Taking care of your skin is so important. Obviously!
The products you choose matter, of course, but so do your diet, your sleep habits, and so on. We've passed along some great, simple skincare tips and we keep adding to our list.
BUT … scouring the web, we've stumbled across a few recommendations that struck us as … let's say 'strange'. At best.
So we collected a few and ran them by Dr. Louise Hidinger.
Dr. Hidinger (check out her blog) has a PhD in biological chemistry and a certification in cosmetic science. She previously told us about why old makeup becomes risky makeup – and now, in this article we pass along her reactions to weird bits of skincare advice you might find on the web.
#1 My face isn't a BLT sandwich, thanks.
The bad skincare advice: If you get sunburned, put a fresh tomato slice on your face.
What's going on here? Tomatoes have antioxidants, okay, but a fresh slice curing sunburn?
The PhD says: "Tomato slices won’t do anything to help heal a sunburn, except maybe cool down the skin if the tomato is fresh out of the refrigerator. The anti-oxidant content in the tomato slice is too low to have an effect on the burn."
Yes your diet affects your skin's health. So eat fresh tomatoes. Don't wear them.
#2 Vinegar isn't a great idea either …
The bad skincare advice: Put vinegar on sunburn.
Another 'inexpensive' home remedy you might find recommended on the web. But you probably won't find it recommended by doctors…
The PhD says: "Vinegar on a sunburn won’t help at all, and may actually be very irritating, particularly for severe burns. Vinegar is basically a dilute (typically around 5% v/v) solution of acetic acid in water. Anything acidic on sunburned skin may be very irritating and cause additional damage to the skin."
#3 "Gemstone facial" – really?!
The bad skincare advice: Some spas offer strategic placement of gemstones as a facial treatment, aligned with various philosophical notions…
The PhD says: "There’s no scientific evidence that gemstones placed on the skin can have any effect on skin health or overall health."
Our thought: Dr. Hidinger's reaction is a lovely, measured reaction. She doesn't say it's ridiculous. She just says there's no evidence. So if your gemstone facial makes you feel better, hey, knock yourself out. We're not buying it.
#4 It's called tooth paste, not face paste.
The bad skincare advice: Use toothpaste to dry out pimples.
Brush your teeth, yes. Brush your tongue, sure. Brush your face? Nah.
We asked Dr. Hidinger "What is the strangest or most dubious thing you've seen recommended for skincare?" And her answer is…
The PhD says: "Some people recommend applying toothpaste to a pimple to heal it. The concept is to dry out the pimple with the toothpaste. However, toothpaste typically contains things like strong surfactants, menthol and alcohol, that can be very irritating to the skin and cause more irritation, inflammation and peeling. Toothpaste is formulated for teeth, not skin!"
Many thanks to Dr. Hidinger for sharing her expertise. - Sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page, so you can stay on top of COR news, special offers and more!
