Common Skincare Beauty Myths – PART 2
Achieving a beautiful, youthful glow can be accomplished naturally. But first, we need to stop believing the most common skincare beauty myths.
In part 2 of this 2-part series, I’ll bust another 8 prolific beauty myths I’ve collected from the beauty industry, beauty experts, The Spa Dr.® followers, and my patients. Let’s rid ourselves of these beauty myths to focus on natural and safe beauty rituals that help us achieve true natural beauty from the inside out.
If you haven’t already, you can read Common Skincare Beauty Myths Busted – Part 1 Here
MYTH #9. Dry Brushes Your Face Make You Look Younger
Dry Brushing is a great way to exfoliate the skin, which will leave it feeling softer and help improve blood and lymphatic circulation throughout the body– but DO NOT use it on your face! It’s too harsh and abrasive for the delicate skin of your face. Dry Brushing isn’t safe for every skin type, especially the delicate skin of your face. It can cause small micro-cuts and lead to irritation and dryness.
Also, if you have skin conditions like rosacea, psoriasis, or eczema, then dry brushing your face can aggravate these conditions and do more harm than good. This can leave your skin looking dry and damaged — the opposite of the youthful glow.
I recommend using a gentle facial exfoliant that will gently remove dead skin without causing irritation, inflammation, or damage to your skin.
MYTH #10. Men Need To Use Men-Specific Skincare Products
There are many widespread myths about men and skincare. For example, a common myth is that men need to use skincare designed specifically for men. Men indeed have thicker skin than women, and because they don’t generally wear makeup, their skincare routine is usually simpler. But men need the same basic steps that women do to protect and maintain healthy skin.
However, when it comes to sun protection, the difference between men’s and women’s skin does become more apparent. These differences mean men are more likely to get certain types of skin cancer. So, men should be just as vigilant about wearing sunscreen.
MYTH #11. DIY Skincare Is Always Healthier And Safer
Just because you are using natural ingredients at home doesn’t mean DIY is healthier or safe for the skin. The skin has a specific pH that is slightly acidic. If you choose to use straight lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda, or even water, you can disrupt your skin’s natural pH and protective barrier functions.
Be careful in choosing a DIY skincare formula. Not every recipe you find on the internet is going to be effective or safe for the skin. You’ll want to find recipes that remain stable and safe during the application process and don’t interact with each other. And since DIY skincare can grow harmful bacteria and mold within a few days, it’s important to always make fresh batches. Also, always do a test patch to make sure your skin doesn’t have an adverse reaction. You can find more DIY skin care tips and recipes in my book.
MYTH #12. If You Have Oily Skin – Avoid Oil Based Skincare
If your skin tends to be oily, the idea of putting more oil on your face may sound counterintuitive, but this just isn’t true. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Oily skin is caused partly by the skin attempting to restore balance, hydration and protect itself. So, applying natural plant-based oils can be beneficial in restoring balance to the skin’s microbiome, which will effectively reduce oily skin.
One oil to avoid would be petroleum-derived mineral oils. Not only can these mineral oils have trace amounts of carcinogens left from the refining process, but they are not recommended for any skin type. Mainly because the oil will sit on the surface, clogs pores, and suffocates the skin—leading to more breakouts and more oil production.
MYTH #13. Using A Sharpie Instead Of Eyeliner Is Safe
NO – it is not safe to use a sharpie as an eyeliner! Sharpies have harsh chemicals and can cause irritation, allergic reactions, and lead to infections. The chemicals in a Sharpie include propanal, butanol, dyes, and diacetone alcohol. These chemicals should never come into contact with your eyes and can lead to permanent damage.
Butanol specifically is used as a paint thinner. Ask yourself – would you apply paint thinner near your eyes? Then using a Sharpie near the eye should be out of the question as well.
MYTH #14. Preparation H Gets Rid Of Puffiness Under The Eyes
In theory, the active ingredients could get rid of puffiness. Phenylephrine constricts blood vessels, and hydrocortisone is an anti-inflammatory. But if your finger slips and you get some of these ingredients in your eye, you may end up with some serious damage—then puffy eyes will be the least of your concerns.
Is it worth the risk?! Besides, there is no conclusive evidence that it works. It may bring on the feeling of tightness but doesn’t make any noticeable reduction to puffy eyes.
A safe alternative would be to try arnica gel—a plant extract used for bruises, pain relief, and swelling. Or dab an antioxidant serum under your eyes to reduce swelling.
MYTH #15. Using Hairspray Can Help Set Your Makeup
It is understandable that you might accidentally overspray and get hairspray on your face. But the beauty practice of purposefully using hairspray to set your makeup is quite detrimental to your skin.
Even if you ‘only’ spray it ahead of your face and then ‘walking through it,’ aerosols contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to your skin or when ingested or inhaled. At a minimum, they can cause redness, irritation, rashes, and allergic reactions. However, ingredients in hairspray like propylene glycol have been linked to poisoning as well as liver and kidney toxicity.
Aerosol lacquers and alcohols can cause blurred vision, breathing difficulty, and be very dehydrating for your skin — ultimately putting your health at risk and making your skin look older.
MYTH #16. Coffee Is A Great Exfoliant For The Skin
Coffee grounds that come straight from a coffee grinding machine aren’t ground fine enough for cosmetic use. The coffee ground will damage the skin by causing micro-tears across your skin as you exfoliate. Damaging your skin’s protective barrier puts it at risk of infections and experiencing skin issues.
Additionally, coffee grounds and body oils are the worst combination for your drains that even draino can’t cut through. Do your skin and your pipes a favor and steer clear of this beauty myth. Instead, adopt an exfoliation routine that is gentle with the goal to only slough the dead skin cells and help prevent clogged pores. Once a week is typically enough for an effective exfoliation routine. Also, choose a gentle exfoliant formulated to be effective while preserving your skin’s protective barrier qualities.
Achieve Natural Beauty
Becoming aware of your skin’s specific needs is important in your journey to achieving natural beauty from the inside out. You can learn your skin type by taking our skin quiz HERE. Once you know your skin type, you can choose a safe, effective, and natural skin care that will simplify and clean up your skin care to help you achieve naturally beautiful skin.
The Spa Dr.® Approach
At The Spa Dr.®, our approach is to help shine the light on skin care information and offer our guidance to nurture your skin care journey. We believe we provide information that will help support your self-care and healing, and we want you to feel safe and cared for within our community!
The Spa Dr.® offers natural skin care products that are safe and free from chemicals and toxins that can harm your skin and health. Our products are formulated to contain key nutrients in their pure and active form in order to provide optimal results. In addition, our products are pH balanced towards mild acidity to promote and protect a healthy skin microbiome.
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