Busting More Beauty Myths

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chemicals, cleansing, damage, deficiency, follicle, hair, harmful rays, hypoallergenic, ingredients, irritant, irritating, make up, make-up, makeup, misinformation, Myth, nail polish, nails, natural, natural ingredients, oxygen, safe, sensitive skin, shave, Shaving, sleep, sunscreen, synthetic, thicker, Vitamin D

Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Back in 2019, we wrote this post where we looked at some of the oldest and most persistent beauty myths around and gave you the truths behind them. The beauty industry seems to be awash with untruths about what is and isn’t good for you and your skin, and there are many more myths out there which need to be debunked, so we’ve come up with five more myths and the reality behind them: 

“Using sunscreen all year round causes vitamin D deficiency”

Sunscreen’s effect on vitamin D levels is actually minimal for most people. The truth is that everyone is at risk for vitamin D deficiency whether they have lighter skin tones or darker skin tones, even among people who live in sunny climates and are outdoors year-around. Skipping sunscreen is a case where the risk significantly outweighs the reward, so it just doesn’t make any sense to do in hopes of increasing your vitamin D levels.

“Wearing makeup every day is bad for your skin”

While wearing lots of makeup can be cumbersome for the skin on your face, wearing makeup consistently won’t actually make your skin worse. Granted, a day with no makeup feels great, but the real culprit of skin damage is not consistently washing your makeup off and leaving makeup on overnight. And no, using a face wipe won’t do the trick, either! Make sure you use a proper make-up removing cleanser and the effect of your make-up on the skin should be minimal. 

“Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker”

This is one of THE most persistent (and if we’re honest, IRRITATING!) beauty myths out there. Shaving will not make your hair grow back thicker, faster, or darker. The growth of hair is controlled by the follicle, and shaving doesn’t affect the follicle or growth pattern whatsoever. Your hair just might appear more stubbly because the blade cuts the hair at the thickest part. There are products which can help to slow the regrowth, but there’s no need to worry about turning into a yeti just from shaving! 

“Nail polish harms nails because it prevents them from breathing”

Nails are dead cells. The reality is that nails do not actually “breathe”; they receive their nutrients and oxygen from the bloodstream and not the air. If your nails are feeling weak and damaged, especially after having gel polish or extensions, using Protein Formula For Nails No:4 can help to restructure and strengthen damaged nails, whilst hydrating and promoting healthy nails.

“Natural ingredients are better for sensitive skin”

If you have sensitive skin, it can be easy to think that ingredients which are derived from natural sources will be less irritating than those which aren’t. However, this is simply not true. Some of our most potent products are made almost entirely from natural ingredients and in fact, it’s important to be selective about ALL ingredients, not just the synthetic ones. There are lots of synthetic ingredients proven to be hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. And even if a synthetic ingredient has the potential for irritation, cosmetic chemists have the ability to remove the allergenic portion of the ingredient in a lab, making it more tolerable for your skin.

Everyday Sunscreens for Every Skin Type

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Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels

Although keeping your skin clean and hydrated is always going to be important, most experts agree that the easiest way to care for your skin is by wearing sunscreen on a daily basis. Wearing sunscreen can prevent skin damage, including wrinkles, unwanted pigmentation, skin thinning and cancer. It’s also a common misconception that you only need to wear sunscreen on warmer days; you can still get burned when it’s cloudy, so wear sunscreen daily.

With this in mind, we’ve curated a list of our best sunscreens for every different skin type:

Normal

When you have normal skin, you often have the pick of many different products, but finding a daily SPF which works well with make-up can still be a challenge. Elemis Daily Defence Shield SPF30 is a perfect base for make-up and offers broad protection against environmental factors including UV rays, high energy visible light and pollution. It has a super light texture and contains both coconut and jojoba oils to nourish the skin.

Dry/Sensitive

When people with dry skin use sunscreens which aren’t formulated for dryness, they often find that the product can look chalky or exacerbate flakiness. Decleor Aloe Vera Sun Gel Cream SPF50 is a gel-based sunscreen offering broad spectrum SPF50 protection which also deeply hydrates dry and ageing skin. Aloe vera soothes and prevents inflammation and botanical sesame oils leave the skin feeling nourished and hydrated.

Oily/Spot Prone

Many sunscreens are oil-based to prevent them from being washed away too easily, but this can play havoc with oily and spot prone skin. Dermalogica Clearing Defence SPF30 is a shine-reducing SPF moisturiser that protects breakout-prone skin from environmental stress. It offers a matte finish which doesn’t clog the pores while protecting the skin from the suns harmful rays. 

Ageing

If your skin is ageing, either prematurely or when it should, you’ll find that you need added protection from the sun. This is because, as we age, our skin loses the ability to make certain key elements, leaving our skin thinner and more delicate. Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF50 will help achieve absolute hydration and defend against the internal and external causes of skin ageing.

