Skin care myths

Image

We've all heard a skin care myth or two in the past that we may have fallen for at the time but later on realised how crazy it indeed was.

Here's a list for you that you may already be aware of, or you may very well be surprised by...

1/ You only need sunscreen on a sunny day
Well this one is perhaps something you may have learnt the hard way. Spending some time in the great outdoors on an overcast day doesn't mean you wont walk away with sunburn.  Even when the skies are clear, UV radiation from the sun still reach the earth's surface. So when you're spending long amounts of time outside, no matter the weather, make sure you still take care.

2/ Putting oil on your face will make you break out
Now this is a common one that many people are still confused by. The reality is, the right kind of oil won't lead to this at all. The key is that it needs to be the right kind of oil. So going for natural, organic ones like coconut, rosehip, jojoba and argan are great for your skin!

3/ Chocolate makes you break out
So this is a big one that I believed for many years. The reality is that pimples aren't caused by what you eat, rather your hormones. Testosterone, which makes your skin increase its oil production, tends to make you produce sticky oil that gets blocked in the pores and therefore causes the pimples. The reason many people link chocolate to pimples is that for women especially, during certain times of the month (you know, the time of the month that we crave chocolate), we have changes in hormone levels, and these changes can lead to breakouts.

4/ The more expensive a skin care product, the better it is
Now this is one many of us devoted product junkies would be familiar with. I have tried everything from cleansers on the supermarket shelf to high end moisturisers that have left a nice dent in my purse. The truth is that price doesn't come into it. Many products on the lower end of the price scale can work just as good, if not better, than their expensive counterparts. Take coconut oil or rosehip oil for instance. These can be found quite cheaply but they work absolute wonders!

5/ If something is 'organic' then it must be good for your skin
It was only a couple of months ago that I found out the truth about this one. Products labelled as 'organic' can still contain harmful chemicals and there are no regulations on what can and cannot be labelled organic. You see, they might have added one ingredient that is organic to the mix (along with another 10 that aren't) and they can slap the organic label on it and there's nothing we can do about it.... hmmm.....

6/ Products with collagen in them help fight wrinkles
This little fib has made skincare companies billions. For collagen to be of any use, it has to penetrate the skin, and since collagen molecules are so big, this is simply impossible. So look out for products with added collagen, along with elastin and hyaluronic acid, as they will stay on the surface of the skin, giving little or no benefit at all!

What are some myths you've heard of in the past that you now know are simply a load of crap?