We all pick up little nuggets of skincare wisdom as we grow up. Some are passed down from mums and aunties, others whispered in the school toilets, and plenty shouted at us from glossy magazines and TikTok feeds. A few of these tips are genuinely helpful. But others… well, let’s just say my face has been through a fair bit in the name of “good advice.” This blog is a love letter to the lessons I wish I had ignored, the myths I fell for, and the kinder, pro ageing approach I live by now.
The Toothpaste Debacle
When I was a teenager, someone told me the best way to reduce a spot was to smear toothpaste on it before bed. Off I trotted, obedient as anything, with a blob of Colgate proudly on my chin. I was so sure I would wake up flawless. Instead, I woke up with dry, crusty skin. Yes, it had dried that spot out, but in the process the toothpaste had sent my sebaceous glands into overdrive and gifted me even more spots. No miracle, just a minty mess.
Why it happens: Toothpaste is full of ingredients designed to clean, bleach and polish teeth, things like baking soda, fluoride and detergents. On skin, these strip away natural oils, irritate the surface and trigger glands to pump out even more oil. The result? A short-term dry patch and a long-term breakout.
Lesson one: just because something works on your teeth does not mean it belongs on your face.
Coconut Oil Is Not Always Your Friend
Fast forward a few years, and coconut oil was being hailed as the answer to everything. Moisturiser, cleanser, hair mask, cooking oil, it was practically auditioning for an all-in-one life hack and like everyone else, I slathered it everywhere, convinced I was bathing in tropical goodness.
The reality? My pores had other plans, instead of glowing, I got breakouts, instead of radiance, I got congestion. Coconut oil might be brilliant for your legs or your split ends, but on my face, it was a one-way ticket to breakout city.
Why it happens: Coconut oil is highly comedogenic, which is a fancy way of saying it blocks pores. Once they are clogged, bacteria and oil build up underneath, and that is when spots and blackheads take over.
It was a turning point. I realised that not every natural miracle is meant for every skin type. Sometimes the most hyped-up solution simply is not the right one for you.
The Apricot Scrub Era
Then came the scrubbing years, remember those apricot kernel scrubs? The ones that felt like you had tipped a bag of gravel into your palm and gone to town on your poor face? We were told exfoliation was the key to baby-soft skin. What we were not told was that sandblasting our cheeks was not the way to get there.
I can still recall that raw, tight feeling after a scrub session. My face felt squeaky clean, but it also looked like I had been caught in a gale. It turns out that skin does not need to be punished into smoothness, it needs to be coaxed, gently. If only I had known then what I know now — that exfoliation can be kind as well as effective. Our Clean Slate Face Mask & Scrub does exactly that, polishing away dullness without leaving your skin feeling like it has survived a storm.
Why it happens: The jagged edges of crushed kernels create tiny tears in the skin. They might be invisible to the naked eye, but they weaken the skin barrier and leave it vulnerable to dryness, sensitivity and even infection.
Today, I shudder at the thought of what damage that scrub did to my skin barrier. If only I could go back, I would snatch the tube out of my teenage hands and replace it with something kinder.
The Apple Cider Vinegar Experiment
Just when I thought I had learned my lesson, along came apple cider vinegar. The internet promised it would shrink pores, fade dark spots and cure acne. So there I was in my kitchen again, thinking I had discovered nature’s answer to toner.
At first it felt tingly and tight, which I took as a good sign. Then came the stinging. Then the redness. Then the distinct realisation that I smelled like a bag of chips.
Why it happens: Apple cider vinegar is extremely acidic. A tiny splash diluted in water can help balance the scalp or act as a natural cleanser for some, but straight on the skin it disrupts the acid mantle and damages the protective barrier. That barrier is what keeps moisture in and bacteria out, so once it is compromised, irritation and breakouts are inevitable.
That said, in very small amounts and heavily diluted, it can work as a mild antibacterial solution for those who are not sensitive. But if you are reaching for vinegar instead of skincare, it is probably time to rethink what you are feeding your skin.
Lesson learned: your salad dressing should never double as your skincare routine.
Water, Water Everywhere
Another gem of advice? Just drink more water and it will cure everything from wrinkles to acne. So I dutifully carried around a two litre bottle, glugging away like a marathon runner in training. All it cured was my ability to sit through a film without a loo break.
Of course hydration is important, but water alone will not iron out crow’s feet or erase a breakout. Skin health is far more complex than that. It is about diet, environment, hormones, stress, products and most importantly, consistency.
Why it happens: Drinking water hydrates the body, but it does not go directly to plump up your skin cells. Once water is absorbed into your system, it is used where your body needs it most. That is why dehydrated skin often needs topical hydration, like water applied before the moisturiser, rather than endless refills of your water bottle.
If it were as simple as drinking eight glasses of water, we would all have the skin of cherubs by now.
Why We Fall for Bad Advice
So why do we keep falling for these myths? Because they are easy. They sound like secrets. They whisper promises of shortcuts in a world where skincare feels overwhelming and ageing is treated like a problem to be solved.
We are also bombarded with noise. Shiny packaging, clever marketing, and influencers showing off filters and flawless skin that nobody can achieve in real life. It is no wonder we grab onto anything that might offer us a way in.
These things always remind me of being a little girl in the garden, making perfume and face cream with mud, rainwater, rose petals and cherry blossom. I was convinced I had created something magical. In a way, I had, it was my first glimpse into how much we want to care for ourselves and how easily that instinct can be swept up by promises of miracles.
But quick fixes rarely fix anything. At best, they do nothing. At worst, they damage your skin and your confidence.
The Beauty of Doing Less
These days, I have stopped chasing hacks. I do not want my skincare to feel like a school science experiment or a punishment session. I want it to feel like care.
That is the heart of pro-ageing skincare. It is not about erasing lines or pretending we have never laughed or lived. It is about treating your skin with the gentleness it deserves, nourishing it so it can do what it does best. Protect you, reflect your life, and yes, look good while doing it.
Pro-ageing means embracing the years you have earned without trying to scrub them away. It means stepping off the hamster wheel of miracle cures and fads, and instead choosing products and rituals that actually respect your skin.
What I Wish I Knew Then
If I could go back to my fifteen-year-old self, standing in the bathroom mirror with toothpaste on my chin, here is what I would say:
Stop punishing your skin.
Stop listening to every hack that pops up in peoples heads.
Stop wishing your face looked like someone else’s.
And start doing less. Choose fewer, better products. Give your skin consistency instead of chaos. And for heaven’s sake, keep the toothpaste where it belongs, on your teeth.
Why Olive & Joyce Exists
Olive & Joyce was born from this realisation. I wanted skincare that cut through the noise. No fads. No kitchen-cupboard experiments. No promises of overnight transformations. Just thoughtful, plant-based formulas that work with your skin, not against it.
So the next time someone tells you to rub garlic on your spots or splash vinegar on your cheeks, smile politely and walk away. Your skin deserves better than bad advice. And frankly, so do you.