Some of them have only recently appeared in stores, while others have been considered an important part of daily facial care for decades. In fact, today their formulas are considered outdated, ineffective and even dangerous. We asked a beautician to tell us which beauty products you shouldn’t buy anymore. And if you have them in your arsenal, think about replacing them soon!
Wash-up soap
Soap cleanses well, is easy to use and can be found at any store. You can also buy a more expensive version from a professional brand that promises real miracles. But in any case its ability to “squeaky clean” is a double-edged sword. Excessive cleansing dries out and irritates, provoking not only wrinkles but also inflammation, chronic redness, sensitivity and unpleasant peeling. This is because there is a layer of fat on the surface of the skin that protects it from water loss, over-drying, dirt and dust. Soap, on the other hand, washes away this layer and leaves the skin unprotected.
By the way, this effect is due to several components in the composition: sodium lauryl sulfate (or SLS, as it is commonly abbreviated) and the very thing called soap, potassium salts of vegetable oils. In formulations, they are disguised by the two-word name sodium or potassium. The most common name you see is sodium hydroxide, and products with this substance should be avoided in the first place, especially if the ingredient is at the beginning of the list of ingredients
Alcohol lotions.
It immediately brings to mind the cucumber face lotion, which was used by our grandmothers :). Even for those who like to deeply cleanse their face, this is not an option, because alcohol severely dries the skin. Of course, alcohol lotion can remove any dirt from the surface of the epidermis. But don’t forget that alcohol is an aggressive medium, and it removes not only grease and dust, but also important nutrients. Alcohol toner, if used continuously, contributes to the disruption of the natural water-saving function. It causes your skin to dehydrate and produces more sebum. This, in turn, inevitably leads to more inflammation and acne.
Scrubs with aggressive abrasives (apricot kernels, nutshells, large synthetic granules, sea salt)
One of the main disadvantages of such scrubs is the poorly processed abrasive particles. This is especially dangerous for skin with inflammation. When you use such a scrub, you scratch the top layer and can spread an infection over your skin, provoking more inflammation. Remember: any scrubs can only be used on skin without inflammation. Better yet, don’t use them at all and opt for acids or more advanced products.
Peel-Scratch
And this type of peeling has become irrelevant because it is too mild.
You probably think that the characteristic lumps that appear on the face after a massage with a rolling peel are dead epidermal cells. But if that were true, it’s hard to imagine how much time the skin has to keratinize if so many particles roll off every time, no matter how often you perform the procedure. In fact, such products contain cellulose fibers or acrylates, which turn just a gel into a peel-and-scrub. This is all their magic! The only category of girls who can be recommended this type of peeling is those with sensitive skin. The rolled-up particles polish the skin much more gently than the abrasives in scrubs and microspheres in gommages.
Steam baths and home saunas for the face
We would like to believe that fewer and fewer girls are using this “effective” home method. Nothing, except traumatization of blood vessels, it does not bring! Steam baths are strictly forbidden for too dry or sensitive skin, irritations, rashes or inflammatory processes. But if after reading this you still have a desire to use them, do it only under the supervision of a beautician.