Interface News Reporter | Chen Yang
Interface News Editor | Xie Xin
Is it "powder for skin" or IQ tax?
Recently, head beauty blogger Luo Wangyu and Mao Yueping, deputy director of the dermatology department of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, have had several rounds of controversy over the product "good night powder". On June 15, Interface News sent interview questions to Luo Wangyu and Mao Yueping's accounts on related issues through the Xiaohongshu platform, but as of press time, no reply has been received.
As you can tell from the name, goodnight powder is a powder product and is used during nighttime sleep. The principle is to adsorb the oil secreted by the skin with powder particles to achieve the purpose of oil control.
But it is conceivable that in addition to controlling oil and making the face more refreshing, another focus of consumers' attention is, will this clog pores?
At the end of May, Luo Wangyu, a beauty blogger who had several times posted a video on social platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin to respond to the problem. In the video, Luo likens the size of powder particles and facial pores to a person standing on a football field. He said that what really blocks the pores is the oil secreted, which in turn causes a series of skin problems. The size of the powder particles and the pores is too different, not only will not block the pores, but also absorb oil and prevent blockage.
It can be seen from the previous video that this "good night powder" product of Luo Wang Yu Amway is from the old domestic brand Materia Medica. The official flagship store of Materia Medica, which also introduces the product in the product details, uses nano-scale patented powder mist with 88% natural origin ingredients. After the real test inside the herb, the product only adsorbs muscle surface oil, and the pores are not stuffy and not clogged.
In the developer Q&A, Materia Medica, it is better to explain that good night powder does not clog pores. The powder is mainly composed of porous silica and lamellar mica, forming a loose micro-pore structure, which is light and breathable, and evenly adheres to the surface of the skin, so that pores can breathe all night.
However, several dermatologists disagree with the above statement. On June 8, Mao Yueping released a short video, calling goodnight powder an "IQ tax". On the question of whether it will clog pores, Mao Yueping directly denied the size analogy of "a person and a football field". She said that no matter how large or small the powder particles are, during the oil absorption process, the particles will form lumps after adsorbing the oil, just like adding water to the flour will form dough, so it will clog pores.
In addition, Mao Yueping also refutes the former's statement that "powder can absorb oil and prevent clogging pores". She said that after the powder adsorbs the oil into a mixture, it is still fixed on the face, unless it is discharged by hand, but this is obviously inconsistent with the night sleep scene, so it will only lead to unsmooth oil secretion, but collect in the pores, forming closed acne.
In fact, similar to "good night powder", powdery products such as loose powder and honey powder used during the day can also absorb oil. But obviously, compared with the "adding" level of loose powder that everyone has, the "good night powder" manufacturer wants to create a new scene for night use. Compared with loose powder, which is only used for setting makeup, turning good night powder into a "powder-to-skin" skin care product expands the number of people who use the product and increases the frequency of use.
Bencao Xiangyi also emphasized in the aforementioned text that "only focusing on daytime oil control is far from enough, strengthening night oil control is the key" and "specially born for oil skin, directional oil absorption at night", and said in the aforementioned Q&A that it is recommended that oil skin use good night powder as much as possible. At night, oil production is vigorous and the skin is rough. Good night powder can help control oil throughout the night.
However, the skin has its own "job" at night. Mao Yueping said in two videos that the skin itself needs to rest, metabolize, drain oil and sweat at night. The porous channels of the skin will not be blocked under the condition of normal oil secretion, and at most the face will feel greasy to the touch. Covering the skin with powder will definitely hinder the metabolic function of the skin. Even powders that claim to contain nutrients will not be absorbed and utilized by the skin, but will bring a burden.
Wang Qun, chief physician of the Department of Dermatology and professor of dermatology at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, also disapproves of using goodnight powder at night. He said in the video that goodnight powder may block pores, and the finer the particles immediately, the greater the probability of blockage. At the same time, the powder will affect the discharge of oil, and the powder can only absorb oil, can not control oil from the source, and it is impossible to treat acne.
The dispute ended on June 12. Luo Wangyu released a video reflecting on good night powder. It acknowledges that there is no direct academic basis for whether powders clog pores. In addition, Luo Wangyu said that he will conduct direct clinical trials on whether good night powder will clog pores and cause a series of skin problems. At present, he has drawn up a preliminary version of the test protocol, including how many subjects there are, how long the test will take, and how much to use in the specified scenario. The final plan will be submitted to three hospitals, namely Shanghai Dermatology Hospital, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, and Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. The latter two are the hospitals where Mao Yueping and Wang Qun respectively.
In addition, Luo Wang Yu also emphasized that goodnight powder is not suitable for all people. In the video, he positions the product as "an emergency product specifically designed for large oil fields" and says he never recommends it for people with dry skin, neutral skin, or normal oil production. If there is a lot of local oil, it is also recommended to use it locally.
However, it is worth noting that the explanation of the effect of the good night powder by the two doctors mentioned above does not specifically distinguish the skin state of the user. Dr. Zhong Hua of Zhuozheng Medical Dermatology also told Interface News that even if it is oily skin, the oil output is relatively large, and there are products or ingredients that really control oil, such as acidic ingredients such as salicylic acid, niacinamide, etc. The former can control the amount of oil from the source, while powder products only rely on particles to absorb grease to achieve a "matte" effect on the look.
As for the aforementioned clinical trials, Zhong Hua said that although there will not be as high requirements for cosmetics as drugs, for the purpose of "drawing conclusions about whether pores are clogged", it is necessary to pay attention to excluding other interfering factors, such as the subject's genetic background, eating habits, light effects, etc., and conduct a half-face test, otherwise only a conclusion with a very low level of evidence can be drawn.
But from the principle of good night powder, she holds the same views and reasons as the aforementioned doctors, believing that the "mixture that stays on the face" does not help control oil and nourish the skin, but is not conducive to skin health.
Zhong Hua reminded that a large amount of oil will indeed make the complexion look dull. However, even if the amount of secretion is large, the pore opening is smooth, and there is no effect on the health of the skin. During the day, for social needs, you can use oil-absorbing and setting products such as loose powder, but it is not recommended to use it for too long, and you can wash it thoroughly as soon as possible after returning home. An extreme example is that people who wear oil makeup and heavy makeup for a long time are prone to cause a special type of acne, that is, "acne caused by cosmetics".
In addition to using the aforementioned acids and other ingredients to control oil from the source, we should also pay attention to controlling diet and rest and avoiding staying up late. Because the oil secretion at night should be lower than during the day, if it is time to rest, it is still in a more excited or working state, it will also increase the amount of secretion and affect the skin.