With skincare being so in demand this past decade, it's become quite confusing to sort all the good products from the bad. But this 2020, make it your mission to know which ones can be harmful to your skin. To give you a headstart, here are five skincare products we suggest you toss out for good!
1. Abrasive face scrubs
Physical face scrubs are marketed to exfoliate skin and slough away dead skin cells. Though this is true to a certain extent, it can also be harmful for your skin. Microbeads and other physical exfoliators that contain fruit and nut shells can create microtears on the the skin. Such tears can lead to faster skin aging and, for some, worsen any kind of irritation and skin infection. Thus, it is advisable to switch to chemical exfoliators instead. Use of AHAs or BHAs can gently exfoliate your skin without causing issues. (Read more about acids here!)
2. Pore strips
Pore strips became so popular during the start of the decade because it can pluck out whiteheads and blackheads instantly. Though that can be incredibly satisfying, they can still be harmful for the skin. Because while they may strip off unwanted deep-seated dirt, they can harm good skin cells, too. Most importantly, they're a bandaid solution—your whiteheads and blackheads will always come back later. Instead of investing on pore strips to take out all the gunk, exfoliate with a beta-hydroxy acid like salicylic acid or get an extraction from your trusted dermatologist.
3. Peel-off masks
Just like pore strips, peel-off masks became trendy online because people wanted to recreate that "satisfying" feeling of peeling gunk off their skin. However, some had unsafe experiences with them, like the mask plucking off their facial hair or leaving their skin raw and irritated. Hence, we recommend that you invest in something like a mud mask instead, as it can pull off impurities from the skin without irritating it and being difficult to take off.
4. Cleansing wipes
Though cleansing wipes will remove your makeup, it doesn't necessarily mean that you can get a good cleanse from it. It can't remove the deep-seated dirt stuck in the pores, and, since most are made from polyester, using it causes friction that can create microtears on the skin. Other than that, some formulas are dampened with alcohol and parabens that can be harmful in the long run. So for everyday use, invest in cleansing balm, cleansing oil, or micellar water to remove makeup and other unwanted gunk.
5. Alcohol-based toners
Back in the day, toners had strong scents and were prickly when applied on the face given its high alcohol content. While alcohol does fight bacteria, it is very drying and can strip your skin's natural moisture, causing more breakouts and making oily skin worse. Thankfully, there are more alcohol-free options on the market, and you might want to check out toners that have exfoliating acids or soothing ingredients instead.
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