When it comes to skincare, there are so many different opinions out there, making it easy to believe the wrong thing. While the odd mistake here and there won’t be the end of the world, consistently following bad advice could be severely detrimental to your complexion in the long run.
To make sure that your skincare knowledge is accurate and up to date, keep reading as OROGOLD talks through some of the most common and dangerous skincare myths around before explaining the truth behind each one.
Myth: The Harder You Scrub Your Skin, the Cleaner it Will Be
Let’s start by talking about exfoliation – something that you should, hopefully, be doing regularly. Physical exfoliators, like face scrubs, have always been popular, with many believing that the amount of pressure that they apply will dictate how thoroughly their skin is exfoliated. Therefore, they scrub harder, hoping that this will exfoliate the skin on a deeper level to leave their skin looking brighter than ever.
Truth: Harsh Scrubbing Only Damages the Skin’s Natural Barrier
Unfortunately, the harder you scrub your skin, the more damage you’ll cause to your skin’s natural protective barrier. This can then lead to a whole lot of other problems. Over-exfoliation is linked to everything from excessive dryness to increased breakouts to sensitivities.
Instead, if your face scrub doesn’t seem to be doing a good enough job for your skin, consider upgrading to a better exfoliator rather than simply scrubbing your skin harder. Try a formula that offers a combination of physical and chemical exfoliants, like the OROGOLD 24K Multi-Vitamin Deep Peeling + Mandelic Acid. Bamboo powder and walnut shell powder ensure that you still get that scrubbing power while the addition of mandelic acid gently enhances results.
Myth: Oily Skin Doesn’t Need to Be Moisturized
While some skincare myths seem to come out of left field, it’s easy to see how this one arose. Oily skin usually already looks pretty greasy, so why would you want to add to that by moisturizing it? If your skin is already producing more oil than it needs, then doesn’t this mean that a moisturizer isn’t necessary?
Truth: Failing to Moisturize Oily Skin Can Increase Greasiness
This theory fails to address the fact that oil is very different from water. A moisturizer is designed to lock moisture into the skin. Skipping the moisturizer deprives your skin of this moisture boost, leaving it feeling dehydrated. Over time, that dehydration will actually stimulate your skin’s sebaceous glands, encouraging them to produce even more oil. Failing to moisturize oily skin will only leave your skin even oilier in the long run.
If you have oily skin, moisturizing needs to be a non-negotiable part of your daily skincare routine. The key to moisturizing without weighing your skin down is to pick a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer. The OROGOLD 24K Termica HD Solution would be a great choice. This non-greasy moisturizer hydrates the skin with the likes of sodium hyaluronate, seaweed extract, and cucumber extract, all of which feel weightless on the skin. It’s also packed with antioxidants, including retinol and resveratrol, to leave your skin feeling healthier overall.
Myth: SPF Isn’t Needed on a Cloudy Day
With the sun being responsible for up to 80% of the wrinkles and dark spots that appear on the skin with age, it goes without saying that you need to know how to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the many SPF-related skincare myths out there. Perhaps the most concerning of the bunch is the misconception that sunscreen doesn’t need to be worn on a cloudy day. After all, if you can’t see the sun, then why do you need to protect against it?
Truth: SPF is ALWAYS Needed
When it comes down to it, during the day, the sun’s UV rays are always around, even when you can’t actually see the sun. There’s really no getting away from those harmful rays. They can penetrate through clouds as well as through glass. This means that even if you’re staying indoors on a cloudy day, sun damage can still occur.
This is why SPF needs to be worn 365 days a year, even on dull winter days. If you often struggle to remember to keep your skin protected, try swapping your day cream with an SPF moisturizer, like the OROGOLD 24K Skin Tone SPF 30. It’s silky, non-greasy, and incredibly hydrating. At the same time, it will also shield your skin from UV damage while providing a plethora of antioxidants.
