6 common skincare mistakes you’re probably making

Overexfoliating with harsh scrubs 

Let’s be real, we all love the way our skin feels after a good exfoliating session. Our skin feels smooth, looks bright, and the grit and grime that has been giving our pores a less than flawless appearance has been scrubbed away at last. Sorry to burst your bubble, but so has the protective layer of your skin. 

When we exfoliate our skin, we are removing away a layer of the skin that helps protect itself from the environment. In turn, this exposes our skin to elements like dust, and UVA/UVB rays that cause more problems in the long run. 

When we over exfoliate we inadvertently give aging a head start and we can mess up our skin’s protective barrier.  Over exfoliation with physical products can cause irritation too. So just because it’s super scrubby doesn’t mean it’s right for your skin. 

Keep exfoliation limited to 3 times per week. Choose the gentlest exfoliant that gets the job done. You may find you don’t need hardcore exfoliants in the long run. Try a product without abrasive ingredients and a chemical exfoliant instead such as those formulated with glycolic acid.  If using an abrasive scrub, limit exfoliation to 5-8 seconds per area to avoid over exfoliating and causing more flaky patches once your skin has healed. 

Applying sunscreen only in the summers 

A sunscreens job is not just to prevent tan, hyperpigmentation, and premature ageing. It works to prevent as serious a topic as skin cancer. So to avoid the risk of being a victim of it, choose to apply sunscreen every single day, no matter if it’s raining, snowing, or shining. In simple words, the season and the weather should not be a deciding factor on whether you should apply sunscreen or not. 

Using this product becomes more crucial if your skincare routine has exfoliating ingredients. Since they slough off the dead skin cells, our skin becomes more vulnerable and prone to sun damage. Applying an SPF of at least 30 is an absolute must. If you’re looking for a new option, go for the one labeled with ‘broad spectrum protection. 

Picking or popping up your zits 

If you pop out or forcefully squeeze out your zit, the bacteria living in the follicles will also spread to the other follicles, meaning from the infected pores, the other surrounding healthy pores will also get affected, causing more zits. Besides, it will cause more damage and irritation to the zits, leading to forming stubborn scars and marks. Even the natural healing process will also get delayed due to this action. 

Skip changing your bedsheet daily 

Your sheets should be changed daily if you want to nix pimples. Every night when you sleep, dirt, and oil are transferred from your skin to your sheets. Dirty sheets are loaded with bacteria that can cause your skin’s immune system to become overwhelmed and increase the chances that bacteria that causes acne will overflow and cause problems. Dirt on dirty sheets can also clog your pores, leading to pimples. So, your best bet to wash your sheets regularly. 

Ignoring your neck 

We especially neglect to care for the neck, the chest, and the backs of our hands.  

Whether we realize it or not, our neck, chest, and hands get a lot of sun exposure. These areas also show some of the first visible signs of aging. These delicate, exposed areas of our skin need the same tender love and care that we give to our face, and in many instances may even be even more sensitive than our face. Neglecting these areas can result in the same signs of premature aging we see on our faces.   

When you cleanse and moisturize your neck, work your products gently in an upward motion. You never want to pull the skin downward. Keep tightening, drying masks away from areas below the chin. Use a moisturizing mask from your collarbone up to your jowl and jawline (don’t forget the sides). Do this twice a week.  When you apply your facial moisturizer, bring it down to you next too.   

Avoiding moisturizer if you have oily skin 

People who have oily skin may think skipping the moisturizer is better, because the last thing you want is to have your skin look even more oily 

Truth is, oily skin needs moisture too! When skin is dry, it tends to overproduce more oily to compensate.  

The trick is to find the right moisturizer for you. If you have oily skin, look for a water based and lightweight moisturizer.  If you are acne prone, it will take some hit or misses but try to find a moisturizer that isn’t very heavy on the skin as well.