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While consuming sugar is bad for your waistline, the granulated form of sugar has some uses topically. Sugar is a sweet, grainy ingredient extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets. The main use for sugar in topical skincare products is as an exfoliant in sugar scrubs.
Sugar scrubs are great for exfoliating and getting rid of dead skin. Exfoliation is a great habit to address acne, blackheads, whiteheads, clogged pores. The large granules of sugar physically scrub out dead skin cells. This leaves the skin feeling and looking smoother. Sugar is relatively inexpensive and easily available, so many people will use sugar in DIY exfoliants.
Sugar scrubs can be a little harsh, so it’s better to use a gentler method of exfoliation. Using something coarse like sugar can cause mini tears to form on the skin surface, through which bacteria can enter and cause issues such as acne. In addition, using a sugar scrub too often can irritate your skin. If you’re looking for a gentler exfoliant for your skin, try our skin quiz.
Pores are itsy-bitsy openings in the skin—and there are millions covering every millimeter of skin. There are two types of pores with different functions: sweat pores and oil pores. The sweat pore allows moisture, produced by sweat glands, to exude out to the surface of the skin, where it helps to cool the body in response to heat, exertion or fever. Sweat pores are so tiny, they are mostly invisible to the human eye.
The oil pore, on the other hand, is a bit larger. Oil pores are also known as hair follicles because these pores produce oil from the sebaceous glands, but they are also the openings from which hair emerges. The oils help to keep our skin and hair healthy. It is the oil pores that can get clogged with sweat, debris and other gunk, causing acne, blackheads and whiteheads. Sweat pores rarely get clogged, as they are so tiny.
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical agent for fighting bacteria and unclogging pores. It is one of the longest-used medications to keep pores clean and healthy. Jojoba oil and rosehip oil are also good for reducing inflammation, fighting bacteria, and keeping in moisture for healthier skin. Ingredients that help exfoliate dead skin cells and increase new skin cell production, such as Vitamin A/Retinol, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, are good for keeping pores unclogged as well.
Sugar may be effective for clogged pores, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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