The Three Biggest Skincare Lies Ever Told

"Everybody needs to cleanse."

Wrong. Cleansing — and its ugly cousin, scrubbing — are abrasive practices that contribute nothing to your skin while damaging it immediately and by default. Contrary to what you've been told, cleansing has no proven benefit. The only thing you are actually cleansing is the upper layers of your skin — mercilessly stripping them away, sensitizing your skin, and making any existing condition worse. There is nothing to clean. The upper layers of your skin are not dirt. They are protection.

"Everybody needs to moisturize."

Wrong. Moisturizing means applying an artificial product to protect the skin and allow it to reset to its original working condition. The need to moisturize stems from damaged skin. If you don't damage your skin through cleansing and scrubbing in the first place, you likely won't need to moisturize at all.

That said — if you do have dry sensitive skin or an actual condition like rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis — then yes, you may need to moisturize. But only with an oil-based product like Butter Oasis or Butter Blossom. Never a lotion, a cream, or any water-based product. Those don't work as advertised and make you work harder for little payoff.

"Everybody needs to use sunblock."

Wrong. Most people seldom need sun protection because they are not at risk of sunburn — and that is individually determined. Sun exposure has significant benefits: vitamin D production, blood pressure lowering, mood improvement, and more. Get sun — but do it responsibly.

Aim for 30–50% of your Minimal Erythemal Dose (MED) — the amount of sun that causes a mild sunburn. At 30–50% of that, you are nowhere near burning and are getting just enough to make a difference. If you're entering a timeframe where sunburn is a real risk, start with sun-protective clothing, a wide-brim hat, and shade. If you exhaust those options, then use sunblock.

Certain conditions do require more consistent sun protection — rosacea, PMLE, certain types of lupus, and porphyria. Check with your dermatologist to see if you fall into one of these categories for a tailored plan.