For a long time, FiercePaint was a makeup blog. I reviewed products and occasionally shared makeup tips. As time went on, I started getting skincare products in exchange for reviews. That has been fun but I’ve never looked into nuance and I never knew the inner working of skincare products.
But as I age, I’ve come to realise that if I want beautiful makeup I NEED beautiful skin. Hence a recent obsession with skincare. Perhaps I have hopped on a bandwagon that has appealed to the scientist in me or perhaps I am just buying into the trend.
In any case, here are FOUR of skincare mistakes you need to stop making!
4. STOP over-exfoliating!!!
The use of scrubs that contain micro beads, and, cleansing tools like brushes, to help remove dirt and dead skin cells, is called physical exfoliation.
Physical exfoliation (no matter how gentle) works by ripping skin cells of our face and not just dead skin cells, leading to damage of the skin’s natural barrier. I admit I’ve abused my skin one too many times this way!
This is not to say exfoliation is bad. EXFOLIATION IS NECESSARY. But using gentle chemical exfoliation with ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid would be more effective than physical exfoliation. And you don’t need to exfoliate every day! Just double cleansing does a whole lot of good already!
3. Not applying skincare on your ears and neck.
YES YOUR EARS! No, but let’s talk about this! Ideally, it should go all the way down to your decolletage (your neckline and below) but how many of us practice this?! The skin on your neck showing signs of ageing means your appearance show signs of ageing too. And everything the facial skin is exposed to, the skin on your neck is exposed to as well!
2. STOP introducing too many products all at once.
This one I learnt the hard way. After stopping mistake number one (coming up next), I also tried to pile on a lot of night time skincare. Sure, it was good for the first few days but my skin eventually started itching! And this has NEVER happened to me. And as I went back to the experts to see what the problem was, introducing four (yes, FOUR) new products was the tragic flaw in my plan!
1. WEAR sunscreen NOW!
This is perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learnt and what prompted this post. I remember speaking of SKII (https://fiercepaint.wordpress.com/2018/08/27/product-empties-24/) as one of the best skincare that I’ve ever used. It genuinely improved my skin to the point that I could actually see a difference.
Using SKII has NOT even come close to the impact wearing sunscreen has had!
I AM NOT KIDDING!!!
The difference is ASTONISHING!
Of course you’re not going to see results in a week or even two. Give it three months, then thank me! REALLY!!!
SUN DAMAGE IS REAL!!!
PLEASE WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!
References: Most if not all of this information was retrieved from two qualified professionals on YouTube;
1. Dr Vanita Rattan (medical doctor and cosmetic formulator; https://www.youtube.com/@vanitarattan), and,
2. Lab Muffin Beauty Science (cosmetic chemist with a PhD in chemistry https://www.youtube.com/@LabMuffinBeautyScience)