The Top Ten Skin Care Myths, Exposed
By Gabriel J. Taylor

Face it: The retirement account, insurance policies and mortgage are out of your control. The Armani-clad CEOs have fled while the Feds comb the financial-house books on Wall Street. Your puny portfolio is lost in the shuffle.

Times like this, it seems to me, it makes sense to buck up and see what untruths and misconceptions you can avoid. Let's start with the top 10 skin care myths:

Myth No 1: Plain old soap and water are fine for washing my face.

Truth: Step away from that bar of Dial! Soap's high alkalinity strips skin of its acid mantle (the natural accumulation of oil and sweat) which is essential for keeping your skin comfortable and hydrated. While you do not need a fancy French skincare line, you do need to use a PH balanced cleanser and a moisture lotion or cream for your skin type every day. Use of a sunscreen is your best bang for the buck: nearly 80% of skin aging is from the sun.

Myth No. 2: Daily sun exposure is good, since it provides Vitamin D.

Truth: Get thee to the shade! Sunlight provides small amounts of Vitamin D, but you only need 10-15 minutes of sun exposure PER WEEK to receive a sufficient amount. Better you should take a vitamin supplement.

Myth No. 3: The pricier the skincare product, the better it works.

Truth: This is not the time to be wasting what's left of your 401(k). A product's price has little to do with its quality or effectiveness. Get out your cheaters and check the fine print on the affordable goodies. A daytime moisturizing cream needs dimethicone, which creates an invisible layer on the skin to trap moisture, and any moisturizer needs a water-binding agent, like glycerin and propylene glycol. (That said, in tough times there is nothing like a big-name, fancy-packaged skincare product for a pick-me-up: legal, portable and harmless.)

Myth No. 4: My favorite celebrity endorses my skin care, and s/helooksgreat, so it must work.

Truth: She isn't a skincare expert, she just plays one on TV. Many celebrities who pitch skincare products don't use the product regularly. And with millions being paid to the spokesperson, how much is left for product testing, quality ingredients, clinical studies and new-product research? Remember, if a product doesn't work as advertised, take it back for a refund. The celebrity who talked you into buying it will never know.

Myth No. 5: If I use a sunscreen with a really high SPF (sun protection factor) rating, I won't burn.

Truth: True, as long as you don't sweat, swim or touch your face. Good luck with that. After SPF 45, it's more hype than anything else, so save your money, buy SPF 15 (with titanium dioxide) and reapply it every 2-3 hours.

Skin Myth No. 6: Your skin restores itself only at night.

Truth: Your skin, sensitive as it is, simply does not know what time it is.Skin rejuvenates 24 hours a day. It does, however, get a bit of break when it is not battling sun, wind, extreme temperatures, heavy makeup or that itchy wool ski mask you'll be wearing when you go to teach a lesson to the big bank that is repo-ing your home.

Skin Myth No. 7: Acne is a teenage problem, caused by bad food and improper cleansing.

Truth: Like the bumper sticker says, Acne Happens. Usually hormonal fluctuations are to blame, and age, race, sex or zip code are not factors. Over-washing your skin only makes it worse, and while greasy pizza and chocolate may make you gain weight, they don't cause acne. Seeing an esthetician or dermatologist is your best bet for solving acne problems.

Skin Myth No 8: Plastic surgery or Botox can fix sun-damaged skin.

Truth: Remember when they told you back in grade school that bad behavior would go on your "permanent record?" It's true. Surgery and Botox, along with other new products, can make amazing changes to your appearance, but do nothing to repair damage from passing out on the beach for eight hours at a stretch back in the Summer of Love.

Skin Myth No. 9: It is possible to shrink large facial pores.

Truth: Despite what some miracle-promising products say, pore size is genetically determined. Many skincare products can create a temporary shrinking effect, but a cheaper remedy is to splash cold water on your face before a special occasion. Now, quit brooding over that 30x magnifying mirror. None of your friends have eyesight that good anymore anyway.

Skin Myth No. 10: Drinking gallons of water and eating right will ensure that my skin stays unwrinkled and youthful.

Truth: Water and an apple versus a can of Bud and a sack of pork rinds definitely boosts overall physical health, which is likely to improve energy and appearance. But your skin's aging is more directly linked to genetics: the grandmother you had means more than the glass you're holding. (Oh, and stay out of the sun, did I mention that?)

Esthetician and skincare writer Gabriel J. Taylor, who trained at Christine Valmy International School in New York City, has calmed upset skin from Wall Street to the Bay Area and points in between.