What The Hell Is This $28 Pore Putty And Here’s Why Beauty Editors Are Loving It

_{PureWow investigates this buzzy beauty product.}

You know us: We don’t gush over specific beauty products all that often. (Really only when it’s a magical zit-eraser or a legendary hair spray that cuts drying time in half.) So when we heard the phrase “pore putty” thrown around, we had to investigate.

What it is: A quick-drying serum you apply after your moisturizer and before your makeup.

What it is not: Actual putty. (Confession: We weirdly hoped it’d be straight-up spackle.)

How it works: There are a few on the market, but the kind we tried, from Peter Thomas Roth ($28.89), acts like a makeup primer of sorts. Rather than filling in pores (like the word “putty” suggests), it works by absorbing oil. That way the surface of your nose (for example) is less shiny, more matte and doesn’t have obvious little divots everywhere.

How we feel: About ten years younger.

Read More From PureWow:

• 11 Things That Are Clogging Your Pores
• There’s a Better Way to Wash Your Face
• 7 Beauty Myths to Stop Believing
• Makeup Tricks For People Who Love To Work Out

The post What The Hell Is This $28 Pore Putty And Here’s Why Beauty Editors Are Loving It appeared first on SELF.

9 Things You Need To Know About Peels Before You Do One

Don’t let the term “peel” scare you. These chemical exfoliants gently resurface your skin to treat acne, fine lines, uneven pigmentation and more. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Know the main issue you want to treat.

Peels can treat a wide range of skin issues—brown spots, acne, rough texture, fine lines, clogged pores—but focusing on one specific problem can help narrow down the right peel for you, says Kate Holcomb, MD, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

Renee Rouleau, a celebrity aesthetician based in Dallas, Texas, breaks down peels into two categories: preventative and reparative. “For the most part reparative treats discoloration, acne or clogged pres,” she explains, “while preventative peels focus on jumpstarting cell turnover and rejuvenation.” Either way, your skin looks fresher, smoother and brighter after a treatment.

Plus, peels can actually help treat dry skin. When dry skin builds up on the surface, the dead cells create a barrier that prevents moisturizers from penetrating. A peel helps remove those dead surface cells, Rouleau explains, so hydrating ingredients can do their work.

“Peels can also be customized and layered to deliver the best results for your skin type,” says Dendy Engleman a NYC dermatologist and director of dermatologic surgery at New York Medical College. So peels are not one-size-treats-all.

2. A combination of acids is the most effective.

Several different acids can be used in a peel, but the work in different ways and may be more effective when combined. Peels most often contain one or more of the following: salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, Dr.  Engleman explains. She’s a fan of the new SkinCeuticals Advanced Corrective Peel because it contains a potent antioxidant that helps the acids penetrate better and work more effectively.

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