Skin care is personal. No two make ups are truly the same. Therefore everyone has things which work for them and routines which totally throw everything out. We are debunking some of these skin care myths to give you a clearer outlook on how to love and care for your skin.
Myth #1: I have sensitive skin, so I only use water. Everything irritates it.
Doing “nothing” is not the solution. I get it, you tried your friends’, sister’s and your favourite actors’ products, but it burned/hurt/dried/irritated your skin. You have no idea what to do, so you do nothing. We get it, it’s logical.
BUT, your skin’s barrier is like a thin piece of velvet and its job is to lock in water, keep out environmental irritants, and allow your skin to function. The thing is, your sensitive skin’s barrier is full of holes. It’s thin like lace, and so fragile that the slightest glimmer of cold winter air lights it on fire. Your barrier NEEDS water, soft, gentle cleansers and a protective hydrating cream to build up that lace to a nice piece of rubber, ready to protect your skin from sun, air, pollution, allergies.
Myth #2: Everyone says exfoliation is key, so I should use a scrub.
Not necessarily. Scrubs are great for thicker, dry and sun damaged skin that can handle a little more manual exfoliation. Make sure to use ones that have perfecting rounded jojoba beads, so you are not scratching the skin. Jojoba is also safe for the environment, Bonus!
Exfoliating Scrubs are designed to remove skin cells that have already died and are built up on your skin.
Enzymatic Exfoliants on the other hand, work to dissolve the glue that holds those skin cells together, so it is less “manual” exfoliation and more digestive exfoliation, Make sense? Exfoliants that have pineapple, papaya, rice, salicylic acid are great options for this. Our best seller is one that is gentle enough to use every single day, and works just as well as an “aggressive” scrubby scrub.
If your not sure, you should book a skin consult with your esthetician and they can help you choose the right one as well as provide you valuable information on facial treatments specific for you.
Myth #3: My Makeup Has SPF in it so I don’t need to wear anything extra.
SPF trumps all in the world of skin care. If you can only afford one product, you must choose SPF. Not only is sun exposure the #1 cause of aging, it also causes skin cancer. So you MUST find an SPF you can learn to love, and wear it 365 days a year. YES, even on cloudy, blustery west coast days. YES, even when it’s rainy and wet. YES, even when you ski, actually, especially when you ski!
Fun Fact – Did you know that you are 10 -15 % more exposed to UVA and UVB when you are at an altitude of 3000 feet or more?! And sun reflected off snow is just as powerful as the sun reflected off the water doing additional damage on top of whatever is coming directly from the above.
So now we have that out of the way, your makeup contains SPF. Great perk, however, you would have to apply ½ teaspoon of foundation or powder on your face to get adequate coverage. And re apply all day. This is rarely how much people use. It is important that you wear either an SPF after your moisturizer, or, have a moisturizer with SPF built in. Minimum SPF 30. Period.
Myth #4: You can use the same products in the day as the night.
Cleanser yes, but serums and creams, no. Your cleanser most certainly can act as a double agent. And you can choose to either exfoliate in the morning, or at night, whenever you have the most time. Either option is fine.
But for evening time care your night cream and serum are ideally containing peptides or retinol to help repair your skin as you sleep. These are completely different benefits compared to your day time cream and serum which should contain ingredients to protect your skin from free radicals and the sun.
Myth #5: Ninety percent of sun damage is done before you’re 18, so it doesn’t matter what I do.
False! Yes, that sunburn when you were 16 certainly did some damage and can double your chances of developing skin cancer in adult years. However, by 18, you’ve actually only acquired 23% of your lifetime of UVA. SPF is not an option in our books; you need to find one you can love and wear it 365 days a year. Yes, even on cloudy days!
Now I’m enlightened but unsure…
As estheticians, we know our products (it’s our job) and we can help you get the most bang for your buck from your skin care routine. Book a consultation with us and let us help you discover your best home care regime! Our $99 Facial Promo is currently running. Our professionally trained estheticians will assess your skin’s needs and your lifestyle then, taking into consideration your budget, will recommend products to take care of all your skin care needs.