Skin Superstitions: Myth vs. Facts

Despite all science and reason, we still find ourselves knocking on wood and throwing salt over our shoulder when it comes to superstition. And while we are happy to embrace life's silly rituals - and tend to blame EVERYTHING on Mercury Retrograde or a Full Moon - it’s our duty as your aestheticians to put an end to a few superstitions that exist when it comes to the skincare world.

Superstition #1: Oily skin is greasy, shiny and undesirable.

This is simply NOT true! Oil is essential for our skin's barrier health, and oil keeps us looking young and alive. If you flip through magazines or thumb through Instagram posts, you’ve probably seen that the glowing dewy look is all the rage right now. If you have oily skin, celebrate it. It’s a fact that oily skin will age slower because oils work to keep the skin naturally moisturized.

Let’s have a look at your skin regimen to analyze where it’s lacking. We usually find that the addition of an active toner like Vivant’s 3% Mandelic Acid Toner to your morning routine will normalize your oil production and ensure your forehead won’t be reflecting the light of the next full moon by night [insert wolf howling].

For those of you that run dry, have no fear – you can pile on an assortment of oils and moisturizers to compensate your skin’s underproduction of oil and prevent the premature aging that can be caused by dry skin.

Superstition #2: You shouldn’t exfoliate on a regular basis.

Think of your skin like an apple. The outer layer needs to be strong or you will damage the skin beneath the surface. Exfoliators can address issues like dull skin, fine lines, pigmentation, dryness, uneven skin tone, texture, clogged pores, acne, melasma, and eczema. Essentially, the right product can be a cure-all. As you age, your skin sheds more slowly, and when it does shed, the skin cells stick to their outer layer - also known as the epidermis. Over time, this causes cell buildup that doesn’t feel smooth to the touch and appears dull to the eye. Your moisturizing products can no longer penetrate and they just add to the dead cell pile up.

In general, exfoliation can and should be done daily. Your skin will give you signs of when and how to exfoliate. Wondering if there’s an exfoliating product that is right for everyone? Vivant’s 8% Mandelic Serum works for all skin types and tones. It’s pregnancy-safe, gentle enough for Rosacea skin, and it is guaranteed to help even skin tone and give you that glow we love.

Superstition #3: You don’t need an eye cream.

Our last superstition speaks directly to the ‘low maintenance’ people out there who don’t believe in under eye products. We frequently hear people asking if they should use eye products. The short answer is - YES! Everyone should consider eye creams. Our eyes go through the gauntlet every day, and they need just as much attention as the rest of our face - and sometimes maybe even more. Eye creams are not just like ‘regular’ products, they have special technology and special ingredient levels to treat those delicate areas.

One of the reasons we believe eye creams can get a bad reputation is that there aren’t any products that are truly “miracle working” or provide “instant results”. Treating your under eye area is part of the long skin game and our best recommendation for using an eye cream is to actually use two!

For the daytime, we like a specially formulated nourishing, hydrating and moisturizing eye product that will help to brighten and de-puff while still looking good under makeup. While for nights, we prefer a gently exfoliating eye product that is working at chipping away at crow’s feet, crepey-ness, and dark circles overnight.

Here’s our favorite line up of trusty products:

Now that we’ve de-bunked and de-mystified some of the most notorious skin superstitions, it’s important to keep in mind that there are some skincare notions that DO prove to be true. Here’s what we mean:

  • The sun is by far the number one cause of aging skin. The science is in, and UV rays account for more free radical damage than anything else. Smoking is a close second. 90% of our sun exposure comes from day-to-day life, so that’s why we hound you about SPF in your favorite AM moisturizer.

  • Dry skin causes premature aging. We love to blame stress for our wrinkles. Some of that is true, but more often it’s stress that leads to not taking care of our skin. Dry, depleted skin will appear crepey – and if you don’t work to correct it, the effects will become more permanent overtime.

  • Makeup and products break out acne prone skin. Check out our blog on some popular drug store and beauty store products that could be breaking you out! And, also remember to always check our acne-safe makeup guide here.

Cassie Fehlen