Skincare is an essential part of our daily routine, but with so much information available, its easy to fall into the trap of following skincare clichés. While some skincare clichés may have some truth to them, many are simply just not backed up by science. And can indeed cause harm to your skin. So it's better to avoid some clichés and instead focus on a personalized skincare routine that works best for your skin type and concerns. 

Below mentioned are some of the common clichés related to skincare that you should avoid.

Healthy skin is a reflection of a healthy lifestyle

This saying is not fully correct. While having clean and glowing skin can appear due to certain lifestyle factors such as a balanced diet, proper exercise and drinking water, there are several other factors that can affect our skin’s health and appearance. Some of these factors include genetics, Age, hormonal changes, medicinal use and environmental factors such as pollution, UV exposure and climate. For example, a person may have a genetic disposition to acne, which can cause breakouts no matter how healthy their lifestyle is.

Similarly, you are following a healthy lifestyle yet if you live in a city that is much polluted your skin might get affected and there are chances of breakouts due to clogged pores.

Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is not the only determinant of a healthy skin and vice versa. An unhealthy skin can be caused by various factors as mentioned above and we can’t conclude that a healthy skin is a reflection of a healthy lifestyle.

Serums are the most effective way to target specific skin concerns

It depends on the skin concern and the ingredients in the serum. While serums can be highly effective at delivering active ingredients to the skin, there are other skincare products that can also target specific skin concerns effectively. For example, if the concern is dry skin then a moisturizing cream is more effective than a serum and if the concern is acne, a spot treatment is better than using a serum. So while choosing a product always examine your skin and then invest as serum cannot and is not an answer to every skin concern!

Drinking plenty of water makes your skin moist and supple

True to an extent. Drinking plenty of water or even enough water (8 glasses) is important for overall health and helps to keep your body hydrated. For skin, it gives the hydration your body needs for maintaining the elasticity but it won’t get rid of fine lines or stop your skin from aging. Health and appearance of skin depends on various other factors as mentioned before like diet, alcohol, smoking consumption, skincare, etc. To keep our skin moist and supple it is important to keep it hydrated from outside as well like by using moisturizer. Wearing sunscreen protects it from UV rays and prevents premature aging too. “Everyone wants a quick fix when it comes to making skin look better, but drinking more water isn’t going to help get rid of wrinkles or plump up your skin unless you are extremely dehydrated,” says Elizabeth Dam Stetter, MD, a dermatologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Expensive skincare products are better than the cheaper ones    

The price of a skincare product does not definitely reflect its quality and effectiveness. High end products contain expensive ingredients which are not necessarily the best. What matters is the formulation and concentration of the active ingredients which can be provided by inexpensive brands as well.

In fact, many cheaper products can be better than their expensive counterparts as they contain simple, more straightforward ingredients that are less likely to cause irritation or any other type of negative reactions. But skincare commodities demand on the skin type and concerns of an individual. So just because it's expensive or inexpensive, doesn’t mean it’s the best for your skin. It is advisable to always read the ingredients list before making a purchase.

Scrubbing your skin harder will make it cleaner

This cliché should be avoided as scrubbing your skin harder does not necessarily make it cleaner and can actually cause damage to your skin. when you scrub your skin too hard, you can strip off its natural oils and protective barrier, leaving it dry, irritated, and more susceptible to breakouts and other skin issues. Instead of scrubbing harder, it's better to focus on using gentle, circular motions while cleansing your skin to help remove dirt, oil and dead skin cells without causing damage.

It's important to remember that over-exfoliating can be as damaging as not cleansing it enough. So maintaining a balance that suits your skin is necessary. Also choosing harsh scrubs and cleansers is also not advisable.

A word from Root Natural

These are some of the clichés that are out there but not proven to be effective. We hope that this blog clears some of the common misconceptions and you are more careful while following the clichés. Keep glowing!