Skincare Myths

This is something I've been looking to blog about for a while, because too many people freak out about this stuff when quite frankly, you don't need to. Let's get glowing and I'll tell you all the details you need to know!

1) Popping Pimples until the pus is gone and you see blood or a clear fluid gets rid of the whole thing.
Not true! When you pop a pimple (especially with your fingers) you're releasing all of the oil, pus and bacteria that was inside that pimple into the pores all around that spot. You'll most likely get another zit right near where you had that first one. Also, popping a pimple with your fingers puts all the dirt and gross stuff under your nails into the sensitive spot that you just popped. Your skin will be ultra-vulnerable to whatever you're putting on that spot, so putting more gross stuff into that pore is going to destroy the idea of popping that zit in the first place. Popping pimples can also lead to scarring, and no one wants that all over their face.
If you really can't leave the pimple until it heals, pop it with tissue wrapped around the tips of your fingers to reduce the amount of bacteria from your hands on your face. If you can, an even better option is to use a comedone extractor, I got mine at CVS for around $6. It's inexpensive, and much less harsh than your hands.

2) Greasy/junk foods (like chocolate, fried chicken, anything that's considered greasy or junky) causes acne.
Also not true. These foods have never been scientifically linked to causing acne; but eat right, it's better for you! Just don't worry about breaking out after that Twix bar you had today. The only worry you should have is getting any grease or oil on your face while consuming the food, because that can/will clog your pores and cause a breakout.

3) Cleansing my face until it's dry will prevent acne.
False! Actually, cleansing your face too much will probably cause acne, because when you dry your skin out, it becomes unbalanced and starts overcompensating for the oils you just stripped out. Your skin makes a layer of sebum, which is a fatty secretion that locks in moisture. When we hear sebum we think "ew, whiteheads and blackheads and acne, oh my!" but it's not as bad as you think! A thin layer is not bad, it's to keep your skin moisturized. To keep your face clean, exfoliate about once or twice a week, but wash your face twice a day. No more than twice! It'll dry you out!

4) Thick moisturizer is better.
This is kind of true and kind of false, if we're talking in terms of your face, absolutely do not do it! If your moisturizer is thick and contains things like lanolin and petrolatum (and sometimes glycerin) it can cause breakouts. If it doesn't cause breakouts, it can lead to hair follicle irritation. It'll also probably leave you feeling really greasy.
Also, if you're using something thick like that, while it won't let moisture exit the dermis (your top layer of skin), it's not going to penetrate too far in.
In the case of your body, lay it on thick. It'll keep moisture in your hands, legs, arms, feet, etc!

5) Oil free products are the best for your acne-prone skin.
I'm actually going to speak about this from personal experience: I went from using a Neutrogena oil-free moisturizer to two different LUSH moisturizers. I originally switched because the Neutrogena moisturizer wasn't providing enough moisture for me, and someone actually commented saying "your skin is flaking off, it's kind of weird" to which I decided "well, I'm not going to let THAT happen ever again." So I got Imperalis by LUSH, which actually contains shea butter, cocoa butter and olive oil. Crazy, right? My skin's never been happier. I also use one called Vanishing Cream which is low oil content, but it's there.
It doesn't break me out, that's what I was trying to get out of all that. So don't freak out!

If you like these, I'd love to do more of them. Hope you all enjoyed!