Pfff... you read, hear and see so much about what is or is not good for the skin. Can you still see the forest through the trees?

Read more below about the myths and facts about all kinds of tips & tricks floating around the web. We've done our homework as best we can, but if you have any additional info or tips, we'd love to hear from you at hello@foodforskin.care.

Collagen powder fable or fact

You can no longer escape the collagen commercials. But does collagen really work well for the skin? Collagen is naturally present in your skin and ensures that your skin remains elastic, but it is also important for bones, tendons, elastic cartilage, connective tissue, muscles, organs and veins. From about the age of 40, collagen production in humans decreases by 25%. From the age of 60 it is 50%.

By using collagen supplements (from the inside!) the natural production of collagen in the skin can be stimulated, making the skin firmer and smoother. That's a fact.

The best tested collagen powders come from bovine collagen or fish collagen with as few fillers or other ingredients as possible. Primal bone broth (or homemade) contributes to the addition of minerals such as iron and zinc (bone marrow) and strengthens your resistance.

Collagen is therefore extracted from the skin and bones of animals. Food for Skin would therefore never use collagen in its products, because we do not use products derived from animals.

Vegetable collagen can only be used as a booster and stimulates the production of collagen production, but cannot replace animal collagen 1 to 1.

It is not possible to administer collagen from the outside, so via creams etc. The collagen from a cream cannot penetrate that deep into the skin. Watch the episode of the Keuringsdienst van Waarden where this is explained. So it is a myth that collagen can be introduced from the outside.

So is collagen a myth or fact? Collagen cannot be applied directly to the skin from the outside, but it can certainly be absorbed into the skin if you take it as a supplement. The strength of taking collagen supplements depends on the quality and quantity of the collagen in the product. In addition, results may vary from person to person. It is always advisable to seek advice from a doctor or dermatologist before adding a new supplement to your routine.

Facts and myths about sunscreen

Myth: You won't tan if you wear sunscreen

Many people think that sunscreen does not give you a nice tan or that you first have to burn to build up a nice tan. This is absolutely not true and even damages the skin (skin aging, increased risk of skin cancer).

A high sun protection factor (higher than 30) will still give you a beautiful complexion the more hours you spend in the sun. It is a myth that you cannot get a tan with a high sun protection factor. The factor represents the time you can sit in the sun without burning. Read more about what the SPF factor means in this blog.

Fact: SPF is essential

Yes! It is good to be unprotected in the sun for 15 to 45 minutes every day, for the production of vitamin D. How long it is good for you depends on the pigment in your skin. But, afterwards it is very important to protect your skin against the UVA and UVB rays of the sun with an SPF of at least 30. Make sure that the back of your tube has both the UVA symbol and the UVB symbol. UVB does offer protection against superficial burns, but not against skin damage deeper in the skin. This is caused by UVA and you will only see that effect in 10 years!

Avoid direct sun as much as possible between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun is at its highest. A handy tip: if your shadow is shorter than you are, it is not safe to go into the sun and you can burn quickly. If the shadow is longer than you are, you are a bit safer from the sun. It is still important to apply sun protection.

You can read more tips about responsible sunbathing in this blog.

Cosmetics facts and fables

Myth: More skincare is better

Many people think that the more they work on their skin, the better it is. This is not true. It's important to have a skincare routine that suits your skin needs, but it's not necessary to use a lot of different products. This can even dry and irritate your skin, as well as spoil it too much, making your skin lazy. The skin becomes addicted to the products you apply daily. As soon as you stop, your skin will react to it. At Food for Skin we choose to preserve the natural skin flora, because we believe that the skin itself has to do the work to really become strong from the inside out. Because of all the dirt in the air, your skin could use a little support and you do that by cleaning and protecting with the right and mild products.

Myth: expensive products are better

It is a common misconception that expensive products are, by definition, better than cheaper products. The price means little for most brands. It is more important to look at the ingredients in a product and how it is produced, rather than the price.

Food for Skin only uses active ingredients in our products (no water/aqua or other fillers), is locally produced (which, oddly enough, is many times more expensive) with sustainably sourced ingredients (which unfortunately is also more expensive than non-organic, non- local ingredients). Food for Skin is certainly not cheap because we consciously opt for high-quality products with the smallest possible impact. You pay for that. Fortunately, our skincare is highly concentrated and contains only essential, nourishing ingredients. That's why you only need a little and the products last a long time.

For many brands, the packaging is more expensive than the actual substance or spend 10x more on marketing than the cost of production combined. Or are the margins simply much higher because the brand focuses on 'the premium segment'. Check the claims, check the labels, check the ingredients (e.g. with an app), to see if it's worth the money.

Fact: a good pH value protects

A good pH value (between 4.3 and 5.6) of the skin protects you against viruses and unwanted intruders. Skin with a high pH value is drier, duller and more easily irritated. A pH value that is too low affects the barrier function and bacteria are more likely to strike. Your skin becomes irritated and hypersensitive and acne and eczema are common. A good pH value keeps the natural skin flora in balance, protects against micro-organisms and the loss of moisture from the skin.

We are therefore a fan of triggering and affecting the skin barrier as little as possible. Our products are very mild, give the skin a helping hand, but above all ensure that the skin itself continues to work. Want to read more about our skin philosophy? Click here.

Myth: All natural skin care is good

Huh, fable?! And that from Food for Skin? Yes! Because of course, unfortunately does not automatically mean that it is a well-functioning product. It depends on the concentration and composition. Also, of course doesn't mean you can't get an allergic reaction from it. However, the chance of irritation or a reaction is many times smaller than for synthetic perfume.

Hydrate facts and fables

Myth: cream can moisturize

It is not possible to introduce moisture from the outside. This is because water, creams and serums cannot penetrate that deep into those skin layers at all. You can, however, ensure that the skin moisture is better retained in the skin by applying a thin layer to the skin with a cream. This layer then prevents moisture from disappearing from the skin and evaporating. When talking about moisturizing creams, it actually means 'moisturizing' and not 'moisturizing'.

Fact: your skin becomes strong from sufficient moisture from the inside

Yes! It is therefore not possible to add moisture from the outside, but drinking a lot of water ensures that you nourish your skin well from the inside. You can also drink low-tannic tea to flush out your body and help flush out toxins.