7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

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How to cite: Wong M. 7 Science-Based Skincare Tips. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. September 28, 2016. Accessed December 22, 2023. https://labmuffin.com/7-science-based-skincare-tips/

I’ve been lurking on Pinterest and getting increasingly annoyed at how bad the skincare advice is on there – it’s a serious challenge to find a pin that doesn’t have something inaccurate on it! So I decided to create my own science-based skincare tips that you can pin to dilute the usual “rub these foods on your face to cure stuff that can’t be cured, even with surgery – oh, and these might burn but beauty is pain and it’s natural, so it’s good for you!”. (Yeah, I’m just a tad salty.) If you’re a regular reader of my blog or if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll probably know these skincare tips already, but it’s always nice to have a refresher! I’ve also linked relevant posts for each tip, if you’d like to find out more.

It Doesn’t Take Much Sun to Age Your Skin

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

Scary fact of the day: even if you haven’t gotten burnt, you still might have had enough sun exposure to cause permanent damage! 1/10 of the UV required to cause sunburn (also known as the erythemal dose) will be enough to activate the enzyme MMP-1, which breaks down collagen. Collagen is an important protein in your skin that gives it its bounciness – loss of collagen from natural aging and sun exposure is one of the main reasons for rough skin texture and wrinkles. The solution: wear sunscreen daily, and practice sun avoidance – cover up with clothes, wear a hat, and seek shade, especially in the middle of the day when UV is at its strongest. (And if you need sun, find a part of your body you’re willing to sacrifice!)

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Yes, Oily Skin Can Need Moisturiser!

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

Oily skin produces more sebum, your skin’s natural moisturising oil, than dry skin. This means it’s less likely to need moisturiser, but unfortunately oily skin is not immune to dehydration, when it doesn’t have enough water. If your skin is oily but feels tight, your skin is probably dehydrated – you’ll need a hydrating moisturiser containing humectants like glycerin to help your skin hold onto water.

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Overcleansing Is Bad for Skin

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

Washing grime off your face feels great, but cleansing is one of the few steps in your skincare routine where you’re purposely putting harmful chemicals on your skin – namely, surfactants. Surfactants are the active ingredients in cleansers which lift off dirt and oil, but they also swell up proteins and remove protective oils from your skin. Sometimes a solid scrubbing is unavoidable, but minimal, gentle cleansing is much better in the long run!

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DIY Masks That Work

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

Some fruit (including pineapple, papaya and kiwifruit) contain protease enzymes which can break the proteins holding your dead skin cells together. I save kiwifruit peels to rub on my face before I shower! Make sure you’re not sensitive to the fruit you’re using, and wash it off thoroughly afterwards. (Extra tip: The canning process denatures the enzymes in pineapple, so you’ll have to use the fresh fruit.)

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“Non-comedogenic” doesn’t mean anything

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

“Non-comedogenic” is the “supports immune function” of skincare marketing – it sounds scientific, but because it’s not regulated, anyone can put it on their product. Ideally a company will have tested the final product on human volunteers to check if it’s comedogenic before slapping the “non-comedogenic” label on a product, but that’s not always the case. Additionally, different people will react to different products, so there’s never a 100% guarantee. Always patch test new products if you’re breakout-prone!

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SPF Moisturiser Can Be Used As Sunscreen

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

I’m not sure how the idea that a moisturiser with SPF doesn’t work as well as a sunscreen got started. As long as you’re using the same amount, they’ll give the same protection because legally, both undergo the same tests to get that SPF label! The key potential differences are just durability and whether they have broad spectrum protection – but these are always labelled.

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If It’s Not Working, Change It Up

7 Science-Based Skincare Tips

The condition of your skin – its hydration, sebum production and ability to exfoliate and repair itself – depends on many factors, including aging and the weather. You might need different products for summer or winter, if you move countries, as you get older, if you change your diet, or even if you change part of your skincare routine.

Do you have any favourite skincare boards on Pinterest? Please share!


Skincare Guide


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20 thoughts on “7 Science-Based Skincare Tips”

  1. thank you , informative as always.
    Yeah pinterest is frightening at times with all these claims of cancer cures etc but you have to take it with a pinch of salt i guess

    Reply
  2. Consider them Pinned my friend! Even if you know enough about skincare to DIY, it’s the essential oils that worry me, what with the sun sensitivity and allergens. They smell so yummy that I can imagine Bisto gravy granny hands when it comes to scenting 😉

    Reply
    • My skin isn’t sensitive, so I’m very lucky in that regard, but the recipes with tons of essential oils that are “perfect for sensitive skin” really worry me…

      Reply
  3. I wash my face at the end of each day with a gentle cleanser (as gentle as I can find that also removes my makeup!), and in the morning I use micellar water. Hopefully that isn’t stripping my skin too much!

    Reply
  4. Great tips and I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who wants to cry when she sees those Pinterest tips. Every time I see a tip that tells you to put lemon juice on your skin, I just want to scream NOOOOOOOOOOOO! A while back, I read an article where some little girls were playing with limes from a tree in their yard. The next day, they had to be admitted to the ICU on morphine for pain management. I know it’s rare for phytophotodermatitis to be so severe, but someone has to be the “lucky” one who gets the rare cases and even milder cases can take a while to clear up. And yet people on Pinterest are telling you to douse your skin in lemon juice. I’ve actually cut down on the beauty and skin care stuff I follow on Pinterest because seeing the dangerous advice drives me nuts.

    Reply
  5. Really blown away by the Kiwi peel tip; it’s one of my favourite fruits, and I usually end up eating the peel!

    Also really glad you mentioned the baking soda treatments being bogus. I always found the baking soda one particularly odd b/c usually I use baking soda to clean things in the kitchen (or even get stains out of clothes). I can’t imagine the kind of damage one could do by putting that stuff on their face… yikes.

    Reply
  6. Oh, I love these science based skincare tips. They’re all so true, I was nodding my head all throughout the article. Still, the most important is that it doesn’t take much sun to age us. I love that it’s the first tip on your list. Thank you!

    Reply

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