I’ve just read an article on a popular Irish beauty and lifestyle website that has made my blood BOIL!

Mariga -

On a popular Irish website, an article was published yesterday that gave the WORST skincare advice. The fact that it is a very well read and followed website just makes it even worse. Wouldn’t you think that a professional website would have an editor of some sort looking out for the quality of the articles presented to their loyal following? Now, I know you can’t expect an editor to be expert in all subjects, so perhaps a beauty editor that has a clue would have helped here. To me, a qualified skincare professional and safety advocate, it reads like a (very bad) joke. Every single piece of “advice” on this DREADFUL SKINCARE ARTICLE is actually directly damaging to the skin. (LINK HERE IF YOU WANT TO READ IT)

If you don’t want to waste your time reading it (see link above), here are the high (low?) points:

The article recommends: “…here’s our guide to some at home pampering that can restore your skin to glowing…Having peels on a regular basis will lead to collagen stimulation that will improve the appearance of wrinkles.”

I say: NO NO NO! Chemical peels are NOT to be used at home. Even in a professional setting they are to be used only when absolutely necessary. This way of thinking is very outdated. We (educated professionals) now know that chemical peels give short-term gain in the form of a nice glow that leads to long-term accelerated ageing, capillary damage and thin, inflamed, papery skin.

The article recommends:  “…If you do have sensitive skin, opt for a scrub with natural exfoliators such as apricot kernel and walnut shell.”

I say: ARE YOU MAD??? Apricot/walnut shell scrubs (remember them from the ’80’s?) will TEAR your skin. These are for scrubbing floors, not faces. DON’T EVER DO THIS.

The article states:  “….At home peel products typically contain either alpha hydroxy acids (an AHA such as glycolic acid), beta hydroxy acid (salicylic acid, also known as BHA), tricholoracetic acid (TCA), or phenol as the exfoliating agent.”

I say: WTH?? I don’t even know where to start with this. TCA and Phenol are chemical peeling agents which are approved for use in the EU by medical professionals ONLY. They are not allowed to be sold in homecare/skincare products. Yes, I know you can buy them on Amazon, but that does not make them safe, appropriate or even desirable for home use.

The article goes on to recommend some home-use glycolic peels (glycolic acid is very old-school, used before the advent of lactic acid which is a much better option, but in my opinion still only to be used by a trained professional) and an enzyme peel (I don’t object to this, finally a word of sense in an otherwise ignorant, unprofessional and potentially damage-inducing “advice” article).

So, I hate to be negative about anything or anyone and usually just ignore rubbish like this, after all the internet is full of this kind of thing. I just got mad because this is such a well-known brand and I know that many, many Irish women and girls, and I’m sure some men too, will trust the advice given, based on the brand reputation. When it comes to your skin, please ask a trained professional for advice. By the way, there is no author credited on the article. Make of that what you will.

Now I’m going to have a nice cup of chamomile tea (it’s good for your nerves AND your skin). Drink it though, don’t put it on your face. No matter what the internet tells you 😀

Mariga

Have you read Mariga's e-book yet? 'The Skincare Rules' is packed full of simple, easy to implement tips that will help to get you great skin - for life!

Have you read Mariga’s e-book yet? ‘The Skincare Rules’ is packed full of simple, easy to implement tips that will help to get you great skin – for life!  BUY HERE FOR KINDLE NOW