Every year there is an overwhelming barrage of a new hot off the press skincare care ingredient, celebrity skincare lines, fancy terminology, new ‘must have’ skin tools and gadgets to face yoga techniques...
It is hard to keep up with.
Especially if you think you have just settled into a great skincare routine for yourself and then BAM! You get swayed into trying out Kim Kardashians 57 step regime, training yourself to sleep on your back to avoid wrinkles and purchasing special lip tape on Amazon because an influencer on Tik Tok convinced you it’s essential for anti-aging...
So, let’s talk about the latest skincare trends and debunk some beauty myths for 2022.
TREND: Using ‘ACTIVES’ in every single product
Actives are the ingredient in a product designed to help you address skin concerns or proactively maintain skin health at a cellular level. According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia (TGA) active ingredients are ‘The therapeutically active component in a medicine's final formulation that is responsible for its physiological action’
Active ingredients have scientific research and data behind them, proven in a lab to change the skin in some way. They typically help to repair, hydrate, protect and nourish your skin cells.
Vitamin A (retinol), vitamin B (niacinamide), vitamin C, AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid) and BHA’s (beta-hydroxy acid) are the most common actives that appear in skincare products.
But do actives need to be used in every single product as part of an effective skincare regime? The short answer is no!
Overusing too many actives can be counterintuitive and a detriment to the health of your skin.
Consumers must understand their skin type and texture, what their skin concerns and goals are and research the appropriate ingredients to help target those specifically.
Just throwing every product with active ingredients at your skin and hoping for the best is the worst approach possible. Using multiple actives at the same time can even cancel out their benefits and potentially cause an impaired barrier and skin irritation.
TREND: Skin Barrier protection and Biome terminology
This trend is well and truly within the mainstream beauty and skincare industry now. And ahhemm… can I nicely say sorry Hailey Beiber, but you are kind of late to the party.
AMPERNA® skincare launched 4 years ago in 2018, when Kiri (founder and owner) desperately wanted products that would help her sensitive skin and repair her damaged barrier.
Skin barrier recap:
Essentially the skin barrier has two main roles
- Protection from external stressors, like UV rays and pollution
- Retains water to keep your body and skin hydrated
A healthy functioning skin barrier means your skin looks healthy and hydrated.
An unhealthy or damaged skin barrier means your skin is more sceptical to dryness, irritation, and dull looking skin. A weakened barrier also leaves you vulnerable to ward off external aggressors like free radicals resulting in numerous skin concerns like dermatitis, eczema, or premature skin-aging.
Let’s face it, we’ve all endured quiet a lot of stress and mask-wearing over the course of the past few years, and cases of skin inflammation and irritation have skyrocketed. Hence why there is such a demand for products that soothe and protect the skin barrier.
Much like how a good healthy gut microbiome works at protecting us against infection, the same goes for our skin microbiome. The microbiome and skin immune system are always in communication. Having a well balanced & cared for skin microbiome wards off unwanted inflammation, aids in wound healing and will keep your skin plump.
The probiotic complex infused within AMPERNA® probiotic creams help support the skin barrier, helping to protect you from aggressions such as environmental pollutants, keep your immune system in check and reduce inflammation. AMPERNA® products deliver good bacteria to your skin gently and effectively.
Our ingredients help promote the appearance of fresh skin, help prevent the signs of premature aging, and help the skin to adapt to negative influences. In short, AMPERNA® products create the perfect conditions for your skin to shine.
Furthermore, as the probiotics break down on skin’s surface, they create amazing new ingredients for skin, such as hyaluronic acid, peptides and vitamins, as well as increasing the presence of ceramides.
MYTH: Expensive products are more effective and better quality
This is 1000% NOT TRUE.
We live in an age where consumers will pay the price for pretty packaging and clever marketing over what is inside the bottle.
I too used to get swept up in the mindset of more expensive = better quality but really if I’m being truthful, it was more about how the products looked sitting on my bathroom vanity shelf more than how they made my skin feel.
Wasting money is not pretty and having great skin does not have to be a luxury. It is all about the formulation of a product that is going to get you the desired results in what you are looking for. And this does not mean that just because product A is more expensive than product B, that product A is the better option.
Before committing to purchasing a super-luxe and expensive product please do your research. Reading and understanding the ingredient list is a much better guideline than just looking at the price tag.
Go online and see if there are any statistics or studies the brand has done that they can show you. Better yet email them directly and ask for some before and after results.
Usually if a brand has truly put money towards their product and performed clinical trials than they should be more than happy and willing to prove their products works.
MYTH: A burning sensation means the product is working
‘No pain no gain’ is NOT the motto to have when it comes to skincare. If you are using skincare products that makes your face feel like it’s burning and leaves you with flushed and irritated skin, I am here to tell you that is NOT a good sign. And you should probably clean your skin with cool water pronto.
