✨ Myth Busters: Skincare & Beauty Edition ✨

Skincare Myths & Truths: Let’s Set the Record Straight

Wine is Hydrating Myth!

So, I asked you lot what you wanted me to write about, and one of my lovely clients piped up with, “Do truths about skincare!” And oh my god… what an excellent idea. Honestly, I hear so much rubbish flying around that I often just sigh in disbelief at the things you believe (and even try!) from TikTok or Instagram.

I sometimes feel like I’m constantly lecturing you in the clinic – so I thought I’d pop it all down here in black and white for you. Think of it as a myths-and-truths guide, but written the way I talk to you: no jargon, just the facts with a bit of humour sprinkled in.

So, let’s bust some myths and hopefully stop you wasting your money, your time, and your poor skin barrier. Ready? Let’s go…

🥂 Myth 1: Wine is Hydrating

The Myth: “It’s made from grapes, grapes are mostly water, so wine is basically water. Cheers!”The Truth: Sorry, but no. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you lose fluids. Instead of hydrating, it actually dehydrates your body and skin. That’s why you wake up looking and feeling like a shrivelled raisin.

Why it Matters for Skin: Dehydrated skin = fine lines, dullness, and irritation. Wine is for enjoyment, not hydration. If you want a glow, water is your bestie. (I know, boring – but it works.)

🧽 Myth 2: The More You Exfoliate, the Better Your Skin Will Look

The Myth: “Scrub every day and you’ll glow like glass!

”The Truth: Over-exfoliating won’t make you glow – it’ll just leave your skin red, sore, and cranky. Think of it like over-scrubbing your favourite non-stick pan… once the coating’s gone, it’s ruined. Gentle exfoliation a couple of times a week is more than enough to keep things smooth and happy.

⚡ Myth 3: Skincare Should Sting to Work

The Myth: “If it burns, it must be doing something amazing!”The Truth: Nope. A little tingle can be fine (that’s often just active ingredients doing their thing), but full-on stinging or burning? That’s your skin screaming at you – and not in a good way.

Why it Matters: Healthy skincare should never feel like punishment. The only time treatments can be a bit “spicy” is in a controlled clinic setting – like chemical peels or professional treatments – where it’s meant to happen and is carefully monitored. Your daily skincare should feel kind, not cruel.

🌥️ Myth 4: You Don’t Need SPF in Winter

The Truth: UVA rays don’t care if it’s cloudy, raining, or you’re sat inside watching Netflix. They’re there 365 days a year. SPF is for life, not just for summer.

🍃 Myth 5: Natural = Safe, Chemical = Bad

The Truth: Everything is a chemical – even water and air. Natural doesn’t always mean safe (poison ivy is natural, doesn’t mean I’d rub it on my face). It’s about what’s right for your skin, not the label.

😳 Myth 6: Acne is Caused by Dirty Skin

The Truth: Spots aren’t about being “unclean” – they’re hormonal, genetic, and inflammatory. Scrubbing harder won’t help, it’ll just annoy your skin even more.

🍫 Myth 7: Chocolate Causes Spots

The Truth: If only! Science hasn’t proved a direct link. A high-sugar diet can cause inflammation, but the odd bar of Dairy Milk won’t give you acne.

🦷 Myth 8: Toothpaste Gets Rid of Pimples

The Truth: Toothpaste belongs on teeth, not skin. It can burn and irritate your face, leaving you worse off than when you started.

🔍 Myth 9: You Can Shrink Your Pores

The Truth: Pore size is genetic – you can’t shrink them. You can make them look smaller with proper skincare, but no magic cream is going to erase them. Sorry!

🥥 Myth 10: Coconut Oil is the Ultimate Skincare

The Truth: Lovely on legs, elbows, or in your hair. But on your face? Usually a one-way ticket to Breakout City.

😴 Myth 11: If You Don’t Wash Makeup Off, the Makeup Fairy Does It Overnight

The Truth: She doesn’t exist. All you’ll get is clogged pores, dull skin, and pillowcases that look like crime scenes.

