With countless anti-aging products at your fingertips, it can be hard to know which one is right for your skin type. And on the flip side, there are plenty of creams and toners out there promising to turn back the clock-when in reality, they might be doing your wrinkles more harm than good!
When these anti-aging products masquerade as our friends is when problems occur. That’s why we consulted with the experts to help steer you in the right direction. Overall, derms agree that exfoliating more than you need to causes damage to the skin, by decreasing the protective epidermal barrier and inducing early signs of aging, such as fine lines and dehydration. Uh-oh!
While not *technically* marketed as anti-aging skincare, there’s one exfoliating product in particular that’s bad for aging skin. Keep reading to find out what it is, and why you should avoid it.
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Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub by St. Ives
According to biologist and expert skin care esthetician Erica Suppa, Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub by St. Ives is one of the worst drugstore products that you can use, especially if you're looking to minimize wrinkles.
"This product is bad for your skin for a couple of reasons," Erica explains. "The primary exfoliating ingredient is walnut shell powder. Even though the walnut shells are in powder form, the powder contains jagged edges from the walnut shells that cause micro-tears in the skin when used as a facial scrub. These mini tears lead to skin irritation in the form of rashes, redness, or burning. This can also fuel breakouts-and if someone has active acne when using this product-it can cause more problems by breaking the existing lesions and spreading the bacteria around the skin." Yikes!
But the powdered walnut shells in the St. Ives scrub aren't the only ingredient that's wreaking havoc on your face, and possibly aging your skin in the process. St. Ives is a perfumed product, which Erica tells us is a definite no-no.
"Fragrance is the number one ingredient that causes skin irritation," she says. "Many beauty manufacturers use unnecessary fragrance and/or dyes in their products because consumers respond favorably to pretty colors and smells. But what may look and smell pretty isn't necessarily good for your skin.”
Still, it's important to remember that everyone's skin reacts differently-so St. Ives might not affect your complexion the way it affects others. Those most at risk for adverse side effects are people with sensitive skin, or more serious issues like eczema or rosacea (which should always be treated with care)!
St. Ives isn't the only culprit when it comes to damaging aging skin. Any physical exfoliant can irriate skin, if you're being too aggressive with the application and exfoliating more than you need. Try doing so once or twice a week, and use your skin as a barometer.
We might all want to look a little younger, but exfoliating isn't the way to do it. Instead, check out some of our fave anti-aging serums for a derm-approved way to knock a couple years off your face.
