Myths and Truths About Skin Care You Don’t Know

MYTH: You don’t need sunscreen if you’re wearing makeup that has SPF.

While studies show that the sun helps your skin produce vitamin D, you still need to wear a good sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, according to Skincancer.org. These sunscreens are sometimes labeled “multi-spectrum” or “broad spectrum,” as well. Also, most people mistakenly think that SPF numbers are an indicator of the number of minutes you can stay in the sun if you wear them. That’s also not the case — and also, Consumer Reports said that SPF only tells you something about UVB protection, and has nothing to do with UVA. Instead, an SPF 30 sunscreen should keep your skin from getting a sunburn about 30 times longer than it would without that sunscreen.

When you’re having a bad break out, you’ll try just about anything to make it go away. I know this because I’ve done it — and you probably have, too. Rather than try out these hacks for yourself only to find out they don’t work — here are nine unhelpful skincare myths that you need to stop believing. Although wearing makeup with SPF can be helpful, it should be a single layer in your multi-pronged sun protection strategy — not your face’s only line of defense against the sun’s harmful rays.

SPF protection only edges up incrementally with higher numbers. SPF 15 blocks approximately 93% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97%, SPF 50 blocks 98%, and SPF 100 only blocks 99%, according to Consumer Reports. No matter which level of protection you choose, you’ll still need to reapply it every two hours to stay protected — or more frequently if you get wet or sweat a lot. Finally, you should ideally wear sunscreen every single day — not just when it’s sunny. You can’t see UVA or UVB rays — they’re not in the visible light spectrum. Basically, any day you’re awake is a good time for SPF to help protect your skin from premature aging and prevent various types of skin cancer.

MYTH: If you have oily skin, you won’t show signs of aging as quickly.

Whether your skin is oily or dry doesn’t affect aging as much as sun exposure, pollution, and your smoking habits, according to Good Housekeeping. Dry skin doesn’t cause signs of aging — but can enhance them once they’re already there because that plump, moisturized look is so often associated with looking youthful.

MYTH: “Squeaky clean” skin is the goal.

Maintaining your skin’s moisture barrier is the key to healthy skin that feels and looks good — and using harsh products that strip away your moisture barrier does exactly the opposite of that, according to Real Simple. Instead, opt for gentle cleansers that lift away dirt, oil, and makeup — but don’t leave your skin feeling dry and tight.

MYTH: Drugstore products aren’t worth your time and money.

If you love a certain brand because of its scent or packaging, that’s one thing — and you definitely should do you. That boutique price, however, doesn’t automatically make a product better quality. No matter where you buy it, according to StyleCaster, active ingredients are what matter — and depending on what works for your specific skin, you can find some amazing things in drugstores.