Rules were meant to be broken—well, some rules. When it comes to skin care, following the rules will get you everywhere. Now, for our five habits to quit.
1. Picking or popping pimples. Breakouts are frustrating, we get it. What’s worse than aggravating an already angry breakout? Not much in our textbooks. To keep blemishes at bay while preserving your complexion, we recommend using a spot treatment to dry out pimples, soak up oil, and encourage clearer skin. Manually extracting blemishes (that’s what it’s called in spa talk) only leads to increased redness and irritation, and it can spread acne-causing bacteria deeper into the skin causing even more breakouts. It’s a vicious cycle, so when you want to squeeze, spot treat instead.
2. Using unwashed hands on your face and dipping them in your products. If there’s one thing that can spoil a good beauty day it’s touching dirty hands to your face and products. While many skincare products rely on preservatives to help curb germs and fungi from making a home in your jars and containers, that doesn’t mean it’s safe to scoop products out with unclean fingers and nails. Instead, wash your hands before touching your skincare products. Additionally, it’s smart to keep your hands away from your face. Leaning your face on your hands can strain and pull on the skin, so hands off!
3. Sleeping with your makeup on. You may be a rock star with your friends, but acne-causing bacteria doesn’t discriminate against even the coolest peeps. While you sleep, your skin regenerates. With a host of makeup clogging your pores, you could be the victim of an acne breakout by morning. Rather than risk it, carry toner or cleansing wipes and at least get some of the day’s products off your face before you sleep.
4. Forgetting sunscreen. Aging: out of sight, out of mind? Give it a few more years (says the tough-love esthetician). Sun exposure is the leading cause of premature aging, and with skin cancer rates on the rise in the United States, it’s best to keep your skin protected. For that JLo-inspired glow, stick to sunless tanners that darken the surface cells of the skin imparting a faux glow, minus the fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Being too rough with skin. Most people think of pulling, scrubbing, and overwashing the skin as being rough; however this also includes using the wrong products for your skin type. For the best results, know your skin type and give your face what it needs to be hydrated and healthy from sunrise to sunset.
It’s equally important to quit bad behaviors that not only do damage to your skin but to the rest of your body. Avoid smoking and excessive drinking, and enhance your health in more ways than one. Here’s to good skin! Now, give your complexion a shot of moisturizer.
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What’s the worst skin sin you’ve committed, and how did you repent?
