Since the beginning of time, society has formed beliefs about their experiences and the world around them. A notorious belief and misconception that comes to mind is that the earth is flat, popularised by the Flat Earth Society. Whilst that theory was proven wrong centuries ago, there are still believers to this day.
There are many unfounded beliefs surrounding all aspects of life, including skincare, which we will focus on in this article.
Some common misconceptions and the real facts behind them:
MYTH 1: Dry skin and dehydrated skin are the same thing.
FACT: Dry skin lacks lipids / oils, whereas dehydrated skin lacks water / moisture. Dry skin usually has small pores, not much oil on the surface, and feels coarse and uneven. Specific skincare products like moisturisers and serums are recommended for this particular concern.
Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, feels taught, shows fine lines, and ages prematurely. This can be addressed by increasing your water consumption and using hyaluronic acid rich, hydrating skincare treatments. Whether your skin is dry or dehydrated, your skincare routine and diet are critical for restoring your skin’s natural balance.
SOLUTION: If you are unsure, seek professional advice from a skincare expert to determine what your skin concern is. Knowing your skin type is the first step towards determining what course of action to take. A gentle approach is a good place to start, for example, the Esse Sensitive Range, combined with treatments for dry and dehydrated skin.
MYTH 2: Diet is not important if I use quality skincare products.
FACT: Research has proven that your skin and physical health benefit from a holistic approach. Simply applying a moisturiser to your face won’t solve your skincare concern. A healthy diet and regular exercise, combined with a natural, probiotic skincare routine gives you a comprehensive foundation for maintaining overall health, as well as a healthy skin.
SOLUTION: A healthy diet and regular exercise, combined with natural, probiotic skincare products give you a comprehensive foundation for maintaining overall health, as well as a healthy skin microbiome.
MYTH 3: Acne is caused by infrequent cleansing.
FACT: Whilst it is important to regularly cleanse your face to remove pollutants, dead skin cells, excess sebum and dirt particles, the cause of acne is not a direct result of not washing your face. Four conditions that are linked to the development of acne are: clogged pores, sebum build-up, bad bacteria, and inflammation.
SOLUTION: Regularly cleanse the skin with a gentle non-foaming cleanser. Use gentle exfoliators, but not every day. Also, include probiotics both on your skin, and internally, for gut health. It is important to keep the skin’s microflora intact, with the ideal pH balance and healthy microbes. Keep pathogenic bacteria at bay by restoring the microbial diversity on the skin.
MYTH 4: Surgical spirits / rubbing alcohol will help with oily skin and acne.
FACT: It is widely known that use of alcohol-based products on the skin has a drying effect, stripping the skin of important natural oils that serve as a barrier. Alcohol kills the microbes on skin, harming your microbiome and, as a result, disrupting barrier function. It can also result in severe irritation.
SOLUTION: Rather preserve the skin’s microbial diversity by supporting the probiotic populations on your skin. Cleanse the skin with gentle and natural products that are free from harsh synthetic ingredients. The Esse range of probiotic skincare products provides alternatives to commercially-available mass-produced synthetic products, which work with your skin’s natural microbiome.
MYTH 5: Sensitive skin cannot be treated, and you must just live with it.
FACT: Skin sensitivity accounts for many skin concerns throughout the world. As a result, skincare manufacturers spend a lot of money and resources on developing products that address and control this skin issue.
SOLUTION: Esse has been developing natural and effective probiotic skincare treatments for almost two decades. Our test subjects are humans and none of our products or their ingredients are tested on animals. We use ingredients that are proven to normalise sensitive and reactive skin by improving skin condition and restoring a natural balance to the microbiome.
