Skin Talk with Steph: Ingredient Spotlight Niacinamide, Peptides & Tranexamic Acid

Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how to build healthy, radiant skin from the inside out.
We’ve learned:

• Week 1: The importance of consistency and understanding your skin type — because skincare should work for you, not against you.

• Week 2: How simplifying your routine leads to better results when you choose products and treatments that align with your unique skin goals.

• Week 3: That real change happens over time when you combine the right homecare with professional treatments — creating harmony between both.

Now, in our final week of this series, we’re diving deeper into the ingredients themselves — the powerhouses behind every formula that transforms, balances, and renews your skin.

Let’s take a closer look at three of today’s most trusted actives that continue to deliver incredible results here at S-TEEM SKIN:
Niacinamide, Peptides, and Tranexamic Acid.

Why Ingredients Matter

When it comes to achieving real, visible results, your skincare ingredients are everything.
Behind every radiant complexion is a formula crafted with purpose — and understanding what’s inside your products is how you start making smarter choices for your skin.

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on three powerhouse ingredients that continue to transform complexions at S-TEEM SKIN:
Niacinamide, Peptides, and Tranexamic Acid.

Each of these ingredients has a specific role — think of them as the “skin health trifecta” that helps restore balance, firmness, and brightness from the inside out.

1. Niacinamide — The Multitasker

Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacinamide is one of the most versatile ingredients in modern skincare. It’s beloved for its ability to bring harmony to the skin — balancing oil, soothing sensitivity, and strengthening the skin barrier all at once.

Benefits:

• Balances oil production without drying the skin

• Reduces redness and inflammation (perfect for acne or rosacea-prone skin)

• Minimizes pore appearance for a smoother texture

• Strengthens the skin barrier, improving hydration retention

• Brightens dull, uneven skin tone over time

Pro Tip from Steph:

If you’re new to active ingredients, start with Niacinamide. It pairs beautifully with almost every ingredient — Vitamin C, Retinol, and even exfoliating acids — and helps calm potential irritation.

Best For: All skin types, especially those dealing with sensitivity, redness, or breakouts.

2. Peptides — The Firming Builders

Think of peptides as your skin’s personal trainers. They’re short chains of amino acids that act as building blocks for essential proteins like collagen and elastin, which keep your skin firm, smooth, and youthful.

Benefits:

• Stimulates collagen production for improved firmness and elasticity

• Smooths fine lines and wrinkles

• Supports skin repair and recovery (especially post-treatment)

• Enhances hydration and plumpness

Pro Tip from Steph:

Peptides are perfect for anyone focusing on anti-aging or prevention.
Use them consistently, ideally both morning and night, and layer them under your moisturizer or SPF. Peptides are gentle, making them safe for long-term daily use — and they work synergistically with treatments like Procell Microchanneling or HydraFacial boosters for amplified results.

Best For: Mature, dehydrated, or dull skin needing a firming boost.

3. Tranexamic Acid — The Brightening Powerhouse

While it might sound intimidating, Tranexamic Acid is a dermatologist-loved ingredient that targets stubborn discoloration and uneven tone without harsh side effects.
Unlike exfoliating acids, it works on the skin’s pigment pathway to reduce dark spots, melasma, and post-acne marks gently and effectively.

Benefits:

• Fades hyperpigmentation and dark spots

• Evens skin tone and brightness

• Soothes inflammation from sun exposure or acne

• Improves radiance and clarity over time

Pro Tip from Steph:

Consistency is key with Tranexamic Acid.
Use it regularly — especially alongside Vitamin C in the morning and Niacinamide at night — to boost brightness and prevent new discoloration from forming.

Best For: Uneven tone, post-inflammatory marks, or sun damage.

How They Work Together

When combined, these ingredients create a comprehensive, skin-healthy approach:

• Niacinamide calms and strengthens your barrier

• Peptides rebuild and firm

• Tranexamic Acid brightens and evens

Together, they address multiple skin goals — from texture and tone to firmness and luminosity — without overwhelming your skin barrier. That’s the S-TEEM SKIN philosophy: clinical expertise with skin-nourishing balance.

Steph’s Professional Insight

“Great skin isn’t magic — it’s chemistry done right.
When you understand what’s in your products, you start using them with purpose instead of guesswork.
Niacinamide, peptides, and tranexamic acid are three ingredients I rely on daily — in treatments and homecare — because they speak your skin’s language: balance, repair, and radiance.”

Each ingredient works quietly behind the scenes to create lasting change.
When combined with consistent facials and a customized home regimen, you’re not just caring for your skin — you’re training it to thrive.

