1. You don't need to wear spf if your makeup has spf.
You may have heard that you don't need to wear sunscreen if your foundation has an SPF. This is not true!
Sunscreen is important for everyone, regardless of their skin type or makeup routine. The problem with relying on makeup's SPF is that the product can be difficult to apply evenly over large areas of skin, if your makeup doesn't cover all exposed areas, which it probably won't, then there will still be some unprotected space left behind as well as potential gaps between each layer of foundation and concealer. Other than that, the SPF coverage in foundation is usually very low, you would need an extensive amount of layers to actually protect you the way sunscreen does.
2. Exfoliating everyday will keep your skin smooth.
Exfoliating is good for your skin, but it's not something you should do every day. Exfoliation helps remove dead cells from the surface of the skin, which can make pores appear smaller and give you a healthy glow. But too much exfoliation can actually damage your skin by causing micro-tears in its outer layer. This causes inflammation, which makes the area more sensitive to sunlight and irritants like makeup remover or products with retinol.
3. You can shrink your pores.
Pores are genetic, and there's nothing you can do to make them smaller. You can't shrink your pores with products or treatments either, at least not permanently. If you have large pores, exfoliating will help make them appear smaller temporarily by removing dead skin cells that are making your pores look bigger than they are.
Pore-minimising products, like toners, may also help reduce the appearance of large pores by using ingredients like salicylic acid or glycolic acid to gently remove excess oil from the surface of the skin. However, these kinds of products aren't miracle workers, while they might shrink pore size temporarily after use, once their effect wears off over time, they'll go back to their regular size!
4. Wearing makeup every day causes acne.
This is not true. Well, some make-up can cause breakouts if your skin is sensitive to a particular ingredient, but this is not common. What actually causes breakouts is not removing make up properly at the end of the day, and no, wipes or just using a product isn't enough, you should always wash your face to make sure it doesn't have any makeup residue. Sleeping with makeup not only leads to pore-clogging buildup and encourages bacteria to flourish, it can even lead to eye infections when eye makeup isn’t removed properly. If you are wearing a full face of make up and SPF on a daily basis then your skin needs thorough cleanse!
5. Expensive products are more effective.
It's true that some beauty products are more expensive than others, but it doesn't mean they'll work any better. In fact, you can get many of the same benefits from less expensive products if you know what to look for and how to use them.
For example, when it comes to eye cream or moisturizer, don't just buy whatever is on sale at your local department store, choose something appropriate for your skin type instead! If you have a sensitive skin, ask a dermatologist which ingredients you should be looking for. We've all tried a few different products before we found the one that works for our skin.
6. Natural products are always better.
Does natural always mean better?
No, it doesn't. Natural products can contain preservatives and other chemicals that act as irritants to sensitive skin. They can be more expensive than their synthetic counterparts too, and sometimes less effective at what they're supposed to do!
7. Oily skin doesn't need (as much) moisturiser.
You might think that oily skin doesn't need as much moisturiser, but the opposite is true. Oily skin needs to be moisturised just as much, if not more, than dry or normal skin. The main difference with an oily complexion is that you should use lighter, oil-free products instead of heavier ones, because they won't clog pores and make matters worse.
Conclusion
There are so many beauty myths floating around, it's hard to know what's real and what's not. Just remember, if you're using the right products for your skin, you will be fine, so always have a look at the ingredients in the product before purchasing them.