We've all fallen prey to terrible beauty advice at some point. The problem is, so much of this advice actually seems to make sense. As a licensed esthetician and professional makeup artist, I'm no longer vulnerable to misguided and patently wrong guidance, but I know how difficult it can be to discern between what's correct and incorrect. The tips below represent some of the very worst beauty advice I've ever heard.

Skip moisturizer and let your natural oils do the work.

This may sound logical, but skipping moisturizer after washing your face will leave it dehydrated and thirsty. Moisturizer is particularly important at night because your skin is in repair mode while you sleep.

Don't apply moisturizer underneath makeup... if you do, your makeup will slide off. Why is everyone so anti-moisturizer? The opposite of this advice is true. It is always best to apply makeup on a freshly cleansed, toned, and moisturized face as it will ensure the makeup is applied more smoothly and will also help the makeup last longer.

Toner is unnecessary.

Toners are often overlooked because many people don’t know why they're so useful. They help to remove impurities that are often found in tap water (chlorine, harsh minerals, heavy metals, etc.) and they ensure that every trace of makeup is removed after cleansing the skin. They also provide additional benefits to the skin and target specific skin concerns. For instance, our Seaweed Cleansing Lotion (my personal favorite) contains witch hazel, a natural astringent, as well as Seaweed Extract to nourish the skin. It’s a win-win.

Exfoliate daily.

There are plenty of brands out there that will advise you to use their exfoliants every day. Yikes! Exfoliating on a daily basis is overkill and could potentially damage your skin's protective lipid barrier. If you have combination/dry or dry skin, you only need to exfoliate about twice a week. If you have combination/oily or oily skin, you need to exfoliate three to four times a week.

Every Woman Should Wear a Rich Night Cream

Although a rich night cream is luxurious and also enriching to the skin (night creams help aid in repairing your skin while you sleep) they're not for everyone. Heavier night creams are designed for dry, mature skin types. If used on oily or even combination skin, they can possibly provoke breakouts because the formula is too rich for an oilier skin type to handle. When those with oily or combination/oily skin become dehyrated, they should be careful to use an oil free night cream.

What’s the worst beauty advice you've ever heard? Did you follow it?