Skin Care Myths And Hacks
by Ashtin Rains, Licensed Esthetician, Kappa Delta Sorority
Hi everyone! My name is Ashtin Rains, and I am a Licensed Esthetician here in Nashville, Tennessee. I absolutely love seeing clients and helping them take care of the body’s largest organ, their skin! It is very easy for women to take advantage of their skin, and it is much harder to correct skin damage than it is to prevent it. So, I love helping women take care of their skin NOW and everyday moving forward.
I know things are crazy these days as our world is facing such uncertain and scary times. However, even if we cannot visit the salons right now, we can fortunately take care of our skin anywhere, especially at home! To get us through these times of quarantine, I am going to share 3 big skincare misconceptions or myths that women should stay away from and 3 easy at-home skin care hacks that everyone can do with minimal tools or products!
Skincare Myths:
1. If you have oily skin, you do not need to use as much, if any, moisturizer.
- This could not be further from the truth! EVERYONE needs moisturizer, no matter your skin type.
- When it comes to oily skin, think more about hydration instead of oil.
- If your skin is dehydrated, it can cause premature aging, clogged pores and even inflammation.
- When your skin becomes dehydrated, it can actually cause an excess of oil production, which might be why
- you’re experiencing oily skin.
- Hydration is HEALTHY!
2. A makeup remover wipe is enough to take off your makeup at the end of the day.
- One wipe might remove your makeup, but it does not clean your skin. That is the point of a cleanser!
- If you enjoy using a makeup remover wipe, that is okay as long as you follow up with a face cleanser afterwards to make sure your skin and pores are being fully cleansed.
- I prefer to use pre-cleanser to remove my makeup (Dermalogica Pro is my favorite), but if you like makeup remover wipes I would recommend Aveeno Ultra Calming makeup remover wipes!
3. You only need to wear sunscreen when you are going to be in the sun.
- This is beyond false! Sunscreen is one of the best anti-aging products and it is super inexpensive. Definitely make sure you are using a physical sunscreen and not a chemical one.
- The two ingredients you should see in your sunscreen are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. My favorite brand is Sheer Tint by PCA, and I wear it every single day under my makeup. The sunscreen in your makeup is not enough to protect your skin!
- Even on a cloudy day, your skin is absorbing about 80% of the harsh effects of the sun and the sun ages you!
- Remember, wear sunscreen EVERYDAY even if you’re just going to work or to run a few errands. If you plan to go outside, you should have it on!
Skincare At-Home Tips + Tricks
1. At-Home Weekly Peel
- My favorite brand of the peel is Dr. Dennis Gross’s Alpha Beta Peel (linked below).
- If you are pregnant like me, you should not do this specific peel, but I recommend Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Pregnancy Peel (also linked).
- Peels are very easy to do on your own at home, and they are needed to keep your skin exfoliated and healthy.
2. Self-Tanning
- Even during non-quarantine times, it is never recommended or encouraged to go to the tanning bed. Even some spray tans are not great for your skin. Self-tanning is safe, and so easy to do at home!
- My favorite self-tanning products are FakeBake’s Self-Tan Liquid and Isle of Paradise Tanning Drops or Butter. I apply once a week, but that is the user’s choice!
- If your skin is prone to break-outs, do not apply it on your face, just have your makeup match your tan. If you are not prone to break-outs, you can easily put the drops in your moisturizer to give your face that glow!
3. At-Home Dermaplane
- Dermaplane facials are always recommended, but when you are in-between appointments, it is so easy to safely shave your face at home. I do this around 3-4 times a week, some weeks I do it daily.
- Shaving your face provides the superficial (above the skin) exfoliation, and it also helps with your expression lines, crows feet, etc. It also provides a radiant glow and allows your makeup to go on extremely smooth.
- In order to do this, you will need two items: a creamy cleanser (my favorite is linked below) and a disposable razor–they’re so cheap! If you do not have access to the Skinceuticals Gentle Cleanser, Cetaphil Cleanser canalso work!
- After cleansing your skin, make sure you have a damp razor and you skin pulled tightly with the razor going in ONE direction. You are shaving off vellus hair, and it will not grow back any thicker or darker.
- On your expression lines and forehead, be extremely careful as you lightly go over the skin.
- Following the dermaplane, you can rinse your face and apply your moisturizer!
Thank you all so much for having me for AOII Women’s Health Week! I hope you enjoyed a few myth busters and these at-home tips. Please feel free to follow me on Instagram at @abskincare_ and let me know if you have any questions!
Products Mentioned
Moisturizers:
Make-Up Removers:
Sunscreen:
At-Home Peel:
Self-Tanning:
- Self Tanning Drops
- Flawless Self-Tan Liquid ← Make sure to get the shade for you!
At-Home Dermaplane: