The Quest For Truth: Skincare, Beauty & Makeup Myths

When you have an industry as large as the beauty, makeup, and skincare industry, it’s inevitable that a few myths are going to emerge. These myths come from “common knowledge”; old wives tales; stories you hear online and are repeated so frequently they begin to sound real… but should you listen to them?

Let’s look through some of the most pervasive “truths” that surround this industry, so you know which advice to follow, and which you can ignore…

MYTH: MakeUp Is Bad For Your Skin

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The Claim

Makeup is bad for your skin because it can clog pores. Additionally, makeup can irritate sensitive skin.

The Reality

Is it possible to wear makeup that’s bad for your skin? Sure; it’s possible to find a bad version of pretty much anything in the world. However, for the most part, makeup isn’t bad for your skin at all– even if you’re laying it on, and wearing it every single day.

A makeup and skin care manufacturer will do their research. They know which ingredients to avoid. The last thing they want is for their products to gain a reputation as being bad for skin, because they would instantly lose a huge number of customers. So you don’t need to worry about your makeup being comedogenic; it has been ruthlessly tested to ensure this isn’t a factor.

The ‘sensitive skin’ claim is a little more difficult to define. Sensitive skin, by its very nature, is sensitive. It can react to makeup products, but it can also react to skincare products, your mood, or weather conditions. However, it isn’t fair to claim sweepingly that all makeup is bad for sensitive skin, because plenty of women with sensitive skin manage to wear makeup just fine.

Conclusion

The good news: you don’t need to worry about makeup being bad for your skin if you’re concerned about makeup clogging pores. That’s a myth that is thoroughly debunked; you can use makeup and still have healthy looking skin, so don’t worry!

The not-so-great news is that, if you have sensitive skin, makeup may irritate the issue. The best way of resolving this is to learn about ingredients and, by the use of a process of elimination, avoid ingredients that are liable to irritate your skin. As a starting point, try this great starter list of ingredients that those with sensitive skin should avoid, and work from there.

MYTH: Skincare Products Can Cure Wrinkles

The Claim

If you’re trying to buy a skincare product, then you will be inundated with claims of said product’s efficacy in regards to reducing expression lines and wrinkles. If you believed the claims on these products, it’s possible — through a few applications — to achieve the kind of skin that will wipe 10 years off your face, all through the wonder of a cream in a jar.

The Reality

First and foremost, anti-aging claims are tough to verify, and are usually based on “clinical studies” that were funded by the company who make the product. As you would expect, these studies tend to find favorable results only– often by cherry-picking. These studies are not rigorous, often fail the accepted scientific method, and are essentially little more than a marketing tool– so don’t be swayed by them.

Secondly, it is outright insincere to suggest that a face cream can combat wrinkles and expression lines. These lines appear because of the constant movement of facial muscles and the loss of collagen in our skin as we age. The problem is far deeper than can be addressed by a topical cream. If you truly want to tackle wrinkles and lines, then you would have to turn to treatments such as those available at www.yeildingmd.com/botox-orlando/ and other dermatologically-proven options. A cream or serum is simply unable to address issues like wrinkles, as they cannot penetrate deep enough into the skin to make a difference.

The Conclusion

Moisturizers and serums have their use, especially in regards to fine lines, but they are largely powerless against deep wrinkles and expression lines.

MYTH: Expensive Makeup Brands Are Better Than Drugstore Brands

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The Claim

Expensive high-end makeup brands invest more into their products, thus the products are always going to be superior to budget options. Eyeshadow will have a better pigment; lipstick will have a longer staying power; foundation will provide better coverage… and so on and so forth.

The Reality

Expensive does not necessarily mean “good”. In fact, many skincare brands also offer drugstore lines which are largely made from the same product.

Consistently, tests find that drugstore brands are just as good as their high-end counterparts. The “dupe” market means you can capture a look or wear a trend without having to spend a fortune and, for the most part, you should.

What are you actually buying when you buy a high-end product? The answer is… the brand. The name. The packaging, which is almost always glorious. You are buying the experience of a high-end product, but there’s absolutely no guarantee that the product itself will be superior. Will the packaging look nicer on your dressing table than a drugstore alternative? Yes, but this is about the only true benefit you will experience– and you have to ask yourself if the increased cost is worth such a small reward.

Conclusion

If you want to buy high-end makeup, then you should– high-end brands tend to have a touch of luxury that is tough to resist. However, you don’t have to buy high-end products; nor should you expect that the products you buy will be inherently superior due to their higher price tag.

MYTH: You Should Use An Eye Cream In Your Skincare Regime

The Claim

If our eyes are the window to our soul, we’re going to want our eyes to look as good as possible. Sadly, it’s all too easy for our eyes to experience issues such as lines, dark shadows, pigmentation issues, crow’s feet, and other signs of aging.

The answer? An eye cream! These specially formulated creams can target the problems you experience with the skin around your eyes, and no skincare regime is complete without them.

The Reality

Eye creams are, for the most part, a waste of time.

Does this sound like sacrilege to you? Well, bear with it– because this simple busted myth could save you a fortune. The skin around your eyes is no different to the skin on the rest of your face… so why does it need a special cream?

If you are thinking an answer along the lines of: “because it’s not safe to put normal moisturizer around your eyes”, then this might be true, depending on the moisturizer that you’re using. However, eye creams can and do irritate the eye as well, and most eye creams will contain a disclaimer advising you not to use the product too close to your eyes.

Furthermore — just like the previously-discussed wrinkle curing products — many of the issues that eye creams attempt to solve are beyond the reach of a topical cream. Those dark eye shadows? They’re caused by your skin thinning as you age, and there’s very little you can do to prevent this outside of invasive surgery. Crow’s feet are caused by expressions, such as smiling, which — again — can’t be prevented with a topical cream.

ven more worryingly, http://www.byrdie.co.uk/skincare-myths makes it clear that eye creams often contain a number of distinctly Not Nice ingredients. These ingredients — which can include skin-clogging mineral oil and petroleum byproducts — are definitely to be avoided, as they can clog pores and create issues such as milia.

Conclusion

You don’t need an eye cream. Use your existing moisturizer as close to your eyes as is comfortable and get a good night’s sleep if you want the skin around your eyes to improve. Avoiding thick, heavy eye creams — which can often do more harm than good — will save you a small fortune, and your skin will thank you too.

In Conclusion

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There is no doubt that the beauty, skincare, and makeup world contains myriad myths that can be debunked with a little research. If you find yourself hearing a new idea, or a warning that a certain product or ingredient will have a dramatic impact (be that a negative or a positive impact), then it’s worth taking the time to research for yourself. These industries are not particularly well-regulated, which can mean that you find yourself persuaded by claims which are not verifiable by scientific fact.

No one knows better what works for your skin, your makeup techniques, than you do. If you find a product that you love, then its price or the “studies” behind it are largely irrelevant. Pay attention to your skin and your experience, relying on empirical proof of what works for you rather than what these industries claim will work for you. Furthermore, always be skeptical about claims of a product being excessively harmful or causing damage; do the research and see if the science backs up these claims.

If you can keep the above in mind, you will be able to craft a beauty regime that truly works for you, based on fact rather than hearsay. Makeup and skincare should be fun, so don’t let yourself be impacted by myths that can ruin your experience. Enjoy, experiment, and trust your instincts above all else– good luck!

 

Comments

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