Skin Care Myths You Should Know

We have all seen and heard the hype of cosmetic advertisements and commercials. How do we know what we can believe? First of all, you have to realize that nothing is going to give us back the skin we were born with. Taking care of our skin is the best prevention! As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." With that said, as you try to take the best care of your skin, here are some skin-care myths you should be aware of.

MYTH: A brand carried by a dermatologist, esthetician, or salon is better for my skin.

FACT: ANYONE can brand a cosmetic.

These are called "Private Label" cosmetics. These products allow purchase from the manufacturer to sell directly to consumers, thus cutting out a middle man, and allowing the most profit. After all, if they can make a little more money after your visit, why not? If they just refer you to a good brand, they are not going to make anything from the sale. Simple, but true. Go online and search "private label cosmetics" for yourself.

MYTH: If it says "natural" it must be good for my skin.

FACT: There are no regulations on what "natural" means.

Any product can say natural, no matter what is in it. There are actually synthetic products that are good for the skin, or can do what we intend, but we tend to think a natural product will be best. "Consumers should not necessarily assume that an 'organic' or 'natural' ingredient or product would possess greater inherent safety than another chemically identical version of the same ingredient," Dr. Linda M. Katz, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Cosmetics and Colors (New York Times, November 1, 2007). "In fact, 'natural' ingredients may be harder to preserve against microbial contamination and growth than synthetic raw materials." Some people are actually prone to more problems when they use fruit and plant extracts on their skin, as some can be irritating. It is also good to know that packaging plays a big part in a product. Most state-of-the- art ingredients, especially antioxidants, plant extracts, vitamins, and cell-communicating ingredients, deteriorate in the presence of air. If packaged in a jar these ingredients will not be stable long after exposure to the air, and you'll just be putting on an ineffective product. This is why we are seeing more and more products in pump type containers.

MYTH: Hypoallergenic products won't irritate my skin.

FACT: There are no regulations for using the term "hypoallergenic" on a product.

Every individual's allergies are different! One person may be allergic to an ingredient that does nothing to someone else. Read ingredients and see if you see similar ingredients in products that are irritating, and steer clear of them. However, there are ingredients that are prone to bother more people than other ingredients. When you see products marked "safe for sensitive skin," these are usually made with as few ingredients as possible that are know to be irritating.

MYTH: Products from a cosmeceutical companies are better than from a cosmetic company.

FACT: The term "cosmeceutical" is not even a recognized category by the FDA.

A product can be a drug or a cosmetic. Again, a great sounding marketing word! Whether a product is a cosmetic or drug is based on its intended us. Different laws and regulations apply to each type. Some companies violate the law by marketing a cosmetic as a drug, and vice-versa. If you see a product in a cosmetic line that is marked "over the counter drug" is has at least one ingredient considered a drug. One example would be a blemish control product being marked as such because of the active ingredients it contains. Also, many people do not know that cosmetics are not required to be tested by the FDA. Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is an important factor in assuring that cosmetic products are neither adulterated or misbranded. However, there are no regulations for GMP for cosmetics, but there are for drugs. The FDA maintains the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program, or VCRP, for cosmetic establishments and formulations. As indicated, it is a voluntary program, in contrast to the mandatory program for drugs. The VCRP is not a cosmetic approval program, but puts participants in the pipeline for important information about cosmetic ingredients. The VCRP database then assists the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel in determining priorities for ingredient safety review. Now you can see why we see such a variety of "tested by" scenarios on our cosmetic products!

MYTH: Expensive happinesslifetime.com skin care products are better than inexpensive products.

FACT: The quality of a product is not tied to the price.

An expensive department store line of a facial cleansing bar, is no more effective than a less costly bar. (That's not to say that is the right product if you have drier skin, but we are comparing products, not choices for your skin type.) Depending on the formulation, an inexpensive irritant-free toner from the drug store may be better than an expensive toner that contains all kinds of irritating natural-sounding ingredients, even though they sound wonderful and natural. In the end, spending more doesn't help your skin, and spending less doesn't hurt it. It's all about the formulation, not how much you spend.

MYTH: Tanning at a Salon is a completely safe tan.

FACT: There is no such thing as a safe tan.

The American Cancer Society, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, and all major dermatological associations have taken the position that indoor tanning is an unsafe practice. There is no way to get around it, it is know that UV (UltraViolet) light rays can contribute to skin cancer. The tanning industry's stand is that it produces Vitamin D, which is good for us and helps the body ward off many diseases. American Cancer Society Deputy Chief Medical Officer Len Lichtenfeld, MD, agrees. He asks, "Why expose yourself to an increased risk for skin cancer when you have a safe alternative in cheap and readily available supplements?" he says. Of the three kinds of skin cancers, melanoma can be a fatal form of cancer. A report from the American Academy of Dermatology states, "Melanoma is increasing faster in females 15-29 years old than males in the same age group... which might be due to high-risk tanning behaviors." Statistics for 2009 are expected to show over 121,000 cases of melanoma, with over 8,600 deaths.

MYTH: Mineral oil is bad for your skin.

FACT: Cosmetics-grade mineral oil and petrolatum are considered the safest, most nonirritating moisturizing ingredients ever found.

In fact there are several studies showing that petrolatum and mineral oil are effective in healing wounds, and are also considered to be among the most effective moisturizing ingredients available. Yes, they can reduce the amount of air that comes in contact with skin, and reduce its impact on skin, but that's what an effective antioxidant is supposed to do; they aren't suffocating the skin. The confusion around mineral oil is also caused by some cosmetics companies and people who use the information about non-purified mineral oil as a scare tactic. The mineral oil used in skin-care products is certified as either USP (United States Pharmacopeia) or BP (British Pharmacopeia). This is the type that's used in skin-care products, and it's completely safe and potentially soothing and healthy for skin (Sources: International Journal of Cosmetic Science, October 2007, pages 385-390; Journal of Dermatologic Science, May 2008, pages 135-142; Dermatitis, September 2004, pages 109-116; and International Wound Journal, September 2006, pages 181-187).

MYTH: You should choose skin-care products based on your age. 

FACT: You need to select skin-care products based on your skin's needs, not on your age!

Products you need depend on the how sun-damaged, how normal, dry, oily, sensitive, blemished, or thin your skin is; or if you have other skin conditions, allergies, or other skin disorders. Non of these have anything to do with your age! Many people have trouble with selecting products for their skin because they have created a false sense of their skin's needs by using products that are not appropriate for their skin type. It is best to simply start using a product for normal skin and you will soon notice which direction you need to move for other needs. You'll soon know if your skin tends to be dry and need a little more moisturizing, or you'll see that it is more oily and you need help in controlling oil and blemishes.

Kristie Sloan is an Independent Beauty and Skincare Consultant who has been helping women select personally effective skin-care and color cosmetics which will save them time and money for over 25 years. She believes in not only offering quality products, but teaching her clients how to use them to achieve the results they desire. Being a business woman wife, mother and grandmother, she knows the value of having skin care products you need, when you need them, and trusting they will do what they say! An avid learner herself, she provides free information about products and application techniques at her website: mkBeautyZone.com mkBeautyZone.com.