🌞 Myth 12: Fake Tan Protects You from Burning

The Truth: A bronzed look doesn’t equal sun protection. Fake tan has zero SPF. You’ll still burn like a crisp without sunscreen.

💧 Myth 13: You Can Sweat Out Toxins in a Sauna

The Truth: Sweating cools your body down – it doesn’t detox you. Your liver and kidneys do that job. A sauna is relaxing, but it won’t undo a bottle of prosecco.

💸 Myth 14: The More Expensive the Product, the Better it Works

The Truth: Sometimes you’re paying for packaging and marketing. There are amazing products at all price points – it’s about the ingredients, not the price tag.

🧘 Myth 15: Face Yoga Replaces Botox

The Truth: Pulling funny faces on TikTok might get you likes, but it won’t erase your wrinkles. Good circulation, yes. A forehead smoother than clingfilm, no.

💉 Myth 16: Botox and Fillers Give You Healthy Skin

The Myth: “If I have Botox or fillers, my skin will look glowing and healthy.”The Truth: Hate to disappoint, but Botox is literally a toxin that just freezes muscles, and fillers puff up the volume underneath. Neither makes your skin glow or improves its health.

Why it Matters: If you really want skin that looks fresh and radiant, it’s far wiser to spend your money on a solid skincare routine and proper treatments. They actually feed, strengthen, and improve your skin long-term. Glowing skin doesn’t come in a syringe – no matter how glossy the clinic brochure looks.

🔄 Myth 17: You Have One Skin Type Forever

The Truth: Your skin isn’t fixed. It’s an organ, and it changes constantly with age, hormones, stress, seasons, even what you had for dinner. You might feel “oily” today and dry next month. That’s normal – your routine should adapt too.

⏳ Myth 18: You Can Stop Ageing

The Truth: Nope. Nothing stops ageing – not creams, not treatments, not even a facelift. (If anyone tells you otherwise, run!)

Why it Matters: What you can do is slow it down and age well. Think of it as helping your skin look the best it can for the age you are – not trying to freeze time.

🌞 Myth 19: You Can Get a “Healthy Tan”

The Myth: “I just want a bit of colour – a healthy tan!”The Truth: Sorry, but there’s no such thing as a healthy tan. All tanning is skin damage. When your skin darkens, it’s basically crying out, “Help! I’m being attacked by UV rays!” The pigment (melanin) is your skin’s emergency shield against DNA damage.

Why it Matters: A tan might look nice short term, but long term it adds up to ageing, pigmentation, and a higher risk of skin cancer. If you want the glow without the damage, fake tan is the only safe option. (Just remember – fake tan = no SPF, so you still need sunscreen!)

🙃 Myth 20: If It Works for Your Friend or an Influencer, It Will Work for You

The Truth: Skin is personal. What works for one person may break another out, irritate, or do absolutely nothing.

Why it Matters: Your skin has its own quirks, needs, and sensitivities – it’s not a one-size-fits-all Instagram filter. Always listen to your skin (and a trained professional) over your feed.

🛒 Myth 21: Shop-Bought Skincare Will Fix Your Skin Problems

The Myth: “If I just grab this £10 serum from the shop, it’ll solve all my skin issues.”The Truth: High-street products are designed to be safe for mass use – so they’re mild and often superficial. They can’t tackle deeper issues like acne, rosacea, sun spots, or melasma.

Why it Matters: These products have their place for maintenance or routine, but if your skin is struggling, spending money on generic creams is pointless. Speak to a trained skin professional and use professional skincare tailored to your individual needs – that’s how you actually see change.

✨ And there you have it – the big myths busted! ✨Some funny, some serious, but all true. The moral of the story? Look after your skin with the right care, don’t believe everything you hear on TikTok, and please don’t try to hydrate with Pinot Grigio.

Take care of your skin the right way, don’t fall for quick fixes, and remember: hydration comes from water, not wine, and glow comes from good habits, not syringes.