5 common myths about skin care l Skinome

Skin care is a subject that many people have a great interest in, and for those who want to learn more, there is an endless amount of information to take part in and delve into. But among all the information, all the trends and recommendations, some untruths have taken hold in " skin care world" that we at Skinome would like to clarify, always with research as a basis. Everything we do is for the good of the skin and spreading scientific information that helps you take care of your skin in the best way is something we are passionate about. Below we list 5 common myths in skin care and find out which claims are true or not.

Myth 1.

"Bet on a 10-step routine for your skin - double cleansing, serum, toner, night cream, day cream, eye cream - the more products, the better for your skin!"

Dr. Johanna Gillbro's answer: False

Explanation: you've probably heard of the 10-step routine, it's one of the bigger trends we've seen in the "skin care world". Hailing from South Korea, it encourages one to develop a skincare routine that includes everything from creams, serums, spray serums, micellar water, double cleansing, essences and face masks. A long routine can give the impression of a better and more advanced routine for one's skin, but multiple products can actually mean the opposite. When you use multiple products, it also means you get a lot more of the less good stuff for your skin, i.e. preservatives, perfumes, dyes, stabilizers and more glycols. Since the skin's immune cells sit superficially in the skin's top layer (epidermis), they can easily react to substances that come into contact with the skin. An overexposure to various substances that are mainly there for the sake of the product to keep it fresh for a long time (such as preservatives) can destroy rather than help the skin.

Myth 2

"Drinking water helps you hydrate your skin from the inside"

Dr. Johanna Gillbro's answer: False

Explanation: this is a fairly common myth, but researchers on the skin's barrier function flatly say no to this. The more water we drink, the more we pee. What works to moisturize the skin are moisturizers in creams that instead bind and replace the water in the skin when it is dehydrated. Good moisture-binding ingredients to look for are: sugar (eg glycerin, sorbitol, xylitol or erythriol) or urea (urea), ectoine, N-acetyl glucosamine which is the building block of hyaluronic acid, Pre-, post- and probiotics have also shown provide good hydration.

Myth 3

"You need to use sunscreen even when it's cloudy"

Dr. Johanna Gillbro's answer: True

Explanation: it is much more important to look at the season than the weather on a particular day. The UV index varies above all with the season and the time of day. Other factors are weather and the thickness of the ozone layer. During the summer, the UV index in Sweden is usually 4–7 and during the dark season between November and February below 2. In summer in the Mediterranean, the UV index is high or very high, between 7 and 10, and at the equator extreme levels can be higher than 10 occur all year round. In Sweden, the sun is highest in the sky at the summer solstice in June. Then we are also exposed to the greatest amount of UV radiation. Between November and January, the sun is so low that the UV radiation is marginal.

In other words, there is a big difference between summer and winter at our latitudes. It is therefore unnecessary to use a skin cream with sun protection every day, all year round. During the summer months, when the UV index is high, the recommendation is to use a sunscreen (in cream or clothing form) even on cloudy days.

Myth 4

"Oily skin = dirty skin that needs to be cleaned a lot"

Dr. Johanna Gillbro's answer: False

Explanation: oily skin is often linked to slightly larger pores and more sebum production. This can in some cases lead to blackheads which can be both white and black. A common misconception is that oily skin is dirtier than normal skin and therefore needs to be washed more. The blackhead mask has nothing to do with dirt, but instead contains oxidized melanin, which is black in color. In November 2018, an article was published by a team of dermatologists from the School of Medicine at New York University in which they analyzed fourteen studies on cleansing for acne patients, and in which a total of 671 test subjects were included. The result showed that excessive cleansing does not lead to improvements in acne-affected skin.

However, it may be worth reducing sebum production and speeding up skin cell renewal to reduce the risk of clogged pores. This can be done with ingredients such as niacinamide, zinc retinol and various acids in low concentration eg lactic acid, lactobionic acid or salicylic acid2.

Myth 5.

"Natural skin care is the best!"

