Skincare Archives

Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Serums

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It’s been a while, but I am back with another top 10, and I’m talking about serums this time. Serums are other skin care products in the treatment stage of your skincare routine. Serums are applied after the essence and are more of a thicker consistency. Here we are with the serum list of my top picks, including honorable mentions. I hope this list will help anyone with fungal acne looking for a serum that won’t trigger it.

Serums

The Inkey List – Alpha Hydroxy Acid Serum

The Inkey List AHA serum is a fantastic addition to any skincare routine. I have used this serum and other aha serums throughout my skincare journey. I have always loved The Ordinary and The Inkey List because of their affordable price. I have used this serum and the past and have recently tried it out for several weeks now and have already noticed a significant improvement in the texture and brightness of my skin.

What I love about this product is how lightweight and fast-absorbing it is. It goes on smoothly and leaves no sticky or greasy residue behind. One thing I hate about serums or any skincare product is when it leaves the skin sticky or greasy. I usually apply it in the evening after cleansing and toning, and it sinks in quickly, allowing me to follow up with my moisturizer without any wait time.

I have dry, sensitive skin and have been nervous about using any AHAs, but I am glad I included this ingredient in my skincare routine. I had no issues with irritation, sensitivity, or dry patches. Instead, I have noticed a gradual improvement in the texture of my skin. It feels smoother and more refined, with less texture and rough patches.

The Inkey List AHA serum contains glycolic acid, one of the most effective AHAs for skin exfoliating. It also contains aloe vera and ginseng, which help to soothe and hydrate the skin. Overall, this serum is a great value for the price. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an effective and affordable AHA serum that is fungal acne safe.

COS DE BAHA – Arbutin 5% + Niacinamide 5% A.N. Serum

The COS DE BAHA Arbutin 5% + Niacinamide 5% A.N. Serum is a game-changer for anyone looking to brighten their skin tone. I have used this serum for several weeks and used it in the past during the beginning of my fungal acne journey. I am already seeing a noticeable difference in the brightness and clarity of my skin. Continue reading Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Serums

Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Moisturizers

Hey, there! It’s been a while. But I had to return after testing out and searching for fungal acne-safe moisturizers for my readers. I think, as a consumer, it is a struggle to find safe products for our “skin condition.” Moisturizers and makeup removers are vain of my existence because I struggle with these a lot. Now, I can say that fungal acne is like a surprise trip. You never genuinely know what triggers YOUR fungal acne. And that depends on your fungal acne’s sensitivity to certain ingredients. All we can do is do our best to keep at least track of certain ingredients that are a BIG NO: esters, lipids, fatty acids, oils (not all), and polysorbates. How can I identify the ingredients that may trigger a fungal acne flare-up? Well, ingredient analyzers are your friend; Sezia, Skinsort, folliculitisscout, and Skincarisma are my favorite ones and are great for educating us on ingredients and the benefits based on skin types. Remember to patch test, track your progress, and enjoy your skin journey and struggles. Now here are my top 10 fungal acne-safe moisturizers and some honorable mentions.

Curel Intensive Moisture Facial Cream

I have repurchased this moisturizer three times. I am about to go to Amazon and repurchase it because I ran out while writing this post. This is my favorite moisturizer because of the formulation of this silky airy nourishing magic cream. This is a moisturizer with vitamin e that is specifically for dry and sensitive skin types. You can wear this during the daytime with SPF or at nighttime. I don’t believe in a day or nighttime moisturizers when facial oils like Happy Honey Oil by Sjoskin or 100% Squalane Oil by The Ordinary (any 100% squalane oil will do from any brand) can be added to a moisturizer to bump up the moisturizer to fit your needs for a more nourishing moisturizer. This doesn’t peel underneath makeup or SPF. It supports the skin barrier with ceramides, squalane, and glycerin and is pH-balanced, fragrance-free, and alcohol-free. Your skin will thank you and will be healthy and glowy.

Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer*

Malezia is a small skincare brand focused on formulations for individuals with fungal acne (Malessezia Folliculitis). This gel cream has key ingredients to support the skin barrier, especially during a fungal acne breakout. We all know that getting a flare-up can be rough on the skin barrier because of the treatment process and recovery. The star ingredient is urea which is also found in our natural skin as a molecule that is part of our skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF). It is an important ingredient for skin hydration and the integrity to treat dry & rough skin conditions. Urea can also help with wound healing by removing dead tissue in certain wounds to speed up the process. I discovered this moisturizer while looking for a fungal acne-safe brand, which means that the whole theme or purpose of the brand was to cater to individuals with fungal acne conditions.

This moisturizer is hydrating and emollient because of the skin-loving ingredients in the formulation. We talked about urea, but did you know that not only does it provide hydrating benefits, but it also locks moisture into the skin? It is a fantastic well-aging (anti-aging) ingredient. Paired with hyaluronic acid and allantoin makes the skin more hydrated and moisturized. Urea locks in moisture, and allantoin soothes the skin. This moisturizer is great for dry, sensitive, and dehydrated skin and also a great moisturizer when your skin barrier is compromised. This moisturizer will change your skincare journey in unique ways. Continue reading Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Moisturizers

Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Essences

Essences are one of my favorite skincare products to use for fungal acne. The reason is that brands formulate most essences with 1 or 2 ingredients. Essences focus more on hydration or skin concerns, with one major component that makes up most of the formulation. Still, serums target various skin concerns and have a thicker consistency. We can primarily describe an essence as a “Toner-Serum Hybrid” because of its dense texture. Let’s get right into my recommendations!

Mugwort Essence by I’m From

I used this essence before I ended up with fungal acne. It amazed me it is not only fungal acne-safe but also contains 100% artemisia vulgaris extract, aka mugwort! It is vegan and cruelty-free, free of alcohol, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones, or sulfates. This watery essence is excellent for fungal acne-safe routines because it contains one ingredient. I use this product in the morning and night after cleansing my face or applying toner. Mugwort has become a trendy ingredient in Korean skincare over the last couple of years. But for a good reason, it helps soothe and treat sensitive and acne-prone skin. Mugwort contains vitamins A, B, C, E, and other antioxidants and antimicrobial properties that nourish and protect the skin barrier. Other antioxidants and antimicrobials like polyphenols. There have been studies that show mugwort’s abilities to fight bacteria and fungi. I’m From is cruelty-free but not 100% vegan, meaning some products contain animal-derived ingredients.

Continue reading Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Essences

Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Toners

I figured I should do a list now for all the top 10 fungal acne-safe products and why not start with toners? Toners and essences are the easiest to find for me. I feel as if I struggle with finding serums and moisturizers that are fungal acne safe. By the way, has anyone heard of Kbeauty? It is one of the best discoveries and improved my skincare routine. Don’t be surprised if there are a lot of Kbeauty toners on this list! But, here is my list of the top 10 fungal acne safe toners.

1025 Dokdo Toner by Round Lab

Round Lab’s Dokdo Toner is one of my favorite toners to use. I recently finished another bottle of this watery toner. This is a hydrating toner and exfoliates the skin gently. They infused it with seawater from South Korea, Ulleungo Island. This toner can be used daily with a cotton pad or applied with your hands. If your skin gets irritated easily, this toner will help soothe the irritation with panthenol, allantoin, and betaine. This toner is moisturizing, softening, kills bacteria, and treats wounds. It doesn’t contain any alcohols, fragrances, oils, silicones, or sulfates. It’s a very simple toner and safe to use for sensitive, dry or dehydrated skin. This is reef safe but not cruelty-free or vegan.

Hyaluronic Acid Toner Plus by Isntree

Isntree came out with two types of hyaluronic acid toners: Hyaluronic Acid Toner and Hyaluronic Acid Toner Plus. Both are fungal acne-safe, but I will review the plus one since I haven’t used the other one. I just wanted my readers to know that we can use both.

