The beauty industry is full of information, some true and some created to move product off the shelves....and then there are the "myths" we picked up along the way.....Here are five common skin care myths and the "real" story behind each one.
- Collagen can be replaced using a topical collagen cream or by ingesting a collagen supplement.
It would be wonderful if it was just that easy! The truth is, the collagen molecule is too large to penetrate deep enough into the skin to "replace" lost collagen and sits helplessly on the surface unable to provide any real benefit. In regard to supplements, its somewhere in the middle. When we ingest collagen, it is broken down, as all proteins are, into it's base amino acids and then used by the body to repair tissues...You'll find a greater benefit from eating enough "complete proteins" such as fish, chicken or balanced protein shakes. We do believe in serums containing high levels of peptides for encouraging collagen via ones skin care regime.
- Genetics determines how my skin ages.
Maybe mom or grandma aren't aging so well. Relax, there is still hope for you. When it comes to appearance, habits tend to play a larger role in skin aging than genetics. Smoking, excessive stress, binge drinking, poor sleep habits (such as not enough sleep or sleeping on ones face) all lead to premature aging, wrinkles and poor skin quality. In short, take care of yourself, be sure to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen, and look forward to aging gracefully and gorgeously!
- it's cloudy outside, I don't need a sunscreen!
Did you know that up to 80% of UVA is able to penetrate cloud cover? This means that if you are out and about on a cloudy day, you are still encouraging cellular damage from UV exposure. Even in winter, snowfall can reflect UV resulting in burns and skin damage. Be sure to always wear at least an SPF 20 sunblock to prevent premature aging due to UV exposure. And remember, glass doesn't block UVA, so even sitting inside with window exposure leads to premature aging.
- Expensive skincare products work best.
While price may reflect a high concentration of active ingredients, it's not the main indicator of a fantastic product. We've found pricy skin creams that are formulated poorly, with very little active ingredients as well as creams containing pricy (but useless) ingredients such as gold flakes and caviar. On the other end of things, a "cheap" price tag can indicate lots of fillers and very little active ingredient. Our recommendation? read the label. If the ingredient list reads like a novel, contains words like "paraben" or "fragrance" or the active ingredients are way down the list, don't waste your time or your money.
- A higher SPF is better.
No sunscreen is 100% effective at blocking out all UVA rays. That being said, the difference between an SPF 25 and an SPF80 is only a fraction of a percent. In the U.S. and Canada, label regulations are changing to allow for sunscreens to be marked 30+ to avoid the perception that a higher SPF is better and potentially encouraging prolonged sun exposure. The key thing to remember: make sure your sunscreen is broad spectrum to protect against both UVA + UVB radiation. We prefer Zinc oxide and Titanium dioxide based formulations.