A dermatologist busts common skincare beliefs, warns against these trends

There seems to be some confusion with regards to the order in which you are meant to clean your skin. This is because the once-golden skincare three-step rule of “cleanse, tone and moisturise” no longer applies. 

Some videos posted online will also have you believe that more than three steps are needed, however, specialist dermatologist Dr Vanessa Lapiner says multi-step skincare routines aren’t necessary. 

According to Dr Lapiner, when approaching skincare, you need to know what concern you are treating and work towards targeting that. 

“Too many skincare functional actives can overstimulate your skin and then your skin can freak out and you will be left to deal with breakouts and rosacea, sensitive skin and inflammation,” she explained.

She also said toners in the traditional sense aren’t necessary as they are no longer needed to treat what they were created for. Toners were initially needed to neutralise cleansers which were previously formulated in a way that was too harsh for the skin. 

So, instead of “cleanse, tone and moisturise,” you may need to consider “cleanse, moisturise and protect (with sunscreen)”. 

The doctor also explains that when layering skincare products, you need to know which ingredients complement each other in order to layer them effectively. A lot of people find themselves layering products, perhaps incorrectly, relying solely on the information they get online. 

Such a practice becomes concerning when you take into account that skin is the biggest organ of the body.

One of many things that drew Dr Lapiner to get specialisation and despite amassing the medical knowledge that she did through her studies, the doctor admits that she learned more about skincare through her own experience working with patients who asked questions that enabled her to find out more.

One of the main things she confirmed was that consistency, coupled with using the right products, yields results.

ALSO SEE: Daily hack: Tips and secrets to get firm and plump ‘jello skin’

Skincare trends noticed during lockdown

“I think skincare really came to the fore during lockdown. People were wearing less makeup.”

Citing a figure from a study Dr Lapiner read after this period, it is estimated that people wore about 30% less makeup during lockdown.

“People were also looking at themselves all day so they became much more particular with what was going on with their skin. So, maybe, that little thing they were able to cover up before, they weren’t exposed to and now it was staring at them all day while they were looking at themselves over Zoom and they wanted to get their skin as even-tone as possible, as clear as possible and as healthy as possible,” she explains.

She also noted that there was a difference in where her patients were getting their skincare from and that they were becoming a lot savvier. 

They’d ask her opinion on skincare brands, ingredients and mixing ingredients. 

ALSO SEE: Without these filters, your influencers would be unrecognisable

Cleanse, tone, moisturise

Cleansers are a step that is important in Dr Lapiner’s opinion because using the incorrect cleanser can negatively impact the skin barrier.

The doctor cautions against using the incorrect products as this could really strip your skin barrier. In this regard, certain products may contain all the harsh actives “which is the opposite of what we want to do with a cleanser.”

According to Dr Lapiner, using the wrong kind of cleanser could put your skincare routine on the backfoot right from the beginning. 

She added that you do not need two different cleansers and that there is no reason for skincare and skincare steps to be complicated. 

“I think we have over-complicated cleansing, we have taken the most basic thing about skincare, I mean it’s something we’re taught to do as a child, and we’ve turned it into this really complicated ritual where you need a degree in cosmetology to try an understand how to cleanse your face.” 

She also advised leaving a cleanser on your skin longer in order to give it time to “work it’s magic.” 

“I think smart skincare is functional skincare where you can use it in lots of different ways and today’s cleansers are so much more than just a cleansing step, or they should be.”

Through treating her patients, Dr Lapiner found that they wanted medical grade products within the clean beauty space and decided to use her knowledge to produce what they wanted and needed. 

Where she went against the grain in her venture, simply titled Root4, was to create a beautiful experience for the consumer through her packaging, which she wanted to be a sensory experience – starting with the luxury green colour used for the packaging. 

“I wanted the experience to be ritualistic, that you feel like you want to do this. Our lives are so hectic and busy that I wanted people to take that moment to pause,” she said, explaining the intention for her products.

Most memorable TikTok beauty trends 

The democratisation of information has allowed people to not only learn more but take skincare into their own hands, and while it may feel great to save a few bucks while going the DIY route, it may lead to consequences that you may have to pay a professional to fix.

ALSO SEE: From the inventive to the dangerous: The TikTok beauty tricks you really shouldn’t follow

Here are a few trends that Dr Lapiner has seen that have left an impression on her:

• Sunscreen contouring was popularised by Gwyneth Paltrow, who advised the strategic placement of facial sunscreen to ensure the sun came into bare contact with certain parts of the face for a more contoured appearance. 

• At-home micro needling is done with permanent makeup to create long-lasting artificial freckles. Dr Lapiner described this as a recipe for artificial scarring. 

• At-home hyaluronic acid injections. 

• The chlorophyll trend. Creators advised people to drink chlorophyll to treat pigmentation. 

“There’s a wealth of advice out there and not all of it is bad but you have to really be cautious with who you’re following,” Dr Lapiner warned.  

She also said that medical professionals have a responsibility to be active on social media to provide people with the right information in place of everything that is out there.