In this article you'll learn:
- Why body wash is no good for your face
- A base tan is a bad idea
- SPF should be a year-round guest in your cabinet
- Your aging skin is not all genetics
- Dark-skinned people can get skin cancer
- A higher SPF is not always better
- The deal about Vitamin D and your skin
- Daily exfoliation is not the best policy for your skin
When it comes to skincare, most guys are at a disadvantage because it's generally not top-of-mind. But handsome is earned — that's why the skincare myths and misconceptions out there can be damaging. Here are 8 common skincare myths.
Skincare myth #1: Using body wash on your face is OK.
No!
Our feet and hands have much thicker skin than our face — that’s why body washes are formulated with hydrating ingredients that penetrate deeper in order to be effective. These formulations are usually too thick and moisturizing for our thinner, more delicate (and handsome) faces.
"The face of the skin is unique," said Dr. Steve. "It has more oil-producing areas. It's got sensitive areas, eyelids and the lip area. It definitely gets the most of the environmental impact like wind and cold. So products that are formulated specifically for the face, that moisturize and cleanse, don't clog your pores, which is not a big issue for the skin on your body.”
Will it kill you? No. But what doesn’t kill you just might dry you out and make your face look like barn grass.
Try our face wash with salicylic acid, it's designed specifically for your handsome mug.
2. Myth #2: A base tan is a good idea
It tanning bad for you?
Yes — always!
Face it: Tan skin is damaged skin. “Your skin has produced more melanin to protect from further UV damage, but damaging your skin is not a solution to offer protection,” said Dr. Steve. “That's not the right strategy.”
Even one sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer, so avoid tanning beds and use a daily moisturizer with SPF to keep your face protected every day.
Here’s more science from Dr. Steve talking about SPF and tanning.
You can find a super SPF with a moisturizer here.
Myth #3: SPF is only necessary in the summer
No, no!
Did you know:
- Up to 80% of the sun's rays can penetrate clouds. Just because it’s a cold, cloudy day doesn’t mean you won’t be exposed to the strong UVA rays that cause aging.
- UV radiation exposure increases 4-5% with every 1,000 feet above sea level. Skiers and snowboarders, take note: according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the higher your elevation, the greater your exposure to harmful UV rays. Plus, snow reflects and intensifies sunlight.
Oh, and by the way, wearing sunscreen can slow the aging process by 24% — according to a 2013 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Try some SPF30 and your face will show you gratitude.
Myth #4: If you want to know how you’ll age, look at your father
Nyet!
Genetics account for skin color and type, but only about 10% of skin aging is genetics. The rest is your call — sun exposure, smoking, dehydration, and excess alcohol consumption can age your skin prematurely.
You can start with applying SPF and moisturizer every day — like the morning cream.
And then add the anti-aging kingpin, retinol, from our night cream.
Myth #5: Dark-Skinned People Can’t Get Skin Cancer
Not true!
According to Dr. Steve, people of color are “less susceptible” to UV damage because they have greater amounts of melanin, a protective skin pigment that gives people more color in their eyes and skin tone.
Still, people with non-Caucasian skin tones can suffer from excessive UV damage, which can lead to skin cancer. In fact, Dr. Steve notes that Asians, African Americans and Latinos are at a higher risk for basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.
A broad-spectrum sunscreen that prevents UVA/UVB rays is a daily essential for people of all skin types and tones.
Myth #6: A Higher SPF is Always Better
Well, no, but kinda sorta.
Here’s the deal: When SPFs are higher it can make a difference, but only because in the real world, guys don’t put on the proper amount of cream when they're applying it.
“Most people apply about a half as much sunscreen as they should,” said Dr. Steve. “And that reduces the SPF’s effectiveness to a square root of the SPF.”
Math alert: In other words, if you’re using an SPF 30 but only spreading half of the recommended amount (the size of a quarter) on your face, the true SPF that you’re getting is the square root of 30, which is 5.5.
If you use the correct amount of our Broad-Spectrum Face Sunscreen SPF30, there’s not much difference between that and SPF 50.
Myth #7: Sun Exposure Is the Only Way to Get Vitamin D
Wrong!
Let’s begin with how important vitamin D is for bodily functions. It supports:
- healthy bones and teeth.
- immune, brain, and nervous system health.
- insulin levels and diabetes management.
- lung function and cardiovascular health.
- expression of genes involved in cancer development
In short, vitamin D is like a superhero of vitamins that fights disease, reduces depression, and boosts weight loss.
Sun and vitamin D work together. Your skin manufactures vitamin D when it’s exposed to UV rays — they interact with a protein called 7-DHC in the skin, converting it into vitamin D3.
Many people think that using sunscreen leads to vitamin D deficiency, and that the best way to obtain enough of the vitamin is through unprotected sun exposure.
Thing is, you don’t need the sun’s UV rays to get your daily dose of vitamin D. You can find it in egg yolks, salmon, tuna and mushrooms.
“Or you can take a supplement that does the same thing as UV exposure, and you don't have any skin cancer risk,” said Dr. Steve.
Myth #8: Daily Exfoliation Is Good for Your Skin
Is it bad to exfoliate every day? The removal of dead skin cells on the outermost dermal layer is good for your skin, whether it’s from a physical scrub or liquid exfoliant.
But using a washcloth too vigorously and too often wipes away skin cells and natural oils, exposing underlying new skin prematurely, which can cause redness and irritation.
That’s why we suggest a gentle liquid exfoliant, like the 2% salicylic acid in our face wash.
Here's an entire blog post about salicylic acid.
Interested in kicking your handsome up a notch? Try the quick diagnostic and let's see how we can help.
