Ferulic Acid
| Best used: In AM | Caution: Sensitive skin | Best for: Protection under sunscreen |
| Comments: Excellent antioxidant | Mode of action: Antioxidant | Science Score: ***** |
What are ferulic acid benefits?
This is one of the top 5 skin care ‘actives’ prescribed for anti-aging. Such as –
- Help with wrinkles & lines as it protects your skin from extrinsic ageing.
- Reduces the potential for skin laxity as it protects collagen
- Reduces inflammation & oxidative stress, and in theory can reduce severity of outbreaks
- Reduces skin pigmentation, melasma & brown spots by attenuating the oxidative effects of light
- Boosts the effects of other antioxidants including ascorbic acid & tocopherol
What is the science behind Ferulic acid?
This antioxidant is found in many foods including oats & fruits. Antioxidants protect skin from ‘free radicals.’ Ferulic acid is often combined with other free-radical scavengers including ascorbic acid & vitamin E / tocopherol. These molecules mop up potentially harmful molecules caused by UV radiation, smoking & environmental pollutants. Think of skin care as protective barriers. The first should be a protective physical barrier, for example a hat. The second barrier is sunscreen, either a physical or chemical. The last line of defence is an antioxidant.
How do I incorporate ferulic acid in my skin care routine?
Best applied in the AM (can be used PM- twice daily), apply to exposed areas; face, neck & decolletage. Best used under sun protection. Depending on the formulation a small amount can go a long way.
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Does Ferulic Acid lighten skin?
Ferulic acid is a powerful natural antioxidant that’s best used in tandem with other antioxidants including vitamin C & E. Unlike ascorbic acid which has a direct effect on pigment production, ferulic acid is often used in skin lightening and anti-aging products to protect against UV damage & not to suppress melanin production.
Does vitamin C require ferulic acid?
Vitamin C and E are both antioxidants and support each other. Adding that ferulic acid is another antioxidant which boosts and stabilizes both vitamin C & tocopherol. Having said this, stand-alone compounds are commonly found, so the answer is no, vitamin C does not require ferulic acid for stability.
Green tea & the fuzzy bits of skin care 🍵
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👉Anti Aging: Protection against UV damage: Green tea contains antioxidants & free radical scavengers, protecting your DNA & collagen. In reality you are better off with topicals such as vitamin C & ferulic acid
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👉Acne: Catechins & polyphenols are antibacterial & anti-inflammatory in nature. Reduces sebum production (oil), adding to antiacne effects & can potentially reduce enlarged pores. Many better ways to treat acne
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👉Dark circles: Caffeine found in green tea acts as a vasoconstrictor, modulating blood flow under the eyes. You can’t get cheaper eye rejuvenation than using 2 tea bags under your eyes
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👉Oily skin: Green tea has been shown to reduce sebum or oil production in laboratory conditions. Thus it can be a useful adjunct to medically prescribed retinoids, in theory
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👉Inflamed Skin; Green Tea can calm down inflamed & angry skin. Inflammatory skin conditions include rosacea, acne, psoriasis & dermatitis. Want some results? Chuck some topical steroid
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👉Drink tea for the taste & the potential systemic benefits. If you are serious about skincare, there are far better alternatives
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😎Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane🇦🇺
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#drdavinlim #dermatologistbrisbane #organicskincare #ecoskincare #greentea #tealife #teabagadermatologist #tea #healthytea
In the 5th decade & beyond, skin requires correction. Skincare is employed to maintain results AFTER procedures such as chemical peels or lasers.
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Lasers will correct years of photodamage, deep wrinkling & pigmentation.
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Dermal fillers are employed in this age group to enhance areas lacking in volume & projection, classic areas include the cheeks, eyes, temples & perioral areas (not lips but the surrounding areas including the jawline & jowls).
Patients in this age group will benefit from skin tightening including surgical & non-surgical.
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What is the best skin care in the 50s?
Formulated skin care is best in more mature skin. The foundation does not change, regardless of age.
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AM: Cleanser, antioxidants (CE, ferulic acid, resveratrol). SPF
PM: Cleanser, ingredient list depends on concerns.
* Retinol or prescription retinoids: to help reduce collagen loss & improve skin quality.
* Pigment correctors: to reduce sun induced & hormonal hyperpigmentation.
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What are the best procedures in the 50s?
Focus on improving your skin texture. This means correction of sunspots, pigmentation, creases & deeper wrinkles. You should balance this with addressing volume deficits & skin laxity.
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Skin texture can be rectified with lasers, including vascular, pigment, CO2 & erbium resurfacing.
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Skin laxity can be addressed with a combination of lasers, HIFU, RF, PDO threads & collagen stimulating fillers. The ideal combination depends on your skin’s chronological ageing, your ethnicity & goals.
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Skin volume can be addressed with either hyaluronic acid fillers (works faster) or collagen stimulating dermal fillers (works much slower, but last longer).
