Busting beauty myths with ‘The Cosmetics Cop’

Paula Begoun is a leading expert with more than 40 years of experience and research in the beauty industry, and she’s famous for debunking beauty myths. Dubbed ‘The Cosmetics Cop’ Paula has a huge media career, appearing on shows like Oprah, The View, and The Today Show. She has 20 bestselling beauty books and a brand that wins awards for giving results.

Her Paula’s Choice retinol solution for anti-ageing is very popular and the 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a cult buy, having gone viral on TikTok to the extent that it is probably in the top three biggest beauty buys on the platform.

Paula has spoken a few times about the myth that drinking water can cure dry skin. She disagrees, saying: ‘This is one of those long standing myths passed on for years, but it isn’t supported in the least by the research. There’s no denying staying TOP SKINCARE TIPS: Paula hydrated is good Begoun is the ‘Cosmetics Cop’ for your overall health and appearance, but drinking water in excess isn’t going to change your dry skin, though it will lead to more trips to the bathroom.’

What can help? ‘Applying replenishing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, omega fatty acids, lecithin, niacinamide, non-fragrant plant oils and glycerin,’ she says. Another common myth is that steaming your

Drinking water in excess won’t change dry skin

skin will open pores and they will just magically empty out the debris inside.

‘Forgive the rhyming phrase: pores aren’t doors; they simply don’t open and close. Prolonged exposure to steam can result in skin damage from the heat. While it might seem that steam treatments or even hot water make pores open, it’s a temporary cosmetic effect and in the long run, leads to broken capillaries and causes facial irritation.’ For clearer skin, it’s better to stick to a deep cleansing BHA treatment to clean those clogged-up pores.

A more recent myth is that the order you apply your skincare products makes no difference whatsoever. She disagrees. ‘The first step is to cleanse the skin, then apply a toner, and then apply a leave-on AHA or BHA exfoliant. After those steps, you apply all the other products in your skincare routine in order of their consistency, from thinnest to thickest. ‘At night, you can finish with facial moisturiser and eye cream, if desired, although if you have oily skin, you may find the hydration provided by treatment-orientated products like serums is enough,’ she adds.

Find Paula’s Choice at paulaschoice-eu.com