Beware of the trap of cosmeceuticals and analysis of the efficacy of cosmetics

Skin experts strictly say: "Skin care products were actually originally separated from medicines..." Therefore, many skin care products are also called cosmeceuticals. Since they have the same origin and personality as "medicines", the dosage and usage must not be messed up.

Of course, skin care products are not "medicine" in the strict sense, but too many people treat them as "medicine", always hoping that they can cure the "disease" immediately after using them, and wrinkles, spots, pores, and acne will all disappear, restoring the face of a girl; and too many people do not regard it as "medicine", regardless of whether it is suitable for them or not, they just apply it on their faces, turning skin care into "skin disaster".

There are many "traps" for using the wrong "medicine", including cosmetic advertisements, misleading sales ladies, and misjudgment of consumers. So how do you avoid these "traps"? Let's take some examples -

Don't tear your face when washing it. Clothes and towels will tear if you wash them too much. Can you also tear your face when washing it? Yes!

The moisture, oil and intercellular lipids on the surface of the skin form a natural moisturizing protective film; it also makes the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, smooth, firm and has good supporting capacity. If you excessively remove water, oil and dead skin when washing your face, it is like washing holes in the natural protective film, making the skin's barrier function worse and worse.

Tighten pores to prevent acne

The enlarged pores cannot be shrunk - just like the saying "the emperor has no clothes", which is really harsh and frustrating. If you believe any advertisement that says “pores are reduced and disappear”, you will definitely be disappointed!

To deal with large pores, all you can do is "turn a blind eye": if you want to be "pragmatic", you can use makeup remover oil to dissolve and remove dirt in the pores, so that the skin color is consistent with the surrounding skin tone, and the "big holes" will not look obvious; if you want to be "vain", you can use Cortin L-rotating VC Whitening Essence, Lancome Silky Brightening Essence, etc., with the help of "eye-catching" - the diffuse reflection effect of silicon, a breathable film is formed on the skin surface, making the pores look blurred. The most targeted one is Clinique's Firming & Refining Body Lotion, which can increase the elasticity of the pore walls and achieve a firming effect, but prevention is better than cure, so don't expect too much for already enlarged pores.

【Astringent and Firming Toner】

"Pore-refining toner", "astringent toner", "firming toner"... hehe, they just contain astringents such as alcohol, which absorb heat and take away moisture during evaporation, making the skin feel cool instantly and the pores shrink suddenly, but this effect "comes and goes quickly". If the skin has very strong oil secretion, the pores will be contracted and the oil cannot be discharged. Instead, it can only make the pore walls thicker under the skin, which will cause acne.

In fact, the most effective effect of "astringent water" and "firming water" is to set makeup after applying makeup and make the skin look more delicate, nothing more.

Can you get enough water by replenishing water?

I have been searching for moisturizing products from various brands all winter long, but why is my skin still dehydrated after using them? I even feel tight.

We have to go back to the skin's natural moisturizing protective film, which is mainly composed of water, oil and intercellular lipids. The first thing to distinguish when dealing with dry skin is: Is it lacking water? Is it lacking oil (insufficient oil secretion and loss of lipids between cells will make the skin unable to lock in moisture)? Or is it lacking both water and oil? Only by understanding what you are lacking and then replenishing it just right can you adjust your skin to a well-hydrated state.

Traditional moisturizing products emphasize replenishing oil, but they are often oily but not moisturizing. So "rebellious" products appeared: oil-free "moisturizing gel" and "moisturizing gel", emphasizing the need to replenish the skin with a certain number of cups or liters of water. So many people buy them to use as moisturizers, and BAs are happy to recommend them as star products. But in fact, they are more often just "auxiliary products". Unless your skin becomes oily right after washing your face, simply hydrating your face is not enough to keep it moisturized! The correct way to use it is usually to use "oil-free gel" after toner to make the skin fully hydrated and better absorb nutrients. If necessary, you can add various essences here, and then use moisturizing lotion or cream to lock in moisture. Some gel-like moisturizers are used after the normal skin care routine - toner, (essence,) lotion/cream - and gel-like moisturizers like Korting's Hydrating King, in addition to replenishing moisture, can also help "push in" previous skin care products to allow the skin to absorb more fully. ———No matter which method you use, oil-free gel must be used in conjunction with oil-containing lotion or cream to achieve the best moisturizing effect.

【Moisturizing spray】

Almost all moisturizing sprays say that they “can be used at any time, in an air-conditioned room, in a closed airplane cabin, after sunbathing in the summer…” Therefore, many girls have a can of moisturizing spray on their desks in winter.

In fact, moisturizing spray cannot moisturize, it can only bring short-term relief and cooling. Any spray must be absorbed before it dries after spraying. Do not wait for it to "dry" naturally, because when the water evaporates, it will take away the skin's own moisture, making the skin drier and tighter. The replenished water only has a short-term "thirst quenching" effect; the only way to prolong the effect is to spray it again and again. ———In fact, if you choose a highly moisturizing lotion and cream, you don’t need a moisturizing spray at all.

The best way to replenish water with a moisturizing spray is to use “water application” - apply a paper mask or medical gauze on a clean face, spray it thoroughly with spray, and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. When moisture is insufficient, spray it again in time, and remove it before the paper mask or gauze is dry, apply cream or perform normal maintenance procedures - the spray can only "replenish water", and subsequent maintenance can "moisturize".

It should also be noted that for sensitive, injured, inflamed, or extremely dehydrated skin, only Certina and La Roche-Posay sprays can be chosen. Other sprays are only suitable for healthy skin.

Can you be afraid of the sun by wearing sunscreen?

Sunscreen products can be divided into whitening sunscreen, tanning sunscreen and after-sun repair according to their functions. When we usually talk about sun protection, we generally refer to whitening sun protection, which should have the following two indexes: SPF value, which indicates protection against UVB, which can prevent skin tanning and sunburn; PA value, which indicates protection against UVA, which can prevent deep damage of ultraviolet rays that cause skin sagging, aging, and disease.

【SPF130】

When traveling or engaging in long-term outdoor activities, it is usually recommended to use high-index sunscreen products, such as SPF60, SPF90, SPF130... It seems that the higher the index, the safer it is.

In fact, SPF can also be understood as a time index for sun protection. SPF1 means that it can protect against UVB for 15 minutes, and SPF130 means that it can protect against the sun for 32 and a half hours. Is it necessary? If it touches water or hands, the thin "sunscreen film" may also be destroyed. If you don't "replenish the sunscreen" in time, even if the sun protection index is high, won't it still not guarantee safety?

Furthermore, the physical sunscreen titanium dioxide (TiO2) is an oil-soluble white powder. The higher the SPF value, the more titanium dioxide is used, the more oil it will dissolve, and the product's texture will become greasy and heavy, causing greater irritation to the skin and more likely to cause allergies.

【Olive Oil Sunscreen】

Remember? Foreigners always apply olive oil all over their bodies when sunbathing on the beach!

Olive oil has excellent moisturizing effects, which can prevent the skin from dehydration and burns when exposed to the sun; it can also soften the cuticle and promote the metabolism of the cuticle (some products say that olive oil can treat acne, but it does not mean that it can suppress acne from the root, but mainly promotes the maturation and shedding of acne and fades acne scars through cuticle metabolism).

———This also means that the "sun protection" effect of olive oil is mainly to prevent skin from sunburn and repair it after sun exposure. So, if you don’t want to tan yourself into a “dark beauty” with an even skin tone, don’t use any “sunscreen” products containing olive oil during the day.