Influencers are everywhere, advice on the internet is plentiful, knowledge and inspiration in the skincare world is fantastic – BUT. That’s also what makes it so easy to get a lot of misinformation and just plain bad advice when it comes to skin. In honor of October’s Scary Skincare Month, we’re sharing 7 tips we keep running across on the ‘net we think you should avoid.
Clear Blemishes with Toothpaste: This old school trick has been floating around for eons, due to the fact that toothpaste typically contains ingredients like baking soda and alcohol (which in theory could dry up a blemish). These same ingredients can cause redness, irritation and potentially scarring when the blemish is gone. Instead, use a serum targeted for blemish prone, oily, or problem skin to treat this skin condition safely.
Lemon Juice as Skin Brightener: Yes, lemon contains Vitamin C which contains skin brightening properties. But it also has high acidity. With a pH around 2, lemon juice rivals stomach acid in that department. It can cause serious skin sensitivity and irritation (even burns). Limonene (a substance naturally occurring in lemon juice) may cause photosensitivity so your skin becomes more reactive to sunlight than a vampire the day after Halloween. A safer alternative are natural skin brightening ingredients or skincare products containing Vitamin C.
Using Makeup Wipes as a Substitute for Cleansing: We’ve all done it (or many of us – kudos to you if you can’t relate!) at one time or another, but if using makeup wipes in place of skin cleansing has become a regular part of your skincare routine it’s time to stop. Makeup wipes contain ingredients like alcohol that can overdry the skin, and their texture may cause tiny micro tearing which negatively affects the skin barrier function. Cleansing the skin is always priority #1 in skincare, so choose your cleanser wisely and use it twice daily.
DIY Professional Grade Chemical Peels: Let the pros handle the chemicals. Just because it’s available doesn’t mean you should do it! Peels in inexperienced hands can cause irritation, pigmentation, burns, even scarring. Make an appointment to see an esthetician – did we mention our November Special is a glycolic facial?
Over cleansing: If your cleanser is leaving your skin super squeaky clean, it’s probably stripping your skin’s natural oils as well. This causes the skin to overcompensate and produce more oil (not desirable if you already have oily skin).
Using old products and samples: In this case it’s not a good idea to be frugal and “use them up.” Always check the expiration dates on your products and use everything within or very close to the recommended dates. Expired product ingredients do break down, become less effective, and may cause irritation. Samples in particular may have a shorter shelf life.
Using Dermaplane Razors From a Retail Store: We love and recommend dermaplaning! It not only reduces the fine (vellus) hair, improving skin texture and tone which helps makeup go on more smoothly, but promotes better skincare product penetration. BUT. It’s best left to the professionals. Even if you’ve been using them for ages and you’ve never had a problem, there's always the possibility. The jagged blades on the razors can create microtears in the skin. Those tears can allow bacteria into the hair follicles, which can cause pore clogging and breakouts. If you are blemish prone or have problem skin, dermaplaning may not be the best treatment for you. If you do dermaplane, use appropriate products to help prevent possible breakouts