For a long time now, Natalie Kingsley- Fieldgrass, has been searching for a brand to introduce to the Embassy of Beauty that caters to a range of our customers who are reluctant to use acids or even try them. After meeting with Sapelo Skin Care Founder, Stephanie Duttenhaver and Dr John Duttenhaver, Stephanie's lovely husband and a Radiation Oncologist (no less), who eloquently answered the question Natalie has been pondering for a while ‘whether burning our skins with acids on a daily basis really is the best way to go for our skin?’, she knew that is was time to have an open discussion about acids.

The enlightening conversation confirmed to Natalie that she found the ultimate brand that would represent our customer base who are looking for exactly these products. 

John explained, that though it’s common within the beauty industry today to use AHAs, retinoids, chemical peels, aesthetic resurfacing treatments and heat treatments, these treatments are devised to burn the skin in order for the body to create a new skin, hence the initial glow. The body does this by releasing a cascade of healing peptides that rush to aid the body by replacing the injured collagen, elastin, and skin cells.

Though this sounds like maybe it could help with anti-ageing, in the process it creates inflammation as it initiates the repair of damaged cells, which also creates low grade swelling, and thinner skin. Thus AGEING the skin.... Not such a pretty image, is it?

Acids have been a conversation in the skincare world for many years now and we get it, we love them too (when used correctly)! The thing with acids is that you’ve got to be careful and diagnose what your skin needs, or you could be damaging your skin barrier instead- and of course, nobody wants that. PHA’s, BHA’s, AHA’s, retinoids, they all sound so exciting and have the right to take up their space within the skincare world, but something we’ve noticed and have questioned for a while; how good are acids for the skin on a daily basis? What skin types are most likely to benefit from constant acid use? And which skin types are actually being harmed by the daily use of acids?

A myth that we are constantly busting when we talk to clients at EB is that every skin type needs to use acids to get the best results. When it comes to thicker, keratinised skin, acids are a good solution as they penetrate through the skin and loosen up the dead skin cells to exfoliate them away, revealing brighter skin.

However, with thinner skin types, acids are essentially removing skin cells that are not ready to be shed, hence leaving the skin sensitised and red. Ultimately, chemical acids work by dissolving the top layer of skin to reveal new skin cells underneath and not every skin type requires constant and habitual chemical shedding. This can have an opposite effect and is a very important portrayal of the fact that not all skin types benefit from daily use of acids. 

The controversial topic has come about a few times and there’s been more than one conversation with customers who have asked for alternatives.

“MY SKIN DOESN’T GET ALONG WITH ACIDS”

“THEY JUST DON’T GIVE ME THE SAME GLOW THEY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE”

“MY SKIN FEELS IRRITATED”

“I EXPECTED MY SKIN TO BECOME DRIER AND REDDER AT FIRST, BUT IT STILL ISN’T PRODUCING THE EFFECTS I EXPECTED”.

These are only a few things we hear and that’s why we wanted to provide you with a product range that gives you a healthy glow and targets your skin concerns without the daily use of acids (if that’s what your skin craves).

Not too long ago you could ask anyone what products they’re using in their skincare routine and nine out of 10 times their answer would be some kind of exfoliating acid. Whether you see yourself as a skincare aficionado, a novice, or somewhere in between, you’ve no doubt used some sort of acid or used products that have acid ingredients. It’s safe to say we hit peak acid during the first few months of the pandemic.

Being cooped up inside left us with dull skin and mask-wearing outside resulted in acne, or what is referred to as ‘maskne’. Speaking to clients during that time there was a lot of concern about skin issues becoming a problem because of a range of factors and acids were their go to ‘plaster’. 

The issue is that over-exfoliating is very common (more than we’d like to hear) and can exacerbate acne and other inflammatory skin conditions when used incorrectly, on the wrong skin type or at the wrong time! A very common sign you’re over-exfoliating using acids is dry skin that can have a red and irritated appearance, or continuous flaky skin.

The thing is that acids have a role when incorporated carefully into a skincare regime for the right person, promoting smoother, brighter skin and reinvigorated skin. But because the touted benefits are appealing, recent popularity has led to overzealous use, with some skins benefiting from it, but many being harmed unnecessarily.

Challenging the modern status quo, Sapelo Skin Care founders Stephanie Duttenhaver and Cindy Edwards started by asking themselves a simple question: “Can we mimic a healthy immune response without first injuring the skin?” 

Sapelo Skin Care was founded on that question and has since transformed the skincare industry as it replicates the body’s immune response to skin injury and delivers a cascade of bioactive peptides without the abrasive use of acids daily.

The Sapelo Skin Care difference starts by gently infusing the active ingredients into your skincare routine, simultaneously delivering an abundance of healing molecules to the skin. This process gently prompts cell renewal, bypassing injury and avoiding inflammation, and allows the body to work on healthy skin rejuvenation.

Sapelo Skin Care’s simple regimen initiates the renewal of all components of healthy, youthful skin, including collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. What more can we ask for?