily skincare routine, did you know that SkinCeuticals’ range of serums can be layered with one another?
For the Silymarin CF serum, you can layer on with SkinCeuticals’ best-selling corrective serums like Discoloration Defense (S$159) to reduce pigmentation, or H.A. Intensifier (S$159) to lock in your moisture. Most importantly, don’t forget to complete your skincare routine with a layer of sunscreen to protect yourself from harmful UV rays!
To maximise Silymarin CF’s efficacy, you can also add more antioxidant-rich foods such as berries (raspberries, strawberries, goji berries, and blueberries), spinach, artichokes, beetroot, and dark chocolate into your diet.
SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF is now available at S$248. You can find it at TANGS, BHG, Lazada as well as authorised partner clinics and spas.
Brought to you by SkinCeuticals.
