
Is wearing make-up every day bad for your skin? Do you really need to wear sunscreen if your daily moisturiser already has SPF in it? And you don’t need to wear night cream, every night…right?
The health, beauty and wellness space has erupted over the past decade. But in an age of fake news and the never-ending spread of misinformation, when it comes to common beauty hang-ups it can be hard to know what’s fact and what’s fiction.
So, to help settle the debate, award-winning beauty therapist Rosa Scialo of BodySense Beauty Treatments is here to debunk the most common beauty myths once and for all.
1. Wearing make-up every day is bad for my skin – False
“Good quality make-up will protect your skin from oxidative stress and pollution from the environment,” Rosa says.
“It’s how you remove the make-up that matters and making sure we don’t sleep with it on. Which brings me onto my next point…”.
2. You should always remove make-up before bed – True
Rosa says: “It is imperative that make-up is removed before going to bed and the skin is cleaned properly to maintain good health and bright looking skin.” But why is this?
As Rosa explains: “Bacteria can build up particularly around the vulnerable eye area causing an irritating eye infection.” Plus, just think about all the toxins and the amount of every day pollution which has built up on your skin from just going about your business.
3. Adding serum to your beauty regime is a waste of money – False
According to Rosa: “Serums contain a higher concentration of active ingredients because they are usually water based.
“A serum is used to treat the main cause for concern and then the moisturiser locks it in protecting the skin and prevent the serum from evaporating.”
If you’re wondering what serum to add to your beauty regime, Rosa will be able to point you in the right direction.
4. Wearing night cream is optional – False
Night creams contain different active ingredients that work best while we sleep.
As Rosa explains: “During the night our cells get to work repairing any damage that has occurred during the day. Day Creams act as protection, Night Creams act as food and nutrition.”
5. You don’t need eye cream – False
Prone to undereye puffiness? Are fine lines creeping up? Or can you see dark circles? Even if you didn’t answer ‘yes’ to all the above, we should all be using eye cream to look after this delicate area.
“We all need an eye cream,” Rosa says. “I don’t know where I would be without mine! Why? Because the skin around our eyes is much thinner, more vulnerable, and more delicate than any other part of skin on our face.
“A day cream would be too rich to use around the eyes and could cause Milia – small, bump-like cysts found under the skin. When it comes to putting on your eye cream – be gentle and remember pat don’t rub.”
6. You should exfoliate every day: False
“Regular exfoliation is a great way to keep the skin young, healthy and glowing but not every day!” Rosa says. “1-2 times per week is enough. Moderation is key.”
7. Gua sha is just a Tik Tok phase – False
Heard of gua sha? The traditional Chinese healing method which sees people use a crystal-like roller on their face has been doing the rounds for quite a while on social media. But this smooth-edged tool, which is used to promote lymphatic drainage, actually dates back more than 700 years ago when it was first used in the 14th century. And it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon.
Rosa says: “Gua means stroke/press while Sha means redness. This form of healing method is better suited to larger areas. A gua sha tool is carved to complement the shape of the body, you simply glide over the contours in a ‘scraping’ action. This also increases the blood flow which helps to address stagnant energy called ‘chi ‘. The latter can be responsible for inflammation, chronic pain and ageing.”
8. Konjac Sponges are overrated – False
“Konjac sponges are most definitely a game changer in your cleansing routine,” Rosa explains. So, what are they?
“Essentially, it’s a sponge made from 100% natural konjac fibres derived from the konjac tree’s roots and is grown in Asia,” Rosa says. “Konjac trees are known for their medicinal benefits and have been used by the Japanese for hundreds of years.”
When it comes to their skincare benefits, the list is endless. Konjac sponges:
Cleanse the skin whilst boosting it with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, proteins, lipids and fatty acids, all of which it contains naturally
Remove dirt and impurities from skin
Gently exfoliate leaving the skin smooth and soft
Unclog the pores – therefore also good for acne prone skins
Reduce signs of premature ageing
Enhance a glow and radiance
9. Face cleansing wipes are bad for your face – True
It might seem like a good idea at the time. But using a cleansing wipe for your face is a definite no-no.
As Rosa explains: “Wipes are full of harsh chemicals that disrupt the pH balance of the skin. This causes damage to our natural protective layer, allowing dirt and impurities into the skin and all the goodness out. It also strips the skin of its natural oils leaving it dry and dehydrated.”
That’s because face wipes are designed to break down make-up particles – not clean the skin. Rosa continues: “Therefore, pollutants and residue are often left on the skin resulting in clogged pores, a dull appearance and a whole load of inflammation and irritation. Plus, it goes without saying that cleansing wipes are very damaging for the environment. Some can take hundreds of years to decompose.”
Instead of wipes, Rosa recommends double cleansing to help break down the make-up particles and then remove any residue. “Follow up by using toner to keep the balance of the pH intact,” she says.
10. You don’t need to wear sunscreen if your daily moisturiser already has an SPF – False
“This one is a potentially dangerous myth,” Rosa says.
“Products like make-up or daily creams which contain SPF provide a false sense of security. You’d need a lot more product to get the correct amount of SPF needed to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. So be safe and apply either a protective primer or an SPF and layer your products. They all have a different job to do.”
Beauty treatments in Beckenham
Ready to book in for your next beauty treatment?
BodySense Beauty Treatments offers a range of treatments but Rosa’s experience allows her to tailor each experience to the client, to work on specific issues and to provide high quality aftercare advice.
If you’ve got a skin issue you would like to discuss, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Comments