Skincare Mistakes You're Probably Making
As the years go by, our skin changes. We begin to see bags under our eyes, dark circles, and expression lines on our forehead, in the corners of our eyes, and near our lips. Suddenly, we have dark spots and even pimples where we didn't have them before. And all of this is normal. But we can also take care of our skin so that dark spots, wrinkles, and moles take longer to appear on our face.
However, we must be aware of the skincare mistakes we may be making. It's not just about using the products we see advertised; there are some skincare do's and don'ts we should be aware of. Understanding these common skincare mistakes is essential to building an effective skincare routine.
Why Skincare Habits Matter?
It's important to take care of our skin, as our face is our first impression. Even if we like to wear makeup, there's nothing more beautiful than well-cared-for skin. Healthy, clean, and glowing skin is the best thing we can give our body. Taking care of our skin is also part of self-love and personal care.
Top 10 Mistakes + Fixes
These days, it's easier to find skincare products for all budgets. However, even if they're easy on the wallet, not all of them are suitable for our skin. We must take our skin's needs into account and avoid making skincare mistakes, as these can actually harm our skin more than help.
Here, we'll mention some skincare mistakes and skincare dos and don'ts, but don't forget that it's also a good idea to visit a dermatologist if you have any questions about your skin type or your skin's needs. Avoiding these common skincare mistakes is a step toward healthier, radiant skin.
Mistake #1: Not washing your brushes
Makeup brushes are an item we use almost daily when applying makeup, and while it may seem like a simple wipe is enough, the truth is that the bristles collect makeup, dust, and dirt from wherever we store them. It's important to clean and wash them because, when dirty, we combine bacteria with our makeup and place it on our face, which can cause irritation, acne breakouts, and a dull complexion.
Fix: Wash your brushes regularly—ideally once a week—to prevent bacterial buildup and reduce the risk of breakouts.
Mistake #2: Not washing your face before bed
Many people believe that if they don't wear makeup, it's not necessary to wash their face before going to sleep, and this is a common mistake many people make. But really, we should wash our face even if we haven't left the house, since the air and the environment contain dust and dirt particles that our faces absorb. Sleeping with a dirty face causes aging to occur more quickly and can also cause skin problems. It's important to wash your face and do so with a soap suitable for your skin type or with a Gentle Facial Cleanser. Foaming soap is a fairly gentle product that helps us take the best care of our skin and keep it clean, fresh, and hydrated.
Fix: Cleanse your skin every night to remove buildup from the day, even if you haven't worn makeup.
Mistake #3: Cleaning your skin wrongly
In recent years, the use of micellar water to cleanse the skin has become popular. Although it's indeed very good for removing makeup or dirt, most people don't realize that this product often needs to be rinsed off as well. Not all brands offer micellar water that can be left on the face. It's also important to use soaps, but soaps specifically for the face. There are different types: foaming, oil-based, balm-based, and exfoliating. The type of soap you should use depends on your skin type; you can usually find the product description for the type of skin it's intended for.
Sometimes we can use combinations of soaps, especially when we double cleanse. We start by cleansing our face with an oil-based cleanser; this can also help remove makeup. Once the oil-based cleanser has removed all the impurities, we rinse our face and use a soft foaming soap. This will help remove the oil and impurities that the oil didn't remove, and it will also help hydrate your skin and keep it soft.
Always remember to use a towel just for your face! A towel with softer fibers, gentle touches, that doesn't rub your skin when drying, and that doesn't touch any other part of your body.
Fix: Always double-cleanse when needed and ensure you're rinsing off micellar water unless specified otherwise.
Mistake #4: Over-exfoliating your skin
Using an exfoliant to remove deeper impurities from your skin is something we should do occasionally throughout the week, depending on the type of exfoliant we use, as some are more abrasive than others. However, even gentle exfoliants, it's not recommended to do so every day. Using an exfoliant daily can break down the skin barrier that protects us from the sun's rays, in addition to causing constant irritation. Over-exfoliating, instead of helping, can actually cause more harm. Our skin won't be cleaner, just more sensitive and exposed to bacteria.
Fix: Limit exfoliation to 1-2 times per week to preserve your skin barrier.
Mistake #5: Not using sunscreen
We usually associate sunscreen with summer and the beach, but did you know we should also use it even when it's cloudy. Even if we don't leave the house, it's important to apply sunscreen. Both UV rays and the blue light from the phone and computer screens can damage your skin. While it's clear that the sun's rays can cause more visible skin damage than cell phone screens, it's important to use sunscreen, this will slow the appearance of aging on our skin.
Fix: Apply sunscreen daily as the final step in your skincare routine, regardless of the weather.
Mistake #6: Not drinking water
It doesn't matter how many skincare products we use; the most important thing is to drink water. Water keeps our body hydrated, keeps our skin fresh, elastic, and vibrant, and helps our body continue to produce collagen. Our skin will be healthy, and we'll help the products we buy to treat our skin to work even better.
Fix: Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to support hydration from the inside out.
Mistake #7: Applying products in the wrong order
The order in which we apply our products also affects how they work on our skin, as some can clog pores and prevent the next product from doing its job.
Remember that products are added in order of consistency. The thinnest or lightest products go first, and we should always finish with sunscreen, as it's not only the thickest in consistency but also the heaviest product and will help seal in whatever we've applied.
Fix: Follow the correct layering order—cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, then sunscreen.
Mistake #8: Using too many products
On the internet, we can find countless skincare routines, especially now that Korean skincare has become quite popular. We can find routines ranging from three products to fifteen or twenty. But the reality is that we don't need to apply fifteen products to our skin to keep it hydrated. Using too many products won't affect the skin as much, but it will diminish the benefits of that product. In other words, one product can cancel out another.
The benefits that the first product can provide, the second product can diminish it. And we won't truly benefit from the vitamins and minerals they offer. Furthermore, we often buy the same product, but in different forms without knowing, and our skin can become overhydrated.
Fix: Stick to a minimal, targeted routine using products suited to your skin type and concern.
Mistake #9: Not consulting a dermatologist
If you don't know your skin type or how to use products (it's important to check the ingredients in each skincare product you buy), you can always consult a dermatologist. They are the experts and will be better than anyone else to recommend a skincare product or what ingredients you should look for in your skincare routine.
Remember that every skin is different, and even if we seem to have the same issues as someone else, our skin is very individual, and we should look for something that works for ours.
Fix: Seek professional advice to build a skincare plan based on your skin's unique needs.
Mistake #10: Using very hot water
When washing your face, it's recommended to use lukewarm or cold water, as hot water can irritate your skin and, if too hot, even burn it. Cold water helps improve blood circulation and reduces inflammation, and people with acne benefit more from cold water. You'll have a healthy glow if you switch from hot water to cool water.
Fix: Use lukewarm or cool water to wash your face and reduce irritation.
Final Tips for Smarter Skincare
Taking care of our skin is a sign of self-love, as we're giving our body the attention it needs. A skincare routine isn't just about buying products we see at the market or on social media; a skincare routine is about seeing what our skin needs and providing it, not just with serums, creams, or sunscreen. It also includes drinking water, not smoking, avoiding excessive sun exposure, and maintaining a healthy diet.
Avoiding these common skincare mistakes and replacing them with healthy habits can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your routine and bring you closer to achieving healthy, radiant skin.