Plastic bottles and glass vials line the shelf, each labeled with buzzwords: “purifying,” “brightening,” “resurfacing.” There seems to be a serum, essence, or cream for everything, each highlighting a different ingredient with an incredibly difficult to pronounce name. Somehow, each and every single one is the answer to every skin care concern.
In recent years, young women have become absolutely obsessed with their skin. Hours are spent every night applying various serums and creams. This behavior is branded as self care, yet it can cause more harm than good.
The simple fact is that not every skin care product is made for all skin types. Different skin has different needs. The popularity of anti-aging products with younger women has become heavily increased recently. Girls who aren’t old enough to have a driver’s license use retinol, a prominent ingredient in anti-aging products, religiously.
While retinol is not inherently harmful to young skin, the obsession with using anti-aging can be devastating to mental health. Teenage girls should not be trying to avoid showing signs of age before they even reach adulthood.
The obsession with skincare has turned into yet another industry that feeds off the insecurities of young girls. What started off as an honest way to take care of skin is just a soulless cash grab.
Although skin care products have the word “care” in the title, many can actually be harmful for the skin. According to an article from the Cleveland Clinic, one of the main culprits is fragrance, which can cause irritation and make the skin more sensitive to the sun.
Even for people who don’t have sensitive skin, a product with fragrance in it is simply not worth it. Scrubs also tend to be damaging, especially sugar scrubs.
According to the article, “they can cause little micro tears in the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to inflammation and irritation.”
Many skin care products are genuinely beneficial to the skin, but it is important to check the ingredients before adding it to the routine. Selling products full of harmful ingredients while promoting it as self care is yet another way corporations try to profit off the insecurities of young women. They create the problem with a bad product then sell the solution.
While corporations should be held responsible for their place in the skin care obsession, consumers are not blameless. The desire to participate in the latest trend has made it so products are constantly being bought, even if it wasn’t made for the buyer’s skin type.
Every skincare company essentially has the same products, but consumers will buy whatever miracle cure is being promoted on social media. It is up to the individual to decide what is right for their skin and to resist the urge to buy into the latest trend.
Skin care started off as a way to nurture skin and find relaxation in routine. It can return to this if young girls realize that doing whatś best for their skin, even if that means a basic routine with no fancy serums.
kin care should be about taking care of yourself, not about collecting bottle after bottle of the same four ingredients.