5 Skincare Mistakes YouTubers and Influencers Make

5 Skincare Mistakes YouTubers and Influencers Make

Do influencers and YouTubers know they are approaching skincare incorrectly? This video and post breaks down the skincare mistakes that many bloggers, YouTubers and influencers make- and how to be a conscious consumer to spot the difference. 

Problem # 1 Influencers switch products too soon. So many say, “Oh this product transformed my skin in a week!” when they haven’t tested it long enough. The skin runs on a minimum 28-day time span, that you can learn more about here. 

• Switching things around to soon is one sure way to screw up your skincare routine and progress.
• What if a woman says a skincare product broke her out, but she used it right before her period? Was it really the skincare product or her hormones? Or even something she ate, or other factors?
• I caution you as the audience to take everything with a grain of salt. Always.
• Any influencer (YouTube or IG) can only ACCURATELY test 12-13 new face products a year. This doesn’t apply to First Impression videos, Ingredient Deep Dives or Hauls. What matters is how properly someone uses and reviews of the product in that 28-day time period.

Problem # 2 Mixing ingredients/products that should NEVER be mixed.

• Although there are good reasons to mix products together, (for example, making them work more powerfully) it isn’t always a smart idea. By combining ingredients that don’t belong together, it could result in some skincare products losing their efficiency.
• Example: Someone with acne prone skin uses a Benzoyl Peroxide face wash and then a Vitamin C serum. Vitamin C is generally really unstable, so if an ingredient like BP is mixed with it, there is a bond in BP that breaks that can create a free radical and it destroys the Vitamin C in the serum.
• There are 10-30 other combinations of ingredients/products that should be considered and never tested because of the risk of irritation and overall loss of benefits. To learn what the combos are, you can watch the video here. 

Problem # 3 Overexfoliating.

• This is a common problem amongst most people, not just influencers. More so those with acne prone skin.
• Some examples are using physical exfoliators (such as walnut scrubs, no matter the skin type) alongside chemical exfoliators. When doing so there is a risk of increasing trans-epidermal water loss and creating micro-tears in the skin.
• The skin is made up of multiple layers. So, when/if we over-exfoliate the top layer, it is more likely that the skin responds with inflammation, and if cuts or tears are caused, bad bacteria can seep into the skin.
• For example: A person with acne-prone skin who uses a prescription exfoliating treatment from their dermatologist in the morning, then later at night, the same person uses a Clarisonic to take their makeup off, and then applies a chemical exfoliator like an AHAcid overnight... Absolute exfoliation disaster waiting to happen.
• The skin is our armor. Therefore we must protect it, as it protects us. We could potentially tear off the healthy acid mantle of our skin, making it vulnerable to infections and irritation. It can also slow down the natural healing and overturn process our skin naturally does, leading to dehydration and prolonged hyperpigmentation.

Problem # 4 Applying moisturizer and serum incorrectly.

• I've seen influencers put on a moisturizer and then a serum! This is not harmful, but an atrocious waste of product. Consistency wise moisturizers are more creamy, but serums are lighter and more “watery” in texture. You should use the lighter, more absorbent products before the thicker, more occlusive products. 
• Follow these steps: Cleanser > Toner > Serum > Moisturizer; sunscreen in the morning. The serum preps the skin to help deliver efficacy and results. 
• The moisturizer works as a seal to lock all the moisture in that the serum gives beforehand. 

Problem # 5 Instagram Influencer Skincare videos: More entertaining than correct.

• Doing a face mask (usually a sheet, but there are the clay, charcoal and mud masks, peel-offs) before applying makeup isn’t professionally recommended... Cleansing and toning and moisturizing are. Especially if you have dry skin or your skin is sweaty and “dirty”. Exfoliating (chemically) is also a good idea, to get rid of any flaky patches of skin that could interfere with makeup application.
• So, the problem with so many Instagrammers doing crazy masks before their makeup is that they're doing it for the likes, not the benefit. Once you remove a face mask the skin is usually flushed from the effectiveness of the clay/mud/peel-off mask or covered in the film from the sheet. When we go in afterward and try to apply makeup over our skin, whatever that is left behind from that mask will impact the makeup's overall look and wearability.
• It might not be as dramatic as Instagram influencers make it out to be, but use a primer instead.

I believe that when we are empowered by knowledge, we get inspired to make positive changes for ourselves and the world.

So get inspired and live beautifully today, inside and out.

XOXO

Sincerely

Cassandra 

Follow @SincerelyCass11