Q&A With Amy

Written By Amy M. Koberling

If you follow me on Instagram, you would know that for the last year or so, I host a Q&A on IG stories every week. If you’re not already familiar, I answer as many questions as possible during my 10 minute LED mask treatment. It’s the perfect opportunity for me to hear from you guys in real time. While I am able to give a quick tip or product recommendation, I thought there is no better place to expand on some of those most common questions. 

So without further ado, let’s really get into some of your biggest questions! 

1. Why shouldn’t I use Vitamin C if I have active acne?

This is such a common question, and the answer is: it depends on the type of Vitamin C. L-ascorbic acid—the most potent and popular form— is often formulated with a low pH, which can irritate inflamed or acne-prone skin. That irritation can compromise your skin barrier and actually make breakouts worse.

If your skin is currently breaking out, I suggest holding off on strong Vitamin C serums. Instead, focus on calming inflammation, healing the barrier, and treating the acne directly. Then, once your skin is more stable, consider introducing Vitamin C slowly—maybe starting with a gentler derivative like THD ascorbate or sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

Here’s a roundup of some of my favorites to ease in!

2. What are your favorite affordable skincare products that actually work?

I will never stop preaching two things when it comes to skincare: 1. You don’t need a long, extensive routine to be effective and 2. Skincare does NOT need to be expensive. Truth be told, many of my most-used, most-recommended products are budget-friendly. 

I need to do a whole separate blog on budget-friendly/drugstore skincare I swear by, but as a little roundup, here are 7 of the affordable skincare products I will buy over (and over) again. 

Take a peek at the rest of my favorite budget friendly skincare!

3. What’s the best sunscreen for melasma?

You guys know the way to my heart, because there is nothing I love talking about as much as I love talking about sunscreen. Let’s start with the obvious: sunscreen is ESSENTIAL every single day. However, if you are melasma prone, applying (and reapplying) sunscreen is even more important. 

Why? Melasma is highly photosensitive—not just to UV rays, but also to visible light. That’s why I ultimately suggest tinted sunscreens for anyone with melasma. The iron oxides in tinted formulas help block visible light, which is often missed by traditional sunscreen filters.

I have a whole shelf on my favorite tinted SPFs for every skin type, but I do want to highlight a couple here:

  • ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless: This one’s a cult favorite for a reason—it’s a lightweight, tinted mineral sunscreen packed with antioxidants and DNA repair enzymes, which not only protect against UV damage but also help repair existing skin damage over time. It’s a go-to for anyone managing melasma or sun damage.

  • Tower 28 SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30: This is becoming one of my favorites for everyday wear—it’s a fragrance-free mineral SPF that doubles as a light foundation. If you saw my post on how to stop wearing foundation, you would know that pretty much nothing would convince me to wear a full foundation over summer. This tinted spf gives that perfect glowy finish, where you have subtle coverage, but nothing heavy!

  • Kosas DreamBeam SPF 40: I had to throw this one in there too. It’s basically the people’s princess of tinted spfs. She’s glowy with a hydrating finish, while offering mineral-based protection—perfect under makeup or on its own.

Pro Tip: Reapply every 2 hours! I cannot emphasize this enough! 

4. How can I treat body acne?

For starters, body acne is very common and fortunately, you can treat it very similarly to how you would treat acne on the face. Start with a benzoyl peroxide wash (2.5–5%) or Naturium’s Salicylic Acid Body Wash in the shower. The key is making sure you let either wash sit on the body for a minimum of 60 seconds before washing off! 

If that’s not enough, adapalene (the active ingredient in Differin) is FDA-approved for acne and can be used on the chest, back, and shoulders. Just start slowly and moisturize afterward.

Finally, I find that a lot of breakouts occur post-workout—especially when sweat and friction from tight clothing trap bacteria on the skin. If you can, shower right after working out and change out of sweaty clothes quickly. On days when that’s not possible, I love using Tower 28’s SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray on the chest and back. It’s packed with hypochlorous acid, which helps reduce inflammation and fight acne-causing bacteria without irritating the skin. It is pretty much constantly in my gym bag!

Finally, I think it’s worth mentioning some hidden triggers for body acne:

  • Blood sugar spikes

  • Whey protein supplements

  • Biotin and B12

  • Tight, sweaty workout clothes.

5. Are spray-on face sunscreens a good option?

This is a question I get a lot—and I totally get the appeal. I also know that it is especially favorable for spf reapplication, to avoid ruining makeup. But here’s the deal: I don’t typically recommend spray or mist sunscreens for the face. Full transparency, they just don’t provide enough protection. When you spray, such a small amount is actually being applied to the body or face. The only way to guarantee it gets on your face is to spray a large amount in your hand and then spread it. But at that point, you might as well just use a cream sunscreen!

