• Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Beauty Awards
  • Weddings
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Body & Fragrances
    • Aesthetics & Services
    • Best Of Beauty
    • Reviews
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Trends & Tips
    • Style Files
    • Watches & Jewellery
  • Life
    • Life
    • Food
    • Entertainment
    • Wellness
    • Travel
    • Tech
    • Sex & Love
    • Stuff to do
  • Women
    • Women
    • Women Now
    • Career
    • Money
  • #HERWORLDHERSTORY
  • Weddings
    • Weddings
    • Gowns & Suits
    • Ideas & Advice
    • Real Weddings
    • Love Nest
    • Luxe
    • Home
  • Beauty Awards
  • SPA AWARDS
  • HAIR AWARDS
  • Woman of the year
  • Age Is Just A Number
  • Video
Subscribe!
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising with Us
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Statement
SPH Media

MCI (P) 039/12/2022. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Beauty Awards
  • Weddings

Beauty

Popular skincare myths, debunked

S / Skin

Popular skincare myths, debunked

We got experts from beauty brands to weigh in on the facts and myths of skincare

by Lena Kamarudin  /   September 13, 2020

We all know that the most basic skincare routine entails washing your face twice a days, followed by toner and moisturiser. But with the mind-boggling array of beauty products and aesthetic treatments available in the marketplace, it’s not quite as straightforward as we may think.

With more people working from home, makeup is taking a back seat to skincare as natural, glowing skin becomes the look du jour for Zoom meetings. To decipher the best skin routine for both men and women, we sift through some common misconceptions with the help of industry veterans. Here are some of the myths debunked.

READ NEXT

Acne is caused by unclean skin: Myth or fact?

Skincare tips from 13 gorgeous Korean stars

10 beauty hacks to look less tired if you’ve had little sleep

https://www.herworld.com/gallery/beauty/skin/popular-skincare-myths-debunk/
Popular skincare myths, debunked
Fact or Myth: Wash your face twice a day
image

MYTH

How often you should wash depends on your skin type. Dermatologist Calvin Chan of Calvin Chan Aesthetics & Surgery says that while those with oily skin should wash twice a day, dry and sensitive skin only needs to be washed once, at night.

But Leona Low, Training Director of Clarins Asia Pacific, advocates the twice-a-day routine because skin continues to produce a small amount of sebum at night when you’re asleep. And oil from your hair can easily be transferred to your face as well.

On the other hand, Doreen Chia, Brand General Manager of AmorePacific which handles Korean beauty brands such as Sulwhasoo and Hera, adds, “Dry skin does not secrete much oil while you sleep so you can simply wash your face with warm water in the morning.”

One thing to note is that the older you are, the less you want to wash your face so as to retain as much natural oil for the skin to look youthful and supple.

123rf
Fact or Myth: Toners are a must in every skincare routine
image

MYTH

According to Dr Chan, toner is “not crucial in a skincare routine”, although Clarins’ Ms Low recommends it as a double-cleansing step after makeup remover (to balance the skin’s pH levels and reduce the appearance of pores) but she concedes it’s not a “must”. For Skin Inc founder Sabrina Tan, it’s not necessary if you already have skincare products like an exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and a moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated. Sabina Munshi, founder of local skincare brand Baréskin agrees: “A toner is not essential. In fact using the wrong toner can sometimes ruin your skincare regimen. Our advice? Skip this step and focus on the rest.

123rf
Fact or Myth: Anti-ageing products effectively erase and minimise wrinkles
image

MYTH

Truth be told, you cannot just rely on anti-ageing products and expect to look younger and free from wrinkles. While creams and serums play a part, Dr Chan notes that they work in combination with medical-grade treatments such as Ultherapy and Thermage FLX (which help to boost collagen production)to accelerate the effects. Most aesthetic treatments focus on boosting collagen, which is the protein in the skin that makes it tight and firm.

If you do invest in anti-ageing skincare, look closely at the ingredients. To get rid of wrinkles and fine lines, retinol is touted by many skincare experts and researchers as one of the most effective anti-aging ingredients available.
But whatever product you choose, the fact is that older skin requires more work to maintain.

Which is why Dr Chan stresses the importance of combining all three elements – anti-ageing creams, dermatology treatments and good lifestyle habits.

123rf
Fact or Myth: You can’t use facial oil if you have oily or combination skin
image

MYTH

“Oily or combination skin means that the skin’s oil to water ratio is off balance,” says Ms Low. Interestingly, many people assume facial oils clog pores and exacerbate oily skin thus causing breakouts, but Jerome Tan, Estée Lauder’s chief make up artist, refutes this.

Not only do facial oils help to replenish your skin’s natural oils, he says, it also keeps oil levels balanced to prevent breakouts.

Ms Munshi, however, cautions that if you have oily or combination skin, the oil has to be non-comedogenic (it does not clog pores).

123rf
Fact or Myth: Always apply sunscreen after your moisturiser
image

FACT

There are different theories online, but all the veterans interviewed agree that sunblock should be applied as the last step of skincare, after moisturiser.

Sunscreen acts as a shield for the skin, but it’s also important to let your moisturiser absorb fully (a general rule of thumb is to wait one minute before applying a different product) before applying sunscreen.

123rf
Fact or Myth: Men cannot use women’s beauty products
image

MYTH

“The reality is that there is no gender in skincare,” says Ms Tan. She adds that differentiation between men and women skincare is simply a marketing strategy so ideally, either gender should shop by skin type and skincare needs.

As men are known to be more complacent when it comes to looking after their skin, it’s best to keep to a simple and fuss-free everyday routine. Moisturiser and sunscreen are the best building blocks (many brands have built-in moisturisers with sunscreen) – stick to that and build up from there.

123rf
Fact or Myth: Facial rollers don’t actually work
image

MYTH

It’s not that they don’t work but more the technique that counts. Ms Munshi, a big advocate of facial rolling says that it must be done consistently. She says: “If done right, the rolling motion encourages lymphatic drainage, tones the skin, helps products penetrate better, reduces puffiness and water retention.”

Another handy tip from Ms Munshi is that you should keep your roller in the fridge to accelerate its efficacy. “It’s absolutely therapeutic!” she says.

This article was first published in The Business Times.

Read Next

10 biggest skincare myths you need to know to get better skin

Coronavirus: 7 things you should do to switch up your beauty routine if you #WFH

'Green' and bare it: Money-saving DIY beauty tricks I bet you've never heard of before

123rf
  • TAGS:
  • popular skincare
  • skincare
  • skincare myths
SHARE THIS ON

T / Trending

Beauty

Lin Chi-ling's genius hack for getting rid of dark circles and ot...

Beauty

Want to look young even after 40? Here's how these Asian celebs d...

Beauty

These skincare products can help treat hyperpigmentation

Beauty

10 non-toxic deodorants that will make you smell good all day lon...

Beauty

The J-beauty secret to supple, bouncy “mochi” skin

Beauty

5 must-know skincare tips to quench your dry and dehydrated skin

Beauty

13 soothing and repairing skincare essentials for sensitive and s...

Beauty

10 travel-size beauty products that make it easy to travel light

Beauty

What is the "glazed doughnut" look and how do you achieve it?

Beauty

6 things you should look out for in a sunscreen

Highlights
  • Beauty Inside The Scented Wonderland With Chanel’s Thomas Du Pré...
  • Awards This salon promises to bleach your hair...without damagin...
Editor’s Picks
  • Skin Want to look young even after 40? Here's how these Asian ...
  • Skin These skincare products can help treat hyperpigmentation
  • Skin 10 travel-size beauty products that make it easy to trave...
Newsletter Subscribe
Sign up for one of our free newsletters to receive the latest news, commentary and fashion features straight from Her World.

By signing up, you indicate that you have read and agreed with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • PDPA
  • Conditions of Access
  • Privacy Statement
SPH Media

MCI (P) 039/12/2022. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.