There are however proven skincare ingredients like retinols, glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids that do tingle the face, which is normal, but not more than 5 seconds and not in an angry unbearable way. The sensation with these types of ingredients should be fleeting and only used a couple of times a week, not daily. A burning sensation is never a good sign or an indication that the product is going to benefit your skin.
Skincare should never sting or make your skin feel uncomfortable as this can lead to a cascade of skin concern woes like redness, irritation, flaking, to dermatitis. If you do experience pain or irritation from a product that doesn’t subside, contact your dermatologist asap.
TREND: The more skincare steps the better
With the onslaught of influencers, celebrities, YouTube tutorials and Instagram skin experts pouring their 12-step skincare routine onto their audiences, we have become convinced that the more products applied to our skin the better.
As a result, we are spending more time in front of the mirror mindlessly applying a myriad of skincare products due to this cultural trend, but is an elaborate time-consuming routine necessary? Is an extensive skincare regime more beneficially than a minimalistic one with only a few key hero products?
At AMPERNA® we believe that a great skincare regime should be quick and simple. Quality over quantity where each product serves a specific purpose for your skin.
If you are currently using a heap of products and not really understanding what they are doing for your skin or noticing an improvement to what you are trying to achieve, your best to do a skincare audit and start fresh.
Remember your skin can only absorb so much and layering different serums/actives/oils on top of one another may be doing more harm than good. Investing in the right products for your skin concerns and simplifying your steps will give you a better result.
TREND: At home skincare tools and devices
Facial toning kits, Gua Sha, Micro needling tools, LED Light therapy masks, Microderm tools, Dermaplaning blades, Electric cleansing brushes, Facial freezing tools, Pore extractor… the list is endless for at-home DIY skincare tools and devices.
The beauty world has made it even easier for us consumers to create a true ‘self-care spa’ experience from the comfort of our own homes. But which ones are worth including into your routine and which ones are best to leave to the safe hands of a professional?
At-home tick of approval
Gua Sha - Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese facial massage technique that has been around for centuries. It is a great inexpensive way to help boost lymphatic drainage, eliminate puffiness and inflammation. Each side is designed to target different areas of the face and neck. Be sure to use this when your face is well moisturised, or an appropriate oil is used for your skin type.
LED Light Therapy Masks - These have really become popular over the last few years and if it fits within your budget, they are a great tool to have to help boost collagen product and/ help treat acne.
LED Light Therapy masks offer different spectrums of light wavelengths that penetrate the skin to trigger changes at a molecular level.
The red-light option is designed to increase circulation and stimulate collagen, helping reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
The blue light option targets bacteria that cause acne which can help reduce the cycle of breakouts.
Keep in mind though not all at-home devices deliver the same light wavelengths strengths as a clinical device can. Of course, do your research before diving in to invest in one of these masks or speak with your dermatologist.
Facial Freezing tools - These are another great inexpensive tool you can incorporate into your routine to help reduce inflammation and puffiness. They are great because they reduce redness, improve circulation and wake up your skin.
Leave to the professionals
Micro needling - This process involves rolling a handheld tool packed with tiny needles across the face to stimulate the production of new collagen and touted to reducing scarring and evening out skin tone. The trend to perform micro needling at home advocated by the skin-fluencers of today as their secret to glowing skin however does come with its own risks.
Typically, the needles used in at-home devices would vary between 0.1mm-0.3mm, primarily designed to help enhance skincare absorption.
Frighteningly professional-depth rollers are now readily available on the market with needles ranging from 0.5mm up to 3mm. Anything that creates a wound deep enough to the skin should be performed by a professional. Period.
Pore Extractor - If you have sensitive skin concerns or prone to bruising, please stay away from pore extracting at home.
The suctioning of these devices can lead to broken capillaries, irritation and bruising. As tempting as it may be watching these devises vacuum up what’s inside pores on social media this is one tool we would not be reaching for and sticking to tried and tested methods of gentle exfoliation instead.
Electric Cleansing brushes - Cleansing your skin should be a very simple process. It should leave your skin feeling clean without feeling tight or irritated.
So, is it worth your money at using a facial cleansing brush over your own two hands? It can be a great add-on to your skincare routine if appropriately used, however you need to pay attention to how your skin feels and reacts after using it.
You may end up scrubbing too hard and over-exfoliating your skin (which is bad news for your skin barrier), or you may end up spreading bacteria onto your skin if you don’t properly wash and take care of the device.
MYTH: Natural products are better for your skin
Natural-based skincare products tend to contain botanicals and essential oils that can lead to skin irritation like dermatitis. Just because something is labelled ‘natural’ does not mean it’s the safer or better option for you.
You can read more about natural versus synthetic ingredients in these blog posts:
References:
10 Skincare Myths You Need to Stop Believing, According to Experts (health.com)
11 Skincare Myths You Should Stop Believing, According To Dermatologists (forbes.com)
5 Common Beauty Myths, Busted! | Paula's Choice (paulaschoice.com.au)
5 More Common Beauty Myths, Busted! | Paula's Choice (paulaschoice.com.au)
