The world of skincare is complex and there is so much information on products thrown at us every day. Skincare comes down to personal preference. There is no black and white routine or method to getting perfect skin. Here are some of the misconceptions I wished someone told me before starting my skincare journey.
Not everyone should cleanse their face twice a day
Growing up, everybody said to cleanse your face before you sleep and after you wake up. However, this is not always beneficial for everyone. Washing your face at night ensures any dirt, debris, and makeup is wiped clean from the face to prevent any breakouts. It creates a clean base for products to sink deep into the skin and work to benefit the skin. However, cleansing the face in the morning can end up stripping your natural sebum causing your face to be more prone to irritation and dryness. If washing your face twice a day with a cleanser is crucial for you, try switching your morning cleanser to something very gentle. It is always important to play around with your skincare routine till you find what works best for you.
Hyaluronic acid can dry out the skin
Every skincare brand seems to be coming out with its own hyaluronic acid product that claims to be the savior for dry skin. However, hyaluronic acid can both be a holy grail product and a devil in disguise. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant; this means it will pull moisture from areas that contain lots of moisture to dry areas. This works great for people who live in a humid climate. It will pull the moisture from the environment to your skin and give you hydrated skin throughout the day. However, If you live in a dry climate, there is a good chance this product will dry out your skin even further. This is due to the fact that your skin is holding more moisture than the environment and will cause the Hyaluronic acid to draw out the moisture away from your skin.
Wash off micellar water
I have been guilty of taking off my makeup with micellar water and slapping on a moisturizer right afterward. If I can find a skincare shortcut, I will take it! However, when you suffer from dry and sensitive skin, leaving micellar water on the skin can lead to increased irritation. Micellar water, being a surfactant, can disrupt the skin’s structure when left on. Next time you grab micellar water to remove makeup, remember to go wash the face afterward with water to ensure that it does not irritate the skin any further!
You do not need every type of skincare ingredient
With the rise in popularity of skincare through social media, we see people raving about various active ingredients like niacinamide, AHA, BHA, retinol, vitamin C, and the list goes on! It becomes really easy to get pulled into buying a product just because so many people claimed that it “transformed their skin.”However, it is important to know what the product does and how to use it. Combining 10 different active ingredients can make your skin sensitive. For example, retinol and BHA together can end up irritating the skin making it prone to a lot of sensitivity to the sun and the environment. Understand that not every skincare product is necessary for you, even if everyone seems to love it.