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5 Beauty myths busted

By MiNDFOOD

eyeshadow, lipstick, powder and brush on pink background
eyeshadow, lipstick, powder and brush on pink background
We sort fact from fiction, so you can get the most out of your routine.

 

Make-up causes breakouts and acne
For years foundation has been getting a bad rap where acne is concerned but according to skin and beauty experts we shouldn’t be so quick to point the finger: acne is a complex disease with many contributing factors. “Poor skin hygiene contributes to breakouts,” agrees Olivia Wild, Bobbi Brown New Zealand’s training and education manager. In other words: going to bed with a full face of make-up won’t do your skin any favours. “Make sure you always clean your face using a cleanser and a clean facecloth before going to sleep to remove make-up, pollution and bacteria.” Old beauty products that have been exposed to light, air and bacteria and unclean make-up brushes have the potential to unleash a host of skincare problems. “Even though you should only be using your brushes on yourself you should still be washing them at least once a week as these are the ultimate breeding ground for bacteria,” says Wild.

All natural skincare ingredients are safe
Natural-based skincare is booming, and while that’s mostly a good thing for our skin and the planet, there is a bit of confusion that comes with natural ingredients. Not all natural-ingredients work wonders for skin and not all chemicals are toxic: take essentials oils for example. “A lot of people think “Oh, essentials oils; they’re natural, so they’re safe,” says Brianne West sustainable beauty pioneer and founder of Ethique. “Some of them are poisonous and they’re not something you want to be using if you don’t know what you’re doing.” Citrus oils, which West says she has seen spotted on the ingredient listing for sunscreens, are phototoxic, making skin more sensitive to the sun. “If you put these on your skin, you’re more likely to get severely sunburnt,” explains West.

Your hair gets used to haircare so switch it up regularly
According to hairstylist and Moroccanoil ambassador Peter Beckett, you do need to think about changing up your haircare routine every now and then, but there isn’t any truth in the myth that hair gets used to haircare. “If you’re finding your hair has stopped responding to haircare it could be due to a number of reasons: perhaps it’s done it’s job and now is too heavy or too strengthening or maybe it was the wrong product in the first place,” Beckett explains. A change in seasons, climate or the way you’re styling your hair could be another reason to overhaul your haircare regimen. “It’s like skin moisturiser. Some days you need a heavier one and other days you need a lighter one,” he says.

A regular trim will make your hair grow faster
If you’re after longer tresses, a regular haircut has often been touted as the answer but Beckett says it’s one of the biggest hair myths out there. “I believe in keeping hair healthy while growing it longer,” Beckett says. But keeping hair healthy doesn’t have to involve chopping off an inch every eight weeks. “You’ll never get long hair. Leave it and use the correct haircare and if your tresses start to look like they need a little tidy then take off as little as possible.”

Moisturisers and serums do the same job
Moisturisers and serums might both promise to keep skin well hydrated but that doesn’t mean you can switch out your moisturiser for a serum says Hayley Gardiner, education manager for Estée Lauder New Zealand. “We often hear the words ‘hydrating’ when it comes to a serum so it sounds like a moisturiser but we need to use moisturiser over any type of serum to seal the skin’s moisture barrier,” Gardiner says. “Your serum is not your moisturiser; serums penetrate deep into the dermis layer to repair skin cells and work from the the bottom up,” Gardiner explains. Your moisturiser, on the other hand, seals the moisture barrier on the surface of the skin to work from the top down where it meets with the serum.

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