Sometimes the things we love the most hurt us. This same ideology applies even to your skin care. Guilty of indulging yourself to several bottles of alcohol? Can’t go without that foundation? Don’t wait for skin care woes to come knocking right at your door. Before things take a turn for the worst, cut them off from your life.
Throwing the bad apples in your skin care kit away reduces risks of getting skin damage or triggering the early onset of skin aging. No one really likes having wrinkles when they’re still in their 20s. But there are just things that we love, thinking that they are exactly what we need. When it comes to skin care, you might want to take a closer look at these 8 beauty products.
Daily Skin Care Treats
Treating your skin with tenderness yields results. You don’t know it but gentleness is the foundation of daily skin care. It also applies to the products that you use on your skin every day. These are the goods that you need to evaluate the most. Discover what these products are.
Shampoos
While shampoos are considered hair products, you’re putting it on your scalp, which is technically part of the skin. Plus, once it comes into contact with foreheads and other parts of the head, toxic or harmful shampoos can do as much damage as your skin care goods. Aside from the possible toxic ingredients that this product may contain, you should also be aware of parabens.
Paraben is one of the leading causes of concern for health. It’s a common ingredient in a lot of personal care products. In most cases of breast tumors, traces of paraben are found. While there is no definite basis to this, research about the possible effects of paraben in developing breast tumors is still ongoing. While this does not cover skin care damage, the risk of using this is noteworthy.
Cleansers
Just like shampoos, parabens are also present in cleansers. But more than that, any form of cleanser can be harsh on the skin. One of the primary uses of cleansers is to remove dirt and impurities from the surface of the skin. This also means stripping off the excess oil on the surface. But there are cleansers that can be too strong whether they come in the form of soaps or gels. It might also wash off the necessary moisture that prevents dryness. Using a product this strong can be drying on the skin.
Lotions
What makes lotions harmful for the skin is using the wrong product. There are only lotions or moisturizers you can use for a certain skin type. If you have an oily skin, then it would be best for you to avoid oil-based or heavy formulas. These types of lotions can just accumulate on the surface and clog the pores.
For sensitive skin, it might trigger irritation and other skin concerns. On the other hand, using light moisturizers for dry skin does not replenish it with enough hydration.
Foundation
Yes, foundations are definitely life savers. After all, they instantly even out your skin tone and can even cover blemishes and dark spots. But who says that it’s all there is to it. Even an innocently compact foundation has its fair share in damaging the skin.
Remember how you can just whisk away sweat with one touch of foundation? Well, you might just have made a wrong move there. Foundation is made up of minerals and a lot of other artificial ingredients. Of course applying them on the skin when it is wet is just a skin care crime. There are higher chances that it would clog the pores. Some foundations also have toxic ingredients that are harmful to both the skin and the body. Before you buy one, look at the label in the back and see if it’s worth the risk.
Toners
There’s a common misconception about toners – that you use them to cleanse skin. However, toners actually work to prep skin. It restores the pH balance of your skin so it doesn’t become too alkaline. High alkalinity means your skin is dry. This prevents skin from absorbing necessary moisture. Toners help provide moisture to skin so it can absorb formulas better.
However, some toners contain alcohol, which can cause your skin to dry more. You should find the right toner for your skin type. There are ingredients you should avoid as well. Alcohol and sodium laurel sulfate, or SLS, are some of them. Always apply toner after cleansing. Do not put it on after moisturizing. This can remove the moisture from skin.
Seasonal or Regular Skin Care Essentials
From your daily skin care, let’s move on to the skin care treats that you only get to use every week, month, or seasons. While you don’t use them as frequently as you do with your essentials for daily skin care, these products are still harmful and might cause as much damage as the normal ones, if not more.
Exfoliators
If you’ve used an exfoliator at least once, then you’d be familiar with instructions of limiting its use to at least once a week. The reason is that it’s too harsh on the skin. Exfoliating the skin is essential to remove the outer layer of dead skin cells and boost skin cell renewal. The abrasion of the beads or any small particle is responsible for lifting off the dead skin cells.
But it also means that you’re causing small tears on the skin. While the skin recovers easily if you’re only using it once a week, remember that it can still cause dryness and other skin care concerns.
Peel Off Masks
Peel-off masks are just the enemy of a good exfoliation. It defies the discipline of treating your skin gently. It does have its merits since it delivers instant results of a smoother and clearer skin. But the problem is that it does not only lift off the dead skin cells. It also removes the small hair on the face called vellus. It helps regulate body temperature and is even helpful in sweating. It aids in evaporating the sweat.
Peel off masks tend to stick on the skin and even on the vellus hair. Sudden, harsh removal can cause the pores to open wider. This makes it easier for oil and impurities to clog the pores and instead, trigger acne and breakouts.
Spray Tans or Tanning Lotions
Yes, it’s indeed an attractive feature to have. Who doesn’t want a bronzed skin that just glows beautifully? And with spray tans and lotions, there’s no need to endure the high heat. Just applying these products give you a nice suntan. But don’t be too dependent on this method. After all, it plays a big role in skin damage.
You’d never think that some of these products contain amyl acetate, an ingredient which is more common in dry cleaning than in skin care. There are also a lot of substances that are possible irritants. What’s more, there are also ingredients that are comedogenic or those that have the potential to clog the pores. The worst part of it all? They can trigger cancer. Would you sacrifice an entire future for an instant beauty? Learn to read the label on your products!