3 Skincare Misconceptions

In this age of social media, we can connect with each other like never before. And with easy internet access, we have a library’s worth of knowledge at our fingertips.

But with every “pro” comes a “con”.

As a skincare professional, I have seen a lot of media surrounding skin care practices, that no doubt have merit, but don’t always reflect the complex nature of skin.

Here are my “Top 3” skincare misconceptions I would like everyone to know.

“Excess oil clogs your pores”

If you have any experience with oily skin, or clogged pores then you most likely stay as FAR away from excess oil as possible. But more oil may be the solution to all your problems. Our skin's natural oil, called sebum, wants to produce just the right amount to hydrate and protect your skin. The amount of oil produced can change from week to week, day to day, and even hour to hour. In a perfect world, the oil exits the pore, spreads out, and absorbs into the surrounding skin. If you notice that this oil is building up in your pores, it's a sign that something has blocked its path. The most common culprit of this is dirt, debris or dead skin cells. Dirt and debris will get stuck in the opening of the pores, while dead skin cells can build up around the outside and eventually cover the pore. The best way to prevent this and end the oil struggle, is exfoliating. Exfoliating once to twice a week will give your pores the deep clean they need to let out all that healthy oil. Viola! Clean pores and balanced skin.

“Moisturizer helps to hydrate the skin”

This is “technically” true, but not in the way most people think. So let me explain. Most people would reach for a thicker cream over a thinner lotion if their skin is dry because the former is “more hydrating” than the latter. Truth is, 99.9% of hydration levels are internal processes, not external. Good quality skincare products can greatly improve the outer appearance of your skin, which is why your skin looks fresh & hydrated after a facial. But the overall hydration of your body is barely impacted by lotions and creams. The best analogy I can make is your moisturizer is like a Band-Aid. Everyone knows that it's not the Band-Aid that heals a cut, rather the Band-Aid keeps the area safe as your body heals itself. Moisturizer is much like this. When applied to the skin, moisturizer acts like a barrier or shield. Stopping dirt, debris, and any external particles from absorbing into the skin, where it can cause havoc. So using moisturizer daily helps your BODY to keep you & your skin properly hydrated.

“You don’t need SPF indoors”

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yes you do. Most people these days are pretty good about using sunscreen on the beach or on sunny summer days. Even re-applying as needed to protect their skin from sunburns. But day to day, especially in the colder months, people don’t bother wearing any. And if they work primarily indoors, then what's the point? They’re not exposed to any sunlight, so there's no danger, right?

Although you may not be exposed to UVA or UVB rays indoors, the sun has one more variation that's not widely talked about. Meet UVC rays, AKA “computer ray”.

 UVC rays are a type of blue light, which is primarily responsible for our beautiful blue skies. And as technology floods into every corner of our lives, we are exposed to more of this blue light, in an artificial form. Skincare scientists are seeing more and more negative effects on our skin due to over exposure to this light. Although it does not have as immediate of an effect, such as UVB rays, which causes sunburns. This blue light has shown in longitudinal studies to break down collagen in our skin over time, and generate free-radicals which are particles that can cause dark spots, fine lines or wrinkles to develop. Since we rely on this technology to communicate and get our work done, limiting this screen time can be difficult. So… until then, I highly encourage the addition of a mineral sunscreen each morning. Trust me, your skin will thank you.

**Pro-tip: look for these key ingredients to tell if a sunscreen is effective at reflecting all three UV rays: Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, and iron oxides.

Have more skincare questions you'd like answered? Ask us at info@littlebirdwellnessct.com and we can respond personally and maybe use it in future blog posts.