5 Skincare Cliches that May or May Not be True
The Skinsmith | 13th November 2023
Beyond Belief – Fact or Fiction?!!!
Beauty urban myths can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in the blink of an eye, sometimes they are complete and utter nonsense and sometimes they are rooted in fact. Hopefully we can put a few things straight for you today as well as give you some ideas of most effective ways to care for your skin.
If we start with a couple of crazy things your grandma may have told you, such as:
Myth 1: Shaving causes extra hair growth!!
If this were true men would be ecstatic with this quick fix for baldness! Go ahead and shave your legs, you won’t turn into a Yeti but it might be worthwhile to apply Eminence Pineapple Refining Tonique after both shaving or waxing as it is amazing for helping prevent ingrowing hairs. Simply wipe over your legs, arms or face using a cotton round and your skin will smell and feel amazing. Saying this, myths often don’t crop up out of nowhere and even if they are false, they have their roots in the truth. While shaving doesn’t change hairs thickness, colour or rate of growth, shaving gives the hair a blunt tip. This tip may feel coarse or a bit stubbly for a while until it grows out and during this phase the hair might be more noticeable and perhaps appear to be darker and thicker.
Onto the next gem!!!
Myth 2: Cold water shrinks your pores.
This is not true unfortunately (if only it was that easy!!), you got your pore size from good old mum and dad and not much will change that. Saying this, you can minimise their appearance on the surface. When pores are clogged with oil and dead skin, they look bigger, products containing salicylic acid really clean them out. Clear Skin Willow Bark Exfoliating Peel is a deep cleansing, clarifying peel solution with organic cotton round pads for problem skin types and is great for minimising pores.
Pores also stretch as you lose collagen, sun breaks down collagen so for goodness’ sake wear an SPF product!! Red Currant Protective Moisturiser SPF40 is perfect, it gives a cool sensation when applied due to the sustained release tea tree oil which helps reduce the signs of breakouts.
Thinking about these things will do far more for your pores than an icy splash and so will these amazing Eminence products. I’m really having to exert some real self-control here as there are a whole host of pore refining Eminence products but your main go to is going to be your Mangosteen, Clear Skin and Acne Advanced products. A lovely pore refining at home mini facial could start with Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser is an amazing pore minimising cleanser which will leave your complexion clear, smooth and radiant. Then try the Raspberry Pore Refining Masque it’s amazing!! You can really see the raspberry seeds in this jewel-coloured masque, minimise and tighten the pores with astringent raspberry juice, this masque also contains blueberry and blackberry so is packed full of antioxidants combatting the damaging effects of free-radicals. Finish with a moisturiser, we have just the thing! Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturiser is an ultra-light daily moisturiser to clear the appearance of problem skin, while minimising clogged pores. Cucumber and tea tree help improve the appearance of blemishes and reduce the look of inflammation while probiotics exfoliate and leave the complexion looking calm.
Myth 3: If Retinol Irritates your Skin, Stop using it
This one is partly true but not exactly! Retinol is a real rock star in the anti-ageing department, it’s a type of retinoid, a medication class created from vitamin A. It was originally created as an acne medication when it’s anti-ageing properties were discovered as a very welcome side effect.
It’s extremely effective but comes with some rather unwelcome side effects if used long-term, including redness, dryness, flaking and photosensitivity. If you’re experiencing this type of irritation, you don’t have to ditch the retinol entirely, but you should change the way in which you use it. The irritation results from using these products for long periods at higher doses and concentrations.
Try decreasing the frequency of use to every other night or even every third night then slowly increase as tolerated. You can also use natural retinol alternative products and ditch the conventional retinol or alternate use between the 2 types of products.
