As estheticians, every once in a while, we hear some pretty unique DIY skincare tips (like mixing honey with kitty litter to use as a clay mask - yikes!). We love some skincare trends, but others have us jumping out of our skin in horror. In the spirit of the spooky season, we’re sharing scary skincare archetypes to avoid and Botnia alternatives to some questionable skincare trends. Read on, if you dare . . . .

Nightmare on Skin Street

Have you ever left a facial feeling more like Freddy Krueger than a glowing angel? When the weather gets colder, you might start to hear talk of “peel season” in the skincare world. This involves using active ingredients like AHAs and BHAs for medium to deep peels to help slough off dead skin cells as our skin begins to dry with the change of the seasons to keep our skin healthy through the fall and winter months. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth!

Our gentle approach to peels and exfoliation uses organic products your body already recognizes (like lactic acid and fruit enzymes) without harming the natural function of your skin. Using a harsh AHA or BHA can give an immediate result of dewy glowing skin, but using them too often or in high concentrations can cause irritation and inflammation in the skin and in the long run, cause barrier dysfunction and other skin symptoms. Instead of using daily/weekly peels and strong AHAs which break down your skin’s natural defense and moisture barrier and stripping it of all that protects it, we’ve formulated professional back bar products that aid your skin in its ability to heal and take care of itself. Find a Botnia Spa Partner who offers gentle exfoliation and holistic facials. We promise you’ll never go back to harsh chemical peels.

There’s also the myth that leaving a mask or exfoliant on your skin for a longer period of time will benefit the skin more . . . totally false! We like to think that leaving something on longer will make it more effective, but with chemical exfoliants and fall/winter skin, you want to avoid keeping these ingredients on for a long period of time. Especially if you’ll be heading outside and exposing your delicate skin to the sun. Pro tip: Stick to the recommended masking time and don’t forget SPF after using any exfoliant - physical or chemical! 

Masks for Halloween? Groundbreaking . . .

Sheet masks are all the rage, especially in K-beauty routines. While they’re easy to use, you’ll be looking like Michael Myers without any treats. As a sustainable-minded skincare company, we just can’t get behind single-use masks. We typically recommend masking once a week to keep up with a good skincare regimen, and if you’re using sheet masks weekly, they can add up in price and aren’t eco-friendly, creating waste since you can’t save them to use again.

That’s why we love our powdered masks, which now come in compostable packaging. They’re easy to use and aren’t adding to our carbon footprint! Mixed with our Essential Enzymes or Soothing Repair Mask, you can also customize your mask to meet your skin’s needs at that moment. Betcha can’t do that with a sheet mask! Check out our best masking tips here.

Don’t be like Pinhead from Hellraiser

Nothing makes us scream in horror more than seeing someone use non-professional micro-needling tools or dermaplaning at home. Avoid the Hellraiser look and leave this practice to the professionals!

We’ve shared our thoughts on getting rid of your peach fuzz here before. And in addition to dermaplaning, we have so many reasons why we don’t support using store-bought micro-needling tools at home. Without proper training, you could incorrectly use these tools and further damage your skin. Because most people aren’t trained in sanitizing skincare tools, there’s also a possibility that reusing these tools could bring bacteria into the skin and cause irritation or worse, scary skin conditions! When using these tools with products, there’s also a possibility of getting skin reactions because you’re opening up the skin with micro-wounds. (Oh the horror!) Micro-needling is a practice best left to your esthetician or dermatologist.

We’d rather feel treated than tricked and hope that you’ll stay far away from these scary skincare practices. Do you have any skincare scaries that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them in our comments below!

Have a safe and sweet Halloween full of plenty of treats and hopefully very few tricks!

Don’t lose your head (or skin) this season like Ichabod Crane,

Xo,
Team Botnia