An effective skincare routine doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s probably best to make any skincare routine simple. This ensures that you’re more likely to stick to it, and that’s good news for your skin. Not only will a simple skincare routine help your skin look its best, but also it will keep you from making the common skincare mistakes to avoid.
Mistake #1: Sleeping With Makeup On
Every woman knows that there are bound to be nights when even a simple skincare routine feels like too much. When you’re really tired, it’s tempting to skip washing your face when all you want to do is fall into bed. But, it’s not a good idea for your skin, the next time you feel the impulse to skip your nighttime skincare routine consider what the negative effects really are.
Truth be told, sleeping in your makeup for one night isn’t likely to cause much lasting damage. However, it pays to be aware that your skin picks up harmful free radicals throughout the day. When you avoid washing your face before bed you’re allowing those free radicals to attack your healthy collagen all night long. This means you’re developing fine lines while you sleep. Moreover, going to bed with makeup is a sure way to clog your pores which may lead to acne.
If you don’t feel like going to the bathroom to do the full wash, then use cleansing wipes that don’t require water. A quick wipe isn’t quite the same as washing your face, but it will at least clean your face of dirt, oils, and debris that have accumulated over the day. Our favorite is the Obagi Cleansing Wipes.
You should use these in a pinch, but not as your regular washing method.
Mistake #2: Overexfoliating with harsh scrubs
It’s easy to go crazy with exfoliating scrubs, especially when your skin is feeling off or dry. But it could be doing more harm than good. Excessive Exfoliating can cause tiny tears in the skin and can impair the skin’s normal skin barrier.
We suggest chemical exfoliators with acids like AHA/BHA to mechanical ones with microbeads. Only use these a few times a week especially if you have dry, flaky skin.
Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Skincare Products
Without knowing what type of skin you have you’re essentially choosing products blindly. That can cause major skin irritation that ranges from severe dryness to oiliness and breakouts. While it may seem easier to just pick something up from the drug or department store or try something that worked well for a friend, it’s really worth taking the time and energy to find out which products will work best for your unique skin type.
If you’re not certain what your skin type is, then take this easy test. Wash your face as you usually do, then wait 30 minutes. Try pressing a clean tissue to different parts of your face. If the tissue sticks, then you have oily skin. A tissue that doesn’t stick indicates dry skin while sticking in the T-zone but not in other places shows that you have combination skin. Armed with this knowledge, you’re prepared to devise a skincare routine that is designed to take the best possible care of your face.
Most products are formulated for people with a variety of different concerns in mind. Your simple skincare practices should be aimed at addressing these concerns. If you have more than one kind of skin care problem, then you might want to consider getting advice from a professional.
Mistake #4: Skipping Daily Sunscreen
You really need sunscreen every day — yes, even when it’s cloudy, raining or snowing. Sun exposure causes sunspots, skin damage, and can lead to skin cancer.
The number one reason why your skin will age prematurely is from the damaging UV rays—period. The truth is most of those rays come from incidental exposure. These are all the times when you don’t think you’re getting the damaging rays, like driving in the car, sitting in your home or office near windows, or walking outside on a cloudy winter day when people don’t feel like they need sun protection. The daily application of sunscreen is a must.
Mistake 5 #: Not Getting Enough Sleep
While you sleep the skin also goes into repair mode, when you don’t get quality sleep on a regular basis, your body starts to boost its production of stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones cause inflammation throughout the body, including on your skin, this can exacerbate skin conditions like psoriasis or acne. Elevated cortisol is also bad news for collagen as this stress hormone literally breaks down the substance that makes your skin smooth and elastic, leading to dry dull skin and formation of wrinkles.