Some say, “the more the merrier,” but when it comes to skincare, this may not always be the case. Find out which three beauty products you can actually skip …
Cellulite Cream
There’s nothing wrong with wanting your cellulite gone … Believe me, I do too … But unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Cellulite forms when fat cells are pushed to the epidermis, creating a bumpy and dimpled appearance. Unfortunately for women, 80-90% of us have cellulite, while less than 10% of men have cellulite. This is because our fat lobules are approximately 60% bigger and our collagen is looser, making it easier for our fat cells to reach the surface of our skin. There is some evidence that topical retinoids are effective in treating cellulite as they can help stimulate collagen production and reduce its appearance. However, the concentration of retinol in most cellulite creams is far too little to see any significant effect. Even the strongest retinols will only provide a temporary fix because they don’t penetrate deep enough to target the fat cells and eliminate the cellulite.
Cleansing Brushes
With advancements in technology, cleansing brushes may seem like the next best thing. However, many cleansing brushes have hard bristles, which can actually break your skin barrier, leaving your skin more irritated and dry. This also makes your skin more susceptible to free radical damage and premature aging. The brush head can also be a reservoir for nasty bacteria, yeast, fungi and other debris, which can cause you to have breakouts. Instead, I suggest you go back to the “old-school” method of using your hands or a clean washcloth to clean your skin.
Makeup wipes
Makeup wipes may seem like a quick and easy solution to removing your makeup, but there’s a downside. These wipes contain all sorts of preservatives and chemicals, which can be harmful to your skin. Similar to cleansing brushes, they can break your skin barrier, leaving your skin more irritated and dry. The left behind residue can actually clog your pores and lead to breakouts – A doctor on social media demonstrated this by coating an orange’s peel, which mimics our own skin, with foundation. When makeup wipes were used to remove the foundation, the foundation still remained, showing that makeup wipes don’t actually remove all the makeup from our face. I personally like to use a clean washcloth and an enzyme cleanser to cleanse my face.