Myth: Double Cleansing is Pointless If You Don’t Wear Makeup
Double cleansing became a skincare trend a few years ago. However, unlike many trends, which usually die down after a few months, double cleansing has managed to cement itself into daily skincare routines. With that said, one of the skincare myths that’s often perpetuated is that unless you wear heavy makeup, double cleansing is pointless. This is, however, definitely not the case…
Truth: Double Cleansing Does More Than Remove Makeup
While it’s true that double cleansing is a great technique to turn to if you wear heavy makeup, this isn’t the only reason to double cleanse. Instead, double cleansing is all about using two different types of cleansers to tackle the different types of impurities on your skin. Yes, makeup is one, but there’s also everything from dirt and pollutants to sweat and sebum. The thorough cleanse provided by double cleansing does a much better job of removing all of these impurities than a single cleanse.
Haven’t tried double cleansing yet? It’s easy! All it involves is cleansing your face twice. The first cleanse is done with an oil-based cleanser, which will remove oil-based impurities. The second cleanse needs to be with a water-based cleanser, such as the OROGOLD 24K Mousse Cleanser. This will remove water-based impurities, as well as any remnants from your first cleanser. Once your second cleanser has been rinsed off, you can then move on to the rest of your skincare routine.
Myth: Toothpaste Can Treat Pimples
Some skincare myths have been around for generations, and this is one. You may even remember your mother or grandmother advising you to dot toothpaste on your pimples…only to then be left bewildered as to why those spots have only gotten worse.
Truth: Toothpaste Will Make Pimples Worse
Interestingly, while this skincare hack may have actually worked a few generations ago, times have changed. Back in the day, toothpaste used to contain an ingredient called triclosan. It had antibacterial properties, hence how it could help to treat pimples. However, triclosan was discovered to have safety concerns, leading to it being banned in many parts of the world. Toothpaste now contains a range of other ingredients, most of which will only irritate your skin and exacerbate the inflammation that caused your pimples in the first place.
Instead, if you’re looking for a way to rid your complexion of spots, go with the tried-and-tested methods. Turn to double cleansing, regular exfoliation, and proven spot treatments. Clay face masks, like the OROGOLD 24K Advanced Facial Mask, can also be great for pulling excess sebum away from the pores and preventing the appearance of breakouts.
Myth: Drinking More Water Will Heal Dry Skin
Dry skin can be frustrating to deal with, especially if you end up believing some of the skincare myths that relate to this skin type. One of the most common is that dry skin can easily be ‘cured’ simply by drinking more water.
Truth: Drinking More Water Won’t Make Much of a Difference to Dry Skin
While, in theory, adding more water to something that’s dry should moisten it, dry skin isn’t actually caused by a lack of water. Instead, it’s due to the skin not producing enough sebum. Yes, drinking more water can help to keep your skin better hydrated but it’s not going to increase sebum production and help with dry skin.
Instead, if you want to do away with dry skin, you’ll need to compensate for the lack of sebum on your skin’s surface. The best way to do this is with a rich moisturizer that contains similar ingredients to that of your own sebum, like the OROGOLD 24K Overnight Cream. Apply this moisturizer to your skin before bed and your face will feel so much softer and smoother the next morning.
Myth: You Can Shrink Your Pores With the Right Products
Tired of looking in the mirror and seeing giant pores staring back at you? It’s a common issue – one that’s not helped by some of the skincare myths out there. People often spend thousands on skincare products that promise to help shrink their pores, only to be left disappointed when that doesn’t happen.
Truth: Pore Size is Genetic and Can’t Be Altered
Simply put, you can’t change the size of your pores. They’re determined by your genes. No skincare product, no matter how good it may be, is going to be able to shrink your pores.
Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you have to live with noticeable pores forever. While skincare can’t physically make your pores smaller, the right ingredients can indeed make them look smaller. Green tea extract, witch hazel extract, sodium hyaluronate, and peptides all have this effect. They all work in different ways but, in the end, the results are pores that look barely visible. Treat yourself to the OROGOLD 24K Termica Activation Serum and you’ll be able to pamper your skin with all three of those ingredients, plus several more that will leave your skin looking pore-less and flawless!
Debunking Skincare Myths With OROGOLD
It’s so easy to get things wrong with skincare, especially with there being so many skincare myths out there that don’t do the skin any favors whatsoever. This is why it’s so important to ensure that any advice you follow has come from a reputable source. Always do your research before putting any new knowledge into action so that you can be certain that your efforts will help rather than harm your skin.
Click here to explore more skincare bestsellers from OROGOLD.