Hands up if you have some skincare rules that you abide by (those ‘fail-safe’ mantras and regimes that supposedly give you your best skin possible)? Same, girl, same.
While having some skincare rules can be beneficial to the skin, you might be surprised to find that some aren’t all they’ve cracked up to be. Below, Feniu’s founder Mele Feniu Olivetti explains the skincare rules you can start breaking.
10-Step Routines
If your nightly skincare regime consists of anything close to 10-steps (or more), time to think about putting those products down. Sure, there are some necessities that we all need in our regime (cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen just to name a few), but there’s also some steps in a routine that just aren’t necessary (I’m talking about toners, mists, sheet masks and the list goes on).
The reason all of these products aren’t always a good thing for your skin is because of the host of ingredients you’re applying to it daily that your skin can become reliant on (or worse, could be causing skin issues without you realising).
Sure, these products can be applied time to time, but don’t be fooled into thinking they are a must-have. Time to give your skin a break and get back to basics (you might be surprised to find that your skin works quite well on its own)!
The Double Cleanse
Ok, hear me out. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in the practice of double cleansing. Touted as a sure-fire way to properly cleanse the skin, double cleansing is the practice of literally cleansing the skin twice (sometimes with two different products).
While it is incredibly beneficial to ensure you have removed any excess dirt or sebum, it does have risks. Cleansing the skin is one thing but stripping it of its natural oils is another (something you really don’t want to do).
Some cleansers contain harsh stripping agents that will of course get all the dirt, make up and grime off, but also remove all of the good stuff. Many people don’t realise that the skin has a microbiome which is made up of a variety of organisms that essentially protect your skin from the outside world.
If you consistently strip all of this off, it can throw the skin out of whack (leading to host of issues like dryness, oiliness or even skin sensitivities). Instead, opt for a gentle cleanser that will thoroughly remove all the stuff you don’t need, but leave the good stuff, life Feniu’s Renewing Oil to Foam Cleanser.
Enriched with Tea Tree, Papaya and Tongan Tuitui Oil, it keeps skin hydrated while eliminating impurities.
Never Squeeze Pimples
This is a very common skincare rule, and in most instances, rightly so. No good ever comes from standing in front of the mirror and picking at your skin. However, there are times when it simply must be done (we’re looking at you crater size white head)!
The truth is, if you feel like you must, you can squeeze some pimples (but you just need to tread with caution). The best way to do it is to have a hot shower, cleanse the area and allow some of the steam to penetrate your skin.
This can help to open up your pores a little and hopefully draw some of the gunk to the surface. Then, using a tissue over your fingers, gently press or squeeze the pimple, making sure to stop once clear liquid comes to the surface.
Then leave it! Try not to touch it or apply anything on top of it for a little while. Hopefully once left alone it will settle down a little and within a few days should clear up.
Oily Skin Should Avoid Face Oils
This is a common misconception, and we can see why – it makes no sense whatsoever to apply an oil to oily skin. Wouldn’t that just be exacerbating the problem? Well, the answer is – not always.
People with oily skin typically have an imbalance in their oil flow and their skin is likely overproducing oil. This can happen for a number of reasons, with one of them being that you might be stripping your skin of its natural oils and therefore it is working hard to counteract it.
This is when introducing a skincare oil can actually help to regulate the oil flow. Consider introducing a skincare oil for once a week at first and see how you go. We love Feniu’s Tongan Coconut Oil which can be used on the face and body.
Exfoliating As A Regular Step
Most people are of the opinion that dead skin or dry skin is the ultimate enemy, however it actually serves a purpose.
Those extra layers on the skin can help to protect our complexion from environmental stressors and shouldn’t be consistently scrubbed off. If you’re in the habit of exfoliating daily, try to see how your skin goes if you reduce that back to once or twice a week.
This will do a great job of exfoliating thoroughly without risking stripping your skin completely or worse, causing irritation due to harsh scrubbing.