Hyperpigmented

If you suffer from hyperpigmentation, you’re probably all too aware that sun exposure can exacerbate the condition more than almost anything else, so having a good SPF is essential. SkinCeuticals Advanced Brightening UV Defence SPF 50 is a dual-action, lightweight sunscreen with SPF50 that helps protect the skin from UV-induced discolouration and helps evens skin tone. 

Forget the Hacks – Get Skincare RIGHT!

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avoid, care, caution, contouring, damage, face masks, hacks, homemade, ingredients, mask, masks, microneedling, moisturiser, skin, skincare, slugging, social media, SPF, spoons, sun, sunscreen, tan, tears, TikTok, Vaseline

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

These days, because the internet and social media give anyone who wants one a very public mouthpiece, there’s a lot of false information floating around which claims to be true. This is especially relevant when it comes to skincare and barely a day goes by without a new “hack” hitting TikTok, claiming to be the latest skincare saviour or correct way to do things. There are, however, plenty of people out there putting paid to these myths, and we thought it was time we weighed in too! 

Homemade Face Masks

While there’s no doubt that there are plenty of ingredients in your kitchen which are can be good for your skin, there are also a lot which can be damaging. One such ingredient is sugar, which many claim makes a good exfoliant when added to face scrubs or masks. In fact, using sugar to exfoliate your face can be highly damaging and actually cause micro tears to your face, leaving you open to infection. If you want to exfoliate, opt for a non-physical exfoliation product such as Elemis Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator which will gently yet effectively exfoliate, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.

Frozen Spoons

There are lots of tutorials on the web showing people using spoons which have been stored in the fridge or freezer to perform facial massage and lymphatic drainage. While the theory behind is is fairly sound, using a spoon is less than ideal. They’re usually made of a non-optimal material such as metal and they’re not specifically shaped for the contours of the face. Swap your spoon for a Hayo’u Beauty Restorer and we’re positive that your facial massage routine will start to show MUCH better results. 

Slugging

For those of you who don’t know, slugging involves covering your face with a thick layer of Vaseline and leaving it overnight as a way of hydrating the skin. It originated in Korea and made it’s way across the globe thanks to social media, however it’s NOT something we’d recommend. At all. While soaking your skin in something nourishing to encourage moisturisation is fine, using a product like Vaseline (which, let’s not forget, is a petrochemical…) is a really bad idea. Aside from suffocating your skin and blocking your pores, it can actually be more drying and cause your skin to parch completely. If you must slather your face in something, opt for Elemis Superfood Night Cream, which is designed to deeply hydrate and nourish your skin without the risk of damage. 

SPF Contouring

This trend is one that really blew our minds! Certain TikTokkers were advocating for only putting sunscreen on small areas of the face, so that you’d tan more in other areas, to create a physical contouring effect without using make up. Obviously, this is just beyond daft, and potentially a very dangerous thing to do, and we can’t imagine anyone taking this seriously. Properly protecting your skin from the sun using a product like SkinCeuticals Advanced Brightening UV Defence SPF 50 is one of the best ways to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun – and we do mean ALL OVER your face! 

Home Microneedling

While we aren’t suggesting that microneedling is totally out of the question, we have serious reservations about doing such an invasive treatment without proper medical training. Microneedling, for those who aren’t in the know, involves using a device which rolls lots of tiny needles across your face, making minute holes in your skin as it goes. The theory is that it allows the skincare to penetrate more deeply, but in reality, the risk of introducing bacteria, and therefore infection, is really high. Devices which pierce the skin should be sterilised in a medical grade autoclave before each use…not just left in your bathroom cabinet! If you make the sensible choice of leaving your microneedling to a professional, we do recommend using Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Bio-Cellulose Mask in the days after treatment.

When soap won’t cut it turn to Pure Beauty

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acne prone skin, ‘Wash your face with soap water’, balms, cleans, coconut, creamy, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Make-Up Remover, deep cleansing action, Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser, Dermalogica Precleanse, dirt of the day, dissolves, dry faces, easily rinses away, elderberry and starflower extracts, Elemis BIOTEC Skin Energising Cleanser, Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, excellent products, excess sebum, floral water, fresh, glycolic acid, grandmothers, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser, jasmine, layer up, light, lips, make-up, mantra, murumuru seed butter, non-irritating, nourishing, oomph, optimum performance, palmarosa, pampers, past generations, plant-based cleansing oil, plump, radiant, rebalance, removes make-up, results, revived, revolutionary formula, Rice Bran, rose, scientific blend of virgin botanical oils, soap free, soft, soothed, stubborn, sunscreen, surface oils and impurities, tired, trio of acids, ultra-clean, vitamin E oils, waterproof lip liners, waterproof make-up

‘Wash your face with soap water’ was often the mantra for our grandmothers, but today there are better, gentler ways to take the dirt of the day off your skin, so we’re going to look at some of the excellent products on the site that we think past generations would’ve approved of.

The Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser is a light creamy product that cleans the skin as well as nourishing it. Perfect for dry faces it takes away dirt and make-up and thanks to lush coconut and murumuru seed butter skin gets stronger and is soothed as well as being refreshed thanks to palmarosa and jasmine.

If you are looking for something with a little oomph, look no further than the Elemis BIOTEC Skin Energising Cleanser. This offers optimum performance, because it is packed with a trio of acids mixed with an energising electrolyte solution and the results are explosive. The unique deep cleansing action reduces surface oils and impurities to rebalance your complexion leaving it fresh and revived.

The Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Make-Up Remover is powered by a scientific blend of virgin botanical oils and floral water, and we love it. This revolutionary formula pampers the skin as it removes make-up (even stubborn, waterproof lip liners) and leaves it feeling soft, plump, soothed, and radiant.

For ultra clean, healthy skin we suggest the Dermalogica PreCleanse which is a fav of the pro’s. This plant-based cleansing oil breaks through the excess sebum, sunscreen, waterproof make-up, and residual products that build up during the day and make our skin look dull. Rice bran and vitamin E oils have been added to create a gentle blend that can be used around the eye area so that panda eyes in the morning will be a thing of the past.

Jan Marini Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser is totally soap free and leaves skin soft, smooth and more refined. It is non irritating, easily rinses away and because it comes with natural sorbitol from berries it leaves your skin soft and hydrated. This cleanser has added glycolic acid and the deep cleansing action makes it perfect for acne-prone skin, but don’t use this if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.

Balms aren’t just for your lips! The Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm dissolves the make-up, grime and pollution that can layer up and make us look tired. All skin types can benefit from the rose, elderberry and starflower extracts that have been mixed with delicate oils because together, they supercharge your complexion and leave it glowing.

If you have any questions about the best soap free products for you, let us know and we would love to help.

Team Pure Beauty

Top tips for sun safe skin

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beach, blood circulation, body, build-up, cleanse, clouds, cold water, conditioning, critical, danger, dead skin cells, dehydrated, dirt, drink, exposed, glowing, hats, irritation, itch, key ingredients, moisture, moisture and sooth, natural essential oils, natural yoghurt, outside, pain, panic, pat dry, pool, prickly heat, rashes, red, rub, skin tone, skin type, skincare routine, sleeves, spots, suffering, summer, sun, sunburn, suncream, sunglasses, sunny summer months, sunscreen, swimming, tan, tanning oil, tight, tire, tone and mositurise, uffering, uncomfortable, warm, water, worse

We all know that a good skincare routine is important, but during the warm, sunny summer months it is even more critical.

Whatever your skin type, prickly heat, sunburn, rashes and irritation are all possible if you spend time in the heat, so it is vital to get things right so you don’t end up red and in pain.

We have some easy to put into practise tips, that will help you keep skin safe all year round.

Drink water
Yes, this again. It is really important to make sure you drink plenty of water when you are out in the sun, on the beach, by the pool or exercising outside. When the sun is out your body loses more moisture than usual and this can lead you to becoming dehydrated which will make your skin look, and feel, tired, tight and uncomfortable.

Use protection properly
So many people underestimate the power of the sun, even when it is hiding behind clouds, and this is a huge mistake. Whatever you skin tone, we suggest using a sunscreen that has a minimum SPF of 30 and to apply it to your face and body at least 30 minutes before going outside. If you are in the sun for more than a few hours, it’s really important to top up every couple of hours, and also apply after swimming. Some people mix tanning oil with sunscreen but we don’t suggest doing this because some key ingredients can interact and make your sunscreen less effective, putting you in danger.

Deal with the fallout
Even if you do your best to look after your skin, you may well end up suffering from prickly heat, sunburn and irritation. Don’t panic and do not rub or itch your skin as this can make it worse, instead, place natural yoghurt on the affected area for approximately 15 minutes, then pat dry with cold water and try to rest up. You can also use a good after sun product and keep out of the sun the next day to prevent further damage.

Try natural oils
Using natural essential oils on your face and body at night, can give your skin the extra conditioning it needs. Natural oils are a great way to moisture and sooth the skin, when it has been exposed to the sun and is suffering the effects of heat.

Remember to cleanse, tone and mositurise
It is really important not to forget to cleanse your skin as this will keep pores clean and complexions clear. Breakouts can be inevitable when your skin gets hot and bothered but if you stick to the rules of cleanse, tone and moisturise, you will help you and your skin stay healthy in the sun.

Try to exfoliate
It is important to remember to exfoliate your skin during the summer as this will remove dead skin cells and improve blood circulation which means your skin will be glowing. If you don’t get rid of these cells, they will sit on your skin and it will look dull and grey, plus the build-up of dirt, suncream and moisturisers can cause irritation and spots, and we can all do without those.

Cover up
Sunglasses, hats and sleeves in the midday sun are all good practise when it is hot and the sun it beating down on you. While you might want a tan, looking after your skin is much better than anything else in the long run and there are some really cute trends on the high street right now, so you can be safe and look fab.

Team Pure Beauty