Obviously some sunscreen is better than no sunscreen, but this is absolutely not the option I would pick!

6. Does everyone just have good skin until they’re 40?

Not exactly. While genetics certainly play a role, people with great skin into their 40s and beyond are usually very consistent. There are a few factors I notice when people have great skin going into their 40s (and beyond): they protect their skin daily from the sun, avoid smoking and heavy drinking, and focus on skincare with nourishing ingredients like ceramides, antioxidants, and retinoids.

Also, a little fun fact for you, in my experience, the people who age most gracefully also tend to be kind, calm, and grounded. I know I don’t talk about it enough, but emotional stress absolutely shows up on our skin too.

7. How can I repair a damaged skin barrier?

When your skin is red, tight, flakey, or stinging with everything—chances are your barrier is compromised. The best remedy is a skincare reset. Here are the exact steps I suggest:

  • Stop all actives (retinoids, AHAs, Vitamin C)

  • Use only a gentle cleanser, a barrier-repairing moisturizer, and mineral sunscreen

  • Avoid hot water and over-cleansing

  • Give it at least 2–3 weeks to recover

As I start to incorporate other products back into my routine, I prioritize barrier-loving ingredients.  This looks like ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, niacinamide, oat extract, squalane, and panthenol.

9. What helps with postpartum hair loss?

It’s one of the most common concerns I hear from new moms. Postpartum shedding happens due to a sudden drop in estrogen after delivery, and most people will experience increased hair loss around 3–4 months postpartum, which typically slows by months 6–9. But just because it’s expected doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to support your scalp and hair through it.

I cover a lot of tips in my recent blog, but here’s a roundup of what helps:

  • Supplements: This is one of the most well-researched hair supplements out there. Clinical studies have shown that Nutrafol’s ingredients—like saw palmetto, ashwagandha, and marine collagen—can help reduce shedding and improve hair density over time. I have used their Women’s Supplement for years, but they have a postpartum-specific formula myself and patients love during the postpartum time. Always check with your provider before adding a supplement to your routine. Use this link for $50 off your first purchase!

  • LED red light therapy: A little more of a splurge, but in my opinion, one of the beauty devices I find worth the price! They work by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the scalp, reducing inflammation, and stimulating dormant follicles. My husband and I try to use ours 3–4 times a week, and we’ve noticed a real difference. Use code “CBAMY” for a discount!

  • Scalp massage & stimulating serums: There aren’t a ton of topical products that can restore hair density (and no, rosemary oil is NOT one of them), but I do love the pairing of a serum like Maya Chia’s Power Fol and scalp massage. I try to apply the serum a few nights a week to the areas I notice the thinning and then either use your fingers or a scalp massager to massage for a few minutes. It’s going to help break down build up, while nourishing the scalp.

  • Be patient with yourself: Dare I say the most important (and most difficult) step.  It takes time for hair to cycle back into the growth phase. Be gentle with yourself, it DOES get better.

11. How do I reapply SPF without messing up my makeup?

This might be a hot take, but I honestly don’t find that reapplying sunscreen over makeup messes it up that much—and even if it does a little, I’ll always choose protecting my skin over keeping my makeup flawless. So with that being said, I almost always just use my base sunscreen from that day and gently press it into the skin with clean fingers or a sponge. Start with a small amount and dab it on( then continue to add until you have applied a full ¼ of a teaspoon)—no rubbing! 

12. Should I wash my hair after every workout (5x/week)?

I know I have talked about this before, but hair washing is so individual. I feel like there was a faze in the early 2000s where every magazine was telling us to wash our hair every single day. Then in the last 7 years or so, we were told to go as absolutely long as possible without washing our hair. To no surprise, the truth is somewhere in the middle, and it’s going to look a little different for each of us.  

Ultimately, it depends on your hair type, scalp health, and how much you sweat. I have a whole hair guide where you can identify your hair type, scalp needs, and a wash schedule that will make the most sense for you! I really find it worth it to take the time to find out what your hair/scalp is asking for.

For now, one of my favorite hacks for keeping hair fresh while working out in between wash days is to use powder dry shampoo before your workout to absorb sweat. I LOVE Crown Affair’s.

Pro Tip: If you're an infrequent hair washer and using dry shampoo, you want to make sure you're using a good detox routine, including a Detox Shampoo like K18 Detox Shampoo.

Not going to lie, I love going through these questions! I hope being able to go into a little more depth helped you. Have more questions? Drop them in my DMs or keep an eye on my stories—I’ll be sharing more Q&As soon.

**Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and may contain products gifted in PR. This means that I may earn a small commission when you purchase via these links at no additional cost to you (thank you! It helps me keep things up and running)… As always I ONLY recommend products, goods and services that I stand behind and personally love and use

xx Amy

Amy M. Koberling
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