Deinfluencing is one of the latest movements on social media that has spread like a wildfire on 'for you pages' and Instagram feeds alike. The concept is simple, yet important: It encourages us to reevaluate our consumption habits and enforces our critical sense regarding trends and products marketed online. We all know the immediate thought of “oh, if it works for them, I bet it’ll work for me too” – spoiler alert: That’s not always the case. So, in this blogpost, we’re busting some of the worst trends out there, hoping to deinfluence you from ever putting yourself (and your skin) through them.
PORE STRIPS AND PEEL OFF MASKS
Let’s just say that viral doesn’t necessarily equal effective. Selfcare isn’t supposed to hurt, and pulling and tugging on your skin with these products simply won’t be neither beneficial nor comfortable.
Many turn to these types of facial “treatments” with the hopes of them reducing or even removing their pores. And while some pore strips and peel off masks do succeed in removing build-up from the skin, they also rip off small hair follicles as well as an outer layer of the skin, leaving it excessively vulnerable to potential irritations while also stripping natural oils and hydration, which can lead to dehydrated skin or even an increase in impurities. To make matters worse, the tugging on your skin can cause loss of elasticity in the skin, potentially leaving it looser. With that said, we promise the pore-removing part is not worth it – equally because you’ll notice the pores showing up again within a short span of time.
Some even took to the internet to share their remedies for homemade versions of peel off masks, masks, and pore strips. We’ll make this one short: Don’t do this either. Instead, opt for products carefully formulated to minimize pores (or encourage whatever result you want for your skin), such as chemical exfoliants and vitamin A.
And remember, when it comes to skincare, pain is never a good thing.
ICING YOUR SKIN
Even though we love the relieving feeling of a cooled facial roller, we’d always advice that you avoid directly icing your skin for prolonged amounts of time. Though dragging ice cubes across your face or even dipping your face in a bucket of icy water might sound refreshing, shocking your skin directly with these low temperatures for excessive amounts of time can result in everything from frostbites, herpes rashes, and even your skin barrier being damaged.
If you want to reduce inflammation and still obtain that soothed feel, we suggest you go for nourishing and cooling ingredients such as cucumber water and aloe vera. Our instantly plumping Intense Hyaluronic Mask contains a variety of soothing ingredients, such as aloe vera, to promote a smooth, even, and relaxed complexion while providing intense hydration to the deepest skin layers. Bonus: Boost the soothing and cooling feeling of applying the mask by storing it in the fridge for a while before usage. We promise a relaxing treat for both you and your skin. Thank us later!
FACIAL STEAM
Creating your own home spa – that doesn’t sound so bad now, does it? Lately, the internet has been piled up with people elevating their at-home rituals by creating their own facial sauna – meaning, hunching over piping-hot water with a towel over your face to encapsulate and absorb the steam. However relaxing this can sound, dermatologists have actually warned that this practice is not equally beneficial for every skin type. So, even though there’re known benefits of facial steaming, we advise you to take your own individual skin and its needs into account before heading (literally) into this trend.
As heat can promote irritations and inflammations, you’re probably doing your skin a favor by not tapping into this trend if your skin is sensitive and prone to these reactions. Moreover, if you suffer from skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea, intense steaming can end up worsening your reactions.
Moral of the story: It’s always a good idea to be source critical, especially when it comes to flourishing skincare trends online. In this case, a couple thorough google searches or consoling dermatologists (or dropping us a message!) can go a long way.
