Caring for your skin isn’t a trend. Despite marketing efforts by those promising you miracles with their service or product, skincare goals are achieved through routine & consistency. The Clean Your Dirty Face philosophy is rooted in simplicity and consistency, not in gimmicks and miracles products. Find a few services & products that work for you, and use them regularly. That’s it. Let’s dive into the juicy stuff 😈
#1 Toxic Skincare Trend
Dermaplaning
What is Dermaplaning? It’s the method of using a scalpel to remove vellus hair and exfoliate the skin. We’ve listed out the most common dark sides to dermaplaning with someone who’s not affiliated with a Dermatology office.
Not everyone is a good candidate for dermaplaning. For example, if you have acne, dermaplaning can cause more breakouts & increase your chance of bacterial infection.
Dermaplaning provides instant gratification and immediate photo opportunities for social media. However, dermaplaning only affects the top layers of your skin, so in reality, it’s an inferior exfoliation treatment to something like a professional peel.
Dermaplaning removes peach fuzz (aka vellus hair) — i.e., something your body actually needs. Vellus hair has a lot of important (biological) functions, but perhaps the most important one is that the tiny hairs make it harder for bacteria and parasites to gain access into the human body. That peach fuzz is basically your skin’s defense shield. We feel so passionate about keeping vellus hair that a few years ago, we dedicated an article on it here.
Breakouts
Bacterial infection
Permanent discoloration
Rash, redness & irritation
Once you start shaving, you can’t stop. That’s the real reason this toxic trend doesn’t die.
In sum, we are not a fan of dermaplaning. But, if you’re going to get it done, get it done in a dermatology office to minimize your chances of experiencing some these most common side effects.
#2 Toxic Skincare Trend
Sunscreen Contouring
What is Sunscreen Contouring? It’s the strategic application of sunscreen to create a contoured look on the face via sun damage.
Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a board-certified dermatologist sums it up in this amazing analogy: “Choosing to protect some areas of your body more than others in an effort to cosmetically contour is as smart as using a condom with holes in it. Once one part of your skin develops a skin cancer (like melanoma), your whole body gets punished.”
Everyday sun exposure over a prolonged period of time is what causes the most skin damage, not the one-time beach vacation. The realities of sun damage are real, and ever-lasting so if you’re truly looking for a facial-contoured look, opt for makeup contouring instead.
See Shady Lady, a 2-in-1 broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen and makeup primer.
#3 Toxic Skincare Trend:
Calling it “Glass Skin”
What is Glass Skin? It’s a phrase to describe exceptionally smooth, pore-less, even-toned and lustrous skin that's so flawless it has the appearance of glass.
Here’s our problem with it: Real skin is textured, has pores, uneven tones, and does not look or feel like glass. In fact, influencers who actually have “glass skin” are likely naturally born with it and no amount of products or services promising the same would actually work for others. Setting up unrealistic expectations for our society is why in a recent media poll, we discovered that 1 in 3 young women admit to using social media filters to hide how bad their skin looks IRL. The Clean Your Dirty Face philosophy is rooted in routine and consistency, not in gimmicks and miracles products/services. Find a skincare routine that works for you, and engage in it regularly. If you need help developing a routine, you can book your first facial here.
