Do you believe in skincare myths?
These days, with all the information we have coming at us from every direction, it can be hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake.
What will help you enjoy smooth, radiant skin, and what is just a lot of noise or some company trying to sell you a product?
We give you the real deal on seven popular skincare myths below.
Skincare Myths 1. Hot water is good for your skin.
You may have learned this one when you were young—wash your hands and face with hot water as it gets rid of germs, right?
This work okay when you’re a kid, but when you get past the age of 30, it will do more harm to your skin than good. Hot water strips your skin of its natural oils and dries it out. Dry skin is unhealthy skin, as it tends to create cracks in your skin’s natural barrier.
Just a few days of washing with hot water can leave your skin feeling chronically dry, cracked, and flaky, opening you up to a host of other problems like inflammation and redness.
So once you’re an adult, when washing your face, use cool to lukewarm water.
2. If you have oily skin, you don’t need to moisturize.
Unfortunately, if you believe this myth, you could be making your oily skin worse.
Moisturizer has many benefits for people with oily skin, as long as you choose the right one. It can help balance oil production and reduce acne breakouts. Whereas if you don’t use moisturizer at all, that can dry out your skin, compelling it to produce even more oil.
The key is to choose the right kind of moisturizer. Make sure it will not clog your pores. Avoid products with mineral oil, as they are more likely to clog pores and cause acne, and stay away from super-heavy moisturizers like cocoa butter.
Try our Calming Moisture—it has natural oils and extracts in it that will help to balance the oils on your face, giving you smooth, soft skin without the worry of increased acne breakouts. If you are acne-prone and want to use a hydrating toner, try our Rescue + Relief Spray to help balance skin, calm breakout inflammation. It’s oil free and non-comedogenic.
Skincare Myths 3. The order in which you use your skincare products doesn’t matter.
It does, and it’s all about absorption. You want whatever you put on your skin first to absorb quickly so that the next product will have room to soak into your skin too.
If you apply a heavy moisturizer first, it may block the absorption of your lighter, anti-aging serum. Or if you wait to exfoliate until after you apply your serum, you could be erasing that serum’s effects on your skin.
Instead, use your skin care products in the following order to get the best effects:
- Cleanser
- Exfoliator
- Moisturizing toner
- Anti-aging serum(s)
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
4. Dark circles are a sign you’re tired.
Discoloration around the eyes signals a circulation issue. Yes, a lack of sleep can make it worse, but it’s not the root cause. Older, thinning skin can also make the issue more visible.
Getting enough sleep will help, but it won’t solve the problem for you. Instead, look for an undereye product that includes caffeine, as it can boost circulation and constrict blood vessels. Applying something cold under the eyes for a few minutes can help temporarily, as it will diminish the appearance of the tiny blood vessels.
Skincare Myths 5. “Natural” products are always better.
We are all looking for more natural skincare solutions these days. We’ve learned that certain chemicals are harsh and even dangerous for our skin, and we want products that are cleaner and healthier.
Unfortunately, manufacturers know this, which means many of them are catering to their customers’ needs without really changing how they’re doing business. Anyone can slap the word “natural” on the product label, but the word isn’t regulated by any government body, so it doesn’t mean anything.
Some manufacturers will add in a token “natural” ingredient or two, then call their product natural even when it’s full of harsh chemicals.
Always read the label on your products to see what’s really in them. If you don’t know an ingredient, Google it to see what it is. Then buy from conscientious manufacturers who care about the ingredients they use.
CV Skinlabs makes sure all our formulas are 100 percent free of synthetic fragrances & dyes, parabens, formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, hydroquinone, phthalates, and other potentially harsh, dangerous, or allergenic ingredients.
6. Skincare is just for women.
Skincare isn’t just about appearance—it’s about health. Your skin is the largest organ your body has. Keeping it healthy can help contribute to your overall health, whereas if you ignore it, you could be hurting your overall health.
Scientists are finding more and more about how the health of the skin is related to the health of the brain and body. We just recently covered new research into how skin disease and heart disease are related. We also know that the skin can react to psychological stress by becoming more dry and inflamed.
The point is that skincare is healthcare, and healthcare has no gender. Everyone needs to take care of their skin as part of taking care of their overall health. That means men should have a regular skincare routine that includes, at a minimum, regular cleansing, toning, and moisturizing.
Skincare Myths 7: Drugstore products are as good as professional products.
The truth is that you can find good and bad skincare products no matter where you buy them or how much they cost. Some reasonably priced products are great, and others are filled with harsh chemicals and mineral oil that can exacerbate aging.
Some expensive products are wonderful, and others are filled with water and cheap ingredients that don’t have any measurable effects on your skin.
It is important to do your research and read the product labels. Many drugstore products do contain sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, alcohol, fillers, and other synthetic ingredients that don’t cost much but leave little room for quality active ingredients.
You deserve the best skincare products you can afford. Take your time researching quality brands before you spend your money, and you’ll be happier with the results.
Have you believed these skincare myths?
