Beauty myths – we all fall for them. We all love to learn and share the best beauty tips and tricks, but we can all end up believing the myths and misconceptions that we end up stumbling upon along the way. Let’s debunk them one by one, shall we?
1. Toothpaste can treat pimples
We’ve all done it, but the fluoride in toothpaste can aggravate acne and end up causing irritation, redness and peeling. Salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and niacinamide are much better and gentler options.
2. Acne is just for teens
Not everyone outgrows their acne as soon as their 21st birthday comes around; some of us wake up in our mid-thirties with a face full of blemishes. Hormones, genetics and stress are all factors that can trigger acne at any age, and a comprehensive skincare regime targeted at blemish-prone and acneic skins is the best way of overcoming it if it bothers you!
3. Your skin needs to feel squeaky clean after cleansing
Dermatologists and estheticians will be shuddering the world over at this one. If your skin feels taut, tight and squeaks (ok – slight exaggeration) after cleansing, it’s probably (definitely) stripped which can lead to dehydration, dryness and breakouts. And if you’re using a scrubby, granular facial wash every day – stop. They can actually cause micro-tears in the skin and long-lasting damage.
4. You can close your pores
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it for those at the back: pores are not doors. We cannot shut or close them, sadly. We can, however, use cold water and makeup products such as pore-filling and blurring primers to give the optical illusion of smaller pores.
5. You can’t use oil on oily skin
All skin types need hydration and moisture! Oil can actually prevent skin from overproducing its own oil, so implementing a facial oil into your skincare routine as someone with an oilier skin type could actually benefit your skin and prevent an overproduction of oil in the long run.
6. Products labelled as ‘natural’ and ‘chemical-free’ are 100% natural and better
Unfortunately for us, the skincare industry is widely unregulated, so exaggerated and incorrect claims can be made left, right and centre by brands. As for natural and chemical-free products being better, everything is made up of chemicals and as we know, a lot of all-natural ingredients can cause allergic reactions and can even be poisonous.
Have you fallen for any of these common beauty myths before? Let us know!
Jess Hall