Eminences new collection Bakuchiol + Niacinamide contains exactly what it says on the pot!! Bakuchiol is a powerful alternative to conventional retinol, derived from the Babchi plant and Niacinamide which is a multifunctional form of vitamin B3. These products work together to smooth lines, hydrate skin, tighten pores and improve skin texture, firmness, and elasticity. If you are going through this ritual in the morning top it off with Radiant Protection SPF Fluid from the Bakuchiol + Niacinamide collection, it's an SPF 30 which is in a fluid form making it easy to go over your moisturiser. It’s retinol for the sun!!
Products containing Natural Retinol Alternative are found in Eminences Age Corrective Collection. Two of our best-selling products are found within this collection and they both contain Natural Retinol alternative sourced from chicory root oligosaccharides and tara tree gum. Coconut Age Corrective Moisturiser is in the top 10 bestseller list year in year out, with each application your skin will feel instantly tighter and firmer. Coconut provides deep, daily hydration in this dual action moisturiser that delivers instant firming and tightening plus long-term collagen boosting effects from a Natural Retinol Alternative. Bamboo Firming Fluid is your BFF!! It gives your skin an extra dose of hydration with bamboo and coconut joining forces with natural retinol alternative to strengthen the skin and deliver an instant visible firming action., improving elasticity and leaving the skin smooth and silky.
Myth 4: Eye Creams don’t do anything
A good eye cream can be incredibly beneficial if it contains the right ingredients and id formulated for your specific skin concerns. If your concern is dark circles Wild Plum Eye Cream contains iron rich wild plum to help reduce this. The skin around the eye area will appear brightened, re-energised and those tell-tale visible signs of ageing will appear reduced.
If your main issue happens to be a tendency towards eye-bags and puffiness then Snow Mushroom Moisture Cloud Eye Cream is just the thing. This is a luxuriously fluffy eye cream which will revitalise the eye area with super-hydrating snow mushroom providing intense hydration while powerful botanical peptides smooth roughness, decrease puffiness and diminish under eye-bags to reveal a refreshed appearance.
Myth 5: Serums, Oils and concentrates are a waste of money
They are NOT a waste of money!! Often oils, serums and concentrates are the missing part of a skincare routine, they’re designed to target specific skin concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. Serums are lightweight and so easily absorbed so great for delivering a high concentration of active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or vitamin C, making them an effective way to achieve your skincare goals. These types of products can hydrate, smooth, plump, firm, exfoliate or brighten depending on the exact formula you use.
You can also customise your products by layering which is great fun and highly effective!! You need to use your products in a specific order to get the most out of each and limit your selection to one or two serums, oils and/or concentrates so they can effectively absorb into the skin. We advise applying your skin care products beginning with the thinnest consistency and ending with the richest. This could be when using 2 different serums for example Citrus & Kale Potent C + E Serum would go on first and then maybe try Marine Flower Peptide Serum (probably our richest serum) on top in order to achieve a double whammy of anti-ageing effects through increased collagen formation, smoothed and brightened skin and redness reduced.
Alternatively, you could cross between these products and would layer in the order of:
- Serums
- Concentrates
- Oils
After cleansing and toning, start with layering your facial serum, the thinnest consistency product, as it delivers active ingredients into the skin most efficiently. Concentrates (a favourite of mine is Mangosteen Daily resurfacing Concentrate which gently resurfaces and refines pores to refresh the skins natural appearance) are next, followed by facial oils. Facial oils come last as they’re designed to prevent water loss and "seal" the formulations in the skin. Applying a facial oil after your serums helps lock in moisture and the nutrient-rich ingredients you just applied to the skin, while allowing for optimal product penetration. Camelia Glow Solid Face Oil is brimming with luxurious botanical oils – camellia, hemp seed and marula – and replenishes the skin with vitamins, essential fatty acids, and protective antioxidants. It aids collagen production, encourages cell turnover, and enhances the skin’s ability to retain moisture to reveal glowing, supple, and rejuvenated skin.
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If you need any help or advice on your skincare routine speak to a member of our experienced and friendly team today on 01305 300950 or by emailing [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.