Skin Talk with Steph: Fungal Acne vs Breakouts

Welcome to Week 3 of Skin Talk with Steph

So far, we’ve learned how to identify your skin type and how to build a balanced daily rhythm. This week, we’re tackling one of the most misunderstood topics in skincare — fungal acne.

I often meet clients who have been treating stubborn breakouts for months or even years, only to realize they weren’t dealing with acne at all. What many refer to as “tiny bumps that won’t go away” is often something entirely different: fungal folliculitis, sometimes called fungal acne.

Understanding the difference is the key to finally getting results — and avoiding the frustration of using products that make things worse.

Week 3: Fungal Acne vs Breakouts — Why the Difference Matters

Fungal Acne vs. Traditional Acne

Traditional acne is caused by bacteria, excess oil, and clogged pores. It appears as inflamed pimples of various sizes — sometimes painful, sometimes cystic — and it often responds well to ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and retinoids.

Fungal acne, however, is caused by an overgrowth of yeast within the hair follicles. These tiny organisms naturally live on the skin, but under certain conditions — like humidity, sweat, friction, or heavy skincare products — they can multiply and trigger uniform, itchy bumps that mimic acne.

How to tell the difference:

• Fungal acne often appears as small, similar-sized bumps.

• It tends to show up on the forehead, chest, shoulders, and back.

• It may feel itchy or worsen after sweating.

• Traditional acne tends to vary in size and may respond to spot treatments.

Why This Matters

Treating fungal acne like bacterial acne can actually make it worse. Overusing acids, scrubs, or drying products strips the barrier and creates the perfect environment for yeast to grow.

When the goal is balance, not battle, your skin can finally calm down and recover.

How to Restore Balance

1. Simplify your routine. Over-cleansing and layering actives can inflame the skin.

2. Switch to non-comedogenic products. Avoid heavy oils like coconut or shea on breakout-prone areas.

3. Cleanse after sweating. Yeast thrives in warmth and moisture.

4. Incorporate gentle exfoliation. Mild acids can help keep pores clear without stripping.

5. Seek professional evaluation. Sometimes a targeted antifungal treatment is needed for full resolution.

Steph’s Professional Insight

Many clients assume their skin is “problematic,” when in reality, it’s reactive. When you identify what your skin is truly experiencing, you stop fighting symptoms and start addressing causes.

A calm, balanced barrier is the foundation of clear skin — and often, less is more.

Skin Talk with Steph: Routine = Results

Welcome to Week 2 of Skin Talk with Steph.

Last week, we talked about knowing your skin type — the foundation of any effective skincare plan. This week, we’re moving into the next critical step: building your daily rhythm.

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is the belief that skincare routines should look the same morning and night. The truth is, your skin has different needs throughout the day, and understanding those cycles can dramatically improve your results.

Skincare is about alignment — protecting when your skin is on defense, and restoring when it’s in repair.

Week 2: Why Your Morning and Night Routines Should Be Different

Week 2: Why Your Morning and Night Routines Should Be Different

Your Skin’s Daily Rhythm

Your skin is a living, responsive organ that follows a 24-hour rhythm.

• During the day, it’s in protection mode, shielding itself from UV rays, pollutants, and environmental stress.

• At night, it shifts into recovery mode, repairing damage, restoring balance, and strengthening your barrier.

When your routine matches these natural cycles, your products work with your skin, not against it.

Morning Routine: Protect and Prevent

Your morning routine should focus on defense and prevention — preparing your skin to face the day ahead.

Recommended Morning Routine:

1. Cleanse – Use a gentle cleanser to remove sweat and oil from overnight without stripping.

2. Antioxidant Serum (Vitamin C) – Shields against free radicals and helps brighten dullness.

3. Moisturizer – Lightweight hydration to keep the barrier supple.

4. SPF 30+ – Non-negotiable. Daily sunscreen prevents premature aging, pigmentation, and barrier damage.

Steph’s Insight:
Think of your morning products as your skin’s armor. Keep it simple, protective, and consistent. Your goal isn’t to correct — it’s to preserve.

Night Routine: Repair and Restore

At night, your body and skin shift focus from protection to repair. Your products can work deeper and more effectively while you rest.

Recommended Night Routine:

1. Double Cleanse – First, remove makeup or sunscreen; second, cleanse to clear buildup.

2. Treatment Step – This is when to use retinol, peptides, or gentle exfoliating acids.

3. Moisturizer or Barrier Cream – Lock in moisture with ingredients like ceramides, squalane, or shea butter.

Steph’s Insight:
Nighttime is when your skin heals from the day’s stress. Overloading with too many actives can interrupt that process. Start slow, alternate treatments, and let your barrier recover.

