On TikTok many suggestions are creating buzz, but few of them are validated by skin experts. In this case, a TikToker called @tatlafata shared her secret to avoiding blemishes after a long trip on the Chinese platform earlier this year. His thing? Spray your face with hypochlorous acid before, during and after your trip. A tip that has garnered more than 5.2 million views. But how does this active ingredient, which dermatologists also seem to like, work and, above all, how to use it? Let’s take stock.
Hypochlorous acid in short
Hypochlorous acid is nothing new. Dermatologists know this well and regularly recommend it because helps fight blemishes by targeting bacteria, helping reduce inflammation and aiding the healing process. Naturally present in our body, it is produced by our white blood cells and has a low pH which makes it not very aggressive. Therefore, even the most sensitive skin can use it! Because in addition to its antibacterial side, it also helps strengthen the skin’s hydrolipidic barrier to combat external aggressions which can also cause the appearance of imperfections. In short, its popularity is deserved, according to Dr. Raj Arora, interviewed by UK fashion designer :
“ Hypochlorous acid has been in skincare products for several years and is definitely worth advertising because it can help manage many different skin conditions. Its anti-inflammatory properties are ideal for irritated and weakened skin and for wound healing. In the clinic, I use it on my skin after doing injectables, microneedling, and radiofrequency to help soothe the epidermis and reduce the risk of post-treatment infections.»
How to apply it correctly?
Like any cosmetic active ingredient, it is important to know how to use hypochlorous acid correctly so as not to damage the skin. Dr. Arora recommends applying it to your clean face at least 30 minutes before the rest of your beauty routine. For what ? She explains the reason very simply:
“If you use a hypochlorous acid spray to treat breakouts and apply it immediately before the rest of your skincare routine, you are deactivating all the other active ingredients like vitamin C, retinol, etc. Use the spray instead and Let it dry completely before applying anything to it.". You have been warned.
Be careful not to abuse it!
Like all good things, you shouldn't overdo it! And that's why videos showing TikTokers applying hypochlorous acid to their faces 10 to 15 times (especially while traveling) aren't necessarily a good practice to imitate at home. For what ? Very simply because this active ingredient can alter the microbial flora of the skin and cause more or less impressive reactions such as redness or itching. According to Dr. Arora, applying it twice a day remains the most recommended to benefit from all the properties of the active ingredient, without imbalances. To start, you can use it before your skincare routine in the morning and a second time in the evening before going to bed.
While traveling you can apply it once on clean skin, but using it ten times is absolutely useless. This practice will make you spend a lot of products for nothing (and therefore money) and will jeopardize the fragile balance of your skin... You know everything!
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
