Whether you will be costuming as a vamp or a vampire, you will no doubt be using a great deal of cosmetics and facial paints this Halloween. While transforming into a ghoul or vixen with a few whisks of your makeup brush is certainly fun, there are some skincare disasters that you should be careful to avoid this Halloween.
Glycation
Even though eating bowls-full of candy sounds like a fabulous idea, eating excess sugar can induce glycation, which in turn can cause skin aging (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences). Glycation is a process in which sugars enter one’s blood stream, undergo several transformations, and then turn into advanced glycation end (A.G.E.) products (note: not every sugar will turn into an A.G.E. product) (DermatoEndocrinology, Prevention.com) While A.G.E. products are not solely caused by food intake, the body will absorb about 10% – 30% of dietary A.G.E. products into one’s blood stream, with heat-processed foods like fried chicken or roasted potatoes holding the highest number of A.G.E. products (DermatoEndocrinology). A.G.E. products can easily be absorbed into and accumulate within our body’s tissue, which in turn damages collagen, limits fibroblasts proliferation, encourages fibroblast apoptosis (death), and can even encourage development of reactive oxygen species in cells affected by UVA radiation (DermatoEndocrinology). Even worse, A.G.E. products can deactivate certain antioxidant enzymes in the skin, which in turn makes the skin more susceptible to sun damage and premature aging (Dr. Fredric Brandt for Prevention.com)
Leaving Makeup on Overnight
A night of imbibing and munching on Halloween-themed treats is enough to tucker us out, but we cannot stress the importance of cleaning off your makeup before going to bed (especially if you are wearing heavy costume makeup). Dr. Jeanette Graf of Mount Sinai Medical Center notes that leaving makeup on overnight can interrupt your skin’s renewal process, thus damaging your skin (Dr. Jeanette Graf for Daily Makeover). For example, leftover makeup can clog pores, cause uneven skin tone, cause dryness or inflammation, induce comedone or acne formation, and even worsen existing wrinkles. To top it all off, Dr. James. C. Marotta notes that makeup can attract free radicals when worn during the day, which in turn may break down collagen and prematurely age the skin (Dr. James C. Marrotta for Good Housekeeping). Afraid that you may forget to wipe off your makeup? Dr. Marotta suggests keeping a package of facial cleansing wipes by the bed so that you won’t leave your pillow smeared in lipstick and foundation.
Using Comedogenic Products
According to makeup artist Ashleigh Ciucci, the cheap Halloween cosmetics that you can find at a costume store often contain comedogenic ingredients that aren’t doing your skin any favors (Ashleigh Ciucci for Allure.com). Comedogenic substances are those ingredients that can clog the pores when applied topically, and include cocoa butter, coconut butter, mineral oil (under debate), and lauric acid, among numerous other substances (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists). To avoid clogging and suffocating your pores, either higher-quality, non-comedogenic cosmetics or visits a professional makeup artist.
Bottom Line
Halloween is one of our favorite times of year to spend time with friends and cavort as a goblin or ghoul. However, there are some common skin mishaps that you should avoid this Halloween, such as eating too many sugary treats and increasing the number of A.G.E. products that can prematurely age your skin. You should also look out for comedogenic costume makeup that can clog you pores, and make sure to remove all makeup before bed, so that you will not delay your skin’s natural renewal process.