Understanding Acne: Pt2

Misunderstood Cosmetic Ingredients

By Dr. oec. Liga Brunina | Biochemist, Clean Beauty Formulator, Founder of LABRAINS

Pharmacy ≠ Skincare

Many still confuse pharmaceutical safety with cosmetic suitability, assuming that if an ingredient is approved for drug delivery, it must be safe for daily skincare. This misconception often harms sensitive or acne-prone skin.

The issue lies not in actives but in solvents and enhancers like propylene glycol, ethanol, PEGs, and acrylates, used in pharmacy to increase skin penetration up to 14,000 times. In daily cosmetics, however, they disrupt the lipid barrier, widen microtears, and damage the microbiome.

For acne-prone skin, this is especially dangerous. These ingredients can trigger inflammation, weaken immunity, and foster biofilms, protective layers of C. acnes bacteria that shield themselves within a self-produced matrix. These biofilms protect pathogenic bacteria from the skin’s natural defenses, as well as from cosmetic actives or even medical treatments like benzoyl peroxide and antibiotics, making acne significantly harder to manage and more likely to become chronic. Over time, this leads to chronic acne, oil rebound, and even post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Even sunscreen can be problematic when formulated with heavy occlusives and microplastics. Instead of “more is better,” sun protection should be breathable, balanced, and barrier-friendly, helping avoid clogged pores while supporting the skin’s natural immune function.

Skincare should protect and strengthen, not overwhelm, the skin. Respecting the skin’s biology is key to truly solving acne and sensitivity.

Why Conventional Acne Treatments May Do More Harm Than Good

Many acne products promise “instant results” with benzoyl peroxide, high-dose acids, or alcohol-based toners. These can reduce surface symptoms fast, but at a price.

Studies show that aggressive ingredients can lead to:

Microbiome disruption
Skin barrier damage and scarring
Increased sensitivity
Long-term post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)

What’s worse? The skin often rebounds, producing even more oil or inflammation.

Occlusive silicones, comedogenic esters, and unbalanced emulsifiers can also trap sebum and bacteria. Even some “natural” ingredients, such as coconut oil, can be too comedogenic for acne-prone skin.

Please remember that skincare products containing PEGs, acrylates, or dimethicone often advertise ingredients like ceramides and nourishing oils. Although these additions may sound beneficial, not all combinations are skin-friendly, especially for acne-prone or sensitive skin.

The result? Instead of strengthening your skin, these formulations may contribute to barrier disruption, biofilm formation, clogged pores, inflammation, and worsening acne and skin sensitivity, particularly with long-term use.

Two dark green labrains skincare bottles held by a woman with a blurred background

Choose products that:

Use biomimetic ceramides in proper ratios or ceramide boosters,
Contain non-comedogenic, breathable oils, and
Avoid film-formers that act like microplastics on the skin.

LABRAINS avoids harsh synthetics and even natural but non-appropriate ingredients and uses biomimetic, microbiome-friendly ingredients to support real skin balance.

What Are Ceramide Boosters and Why They Matter for Acne-Prone Skin?

Ceramides are essential lipids (fats) naturally found in your skin. They act like the "mortar" between your skin cells, holding everything together to form a strong, healthy barrier. When your skin has enough ceramides, it stays hydrated, resilient, and less reactive. If you have acne-prone skin, your barrier is often damaged or imbalanced either from inflammation, harsh treatments, or genetic sensitivity. That’s where ceramide boosters come in.

woman holding labrains dermatreat cream next to her face

What Are Ceramide Boosters?

Ceramide boosters are ingredients that help your skin naturally produce more ceramides or improve how well existing ceramides function. These ingredients work from within, rather than just sitting on top of the skin.

Examples of Ceramide Boosters:

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Strengthens skin, reduces oil, and helps build ceramides. (Included in ABC de Intense creme)
Lactobacillus ferment: A postbiotic that supports both your microbiome and skin lipids. (Incorporated in almost all LABRAINS products)
Omega fatty acids (like from simmondsia chinensis, sacha inchi, vaccinium macrocarpon seed oil): Promote ceramide-building enzymes. (Incorporated in all LABRAINS moisturisers)
Palmitic acid, phytosphingosine, and cholesterol: Provide the building blocks for ceramides. (Try DermaTreat or YoungDali)

Two green skincare bottles by labrains next to a white gift bag on a wooden surface with a brown background.

Why They Matter in Acne-Prone Skin

Acne involves not just oil but inflammation and a damaged skin barrier. When the barrier is weak, irritants and bacteria penetrate more easily, triggering more breakouts and dehydration. Boosting ceramide synthesis helps calm inflammation, speeds healing, improves tolerance to actives like salicylic acid, and prevents long-term damage such as pigmentation and scarring.

By using skincare that boosts ceramide synthesis, you help your skin to:

Calm down inflammation
Heal faster after breakouts
Better tolerate active ingredients like salicylic acid or retinoids
Prevent long-term damage like post-acne pigmentation or scarring
To stay hydrated.

Good to Know

Using only ceramides isn’t enough. They need to be in balance with other skin lipids, including cholesterol and fatty acids, and should be combined with barrier-friendly actives to truly repair and protect the skin.

