10 Common Skincare Myths - Debunked!

Skincare Myths - Fact vs Fiction

When it comes to skincare, there’s so much information available from different sources, it’s hard to know fact from fiction. Your friends tell you one thing, information you find online tells you another, your parents used to say something else entirely… I remember growing up being told that the pores on your skin open and close with hot and cold water, so whenever I was hot or used warm water on my face, I had to use cold water after to close the pores otherwise dirt would get in and make my acne worse. Of course, that’s just one of many myths some people believe, and below you’ll find 10 of the most common skincare myths that you might be surprised to find aren’t true.

10 Myths And Common Misconceptions Around Skincare

1. You Shouldn't Moisturize Oily Skin

This is a very common myth and many people believe that using a moisturiser if you have oily skin can actually make your skin worse and lead to breakouts. This can be true if you use a heavy, highly-comedogenic moisturizer that clogs your pores and you’re already prone to breakouts, but even people with acne or oily skin should moustirize. It helps to hydrate the skin and stop it from producing more oil to compensate. Just be sure to use a non-comedogenic, lightweight moisturizer.

2. Natural & Organic Is Always Better

Going natural and organic is all the rage these days, and these types of products can be great for the skin. However, many synthetic ingredients can be beneficial and completely harmless to your skin too, and some natural and organic ingredients can be irritating or cause allergic reactions.

3. Acne Is Caused By Dirty Skin

This is another common myth, especially when it comes to blackheads that are dark in appearance as some may believe it's just dirt. However, this is false and washing alone, although beneficial for all skin types, will not prevent breakouts. To find out more, read our detailed article on the causes of acne and how to treat it here.

4. Pores Can Open And Close

Some people believe that the pores on your skin open when hot and close when cold, but this is just another myth. Pores don’t have muscles and so they can’t open or close. They can temporarily change their size under certain conditions, but they can’t open or close.

5. Higher SPF Means Longer Protection From The Sun

SPF, or sun protection factor, is crucial for protecting the skin and the SPF rating indicates the level of protection you get, with SPF 15 blocking about 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 about 97% and so on. However, it's crucial to reapply sunscreen regularly, irrespective of the SPF rating, to maintain skin protection.

6. Face Exercises Will Stop Wrinkles

Face exercises, or face yoga as it’s sometimes known, claims to tone your facial muscles to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin. However, there is limited scientific evidence to back this up. Furthermore, facial exercises are not proven to significantly impact the production of collagen and elastin, which contribute to skin structure and elasticity.

7. Makeup Will Make You Age More Quickly

Some people believe that makeup will age you more quickly, but there is no evidence to support this. That being said, certain makeup products may have drying or irritating effects on the skin, influencing overall skin health.

8. You’ll Outgrow Acne As An Adult

Acne is most common in adolescents, as puberty affects your levels of hormones known as androgens, producing more sebum (oil), resulting in acne. As such, many adults do outgrow acne but it doesn’t mean everyone does. Some people will continue to breakout well into adulthood so it’s important to focus on treatment rather than hope it will go away on its own.

9. You Don’t Need Sunscreen When It’s Cloudy

It may look like the sun is no longer coming through the cloud, but the UV rays aren’t completely blocked out by the sun and sunburns are still possible on a cloudy day. Therefore, it’s very important to wear sunscreen even on a cloudy day to improve your skin health, reduce the risk of sunburn and help to prevent skin cancer.

10. Tanning Beds Are Better Than Natural Sunlight

Tanning beds emit UV radiation, much like the sun, which can increase your risk of skin cancer and accelerate the aging of your skin. Tanning beds emit concentrated UV radiation, usually in higher doses than natural sunlight, and are generally considered more dangerous than natural sunlight.

Conclusion

So there you have it, 10 of the most common myths around skincare. Some have some truth about them, but others are just completely wrong. Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how to care for your skin, dispelling some myths and embracing a more informed approach to skincare.