Drinking more water to Essential oils: 7 most COMMON skincare myths BUSTED by an expert

When it comes to skincare and beauty, we have all had our beliefs and ideas about what works. Some, have been passed down by elders and some we picked up through the internet. But we know better than to blindly follow what's been told! Here are some of the most common myths according to an expert, that never seem to go away!

Myth: Natural ingredients are better for skin.

Research makes it abundantly clear that while there are lots of brilliant natural ingredients for the skin there also are lots of natural ingredients that are irritating and damaging to the skin, and these show up in skincare products all the time. On the other hand, there are lots of lab-engineered ingredients that are brilliant for skin and work far better for skin than natural counterparts.

Myth: Skin repairs itself best at night. 

Research shows just the opposite is true: Skin actually heals better during the day than it does at night because, during the day, you are moving around more, increasing blood flow and oxygen intake, which, in turn, stimulates healing far more than just lying still in bed does.

Myth: A cool, tingling sensation means a product is working.

A cooling or tingling sensation is your skin telling you it’s being sensitised and irritated, not helped! In addition to the irritation you may see or feel on the surface, there is also damage occurring below the surface, destroying support structures that you don’t see or feel. The most common ingredients that cause a cool or tingling sensation on the skin include denatured or SD alcohol, menthol, menthyl lactate, peppermint oil, camphor, eucalyptus, and essential oils.

Myth: Dry skin? Drink more water!

Although drinking eight glasses of water a day is a good idea for your body, it won’t change your dry skin. If that’s all it took, very few of us would have dry skin. The causes and solutions of dry skin are far more complex than just drinking water—that’s where good skincare comes to the rescue.

Myth: Your skin adapts to products you use so they eventually stop working

Skin doesn't adapt to skincare products any more than your body adapts to a healthy diet. As long as you are applying what’s beneficial for the skin (and avoiding things that harm the skin such as unprotected sun exposure) they continue to work every day of your life.

Myth: Your neck and chest need special ingredients.

The neck and chest don’t need different products or ingredients than the face does and there is no research proving otherwise. Products labelled as being specially formulated for the neck or chest area are at the top of the list when it comes to wasting money on unnecessary products making claims that aren’t true. The same ingredients you use on your face will work on your neck and chest.

Myth: Essential oils are great for treating many skin concerns.

Essential oils are not good for the skin because most of them contain volatile, fragrant compounds that also cause significant inflammation. If you have dry skin, you’re better off seeking non-fragrant plant oils such as jojoba, sunflower, argan, acacia, most berry oils, and on and on, that only have skin benefits and no skin problems.

About the author: Ms Paula Begoun is the Founder, Paula's Choice Skincare.

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