I was reading an old Marie Claire recently and stumbled upon an article that surprised and enlightened me titled “Top 10 Skin Myths” by Ning Chao who interviewes dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch. Since most of our glossy magazines are basically mostly made of shiny advertisements, it was refreshing to find an article that wasn’t really selling anything! So here goes:
MYTH 1: A complete skincare routine must have three steps.
Truth: People think that toning an oily complexion will make it better, but oil is protective and the body produces it in response to injury. When you strip your skin, it reacts by making a ton of grease.
So oily skin is good? That means that the oil in your skin is actually trying to repair something, so why wash or wipe it away!!!
MYTH 2: You need to cleanse your face at least twice a day.
Truth: Using a face wash in the morning is just an excuse to go through more product. In the morning the best thing is water and your fingers, not a cleanser.
MYTH 3: Scrubs make skin glow.
Truth: Overexfoliating leads to extra oil production. Skin is actually a good exfoliator on its own, so I rarely recommend manual scrubs.
MYTH 4: Dryness causes fine lines.
Truth: People confuse dryness and flaking with wrinkles. Just moisturising will make wrinkles look better.
MYTH 5: Any eye cream will do.
Truth: Everyone has different eye issues so find the right one for you. If you have puffiness choose a gel (heavy creams can boost swelling) with caffeine and store the tube in the fridge. If you have dark circles, look for a product with a lightening ingredient like Vitamin C and collagen-builder like retinol.
MYTH 6: Leaving masks on for longer than recommended will maximise the effect.
Truth: Rarely do you outsmart the people who have done clinical tests on the product. Just follow the instructions!
MYTH 7: Wearing foundation with an SPF means your are being sun-safe.
Truth: Unless you are slathering on a mask of makeup, you’re not getting enough protection.
MYTH 8: More is more.
Truth: Using more product i.e. creams and moisturisers doesn’t make them any more effective. Use a small amount as the skin can only absorb so much.
(I added that one in myself cause the original one form the article was totally boring! All about titanium dioxide being safe which I’m really not sure about).
MYTH 9: Reapply creams as often as possible.
Truth: Most active ingredients work really well once per day, and are best applied in the evening before sleep so they have all night to absorb and work.
The best way to get rid of blackheads is extractions.
Truth: Pulling and pressing on pores can cause scarring. After extractions, skin just fills right back up with oil. Use retinols and gentle acid peels at home to unclog pores.