Dr. Johanna Gillbro's answer: false

Explanation: what we often associate with natural today is what is taken from nature in a finished form. It can be natural oils or butter from sunflowers or coconuts. I would say that the most natural thing is to use the fats that are already in the skin and that the skin is used to. The skin does not produce sunflower oil, olive oil or shea butter, but substances such as squalene, ceramides, cholesterol, triglycerides and many different fatty acids. Many skin care manufacturers have tried to imitate this unique composition of substances, partly by using natural oils that contain interesting compositions of lipids, partly by isolating individual substances from the oils and using them in other compositions. The skin is simply better off with substances that it is used to and that are natural to the skin.

References:

Akdeniz, M., Tomova-Simitchieva, T., Dobos, G., Blume-Peytavi, U., & Kottner, J. (2018). Does dietary fluid intake affect skin hydration in healthy humans? A systematic literature review. In Skin Research and Technology . https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.12454

Gillbro, J. (2019). The Skin Bible . Bookmark.

González-Muñoz, P., Conde-Salazar, L., & Vañó-Galván, S. (2014). Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cosmetic products. In Actas Dermo-Sifiliograficas . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adengl.2014.09.007

Park, ME, & Zippin, JH (2014). Allergic contact dermatitis to cosmetics. In Dermatologic Clinics . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2013.09.006

Zaragoza-Ninet, V., Blasco Encinas, R., Vilata-Corell, JJ, Pérez-Ferriols, A., Sierra-Talamantes, C., Esteve-Martínez, A., & de la Cuadra-Oyanguren, J. ( 2016). Allergic Contact Dermatitis Due to Cosmetics: A Clinical and Epidemiological Study in a Tertiary Hospital. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas (English Edition) . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adengl.2016.02.022

SKIN ACADEMY

Solskydd

Sun protection school with Eva Röse - How do you choose the right sunscreen?

The sun protection school continues! This time, Eva wants to get answers to what is most important to consider when...

Solskydd

Sun protection school with Eva Röse - Why do you need sun protection?

We are proud to introduce a new educational mini-series together with our ambassador, Eva Röse.

Allt om solskydd

Skydda din hälsa och hud: Välj solskydd fritt från hormonstörande och fotoinstabila UV-filter

Protect your health and skin: Choose sunscreen free of hormone-disrupting and photo-unstable UV filters

To protect the skin from the sun, so-called UV filters are used in sun protection products. These can either reflect...

Allt om solskydd

Our sun protection guide - A deep dive

The sun's rays can be lovely and many of us love spending time in the sun. In fact, if we...

Allt om solskydd

Ämnen att hålla koll på i solskyddsprodukter

Substances to watch out for in sun protection products

In this table, we present a list of ingredients used in sunscreens, focusing on potentially endocrine-disrupting substances and allergens. We...

Färsk hudvård

3 reasons to choose fresh skin care

The skin care of the future is here and this world-unique concept is called fresh skin care . What exactly...

Hudvårdstips

Huden under premenstruellt syndrom (PMS)

The skin during premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a well-known part of many women's monthly cycles, which can include a range of symptoms from...

Färsk hudvård

Our guide to prebiotics

Pre-pro and post-biotics sound so similar but fulfill completely different functions to ensure our skin and gut health. Although "biotics"...

Färsk hudvård

Our guide to probiotics

Research on the microbiome has grown in recent decades and reveals that we host trillions of microorganisms in various parts...

Hudvårdstips

Tips och trick – hur du bäst skyddar dina händer

Tips and tricks - how to best protect your hands

Winter, heat, water, dry air, lots of hand washing, soap and disinfectants. An ordinary day in our life can really...

Färsk hudvård

Färsk vs traditionell hudvård - vad är vad?

Fresh vs traditional skin care - which is which?

For too long, there has really only been one option on the skin care market, namely what we at Skinome...

Hudvårdstips

How to winterize your skin

Cleansing and exfoliating are at least as important as moisturizing — but moderation is key in cold weather. Annoyed? Sensitive?...