Let's Finally Debunk These 3 Major Skin Care Myths — From A Cosmetic Chemist Duo

I often talk about how there's a lot of nuance in skin care—very rarely is advice universal. But don't take my word for it, take an actual scientist's: "Skin care isn't an exact science," says cosmetic chemist Victoria Fu, who cofounded Chemist Confessions with fellow cosmetic chemist Gloria Lu.

This is why it's so important to get personal with your own skin. "We can get into the nitty-gritty details of ingredients all we want, but that doesn't mean anything if you don't know how to use it in your own routine. That's why I think it's so important to learn how to implement, improve, and troubleshoot your own skin care routine for your skin type," Fu continues. And Lu agrees: "It's empowering for someone to be comfortable enough with their skin that you know what it needs every day." 

One of the biggest skin care trends we've seen in the last several years is the focus on ingredient percentages. And while it's a good thing that brands are being transparent about their formulas, more isn't always better.

"It used to be that the consumer wasn't thinking about percentages or 'Oh is this ingredient at an efficacious concentration?'" says Lu, noting this meant brands could get away with barely dusting actives in the formulas. "But now it's gone too far in the other direction. The train has derailed so fast and so hard! Now we're telling customers, 'No, hold on—you don't need that high of a percentage!'"

There are a lot of terms that aren't regulated in the beauty space—clean, natural, dermatologist-approved, hypoallergenic, sensitive skin safe, the list could go on and on. I believe that these terms can be helpful if the brand is clear about how they define and understand them.

And one such claim that isn't regulated is "oil-free," notes Fu. "I definitely have issues with the oil-free claim. In a lot of cases I think it's not helpful to the consumer because it's not a regulated claim and this means that per brand, it could mean anything," she says.

If you want a water-based product (i.e., lotions, serums, treatments, and most cleansers) that you can keep around for more than a few days without the risk of growing mold or bacteria, then that formula needs preservatives. That's just the truth of the matter.

However, which preservatives are used (and how much) can vary depending on several unique factors. "Final packaging, how the consumer will interact with the product, formula type, and water content all matter when looking at preservative systems," says Lu. "It's not like there's a set dose of preservatives that work for everything. That's why it's so important for brands to do the proper tests—because at the end of the day, cosmetics aren't regulated in this sense and can launch without doing this."