Consistency Over Complexity

The secret to great skin isn’t how many steps you have — it’s how consistently you follow the right ones. You can have two routines that look simple on paper but work powerfully because they align with your skin’s natural rhythm.

When your morning and evening routines are balanced, your barrier stays strong, your texture evens out, and your skin naturally glows.

In Summary

• Morning is about protection.

• Night is about repair.

• Simplicity and consistency always win over excess and experimentation.

Steph’s Final Note

You don’t need to overhaul your routine to see results — you just need to listen to your skin and adjust your care with intention.
Start by separating your morning and night products, then pay attention to how your skin responds over a few weeks. Balance creates beauty, not complication.

Skin Talk with Steph

Welcome to Skin Talk with Steph — beginning with a four-week educational skincare series designed to simplify the science of healthy skin and empower you with real, professional knowledge.

My name is Stephanie, a licensed aesthetician, educator, and founder of S-TEEM SKIN. I believe that healthy, radiant skin begins with understanding and consistency, not complexity. Skincare should never feel overwhelming or unattainable—it should feel empowering, approachable, and grounded in knowledge.

Through years of working with many skin types, I’ve learned that the most powerful results come from simplicity: knowing your skin, respecting its rhythm, and making informed choices every day. Skin Talk with Steph was created to help you do exactly that—learn the “why” behind your skin’s behavior, discover what truly works, and build confidence in your own skincare journey.

Over the next four weeks, I’ll guide you through the essential foundations of real skin health—how to identify your skin type, create purposeful routines, understand common skin concerns, and choose ingredients that deliver results. Each week will give you education, clarity, and practical steps you can immediately apply at home or in the treatment room.

Week 1: Know Your Skin Type Before Anything Else

Week 1: Know Your Skin Type Before Anything Else

Every great skincare journey begins with awareness. Before serums, exfoliants, or treatments come into play, the first and most important step is understanding your skin type. Without this foundation, even the best products can lead to inconsistent results—or worse, barrier damage and chronic irritation.

Most people describe their skin based on how it looks — “dry,” “oily,” “sensitive,” or “combination.” But true skin typing goes deeper than appearance. It’s about understanding your skin’s natural oil balance, hydration levels, and barrier health. Without that knowledge, even the best products can deliver disappointing results.

Why This Matters

Your skin type determines how your barrier functions and what it needs to stay balanced. Most clients I meet believe they know their skin, but they’re often treating symptoms, not causes. For example, a client may describe their skin as “oily,” but what they’re really experiencing is dehydration, skin that’s producing excess oil to make up for a lack of moisture. Another may believe their skin is “dry,” when it’s simply lacking consistent exfoliation or water-based hydration.

When you understand your true skin type, you stop fighting your skin and start working with it. The goal isn’t to strip, hide, or overcorrect, it’s to bring your skin into harmony.

The 3-Step At-Home Skin Type Test

You don’t need a lab or professional equipment to learn your skin type. Try this simple, esthetician-approved test.

1. Cleanse: Wash your face with a gentle, non-stripping cleanser, then pat dry.

2. Wait: Leave your skin bare for 20–30 minutes—no moisturizer, serum, or mist.

3. Blot: Press a clean tissue across your forehead, nose, and cheeks. Observe what you see and feel.

Results:

• Oily Skin: Tissue shows oil across most areas; skin may appear shiny or feel slick.

• Combination Skin: Oil appears on the T-zone only (forehead, nose, chin); cheeks feel normal or dry.

• Dry Skin: No oil on tissue; skin feels tight or flaky.

• Normal Skin: Balanced, smooth, and comfortable—neither tight nor greasy.

This test helps you identify your natural oil balance and how effectively your barrier retains hydration.

Dry vs. Dehydrated — A Common Misunderstanding

Many people confuse dry and dehydrated skin, yet the two are fundamentally different.

• Dry skin lacks oil. It benefits from nourishing creams or emollients that restore lipids and strengthen the barrier.

• Dehydrated skin lacks water. It can still appear oily but feels tight, tired, or uneven. It needs humectants (like hyaluronic acid) and a consistent moisturizer to lock in hydration.

If your skin feels both tight and shiny, chances are you’re dehydrated, not oily.

Steph’s Professional Insight

Your skin type isn’t fixed, it evolves. Seasonal changes, hormones, stress, and lifestyle all influence how your skin behaves. That’s why I recommend reassessing your skin every few months or any time you notice shifts in texture, oil production, or sensitivity.

The goal is to understand your skin, not control it. When you listen to its needs, you can create balance, maintain resilience, and reveal your natural glow.