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#skincarecommunity #skincareobsessed #skincareaddict #skincarescience #skincareblog #skincaretips #dermatology #drdavinlim #internationaldermatologist #protectyourcollagen #dontcatchchylamidia #normalskin #brisbanedermatologist #50sskincare #collagen #dullskin #sunscreen #tcapeels #50
Know your routine and how it helps your skin 👉
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🔍Retinol is a Vitamin A analogue. This skincare active can reduce acne, blackheads, whiteheads, treat unwanted pigmentation & reduce photoaging . Brands include Aspect Doctor available at @theformulated. Discuss with your dermatologist if prescription retinoids are suitable for your skin type
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🔍AHAs include lactic acid, glycolic acid & citric acid. Drunk elephant makes a super potent mixture of skin acids with their baby facial line. Other recommendations include Neostrata , The Ordinary & The Inkey List. AHAs can improve #blackheads, fine lines & wrinkles as well as improve skin pigmentation. AHAs, like retinoids can make you more sun sensitive
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🍊Vitamin C or ascorbic acid forms part of the ABCs of skin care. C is an #antioxidant, protecting your skin from free radicals. ‘C’ can also build collagen & reduce pigmentation. Caution in patients with sensitive skin- rosacea I suggest starting at a lower concentration such as 10% & increasing SLOWLY as tolerated to 15, then 20%. Formulations will vary depending on the brand. C can be combined with E & Ferulic Acid to form CE Ferulic Acid, a potent antioxidant combination! @skinceuticals have a CE Ferulic available online and in store at @theformulated 🔥
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💬 What combinations of skin care do you love using?
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😎Davin Lim
Brisbane/Meanjin🇦🇺
@theformulated @cutis_dermatology
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#skincaretips #skincarecommunity #skincarebasics #dermatologistbrisbane #brisbanedermatologist #bestskincare #simpleskincaretips #skinacids #Skincare #dermatologist #acne
Stick to this simple skincare pyramid for best results
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👍🏻Prevention is with sunscreen. Spf 50 +, twice a day. Buy something you actually LIKE to use. IMO choosing a cosmetically elegant product with less sun protection is a compromise between application and SPF rating.
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🛡Protect with antioxidants including vitamin E, ferulic acid, ascorbic acid, #resveratrol, CoQ10, green tea & botanicals
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🍊Supplement with vitamins including retinol/retinoids, niacinamide & vitamin C
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🖌Correct (if needed) with anti-acne, anti-inflammatory, or anti-pigment
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💯Purposeful skincare saves time, money, and provides the best outcomes
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😎Dr Davin Lim
Dermatologist
@drdavinlim
Brisbane🇦🇺
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#acneskincaretips #dermatology #drdavinlim #davinlim #theformulated #skincarescience #skincareroutine #simpleskincare #retinoltips #retinol #skincarebasics #instaskincare #skincarecommunity #cosmeticdoctor #dermatologist #dermatologistbrisbane #ascorbicacid #skinhealth #healthyskintips #healthyskin
Can ferulic acid be added to retinol?
In theory this combination can be done, but these ingredients should be applied independently. Why? Ferulic acid is best as a protectant, namely applied in the morning to scavenge the UV rays that get through sunscreen. Retinol should be used in the evenings to repair damaged collagen. Besides, retinoids are sun sensitive.
What should not be used with ferulic acid?
Skin care acids such as lactic and glycolic acid should not be used with ferulic acid. AHA’s can markedly decrease the skin’s pH levels, which, in theory can affect the bioavailability of ferulic acid.
Who should be careful?
Caution in sensitive skin as this formulation may cause skin irritation. This is mostly due to Vitamin C, which is frequently combined with ferulic acid. If you do have sensitive skin you may want to moisturise 30 minutes before application. A test spot can be useful. Another hint is to start slowly, apply every second day & increase as tolerated. For patients with super sensitive skin, consider tocopherol or vitamin E as the antioxidant of choice for you. This has the least irritating potential.
What does a sensible skin care routine with ferulic acid look like?
AM: Cleanser, Anti-0xidant (Ferulic acid, Vitamin C, E) , SPF, Make up
PM: Cleanser, +/- Toner, skin care actives (A,B, Skin Acids, or Pigment correctors)
Davin’s Skin Protip on Ferulic Acid
There are no head-to-head studies comparing high end brands like Skinceuticals to super affordable formulations like Timeless C+E+ Ferulic or The Ordinary (1/20 the cost of Skinceuticals). I am sure the high-end brands will not show a linear cost benefit ratio; the flipside is that The Ordinary consumer is not the same as the ‘luxury skincare’ consumer. Antioxidants, though important, are only the third line of defence, behind a physical barrier such as a hat, then sunscreen. If UV does not get into the dermal layer of skin, the requirement for an antioxidant diminishes.
