A COSMETIC dermatologist has revealed the common skincare misconceptions that do more harm than good.
She even touched on a beauty secret endorsed by Jennifer Lopez that can damage the skin barrier.
, a cosmetic and medical dermatologist, shared the four common skincare myths that should be avoided with The U.S. Sun.
She explained that these tips are not only ineffective, but they can also be expensive and harmful to the skin.
MYTHBUSTERS
Dr. King first advised against the assumption that pricey skincare products are better than their drugstore counterparts, like .
"A myth in all realms of skin care is that expensive products are more effective," she said.
"[That is] definitely not true — some very inexpensive skincare products can be terrific."
The expert said that what matters most is how your skin responds to the product you're using and "how you like the feel of it."
So in the words of singer Jessie J, you should "forget about the price tag."
WATER WASTE
Another myth Dr. King addressed was the correlation between water consumption and moisturized skin.
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"Water is good for your overall health, and the skin of a severely dehydrated person will benefit from fluids," she said.
"But the average person's skin does not reflect the amount of water being consumed."
Instead, she advised using a good moisturizer with humectants, emollients, and occlusive.
She explained that these ingredients will do a lot more for improving your skin's hydration than drinking water.
TANNING TALES
Dr. King also warned that "there's no such thing as a healthy tan."
"Another myth is that it's OK to get a tan as long as you're not burning. Not true!" she said.
She stressed that any sun exposure can damage the skin, and this damage is cumulative over a lifetime.
"Tanning is a defense mechanism used by our skin cells when their DNA is getting damaged," she explained.
Dermatologist-approved anti-aging tips
Dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp shared his dermatologist-approved tips with The U.S. Sun.
- Stop using tanning beds.
- Don't use sunscreen to contour your face.
- Wear driving gloves to protect your hands from the sun. He likes , $15.99 to $39.
- Exercise, stick to a healthy diet, and get enough sleep.
- Don't drink excessively or smoke.
LIES & LESSONS
The final myth that Dr. King called out was the use of olive oil on the skin, which may come as a surprise to JLo.
In an interview with , the 54-year-old pop star shared how her family has been using the kitchen staple on their faces for years.
“When I was young, my mom and my grandma, my aunts, they all had these kinda crazy beauty secrets," she said.
"One was olive oil that actually we use, and we created the Olive Complex [for my brand].”
Jennifer launched JLo Beauty in 2021 with olive oil being a main ingredient to achieve her ageless glow.
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However, Dr. King said olive oil is not recommended for use on the skin because it is high in oleic acid, which can disrupt the skin barrier function.
"Oils rich or well-balanced in linoleic acid are generally recommended for the skin, while oils rich in oleic acid like olive oil are not thought to be the best options for the skin," she explained.