Ask an Esthetician: Skincare Myths
With new products and skincare trends constantly being introduced to the community, it can be a little difficult to figure out what’s the truth and what could just be considered a “marketing scheme”. While we’re all for adding things into your skincare routine, even just for the sake of making it a little more enjoyable, we also like to make sure that we’re not being suckered into dropping money on something that has no true benefit.
We rounded up three of the most common questions we hear in the treatment room, and gathered insight from our estheticians to get their take on them!
“Are eye creams really beneficial?”
Yes, if that area is an issue or of concern for you! Eye creams are formulated specifically for the delicate skin around the eyes. They typically have more active ingredients in them that aim to address the problems we most commonly see around this area of the face. A few key ingredients we look for in an eye cream are: Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, antioxidants to protect the skin from sun damage and free radicals, Vitamin K to brighten and lessen the appearance of dark circles, and Peptides to boost collagen production and plump the skin. We’re not going to lie to you- once any damage has been done to this area, it can be really difficult to reverse, which is why it’s a good idea to start using an eye cream while you’re young!
If you don’t have any real concerns with that area right now, and you’re using a face cream or oil that’s hydrating and protective, you can totally just apply it closer to the eyes and use it as a 2-in-1 product. Just make sure there’s nothing in it that could potentially irritate your eyes!
“Are toners necessary in a skincare regimen?”
Definitely, if you experience skin imbalances. Everytime you cleanse your skin, you’re changing the pH level slightly, and using a toner will help bring it back to the desired range. It’s important to keep this in balance because if not, you can end up with things such as excessive dryness/oiliness, eczema, redness, acne, and even premature aging. Often times, you’ll be able to find a toner that does more than just balance the pH level of the skin. One of my favorites is the toner from Botnia. I love theirs because it’s a true multitasker. It heals and reduces pain and inflammation with Arnica Montana and Goldenseal, and balances oil production with Geranium. It also contains Willow Bark which is a natural Salicylic Acid that helps heal acne. An unbalanced pH level can be the culprit of a lot of frustration, so we definitely recommend that you try one out and see how your skin reacts.
“Do we actually need a day cream AND a night cream?”
There isn’t really one answer for this. We tend to be minimalist ourselves. You can use a day cream at night, or a night cream during the day, or even just one cream day and night- it just depends on what you’re looking for! If you’re using a moisturizer that has SPF in it, then you wouldn’t want to use it at night as well, because it’s main purpose is going to be to protect your skin while you’re out and about. At night, your skin no longer has to work as hard to protect itself, so it can focus on repairing any damage it might have faced during the day instead. Therefore, night time is when you want to use any corrective and repairative serums and creams, which is what most creams labeled for night time use tend to be made for. That being said, you’re going to get the most benefits from a serum because these are made with smaller molecules which allow them to penetrate deeper into the skin, whereas creams can’t penetrate quite as deep.
Have more questions you’d like answered by our estheticians? Make sure to keep up with our stories on Instagram where we’ll give you the chance to ask us questions and suggest blog topics you’d like to read about!
Warmly,
Team Toccare