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Keep reading to find out what it is!
Seaweed
Algae extract is somewhat of a double-edged sword in the beauty world. It's technically classified as "anti-inflammatory" and helps to regulate oil production, but may also be comedogenic-meaning it can lead to whiteheads and blackheads.
"While it is common to find seaweed masks being promoted across various skincare brands, if we take a closer look at the components of seaweed, we see that it contains high levels of iodine," Skor Beauty skincare/makeup editor Samantha Koh explains. "Although iodine is one of the crucial ingredients that we need in our bodies, too much of it can result in it being excreted through our follicles, thus resulting in breakouts." Uh-oh!
Seaweed is great for hydrating and detoxifying the skin, but it comes with a 5 rating on the comedogenic scale. This might be fine if you happen to have dry skin, but for the acne-prone, too much seaweed will likely irritate your pores. (And no one wants to end up with MORE pimples after trying out a face mask!)
Instead of taking the risk of breaking out, it's better to avoid algae extracts altogether. This is trickier than it sounds, because there are many different species of algae, and they go by various names-for example, Carrageenan, laminaria digita, brown seaweed or plankton extract. Stay on the lookout!
Now that we know algae is best avoided, skip the seaweed scrub and try face mask products with ingredients that are effective in treating acne-prone skin.
This includes hydrocolloid, salicylic acid and beta-glucans. Hydrocolloid adheres to your skin to provide a moist, healing environment (working especially well for active breakouts), while salicylic acid works to dissolve dirt that causes breakouts. Lastly, beta-glucans help speed up the healing process and soothe skin by reducing inflammation.
Remember, everyone's skin is uniqe-so an informed trial-and-error process is a good way to determine what's right for you.
