Common Skincare Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Hey SL Fabz,

Let’s talk about our skincare today!

Whether you spend just 30 seconds every morning or have a dedicated pre-bedtime ritual, practically everyone has a skincare routine. Everybody wants to have a beautiful skin because it has always been an indicator of our inner health. 

If you haven’t noticed any improvement in your skin’s condition despite your best efforts, you may want to consider these common skincare habits that could be keeping you from having the smooth, radiant skin you want.

Here are 10 common skincare mistakes I’ve been guilty of at one time or another. I hope we can all learn from them and make the necessary adjustments.

1. Leaving Your Makeup On
When you’re exhausted after a long day at work, you might be tempted to curl up in bed and skip the whole makeup removal routine. This means you could end up with clogged pores and irritated skin. When you put makeup on, oil and dirt can become trapped in your skin throughout the day. Taking the time to remove all traces of makeup before going to bed helps keep your skin clean and lowers the risk of getting blemishes.

2. Not cleaning your cell phone regularly
Think about how many times a day you touch your cell phone. Wipe down the screen at least once a week if not daily. Household cleaners can damage your phone’s screen, so look for a phone-friendly cleaner.

3. Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase
Switch to silk. Satin or silk minimizes permanent creases and complexion issues on your face. Persistently pressing your face into a pillowcase causes trauma to the skin. Over time, this trauma aggravated by the friction of cotton can cause permanent creases as our collagen breaks down.

4. Overusing scrubs
The more you scrub, the more damage you’re likely causing your skin.
Even if you don’t see any redness after your exfoliate, you could be harming skin below the surface. Over time, rubbing and scrubbing too hard can lead to wrinkles, especially within the delicate skin surrounding eyes. If you’re unsure of whether or not you should be exfoliating your skin, it can be a good idea to check with your dermatologist or other skincare professional.

5. Cleansing with bar soap
Solid bar soap might seem like a standard skincare habit, but in reality, these soaps can leave a film on your skin that may lead to dryness or irritation. Instead, try a gentler liquid or even lotion-based face wash that can even help to moisturize your skin while cleansing it.

6. Washing the face with water that is too hot or too cold
Water that is too hot or too cold is no good for your skin. Wash your face with slightly warm water. It will cleanse your face perfectly and won’t harm your skin.

7. Not drinking enough water
A common skin mistake we make is not drinking enough water. It’s the easiest thing we should be doing, daily. Water is the best moisturizer you can gift your skin. If you are not drinking enough water you might notice blotchy and dehydrated skin. Doctors advise having minimum 2 liters of water everyday.

8. Forgetting to moisturize
By applying moisturizers within minutes of getting out of a shower, you can combat everything from dry skin to more serious skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. Moisturizing is very important and helps ensure that dry air and wind doesn’t pull moisture out of the skin and leave it flaking and cracking. 

9. Not using products formulated for your skin type
The reason you may not see improved results with your skincare products is that they aren’t suited for your skin’s unique needs. Find out what type of skin a product is formulated for. If you’re truly looking for results, it’s important that you use products exclusively formulated for the unique needs of your skin.

10. Applying too much face powder
Many ladies tend to over-powder their faces when the weather is hot. Yes, face powder prevents you from looking too shiny, but it also clogs the pores. Too much powder only harms your skin. It’s better to use blotting papers, because they instantly soak up excess oil and remove shine from the face.

Do you have any other common skincare mistakes to add to this list?