Brides are easy targets for the beauty industry. After all, if there’s one time we’re going to spend (copious amounts of) cash on looking and feeling gorgeous, it’s in the run-up to our wedding day! But before you max out your credit card on products and treatments, listen up for some expert advice from “Cosmetics Cop” Paula Begoun. An American author and consumer advocate, she was in SA recently to bust some beauty myths (“information that ends up hurting your skin and your budget”) and explain what we should look for in products. Her motto – “wasting money isn’t pretty” – and her tips had us hooked. Here is a selection:
- Everyone needs a product for the eye area. Truth: There is no research to prove that the eye area needs skincare ingredients that are different from the rest of your face (or neck area or décolletage) in order to fight wrinkles, discoloration or sagging.
- Expensive products are better than inexpensive ones. Truth: There are good and bad products in all price categories. It’s about the formulation, not the price. Spending less doesn’t hurt your skin and spending more doesn’t help it.
- Natural ingredients are better for skin than synthetic ingredients. Truth: Just because an ingredient grows out of the ground or is found in nature doesn’t make it automatically good for skin. The reverse is also true. Ideally, the skincare products you choose should contain a mix of beneficial ingredients, both natural and synthetic.
- Products that make skin feel cool or tingly are good. Truth: A cooling or tingling sensation is your skin telling you it is being irritated, nothing more. Products that produce this sensation can damage your skin’s healing process, cause collagen and elastin to break down and increase the growth of bacteria that cause acne. Fragranced products aggravate skin too and cause inflammation, so does anything that contains essential oils!
- Dry skin? Drink more water! Truth: If only this easy tip worked! Dry skin is not simply caused by too little moisture. To prevent dry skin, you need to avoid and reduce anything that damages the outer barrier, including sun damage, products with irritating ingredients, alcohol, drying cleansers and smoking.
- Moisturiser applied at night must be labelled “night cream”. Truth: The only difference between a daytime and night-time moisturiser should be the inclusion of sun protection (SPF15 and greater) in the daytime version.
- Packaging doesn’t matter when it comes to products. Truth: Packaging plays a significant role in the stability and effectiveness of the products you use. Jar packaging lets in too much air (and bacteria from your fingers), which causes ingredients like antioxidants to deteriorate. Clear packaging is another no-no as it allows light to penetrate the product, which causes sensitive ingredients, such as retinol, to break down.
- There are skincare products that can work like Botox or dermal fillers. Truth: It’s not possible. Even Botox can’t work like Botox if you apply it topically instead of injecting it under the skin. The same applies to dermal fillers.
- Damaged hair can be repaired. Truth: Products such as conditioners, styling creams, gels and shine serums can help make hair feel (and in some cases look) better, but once the damage is done, there’s no going back (hair is dead). The only solution is to cut off the damaged portion.
- Dark brown discolorations are caused by age. Truth: Brown, freckle-like skin discolorations are a result of years of unprotected sun exposure. In fact, around 70% of all ageing is caused by the sun. The best thing you can do for your skin is to apply quality sunscreen liberally 365 days a year.
For more information, as well as Paula’s book, Don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me, R295, and her own range of carefully formulated skincare products, visit paulaschoice.co.za.