Biofilms, Ceramides, and Skin Barrier Repair in Acne Management

Acne is not just about surface oil and clogged pores. An imbalance in sebum composition, especially a drop in linoleic acid or a rise in squalene peroxides, triggers hyperkeratinization and oxidative stress, initiating acne, even when oil production isn’t high.

In many persistent cases, Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes) forms biofilms, structured bacterial colonies encased in a protective matrix. These biofilms make acne significantly harder to treat, contributing to chronic inflammation and reduced treatment effectiveness.

Why Biofilms Matter

Biofilms make C. acnes up to 1,000 times more resistant to conventional treatments such as benzoyl peroxide or topical antibiotics. Their extracellular matrix:

Shields bacteria from penetration of active ingredients
Suppresses metabolism, making bacteria harder to target
Alters local pH and oxygen balance to favor persistence

So even when aggressive treatments are used, acne lesions can persist or worsen due to this invisible shield.

The Role of pH, Peeling, and Lipid Balance

A mildly acidic pH (approximately 4.5 to 5.5) is essential for disrupting biofilms. LABRAINS Skin Perfecting Peeling Mask and Skin Perfecting Peeling Mask Intense are specially formulated to:

Destabilize biofilm structure, exposing bacteria to treatment
Stimulate cell turnover, helping the skin naturally shed biofilm-containing cells
Restore an optimal pH, supporting microbiome balance and healthy skin renewal

Unlike harsh acid peels, the LABRAINS formulas use carefully balanced acids and gentle exfoliating activity, making them suitable even for sensitive, acne-prone skin.

Why Ceramides and Skin Barrier Strengthening Are Critical

Biofilm-prone skin is also often affected by a weakened lipid barrier. This allows inflammation to persist and increases the skin’s sensitivity to active ingredients. Strengthening the barrier, particularly by replenishing ceramides, helps to:

Support the skin’s natural desquamation process, helping remove biofilm-containing cells
Reduce bacterial adhesion to healthy skin
Calm inflammation and improve tolerance to exfoliating and treatment products
Maintain optimal skin hydration

LABRAINS has observed that most acne skincare products are designed to deliver short-term results, often aiming to satisfy consumer expectations for instant effects rather than educate users or cultivate informed, mindful skincare choices.

Here’s what to watch out for in many acne skincare formulations:

Microplastic-like occlusives (e.g., PEGs, acrylates, dimethicone): While they may improve texture and spreadability, these ingredients form non-breathable films that can trap unbalanced lipids, disrupt the microbiome, and interfere with the skin’s natural repair processes.
Incomplete ceramide systems: Many products include only one or two ceramide types and lack ceramide boosters. In contrast, healthy skin requires a complex mix of ceramides to maintain a resilient barrier.
Imbalanced oils: When oils or free fatty acids are used in incorrect ratios, especially under occlusion, they can overwhelm the skin and contribute to clogged pores and inflammation.
Barrier-disrupting solvents and preservatives such as glycols and alcohols may compromise microbiome integrity and hydration, especially in sensitive or acne-prone skin.

In response, LABRAINS is actively expanding its skincare line. We are currently developing new moisturizers specifically for acne-prone skin, enriched with both ceramides and ceramide boosters. Our mission is to offer broader, smarter support for sensitive and acne-prone skin, helping more people restore balance, rebuild their skin barrier, and confidently prevent future breakouts.

Recommended LABRAINS Skincare Routine for Biofilm-Prone Acne:

labrains oil-to-milk cleanser on light grey background

1. Oil-to-Milk Cleanser

Gently lifts oxidized sebum and softens biofilm debris
Leaves protective lipids intact

labrains pore perfect cleanser on light grey background

2. Pore Perfect Cleanser (Natural Salicylates)

Supports mild exfoliation and helps break biofilm adhesion
Prepares pores for deeper cleansing and reduced congestion

labrains skin perfecting peeling mask on light grey background

3. Peeling Mask (1–2x per week)

Provides an acidic environment to destabilize biofilms
Speeds up turnover to detach biofilm-bound corneocytes

labrains micellar water & tonic on light grey background

4. Micellar Water & Tonic 2in1

Resets skin pH
Supports beneficial bacteria and enhances tolerance

labrains pore perfect serum on light grey background

5a. Pore Perfect Serum (For normal to oily skin)

Rich in biomimetic actives to stimulate ceramide production
Reduces inflammation and builds resilience

labrains rosa cease & pore perfect cream on light grey background

5b. Rosa Cease & Pore Perfect Cream (For dry or sensitized skin)

Provides ceramide support, balanced oils, and hydration
Safe for acne-prone yet dry or barrier-damaged skin

You may also choose YoungDali Cream

Conventional treatments may reduce symptoms, but often at the cost of microbiome damage, barrier disruption, and the development of treatment resistance. A biofilm-aware approach, combined with acidic pH support and lipid barrier restoration, offers a more sustainable, skin-friendly, and scientifically supported strategy.

LABRAINS offers a biomimetic, microbiome-respecting approach to long-term acne management, starting with the skin barrier and supporting the skin’s natural ability to defend itself.

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