Skincare Spooky Stories! Scary Techniques to Haunt you this Halloween

Happy Halloween! I hope you got the chance to carve a pumpkin, enjoy a corn maze or watch a scary movie safely at home. So, we are wrapping up Halloweek on the blog by giving you some spooky scary skincare stories. As an esthetician, I have some pretty serious opinions on several skincare products and techniques that seem to sneak their way into people’s homes. Be sure to grab your flashlight, fuzzy blanket, and popcorn first before diving into these scary skincare stories!

Quick note- Have you done my Halloween skincare quiz yet? Make sure you complete it for a chance at an extra special treat-no tricks!

*disclaimer: this blog is designed for entertainment and educational purposes. If you use any of these products, do not take any of this personally. Use whatever works for you enjoy the stories!*

1) Raw Lemon

In a very dark room, a lemon was squeezed. Mixed with baking soda and honey, a brightening, glowing skincare dream? Applied to the skin, it is far too sour. Full of sun damage within the hour! So leave the raw ingredients in the cabinet where they belong, and use safer serums instead to understand right from wrong.

Starting off this spooky skincare theme with one of the worst. Raw lemon is far too strong to be applied directly to the skin! It is very acidic, which can damage dry or sensitive skin types easily. The main concern I have though, is that it can increase photo damage. If you use lemons in your routine and don’t wear sunscreen?! That is a recipe for disaster. Even if you do wear sunscreen, there are safer and more effective ways to brighten this skin!

Here are some better skin brightening options:

Dear, Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop, $23

Ole Henrikson Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum, $65

2) Walnut Scrub

There once was a pirate, who worked for St. Ives. He scrubbed his face daily, pieces of shell in all shape and size. Causing damage with every use, we know there are better ways to cut dead skin loose. Use Captain AHA and BHA instead, and not have the fate of the pirate who is…dead.

Boo! Nothing quite haunts me as much as a harsh walnut scrub. Everyone should be using chemical exfoliants by now really, however if you still love a scrubbing feeling then choose one of these recommendations:

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, $40- uses a blend of chemical exfoliants along with biodegradable jojoba beads gentle enough to exfoliate and not scratch the skin

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, $59

3) Pore Strips

A sticky strip stuck on your skin. It won’t come off until it wins! It takes no black heads or whiteheads, as it claims. Instead just red, irritated and dry skin remains. You‘d be better off with just your normal routine and a trusty exfoliant to keep those pores clean.

Pore strips are largely popular because of that satisfying removal process. We often look at the strip and think it is covered in blackheads, however it is actually just sebaceous filaments. These are use a buildup of sebum and dirt in the pores, and are completely normal. I recommend using a normal every day routine of gentle cleansing and moisturizing with exfoliation a few times a week to keep your pores clean!

Check out my skincare classes to get help with your daily routine and add on treatments.

4) Tanning Bed

Burnt skin may not scare you much at all. But the underlying damage is enough to make my skin crawl. With sun damage and skin cancer a huge concern, it goes way farther than just a burn. The sun spots will come to haunt you as the years go on, so wear your sunscreen and don’t be a moron!

It doesn’t get much scarier than causing purposeful skin damage, right? Tanning is definitely included in this spooky skincare theme because damage from UV rays, artificial or not, account for 90% of visible changes in the skin. Not to mention it can cause skin cancer! Please wear sunscreen daily and choose a sunless tanning option instead:

Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops, $29

Loving Tan Bronzing Mousse, $35

FYI- These are both vegan options!

5) Coconut Oil

Greasy and heavy, it just sits on your skin. Greeted by pimples and more dryness…I mean where do I begin? You need a real moisturizer that won’t make things worse. Target your dry skin right at the source! Coconut oil really scares me, and it should you too. It grants you 7 years bad skin, so please find something new.

Coconut oil is one of those products that seems like it may work really well for dry skin, however it can end up doing the opposite. The molecule size is too large, leading it to just sit on top of the surface of the skin. It is also highly comedogenic which leads to different forms of breakouts easily. There are several benefits from coconut oil such as antibacterial and soothing benefits, but you should choose a skincare formulation that includes coconut oil or extract instead:

Kopari Coconut Face Cream, $38

Blume Daydreamer Face Wash, $16

Note- I would only recommend these coconut infused products to those with dry to very dry skin.

So, did I spook you? Hopefully you enjoyed my scary skincare stories this Halloween! Let me know in the comments if you have used any products in the past that now really scare you!