Despite the importance of its health, it’s easy to fall into a routine of bad habits that hurt your skin. The silver lining is that there are lots of avenues to break out of the cycle! Here are 10 bad habits that ruin your skin and 10 to start investing in.
1. Not Wear Sunscreen
Time and again people forget how damaging the sun actually is. It might not seem like a big deal to forego sunscreen, but it’s one of the worst things you can do for your skin and overall health. Sunscreen protects you from the sun’s rays, skin cancer risks, and potential sunburns.
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2. Sleep With Makeup On
Don’t take “beauty sleep” so literally! While you may not want to engage in a full routine before bed, it’s important to get off that makeup at least. Sleeping with it can enhance wrinkles, clog your pores, and irritate your skin.
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3. Not Drinking Enough Water
Hydration does wonders for the body, but it also does wonders for the skin. Without enough water, your skin can dry out and let all those fine lines and wrinkles poke through.
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4. Popping Pimples
A pimple is sort of like the big red button of the face—we know we shouldn’t push it, but we also know we’re going to. Try to resist the urge going forward because all you’re doing is helping the acne spread.
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5. Using Expired Products
We know it’s hard to part with expensive skincare products. Surely a cream past its expiration date can’t harm skin that much…right? Well, not only does expired skincare lose its effectiveness, but it can also hurt your skin. To avoid any irritation or breakouts, part ways with old products.
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6. Smoking
It’s much easier said than done, but healthy skin is one more reason to quit smoking. Cigarettes can yellow skin and speed up the aging process—in addition to much larger health issues, of course.
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7. Not Enough Sleep
If kids are around or our jobs demand overtime, “get more sleep” is difficult advice to follow. However, try to squeeze in some extra Zs because without enough sleep our skin dehydrates and interferes with collagen production.
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8. Hot Showers
Hot showers revive us in the winter months, but they also tend to dry out the skin. If you’re someone who enjoys hellfire temperatures, crank the knob back a bit to avoid any irritation or redness.
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9. Neglecting Other Areas
Skincare means more than just your face or target areas. Don’t forget to moisturize all over, and pay close attention to your neck and hands because those areas can age faster than anything else.
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10. Tanning
Golden skin is a goal for most, but tanning has some pretty big setbacks. Long exposure to the sun or UV rays is harmful for all of us and tanning beds have been linked to skin cancer risks.
Now let's dive into which skincare habits you should adopt!
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1. Use Moisturizer
A proper routine entails more than a simple cleanser. To protect your skin and ensure its hydration, work in the right moisturizer. The proper one helps ward off extreme dryness or oiliness.
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2. Exfoliate
Speaking of dryness, proper exfoliation is needed to scrub off those dead skin cells and promote a healthy glow. Just be mindful of how often you exfoliate because improper methods can lead to even more irritation.
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3. Keep Stress Low
Stress levels affect your skin just as much as your mental health. Fine lines and wrinkles, acne breakouts, oily skin, and even exacerbated skin conditions all await under too much stress. Try to incorporate stress-reducing techniques into your everyday routine to maintain overall health.
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4. Use the Right Products
It’s easy to get persuaded by salespeople or TV ads, but don’t hop on every trend you see. Products can just as easily harm you if they’re not what your skin needs, so speak to a professional before grabbing just anything off the shelves.
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5. Do Routine Checks
A youthful, healthy glow is the end goal for skincare, right? No! The goal is to keep it healthy, which means UV ray protection, using the right products, and routine checks for any signs of cancer. Head to a dermatologist if you notice new moles or dark marks, especially if they get any bumpier or larger.
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6. Develop a Schedule
Proper skincare means a daytime and nighttime routine. One of the best things you can do for your skin is to thoroughly cleanse it before bedtime. A nighttime routine rids the oil and gunk from your day, and neglecting to do so leaves all that on your face where it can cause a breakout.
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7. Don’t Scrub Your Skin
You want to be careful with body scrubs or exfoliants because the abrasion can cause skin irritation. To avoid any inflammation or redness, be mindful of how often you use a scrub, and don’t be too rough on yourself.
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18. Get a Good Pillowcase
By now you’ve probably heard how a good silk pillowcase can help your hair, but it can also help the skin. Silk is a better fabric than something like cotton because it doesn’t touch the moisture on your face, leaving it more hydrated.
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9. Exercise
Anyone who’s pumped iron knows how exercise gets the blood flowing. Well, that blood flow is great for your skin because it helps clear toxins and even reverses signs of aging.
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10. Cut Down on Alcohol
Alcohol already dehydrates the body, but it dehydrates the skin as well. Without enough hydration, your skin is more susceptible to wrinkles and dullness, so try to cut down on how much you consume.
