Debunking Common Skincare Myths
When it comes to skincare, I’m sure we’ve all heard the myths. Raise your hand if you’ve been told to dry out your acne with toothpaste. Maybe you’ve seen some fear-mongering TikToks on how chemicals in your products are awful, and you should use natural products? ✋ Spoiler, but you’re being misled. It’s easy to fall victim to misinformation. From TikTok trends to outdated advice to oversimplified marketing from some of your favorite brands. We’ve all been there. When someone is selling you a product or technique that can cure a skin issue, it’s tempting. I’m doing a mini deep dive on some of the most common myths I’ve seen in my esthetician training and over five years of covering the latest beauty trends.
Myth #1: You Should Feel a Tingle for Your Products to Work
It depends on the product or treatment you’re getting, but generally, your products should not sting and tingle. Tingling often means your skin is irritated. Sometimes this can occur after large amounts of active ingredients. Of course, if you’re getting a peel treatment done, there can be tingling, but this feeling should ease and go away throughout the treatment and come back a little bit while your peel is being neutralized for removal.
Myth #2: Oily Skin Doesn’t Need Moisturizer
Oily skin still needs moisturizing because oil & hydration aren’t the same thing! Oily skin means your skin is producing more sebum. You’ll typically see this in your T-zone, which is your forehead and nose area. Oily skin can still be dehydrated. When your skin lacks water, not using a moisturizer and drying out your skin more will only trigger more oil production. Moisturixing will lock in hydration and support your skin barrier, which can potentially help regulate your oil production. Skipping moisturizer might lead to tight and irritated skin.
Of course, the kind of moisturizer you use will depend on your skin type. For oily skin, your best options are lighteweight gel-based moisturizers that are non-comedogenic, which means they’re less likely to clog your pores. Check out the reccomendatiosn through my affiliate links:
Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream $11.30
Paula’s Choice SKIN BALANCING Invisible Finish Gel Moisture $35.00
Myth #3: Natural & Organic Products Are Always Better
The reality is, all your products will contain chemicals because all products contain chemicals, even those labeled organic and natural. Everything, including water, aloe vera, coconut oil, and more are all chemicals. The term “chemicals” just means a substance with a specific molecular composition. I know, it sounds super sciency but the simplified version is, everything is a chemical, whether it’s found in nature or made in a lab. Brands sometimes try to market their products by making it seem like chemicals are harmful. Even a product is labeled clean, natural, or organic, it’s still made of chemicals. These labels don’t necessarily mean they’re better, it just means the ingredients are found in nature, rather than made in a lab.
Myth #4: Toothpaste Dries Out Acne 🪥
I’ll admit, I once tried this as a teenager who dealt with acne, but it doesn’t work. Theoretically, some of the ingredients in toothpaste could help acne, but they’re more likely to cause damage, redness, burning, and scarring in the long run. Excessive dryness can also cause an increase in oil production and potential clog pores, which can lead to open and closed comedones, which are whiteheads and blackheads. Using toothpaste on acne can also run the risk of perioral dermatitis, which can look like acne around the mouth.
When there are so many other acne treatments available, let’s not try out the run that can damage our skin barrier. Go with over-the-counter treatments like Benzoyl peroxide and slicylic acid or seek medical treatment by a dermatologist if your acne is severe. For less severe acne, a facial can be beneficial to cleanse your skin and extract comedones.
Myth # 5: The More Expensive, The Better It Works
The price of a product doesn’t necessarily mean a product works better than its cheaper alternative. Of course, sometimes price can mean we’re getting more high-end ingredients, but other times, we’re paying for the name, marketing, and branding. There are lots of high-end products that have similar ingredients to drugstore. (Sometimes, these products are even owned by the same parent company and made in the same factory.)
A products formula is what truly matters, plus how your skin reacts to the product. Everyone’s skin is different so that trendy expensive product, might not work for your skin.
*Tip: Save your money when it comes to daily cleansers. Splurge on treatments and serums.
At the end of the day, if it sounds too good to be true, it often is. When it comes to some skincare myths, there’s just no truth to be found. Next time you come across one, make sure to do your homework before trying it out on yourself. A quick search can be the difference between having healthy skin and damaging you skin barrier.
Some quick tips to keep in mind when trying out a new fad product:
Check the ingredients
Ask a licensed pro
And always patch test!
Which skincare myth are you surprised by? Or what myth would you love to know the truth about? DM your skincare questions @isabelac116 or comment below.
