Debunking Skincare
Have you ever watched beauty influencers talk about how much they care for their skin, or what they do to perfect it which makes you want to do it too? Do you consider yourself to be an expert in skin and skincare? Do you get your skincare information from random videos on YouTube? You’d be shocked how much “common knowledge” regarding your skin is false. Everyone desires clear and bright skin. However, your ability to distinguish real from fake may be more important than how carefully you follow a cleansing routine or how much you spend on skincare products. The truth is that a lot of skincare advice is ineffective, and some skincare misconceptions might even be harmful. Let’s get to the bottom of some popular skincare recommendations. Here are 3 skincare myths you should debunk and the solutions and benefits you should follow.
Myth Number 1: Acne is caused by not cleaning your face.
Did you know that acne is actually caused by a combination of factors, none of them are related to hygiene. Acne occurs when oil glands (sebum glands) become active throughout puberty. Now you may be wondering what is sebum? Sebum is a natural substance and protective agent for the skin, keeping your complexion healthy. Close-to-the-surface cells can block the openings of glands, which results in oil buildup beneath the skin. The germs that exist on everyone’s skin are stimulated by this oil and the bacteria that is created from the oil does not usually create issues, but when they are aggravated, they grow rapidly. As a result, the surrounding tissues become inflamed. Not cleaning your face will not improve your issue, but it will most certainly not cause acne.
Solutions
Normal Solutions to help with mitigating acne include the basics like not picking/popping pimples. Some people use rough fabric pads or washcloths to cleanse their skin, which can irritate and inflame the skin, aggravating acne breakouts. Preventing pimples can be as simple as using a gentle cleanser with clean hands or a soft brush designed for use on the face. Another solution includes topical products like over-the-counter treatments, such as creams or serums, which can reduce breakouts, particularly when they tend to occur in certain areas. I bet you knew those solutions because they are the basics and everyone uses them, but let’s think big and include some technology into the solution. Some recent skincare startups working with technology to combat this “myth” include Proven, this startup is on a quest to change these views of outdated research and advertising methods. Proven Skincare is an app that utilizes machine learning to develop personalized skincare routines for each person. The advised routine is based on the company’s Beauty Genome Project, which provides data from scientific and/or peer-reviewed journal papers regarding skin and various different ingredients, as well as more than 8 million user product reviews, 100,000 skincare products, and 20,000 ingredients. Customers can begin using the web-based program by first taking a survey about their skin condition, which includes dryness, pigmentation, acne, tightness, age, sun exposure, food, sleep habits, and activities such as employment and workout routines which are all factors that could affect a person's skin condition. The information gathered is processed and compared to the application’s database. The customer’s skin profile is then matched with machine learning algorithms, which recommend a perfect skincare routine.
Benefits
A question you may have is why should we use artificial intelligence in skincare? Well, AI has the capability to invent a recipe or a formula for success when it comes to products to help people feel confident about their skin. And the truth is, we’re all different. Because no two people’s skin is the exact same, it’s hard to sell a product that fits everyone. Good skincare is necessary for the following reasons: it keeps your skin in good shape, and it’s important to keep your skin bright and healthy because you shed skin cells throughout the day. A good skincare routine may help you avoid acne, treat wrinkles, and keep your skin looking great.
Myth Number 2: Skincare products that are natural and organic are excellent for your skin.
Did you know allergies and skin irritation can occur with natural and organic everyday ingredients. And even more shocking, certain organic items, like anti-aging, toning, acne treatment, or moisturizing, are ineffective or do not achieve the results they say they do (which blew my mind). To be clear, there is no winner when it comes to natural vs. chemical because the ingredients of the product determines how well it works and how well does its purpose, but it is safe to say that in most cases, chemically formulated ingredients are a lot safer to use than most of the natural ingredients available, especially for sensitive skin. In the case of completely raw ingredients (like using turmeric on your face), unless you are completely sure of the results of the specific ingredient, I recommend leaving those ingredients in your kitchen for their ordinary food-making purposes, because they will benefit you much more in the inside, providing you with vitamins and nutrition, rather than applying it on your skin.
Solutions
Let’s take a look at a technological solution, an AI-based beauty care service startup, Lululab, has developed Lumini Kiosk, a self-measuring gadget that scans and takes a look at users’ skin conditions and delivers product recommendations. When a person takes a picture of their face, Lumini saves the data in less than 10 seconds, takes a look at the skin conditions using artificial intelligence, and recommends items that are perfectly tailored to the person’s needs. This system accurately scans the person’s skin even when makeup is on, thanks to distance adjusting technology for automatic face recognition and ambient environment correcting technology, to help with external lighting that may be in the picture that was taken. Through a deep-learning algorithm developed separately by lululab, the scanned skin data is assessed in terms of eight items: pores, wrinkles, sebum, melasma, redness, acne, oil, and moisture balance, with an accuracy of at least 90%! This technology also allows people to take a look at their skin aging based on data on how the skin has changed with time and simulates skin changes before and after their skincare routine, how cool is that!?
Benefits
No matter how much you forget to do your skincare routine, you should always wash your face at least once a day. Many people struggle with feeling themselves in their own skin, and I want to make sure people know that even by just washing your face and doing the bare minimum by applying moisturizer, it can change someone’s confidence dramatically. However, it does take time. The benefits Lululab brings can show you what products that you’re currently using are wrong for your skin vs. what is right, helping you save your time and money!
Myth Number 3: Drinking water keeps your skin hydrated.
There’s no proof that drinking more water is good or bad for your skin. While drinking extra water can help with lots of health issues, water does not get absorbed by your skin automatically when you drink it. It hydrates our body’s cells as it passes through the bloodstream and is filtered by the kidneys, which helps with the general hydration of our bodies. However, if you are significantly dehydrated, your skin, and your body, will suffer as a result. If you drink more than the proper amount (2 litres) you won’t necessarily see a result but if you are parched, your body will show it.
Solutions
Solutions to help keep your skin hydrated include using humidifiers, applying face/sheet masks, avoiding dry air, using a mild cleanser, and using a moisturizer or products like hyaluronic acid that help with keeping moisture sealed in your skin barrier. Again, those are the basics that a lot of people know. But a beauty company that has been using technology is LUNA fofo, which is a silicone facial massager with a two-zone cleansing surface that is suitable for all skin types. The two gold plates on the device’s rear side are what makes LUNA fofo different from any other silicone face brush. They’re cutting-edge skin sensors that can tell you how hydrated your skin is and can tell you the age of your skin. The FOREO For You app then uses a sophisticated algorithm to show skin’s essential facts as well as give specific suggestions and methods for optimal skin health. LUNA does this by monitoring and responding to a variety of elements that affect skin health, such as changes in the weather, food, water intake, a healthy complexion, and providing real-time measurements. Then it develops a tailored program of T-Sonic pulsations that syncs directly to your device based on this information. That means you’re not just cleansing your face with any skincare routine — LUNA fofo has created a personalized technique that’s tailored to your needs! I find this to be so cool because it’s really difficult to find a facial brush that scrubs your face perfectly, but now LUNA fofo makes a whole vibration frequency routine perfect for you!
Benefits
The benefits of having hydrated skin include your skin looking less dull and more healthy, your skin becoming less oily, your skin feeling less itchy and irritated, and way more… but the benefits of using LUNA fofo means your skin gets a great exfoliation in the places it needs most since it is suited to your skin’s needs! You can also learn more about your skin’s hydration levels during the harshest seasons.
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