Evaluating Ingredient Safety & Other Evergreen Skincare Advice

sent with love from my vacation

Hello hello!

I’m currently in Florida celebrating my godson’s 7th birthday & wearing so much sunscreen. 

I may be OOO but I know you need your Hotline Skin fix, so today I’m featuring 2 questions that I published last year in a paid-only post.* They’re both questions I receive variations of all the time so I’ve decided they deserve a wider audience.

The first question is very appropriate for my current so-much-sunscreen situation, though applicable to everyone year round.

The second question explores pregnancy skincare from a somewhat different angle. Not necessarily what to use, but more so why it’s so hard to figure out what to use in the first place. When I first published this, I had help from one of my very best friends who happens to be a doctor and was pregnant at the time. She’s now given birth to a beautiful baby girl and was kind enough to revisit and expand on her original answer being in the postpartum period. While pregnancy skincare might not be applicable to you, I think everyone can benefit from insight into ingredient testing and safety profiles.

I quickly want to thank you so much for your feedback on last week’s newsletter. I’m so glad you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 

The One Where I Get Really Mad at a New York Times Article

*On the topic of paid subscribers…I’m moving next month and doing a huuuuuuuge clean-out. Each month, paid subscribers are entered in a raffle to win a box of products. This month, there will be 10 winners. Yes, TEN. Winners will be emailed 3/1.

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Do I really need a separate sunscreen for my face and body? What about my lips and eyes?! I saw a brand that sells SPF eyeshadow…I wasn’t worried about eyeshadow before but…

All sunscreen, from lotions to eyeshadow, goes through the same testing and is held to the same standards for performance. Do you necessarily need 4 separate products? No. All sunscreen can act as sunscreen. But certain formulas are optimized for use in different areas, which can be helpful if the ultimate goal is to encourage sunscreen use (which it is!) 

The main difference between face and body sunscreen is that face products tend to be more cosmetically elegant. That is, they’re more pleasant to use, perhaps absorb better, are more compatible with skincare products or maybe double as makeup primer. They often have added ingredients to address concerns like acne and aging. Body sunscreen is often thicker and more hydrating, resembling a body moisturizer. They also tend to come in larger sizes since you need to use more. Products formulated for the body may not feel or perform as well on the face – for example, they may be more prone to migration which can get sunscreen in your eyes. But functionally, they are the same. 

When it comes to specialty products like lips and eyes, it’s a bit different. Sure, you technically can put your regular sunscreen on your lips, but it will probably taste bad, leave a weird film or cast, interfere with other lip products and more easily come off. Because our lips don’t produce their own oil, lip products with spf come in balm or lipstick formulas that hydrate and soften. They also can be found in tinted or scented formulas, again making them more appealing to use. Ever got a lip sunburn? It’s not fun! For full protection try 4 swipes back and forth. I like this balm, this lipstick and this gloss.

Whereas lip products with SPF I categorize more as sunscreen not makeup, I consider SPF eyeshadow the same way as other makeup with sunscreen–great for bonus protection, but shouldn’t be your first line of defense. In order to get the protection promised on the product, you need to use the proper amount (approx ¼ tsp for your face). No one is using ¼ teaspoon of their foundation with SPF, trust me. While I don’t know exactly how much product you’d need to use on your eyelid for full protection, I highly doubt you’ll be applying enough eyeshadow. And even so, is that eyeshadow going all the way up to your brow bone and under your eye? I suggest just applying your regular sunscreen around the eyes and then using whatever eyeshadow you want on top! If it has SPF, great! If not, no problem.

By the way, if you struggle with sunscreen getting in your eyes, try a stick! Use 4 swipes for full protection, or just one swipe as a sort of grippy primer for your sunscreen on top. My favorite stick is Shiseido, but I also love Isntree and AHC, which are both angled to make it extra easy to get in the eye area. 

Why is pregnancy skincare so complicated? By that I mean, why is there no clear answer as to what you can and can’t use? I’m not even asking your opinion necessarily (though please share!), but more so trying to understand why it is so hard to find an answer in the first place.

Excellent question. It is so complicated because of science! Science advances, research evolves, but one thing remains the same: pregnant people. Ingredients need to go through requisite testing to be deemed safe. Because it would not be ethical to conduct experiments on pregnant people, nor are pregnant people offering up their bodies to be slathered in questionable creams, it is impossible to confirm the safety of these ingredients through the traditional methods. This does not, however, mean that ingredients are not safe. It’s just tricky to set formal guidelines. 

In recent years we’ve learned so much about how topical skincare gets absorbed (most doesn’t). We have more advanced imaging and tests, as well as decades of reports from doctors and pregnant people about outcomes and risks. Before we had all of this information, the medical community took a very conservative approach, such as discontinuing all acids, simply because they couldn’t say for sure, for sure, it was safe. Nowadays, we know much more, so we can adapt our approach.

The only two real “nos” during pregnancy are retinoids and hydroquinone, but even those lines are shifting. Australia now permits retinoids while breastfeeding (they’re super ahead of the curve in most skin-related areas) and I even know people who used low concentration non-prescription retinoids throughout their entire pregnancy. Outside of those ingredients, it really comes down to your personal comfort level and the advice of your obstetrician. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t give you medical advice, but I will say I have many friends and clients who continue to use things like AHAs and BHAs, which are the most common ingredients people worry about. On the topic of worrying, something I do always advise is this: you have plenty of things to worry about while you’re pregnant, you don’t need to be worrying about your skincare. If you’re using something that makes you hesitant, just don’t use it! There’s no need to add in additional sources of stress. Use what makes you feel good. It’s also important to remember that your skin changes a lot during pregnancy, so maybe you won’t need to use all those acids anyway!

Shared with permission from her mother. I actually taught her the art of selfies.

I ran this answer by a doctor friend of mine, who also happens to have recently been pregnant and she shared some helpful insight. The below is all in her own words:

A lot of what this comes down to is that medicine is extremely subspecialized, and most specialities aren’t regularly working with pregnant people or familiar with the research on product safety in pregnancy–so, they’re not going to be comfortable giving definitive recommendations. For even the most common of medications, my other doctors would often ask me to corroborate with my obstetrician that they were okay to take. And these are smart people! So, the best person to ask is your OB/GYN (or family medicine doctor or midwife–whoever you’re following for your pregnancy!) because they have the most comfort and experience with medication safety profiles in pregnancy.

Second, the type of trials that provide the most accurate data about med safety are “randomized controlled trials” where someone would have to be okay being in the experimental group, for instance using a retinoid for a period of time to compare pregnancy outcomes of people who did not use retinoids. Obviously this isn’t possible or ethical, so the FDA has five categories for grading the pregnancy-safety of a medication: A, B, C, D and X, with A being the most safe. The safety gradings may be based on lab studies, animal studies, and/or what we know about the impact of certain substances on fetal development if it WERE to cross the placenta. Notice how the language differs a bit in the two examples below. (Jolie here: azelaic acid is one of the most commonly used and recommended ingredients during pregnancy, especially for acne. Here’s a popular option to try.)

(Of note, I continued using Zoloft during my pregnancy–which my obstetrician had absolutely no concerns about–and my baby is fine).

What I will say is that nothing I did or didn’t do during pregnancy was completely rational. I didn’t eat cold cuts, but I did eat medium rare steak without issue, for example. Pregnancy is an exercise in uncertainty in so many ways, with a tendency toward delicacy and ripeness for misinformation. What ultimately helped me the most was doing my best to be an informed consumer, asking a lot of questions of my healthcare providers, and reminding myself that I was doing my best with the information I had. 

I recommend the Ovia pregnancy app, which has a medication (including topicals) safety list with the evidence grade. Expecting Better by Emily Oster is a quick read about informed decision making in pregnancy. She doesn’t address skincare specifically, but she breaks down how to interpret the evidence behind recommendations on things like alcohol/cold cuts/sushi/medications, which may make you feel more comfortable evaluating what is and isn’t safe for you to use. As a scientist, I appreciated her approach and found her data analytic background so helpful. I also recommend getting a facial with a trusted esthetician who is comfortable and familiar working with pregnant clients – really helped my pregnancy (and postpartum… don’t even get me started) skin issues. I know a pretty good one in NYC ;) 

Jolie again! Some of the products I’ve recommended for her postpartum concerns are:

Sachi Skin Triphala Pigmentation Corrector: for evening skin tone, reducing hyperpigmentation and even helping melasma. Yes, really!

Bioeffect EGF Serum or Power Serum: if you’re still not using retinoids (or even if you have started up again), growth factors are the next best thing for fine lines, wrinkles and general anti-aging concerns. The Power Serum has an extra growth factor to help hyperpigmentation.

Naturium Retinaldehyde .05%: a retinal for when you’re ready (slightly stronger than retinol) to get you back on the retinoid horse! It’s encapsulated to minimize irritation but if you have very sensitive skin or just want to go extra slow, start with this.

Maya Chia Power Fol Advanced Multi Correctional Scalp & Hair Serum or the new Nécessaire Scalp Serum for hair loss and scalp health.

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Three Other Things

1. I ordered mouth tape and my expectations are way too high, but I am ready for it to change my life. I am sort of nervous about it irritating my skin, but I wasn’t ready to pay double the price for these ones…yet. Have you tried? Tell me how much better your life is!

2. The Every Body Campaign is back and better than ever. It’s the largest beauty-industry backed reproductive justice initiative in history and I’m in awe of the brands and people involved.

3. My Florida hair MVPs: Crown Affair’s Dry Shampoo is undoubtedly the best dry shampoo I’ve ever tried, plus it’s a powder. It absorbs oil and adds volume like you’ve never seen before, but actually you won’t see it because it leaves no trace. The only con, which every fan will tell you, is the packaging could use an upgrade. Don’t peel off the plastic film covering the powder. Instead, poke a few holes in it to gently shake out. Verb’s Ghost Oil is once again shocking residents of the Sunshine State. Last time I was here I converted a room full of frizzy haired family members who ordered on the spot. It feels like it would be heavy, but true to the name it has a ghostly presence that smooths and shines without adding weight.

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Office Hours Reminder

Join us for Office Hours on Sunday! This exclusive weekly opportunity is available to paying subscribers.

Every Sunday at 5pm EST, I’ll begin a new thread for the week in Substack Chat, where you can ask me anything. Every Monday from 5-6pm EST, I’ll be in that chat live, answering questions for the hour. That way, if you can’t make it, you can submit any time after 5pm Sunday and still get an answer. If you can make it live, join in! You can ask questions in real time and (hopefully) interact with others in class ;)

Discount Codes

• Crown Affair: JOLIE15 for 15% off

• Naturium: JOLDEF15 for 15% off

• Nécessaire: JOLIE10 for 10% off

• Ställe Studios: HOTLINESKIN for 15% off

you can find all of my discount codes here

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Have a great week!

xx,

Jolie