5 common skincare myths debunked for you!
When it comes to skincare, there is an endless amount of information floating around. While many tips may be true and proven, there is just as much misinformation circulating in the skincare industry. Your grandmother told you that toothpaste is great to treat a pimple? Your best friend’s cousin’s mother swears that natural skincare products are always better? Read on to find out what is true and what isn’t!
Myth #1: Toothpaste is great for treating pimples
Most toothpaste act anti-septic and contain ingredients like alcohol, essential oils, or menthol with drying properties. So killing a zit with toothpaste might actually work. However, these ingredients are usually over-drying, will eventually irritate the skin, and can increase inflammation. Additionally, even burning can occur on the skin from applying toothpaste to pimples.
Instead, we recommend locally applying a sebum-reducing solution or gel to your pimple.
Myth #2: SPF-containing makeup provides adequate sun protection
This is a very popular myth you need to stop believing! SPF in makeup cannot replace a separate broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects your skin from UVA and UVB radiation. An amount of ¼ to ½ a teaspoon of sunscreen is required to effectively protect your face and neck. SPF in makeup is simply sunscreen added to the formula to help protect your skin. However, you would need to apply over 7 times the required amount of traditional sunscreen when entirely relying on just makeup for your sun protection! Additionally, you would have to keep reapplying your makeup as often as you would sunscreen which is not very practical. Therefore, always use a separate sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun.
Myth #3: Natural skincare products are always better
One of the biggest myths in the skincare industry is that natural and organic products are better and safer. Natural skincare products have always been very popular in the past and the amount of money spent on marketing this area is huge. One of the biggest reasons for this trend is that many people believe that something is good because it comes from nature whereas something synthetically made in a lab is bad. But this is far from the truth! First, it is worth pointing out that the term “natural” is mostly unregulated which is why many just claim that their products are “green”, organic or natural. While not all of these products are bad, it is important to realize that “natural” does not equivalent safe. Some of these products can potentially be harmful to your health because they might not contain certain preservatives, which inhibit bacterial growth. Also, many natural ingredients such as essential oils can be irritating, cause an allergic reaction, or even skin conditions.
Myth #4: You don’t need to moisturize oily skin
Oily skin produces an excessive amount of sebum. Many people with oily skin shy away from using a moisturizer because the skin's oiliness gives the impression that the skin is adequately hydrated, and therefore applying a moisturizer seems counterproductive. However, this is a common misconception, because oil does not equal moisture! Oily skin in particular often tends to be dehydrated, which means that the skin lacks water, not oil. Therefore, it is extra important to moisturize oily skin.
Myth #5: Makeup causes premature aging
This is mostly false. It really depends on the products that you are using. Some makeup products contain ingredients that might clog your pores, are drying and thus can cause fine lines. Some of these ingredients can even decrease skin elasticity. However, there are also many products on the market that are good for your skin because they contain high-quality nourishing ingredients. Additionally, always properly clean off your makeup at night and follow a healthy skincare regimen.