Many of us end up dropping hundreds of dollars a year on skincare products like cleansers, toners, masks, and lotions, and find ourselves spending hours in front of the mirror trying to crack the da Vinci Code of skincare. Clear skin is something I think a lot of people strive for and they put a substantial amount of effort and money in their routines, but sometimes end up doing too much, or they just let little things slide. Here are some mistakes you are probably guilty of when it comes to your skin.
1. Not cleaning your makeup brushes!
You probably read this, and your mind flashed to your foundation brush or beauty blender which is caked in foundation from weeks or months of use. Think about this realistically though, you get it damp with a product and then rub it all over your face and possible touch it with your fingers and then don’t clean it. Bacteria are having a field day on your brush. The easiest way to deal with this is immediately after you use it just go get a tiny squirt of your face wash and give it a quick gentle rinsing and then lay it flat to dry. By the time you need to use it again, it will be ready to go!
2. Not washing your hands often enough
Obviously, you should wash your hands after going to the bathroom, but throughout the day we touch things like door handles, keyboards, desks, basically everything, and without even thinking we bring our hands to our faces to rub our eyes or scratch an itch. An easy solution is to just use hand sanitizer, but nothing beats soap and water if you have the time. This point also goes hand in hand with wiping down our phone screens and keyboards often. Dirty hands+phone+face=breakouts.
3. Picking
When I wake up and I see a bright red bump smack in the middle of my face, my first instinct is to claw it off, because in my mind this will make it look better and disappear faster. We know it’s wrong, but we still do it. Even though it goes against every fiber of your being, leave it ALONE. Do as you normally do, wash your face, put on your moisturizer and maybe add a spot treatment. But for the love of all that is holy…Do. Not. Pick. You will make it redder, more swollen and it will just stand out more. If you simply cannot resist the urge, at least wash your hands and avoiding using your nails, but again, don’t do it. Just don’t. Tape your hands to your sides. Do literally anything else.
4. Over-exfoliating
I love being baby soft just as much as anyone else, but there’s a point where you just aren’t getting any softer and you’re just doing damage. Over-exfoliating will irritate and enlarge your pores, making you more vulnerable to breakouts. Listen to what your face is telling you, and if physical exfoliation is too rough try a chemical exfoliant. Most of us know of salicylic acid, but there are other options out there. Do your research and know yourself, and always ask your dermatologist first.
5. Not taking your makeup off before bed
We’ve all had those nights where we get home at 2 a.m. and want nothing more than to just take off our bra and pass out. Future you is going to be so pissed off with past you if you don’t take off your makeup before bed. I keep a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom and I slather it on to remove things like mascara and eyeliner and then do a quick rinse with my face wash. This not only saves your skin but saves your pillows from your bacteria covered face and your foundation. I know you’re tired, just do it. Your skin is already going to suffer enough from you being up so late and possibly inebriated. Save yourself.