Q&A with Pai Skincare

Last week LoveLula hosted a Facebook chat with the sensitive skin expert Sarah Brown, founder of Pai Skincare. It was a great Q&A, with lots of fab tips from Sarah to get your skin glowing! If you didn't get the chance to join us for the live chat, we picked a few of our favourite question and answers here for you:

Can skin really get lazy, i.e. get too used to products?

I think if you find a regime that works for you, it's best not to chop and change, because every time you do your skin has to adjust to new oil levels and can be thrown out of balance. That said, I think skin can get lazy of you apply too much product - so it's more amount controlling quantity.

Should you exfoliate if you have existing spots?

Kukui & Jojoba Bead Skin Brightening Exfoliator

It depends on the spot - if they're large or pustular then it's probably best not to. If they're minor spots then it should be fine, so long as you use a non-abrasive product (like our Kukui & Jojoba Bead Exfoliator!) and go gently with it.

I have 29 year old (+2 kids) skin...so a bit tired, a bit dehydrated, some minor wrinkles...but tons of little bumps (blocked pores!?) particularly on my cheeks and hairline, and I get a few spots now and then. I'm struggling to find a moisturiser and foaming cleanser (I need foam to feel clean!) that can deal with all this...any ideas??

It sounds like your skin could just be congested. A good organic facial or two might get it back on track if you can find some me-time (drop us an email if you want a list of salons offering Pai treatments). Occasional spots mean your skin is producing oil which is good and something you'll be thankful of when you hit your late 30s! I would suggest the Geranium & Thistle moisturiser for you - used in the morning only. In terms of cleansing, foaming face washes almost always contain a detergent base which is what creates skin imbalances. If you use a detergent-free cream cleanser alongside a muslin cloth and finish with a splash of cool water you can achieve a really clean feel. A 'squeaky' clean effect means you've stripped your skin of all its natural oil which is a big no-no!

What skincare regime would you recommend for combination dehydrated skin?

Geranium & Thistle Cream

For combination dehydrated skin I'd recommend a regime of our Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity Toner and Geranium & Thistle Cream. Hydration can only be achieved with a cream, as creams are the vehicle for driving water into the skin – which is why they’re so popular in the skincare industry. You need to use a moisturiser with a high water content, and avoid products that contain alcohol or detergents. Our Geranium & Thistle Cream also rebalances the skin's oil production, so is ideal for evening out combination skin. Although it sounds obvious, drinking plenty of water is also key, and taking a daily Omega 3, 6 & 9 supplement such as Hemp oil can also help condition the skin from within.

Will your rosehip oil help to calm the look of thread veins? I use your wonderful cleanser, eye cream and oilier skin moisturiser. I suddenly seem to be getting more thread veins and some pigmentation around my eyes and its very depressing!

Thread veins are often made worse by alcohol both ingested - (sorry!) and applied topically in cosmetics. Sun exposure is also a bad trigger so make sure you cover up in the midday sun. In terms of treating the thread veins you already have - rosemary is considered to be good for strengthening capillaries so our Rice Plant & Rosemary Toner might be a good bet. Our Rosehip oil does heal and regenerate the skin so will certainly help to soothe and calm thread veins and strengthen the skin to prevent the onset of more of them in the future.

What are the benefits of using the muslin cloth, is it better than using cotton wool or just a normal flannel? Also how often should I wash it, will it get a build up of dirt and bacteria?

Pai Skincare's Muslin Cloth

Our 100% organic Muslin Cloth makes for a more effective cleanse as it has a gentle exfoliating action. Regular flannels stay damp for a long time, allowing bacteria to breed. The open weave of the Muslin Cloth means they dry much quicker so are much more hygienic – I’d recommend washing 2-3 times a week on a cool wash. It’s always good to have a couple on the go! Quick Tip - It’s best not to use these cloths around the eyes but cotton wool for removing eye make-up.

Do you recommend using different creams for day and night? Or will a good moisturiser be good to use twice a day?

I don’t like to be prescriptive about this kind of thing, and think it’s best to get to know your skin and work out its unique needs. That being said, I don’t believe in using heavy moisturisers at night, as this is the time when your skin regenerates and finds its natural balance – too many products can interfere with this process. If you have dry skin then you may well need to moisturise at night, but oily or combination skin can benefit from being left to breathe. At Pai, we subscribe to the less is more philosophy – you want products that support your skin’s natural functions rather than overloading or supressing them.

Is there a difference between cream, foaming and gel cleansers, other than their texture? What would you say is the best type to use (if any)?

Yes! Most foaming cleansers aren’t great for sensitive skin as they contain detergents (normally Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), which strip the skin of everything, including its natural protective oils. Whether a cream or gel cleanser is best is difficult to say – it depends on what your skin likes, and should be judged on a case by case basis depending on their ingredients. Our Camellia & Rose Gentle Cream Cleanser gently lifts away dirt and surface impurities, so leaves skin clean, hydrated and well-conditioned rather than tight and exposed.

I have been looking for a skincare system that will help with existing marks from where a breakout has been that would help those marks fade and eventually disappear, and also take down redness on the chin and irritation around the jawline? If so, which products would be best to use? I also get bad flare ups around the jawline, (rest of my face is clear) when it’s the time of the month, can your products help with this too?

Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil

Don’t worry these marks will eventually fade. I used to have the same concerns after I battled acne in my mid-20s. I’d recommend our Rosehip BioRegenerate oil applied at night – if you have blemish-prone skin apply with a cotton bud direct to the affected areas rather than all over the face. Its healing and regenerative properties improve the appearance of scars and blemishes. For the irritation I’d recommend our Chamomile & Rosehip Sensitive Skin Cream, as its anti-inflammatory properties calm the skin beautifully and reduce redness. As a general rule jawline spots and inflammation is linked to hormones so do consider your diet (reduce sugar intake, increase essential fatty acid intake) – a visit to a nutritional therapist might be a good investment in your long-term skin health.

How many times a week should I use your rosehip oil and also morning or evening, having a combination skin?

We recommend using our Rosehip BioRegenerate oil 2-3 times a week to keep your skin at its best. If you have combination skin then you only need to apply 2-3 drops to damp skin at night. Hope of help!

I would love to know how to treat blackheads and also if you could help me to answer if it is possible to have acne prone skin with sensitivity. I have mostly combination skin but for instance around my nose close to my lips my skin is very red, sore and dry.

seI have classic combination skin that's sensitive all over so it's certainly possible! First of all I'd make sure you're avoiding key ingredients that may be irritating your skin - including alcohol, phenoxyethanol, and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). I'd also recommend taking a look at the Pai products in blue boxes (Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Toner and Geranium & Thistle Combination Cream) - as these are specifically for combination/sensitive skin. When in comes to treating blackheads, good cleansing and effective exfoliation are key. Exfoliation will remove surface impurities, helping to clear existing blackheads and preventing new ones forming. If you have sensitive skin make sure you use an exfoliator with round beads that don't scratch the skin's surface - I think Love Lula are giving away samples of a good one ;-). Also, cutting down on refined sugar in your diet may help