The Plus Toner is thicker than the regular toner, hence the plus in the title. It is free of alcohols, oils, parabens, silicones, and sulfates. It contains hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica extract, panthenol, and chamomilla recutita flower extract. This is great for sensitive and irritated skin types. I remember using this one around fall, which is the perfect weather to be using it, especially if you have dry skin. I tried it again in the summer and it was just too thick for me to use as a toner because the weather was hotter. During seasons, our skin types may change based on if the weather is cold or hot. My skin gets more combination skin types during the summer with some slight dehydration because I have dehydrated skin. I liked this toner more when I used it in the fall/winter because it sinks into my skin quicker. I felt like I was patting it into my skin more during the summer and I didn’t like how it dried onto my skin because it felt like a sticky film was on it. Again, this is just how it was on my skin so it can vary based on a person’s skin type or when/how you are using it. I did like it better with a cotton pad than just applying it onto the skin with my hands. This is reef safe but not cruelty-free or vegan. Continue reading Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Toners

My Layers Balancing Milky Cleanser Review

I’m not sure why no one talks about this Indie Skincare brand, Layers. But I have found the most amazing fungal acne-safe prebiotic + probiotic milky cleanser I’ve tried. Since I’ve had fungal acne, using milk or cream cleansers was a setback for my dry, flaky skin. Most of these cleansers had fungal acne-triggering ingredients like:

One day I decided to go on a quest for such fungal acne-safe milk cleansers. I first came across Evan Healy. I tried their Rose Cleansing Milk which wasn’t fungal acne safe. At that time, I believed that wash-off products should be fine to cheat my goal of no more prolonged use of unsafe products: skincare and makeup. But, I guess the burning in my eyes when I used it was a sign to stick to my goal. It got the job done, but it burned my eyes. I tried to focus less on my eyes, but the scent and the cleanser were too strong. I was desperate to look for something better. One day, I looked at my google search and came across Layers Balancing Milky Cleanser. This was when I discovered the fungal acne-safe milk cleanser I needed in my routine.

The Balancing Milky Cleanser has a prebiotic + probiotic blend of yogurt powder and lactobacillus ferment. Ph is balanced and claims it improves skin hydration and removes impurities while preserving good bacteria. The amount of product that you get is 120 mL / 4.1 FL. OZ, and it’s priced at $29. Layers is a clean beauty brand, cruelty-free, and their website has a breakdown of some of the ingredients in this cleanser. The ingredients include:

Continue reading My Layers Balancing Milky Cleanser Review

Purito From Green Cleansing Oil – RENEWED Review

Trying to find a fungal acne-safe oil cleanser to take off makeup is a struggle. I have been looking for one for a while. I made a 2022 New Years’ Resolution to get rid of fungal acne-causing products/ stop buying them. Recently, I found this ingredient analysis site called “Skinsort” and it has been a lifesaver. This oil cleanser was fungal acne-safe, so I clicked add to cart on amazon.

Purito is a very interesting brand because there are hit-miss products, especially those that are fungal acne safe can be hard to find. This cleansing oil has a med to light consistency (it is a little thick) and it is fragrance, essential oil, and alcohol-free. I use this as a first cleanse and follow up with either a gel or milk cleanser. Double cleansing is something that I do when I have makeup or SPF on. It gets the job done if you are using a towel or a magic eraser, it has great slip. I prefer using it that way because I feel like it cleans my skin enough because it is messy taking off makeup.

If I were just using it to take off SPF, then I would be fine without the magic eraser. It breaks down mascara and full-face makeup very well and it doesn’t sting your eyes, but it does blur my eyes sometimes. I can still tell there is no makeup left on my skin, and it emulsifies pretty well. There are benefiting oils in the formulation like Olive Oil which is great for dry skin. Sunflower Oil, Jojoba Oil that great for sensitive skin, and Sweet Almond Oil and Grape Seed Oil. I have other fungal acne-safe cleansing oils I want to try now, thanks to Skinsort. I’m not sure if I will repurchase, just because there is a lot on the market to try out. Definitely would not recommend this for oily/combo skin types.

