49 Skincare Myths

Breakout acne can pop up due to hormonal imbalances, genetics or diet. It can also be caused by unclogged pores.

While there’s no evidence to suggest that eating greasy food causes breakouts, studies have found that dairy products and high glycemic foods such as chips, white rice, and baked goods can trigger it – so diet is certainly a factor.

This affects many of us only in our teenage years; however, people can experience it at any time in their lives. Some lucky folks never experience it at all.

People who suffer from breakout acne are genetically predisposed to have oilier skin. This causes pores to become blocked more easily, which results in spots. While washing your face twice a day can certainly help, it’s not the sole cause. Regardless, it’s always best to cleanse the skin to prevent inflammation.

Infrequent spots can be tamed and resolved with specific products; however, persistent breakout acne is a condition that requires a dermatologist’s attention.

No, use a spot solution designed for targeted application for best results.

While other factors can influence whether or not we get spots, people with breakout acne are usually genetically predisposed to having oilier skin, and therefore more likely to get spots.

Foods that raise your blood sugar can increase the likelihood of you getting spots, but this won’t occur for everybody. So this one is true, but not for everyone!

Instead, break them down with an exfoliation mask, and seek treatment for more persistent ones.

Start using an eye cream in your 20s. Prevention is easier than finding a solution!

Lymphatic drainage massage or electro-microcurrent devices are all the rage right now. Anecdotal evidence suggests they can help to ensure your skin is working well, though there’s little clinical research available yet.

The size of your pores is determined by your genetics, so you can’t permanently shrink them. However, with an effective daily cleansing routine you can minimise their appearance.

You definitely can! A dermatologist can lighten or even remove dark spots with creams or cosmetic procedures.

Sleep deprivation can cause red, puffy eyes, dark circles beneath your eyes, and more wrinkles. It can even cause the corners of your mouth to droop.

Choose something lightweight and packed with humectants to lock in the actives from your serums.

Coconut oil is too rich to be very effective as a facial moisturiser; it clogs pores more than other oils such as grapeseed oil and almond oil.

Ensure you have a solid skincare regime to prepare the skin for your make-up application. Hydrated skin is always the best canvas for an artist.

Never! This can lead to localised breakouts.

If it’s bright enough to read a book by the window you should be wearing sun cream – even on an overcast day.

This can lead to uneven pigment and premature ageing, as well as put you at higher risk for sun-related skin cancer. Sunscreen is always a good idea.

UVA & UVB rays penetrate cloud cover. If you can see your shadow on the ground, you can still burn if you stay out long enough while unprotected!

Your lips are affected by sunlight just like the rest of your body. Treat them like your skin, and don’t forget a lip balm with SPF if you’re headed to the ski slopes.

This is generally true, and you will get some protection from foundations that include SPF. Separate SPF still highly recommended, however.

Many studies over the years have found that people who regularly use sunscreen show fewer signs of ageing in their skin, as sunscreen reduces the damage done by the sun’s rays.

Sunbeds, tanning booths and sunlamps all produce the same harmful radiation as the sun, which can age your skin ahead of its time and increase your risk for skin cancer.

If your lifestyle doesn’t allow you to get a lot of sun, you can supplement your vitamin D intake with capsules, or by changing your diet to include foods such as oily fish, egg yolks and orange juice.

Nope, your skin won’t build up an immunity to the products you use. There’s no process in your body that could cause this to happen!

It matters very much, in fact. Your skin wants to keep things out – that’s its job, after all – and only a small percentage of products can penetrate your skin to do their thing. Applying skincare products in the right order therefore ensures the maximum amount of product can be absorbed.

Quality over quantity. Skincare is personal, and what works best for you may not work for somebody else. You may well find that a simple combination of products does the trick perfectly well.

This depends on the product. Mostly no; however, if it’s an exfoliator then a slight burning or tingling is fine. If it’s too uncomfortable, of course, you should discontinue use.

You see a lot of products on shelves marked as ‘natural’ or ‘chemical free’. However, this doesn’t mean they’re of a higher quality, as there is no agreed-upon legal definition of what constitutes ‘natural’.

As much as we’d love to say otherwise, the truth is that cosmetic procedures can do things for your skin that products cannot. You should still be using them, however!

The label ‘hypoallergenic’ means a product is less likely to cause allergic reactions, and may be gentler on the skin. However, as with terms like ‘natural’, there is no lawful definition of what constitutes a hypoallergenic product. They’re a mixed bag.

Serums work in a similar manner to creams and lotions; however, they have many elements removed to make them lighter on the skin. Ingredients like petroleum and mineral oil – that don’t let the skin breathe as easily – are left out.

You need to have had your product tested by a dermatologist if you want to stamp ‘dermatologist tested’ on a skincare product, but much like ‘hypoallergenic’, ‘dermatologist’ is a term not defined by law. You could pay a self-appointed dermatologist to daub a bit of product on their skin, and you’d be able to use the phrase on your product. Take the label with a pinch of salt.

Though skin tones can vary, skin fundamentally works the same way for everybody; there’s no reason K-beauty should only work for Asian complexions!

It’s never too early to begin wearing eye cream, and certainly never too late. At any age, using eye cream can help slow signs of ageing, lessen the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and help ward off dark circles.

Water helps your skin to maintain its elasticity, which prevents wrinkles from forming. Without enough water, your skin may begin to feel rough to the touch.

Even if they never experienced it as a child, adults can develop signs of eczema. Atopic eczema (AD) is considered by many to be a childhood disease. However, even this type of eczema can be found in adults (though usually with milder symptoms).

There’s a lot of debate currently as to the effects of breast milk on infant acne, though we’d stop short of suggesting it for use on adult skin.

Collagen Induction Therapy, also known as microneedling, can be performed DIY style or professionally. We’d always recommend you go to a medical spa; the results are far better, and the process is much safer.

No, pinching various parts of your face won’t reshape them! What it may well do, however, is damage your skin and cause the underlying tissue to swell up. This may give the impression of your face shape changing, but it’s unhealthy and impermanent.

Sort of. You can summarise it as: live a healthy lifestyle. You can then break this down into things like: eat a healthy and varied diet, get eight hours of sleep a night, exercise regularly, exfoliate, wear sunscreen, use face masks, double cleanse, don’t smoke, and don’t drink to excess. And of course – drink plenty of water!