Skincare is my favourite part of the day. I look forward to opening my vanity box and picking out what serums I get to use and what creams to layer. So naturally, I have a big collection of things I might not have the space for.
In an attempt to clean my closet and hurt my heart a little less, I did some research to figure out which products are truly, without a doubt, useless. I’m pretty sure you own at least one thing on this list and this is your sign to get rid of it! Sorry, but your skin (and beauty shelf) will thank me in the long run.
5 Products You Think You Need, But Don’t
Any Wet Wipe
The first on the list is acne wipes or just makeup remover wipes in general. As someone with sensitive skin – I don’t clean my face with anything other than a few trusted cleansers. But I also have a small collection of makeup wipes I use while travelling or staying over at a friend’s. Turns out, they’re breeding grounds for bacteria and do more harm than good.
Since they are ‘wet wipes’, each wipe is laden with alcohol and preservatives to keep them from molding. These preservatives are ridiculously bad for your skin and can even cause fresh breakouts. Additionally, prolonged use can strip your natural oil content and mess up your skin’s pH balance. Also, they significantly contribute to environmental pollution due to their non-biodegradable nature.
Instead, why not try a reusable remover paired with a gentle cleanser + exfoliating serum?
Activated Charcoal Products
Activated charcoal masks, particularly the peel-off types, are a skincare faux pass. They indiscriminately strip away all oils and cells from the surface of your face, doesn’t matter if they’re good or bad. The effects of all activated charcoal products are temporary, so even if they do show immediate results they will definitely damage your epidermis in the long run.
You can use charcoal face washes if you have really oily skin, but research does recommend staying away from it otherwise.
Harsh Scrubs
Remember when walnut scrubs were the talk of the town and we all stocked up on twelve bottles each? “Any scrub that contains rough, coarse, jagged, hard, or irregularly shaped particles seriously damages the skin by causing micro-tears in its surface,” says Paula Begoun, founder of Paula’s Choice, in an interview with Cosmopolitan. Additionally, overuse of these can result in a thicker layer of dead skin, ironically necessitating more scrubbing.
I suggest opting for gentler exfoliation methods to maintain skin health without abrasive damage – like a salicylic serum/facewash.
Myth of Eye Creams
I have really puffy eyes. After a good nap, you can’t even see my pupils, it’s that bad. I heavily relied on eye creams and they also seemed to work for me (a placebo effect maybe?). But a few days ago I had a conversation with my sister who’s studying pharmacy, and she told me that eye creams were basically moisturisers with targeted names.
After some research, I’ve concluded that unfortunately, she’s right. A lot of dermats also explain that there are no special ingredients unique to eye creams. Regular facial moisturisers provide similar benefits and eye creams don’t have superior efficacy.
Ineffective Topical Collagen
Topical collagen does not work because the molecules are too large to be absorbed by the skin i.e. the large molecular size of collagen prevents it from penetrating the skin, making it ineffective in improving skin structure.
Any face/body cream that contains ‘collagen’ is not going to improve the texture and elasticity of your skin no matter how consistent you remain with use. Instead, products with collagen peptides are a good alternative, since peptides are smaller and can be absorbed by the skin.
By saying goodbye to these, you’re not just freeing up space in your beauty shelf but also embracing a routine that resonates with your skin’s needs and won’t make existing concerns worse.
Featured Image: Unsplash
