In our line of work, we often hear stories about how customers mistreat their skin due to misconceptions they have. We all want clear, radiant skin that just looks flawless – but what is the right way to achieve that?
Today, we discuss 4 common misconceptions many women have about achieving clear skin.
1. Over-exfoliating the skin
Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin using a chemical, granular substance or exfoliation tool. While out skin sheds dead skin cells naturally every 30 days, some might not be shed completely – which can cause flaky, congested skin. Some women love exfoliating their skin because they see brighter, radiant skin – the new skin revealed.
The more you exfoliate those dead skin cells for brighter skin, the faster you achieve clear skin, right? Wrong!
It is recommended that we exfoliate once a week – but some people do it 2 to 3 times a week, which can lead to congested skin. As you exfoliate the skin, you stimulate the skin’s oil glands, which can increase sebum production. This increases the chances of sebum rising up to the pores and clogging it, which can lead to acne outbreaks and congestion. On the other end of the spectrum, however, exfoliation can sometimes irritate your skin and result in transepidermal water loss – leading to dry, flaky and sensitive skin.
Hence, using the right exfoliant for your skin and not overdoing it is key to removing those dead skin cells for brighter, radiant skin.
2. Underestimating the importance of cleansers
People often look to wonder products that promise clear skin – but neglect the fundamental product that can make or break your skin: cleansers. Used as the first step of most beauty routines and key to refreshing your skin from dirt and impurities, it is of utmost importance that we use the right cleansers.
Some of us commit a bigger felony: being too lazy to properly double cleanse our skin, especially when we put on make-up. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of using a make-up cleanser to first thoroughly remove make-up, dirt, dust and impurities from the surface of the skin, before using a cleanser to deep-cleanse and refresh the skin.
Without clean skin, your skin is clogged by external aggressors – any other product you put on will only aggravate the clog and lead to dull, congested skin. Just as we need to breath; and so does our skin.
3. Not moisturizing the skin enough
We are all scared of oily skin – it feels as if using moisturizers will just lead to oily skin and acne. This misconception is especially common in sunny Singapore, where being in the heat and sweating feels like sufficient hydration for our skin. However, regardless of whether you have oily, dry, sensitive, ageing or young skin, you should always use a moisturizer suitable for your skin to protect and nourish it.
Another problem faced by women who do not use moisturizers may include mistreating their skin: the surface of your skin may look oily, but the deeper layers of your skin may be dehydrated. This is because your skin overcompensates the lack of moisture by overproducing sebum, which leads to shiny and oily skin. The customer may then choose to not use a moisturizer or use one for oily skin – which then aggravates the dry skin internally. This can lead to oily, but dry flaky skin.
This is because dead skin cells can be caused by thirsty and dehydrated skin: when your skin becomes parched, it dies – these dead skin cells are then pushed to the surface of the skin, which can lead to clogged pores and dry flaky skin. Due to the lack of moisture, these dead skin cells may appear black and look like blackheads – which can be misinterpreted as oily skin, which is not true!
Hence, understanding your skin and what it is telling you so thst you use the right moisturizer is key to achieving clear skin.
4. Trying out those funky hacks that do nothing but harm the skin
Many people have skin hacks for better skin; clearer skin; glass-like skin – but how many of them actually work?
We once heard a tip from a radio DJ on how to achieve better skin – by slowly massaging the moisturiser into the skin twice a day. While this will work for dry skin, it will result in more acne breakouts and congestion for those with oily skin as the massage overstimulates the oil glands. Some customers have even told us that they splash their skin with lemon juice and water used to rinse the rice because they heard those help with clearer skin: from our experience, this will only lead to bad skin.
There are already many misconceptions on how to treat your skin right out there – it is always important to be prudent when taking in tips on how to treat your skin right. Always speak with someone who know what they are doing so that you don’t become a victim of bad skin hacks and bad skin.
Stay tune for our post next week on how to achieve clear skin with the right skin care products (ahem moisturisers and cleansers), and the right face treatments.