More Fungal Acne Safe Cleansing Oils/Balms:

Dermazen Review for Fungal Acne and Seborrheic Dermatitis

I am finally doing a review on these beautiful babies. I think you already know that I love these products. I Have been using these since February 2022 and have continued to use them when needed.

I recently purchased Dermazen’s Zen Skin Trio bundle that comes with the Calming Seborrheic Serum and the Soothing Malassezia Moisturizer. I really needed fungal acne/MF fighting products that also slashed the healing process in half. Most fighting MF products are very drying on the skin and can make things worse due to it being sensitizing to the skin. Having fungal acne is already a lot to the skin and can also cause trauma from it. Sometimes when a flare-up occurs at a certain spot it does lighten up the pigmentation in that area for me. One time I had it on my eyebrow area and it was very noticeable. I really lacked confidence in myself when uploading beauty posts because it was soo noticeable.

One day, Google “Fungal Acne Fighting skincare” and this ad/shopping section popped up on google for Dermazen’s Soothing Malassezia Moisturizer. And I was sold right away because of the following: “Soothe your beautiful, irritated skin — Holistic ingredients designed to calm the flakes, flare-ups, and frustration caused by seborrheic dermatitis.” And I know what you are thinking “this is not for Malassezia Folliculitis” and actually it’s for both MF and Seborrheic dermatitis because they are both forms of yeast infections that occur on the skin and scalp. Also, during this time I actually was dealing with both so I shoot my shot and it WORKED.

The serum has a watery consistency and is very light. The ingredients include Aloe, Xylitol that naturally disrupts the biofilm layer to weaken the fungus, Grapefruit Seed Extract as an antioxidant, and Tea Tree Oil. I could feel that it was working as it was absorbing into my skin. But, I saw better results with my SB on my neck because the patches started to go away. It became smaller and less itchy to the point where it was completely gone. I’ve had that spot for almost a year and finally, I found something that actually worked! I have continued to use this in my hair care routine to keep my SB under control.

The moisturizer was a gel consistency but it was light and moisturizing at the same time. Ingredients include Urea (10%), MCT Oil, Frankincense Oil, Latic Acid (5%), Vitamin B3, and Hyaluronic Acid. I felt a sense of relief in my skin when I put it on. I didn’t need to put on another moisturizer with my dry skin and that alone was amazing. It wasn’t drying or irritating. It slowly got rid of my MF flare and the healing time was amazing. My skin was practically back to normal and quickly with the 2 as a combo worked really well together.

I will have to say I will definitely repurchase and I am a fan and will continue to support this brand! In fact, their recent launch is a shampoo so lookout for a review!

Evan Healy – Frankincense HydroSoul Review

Evan Healy is a brand that came up when I was searching for Natural skincare products. I was looking for products that had simple ingredients. I got sick in tired of not knowing what certain ingredients were or wondering why the ingredient list was soo long. During this time I kept getting fungal acne flare-offs nonstop and I didn’t know what it was. So I had to start my routine over by introducing each product one at a time to figure it out.

I love their line of products because it has products for different concerns. I purchased their Sanctuary Butter, Sanctuary Nectar Balm, Frankincense HydroSoul, & Whipped Shea Butter with Olive Leaf.

Their Frankincense HydroSoul is fungal acne-safe, alcohol-free, and reef safe! It is great for dry, mature, over-processed, and sensitive skin stated from their website. I decided to purchase this because my skin has been going through it because of my flare-ups and it was very dry. The way I use the hydrosol is I basically like to drench my face with it. It is a nice mist that has a wonderful smell. It is not overpowering, it just smells like the 1 ingredient, Frankincense. The hydrosoul would be a great smell for a body mist. I don’t mist far from my face because I feel like it is a waste of product if you spritz it far away, because it gets onto the floor, clothes, etc, instead of your skin fully taking it in. I love this hydrosoul because I enjoyed using it and this is a repurchased item for the future. Please take a look at my post on Instagram, and find out what other products I’ve emptied/tried!