7 bad skincare habits to avoid
Having more than a decade worth of experience with skincare, I have learnt along the way that half the issues my skin used to face were because I had picked up bad skincare habits. It’s safe to say that it has been many many years since I did any of the below and whilst I still know how tempting it is to maybe pick a spot - I don’t. I remember what I have learnt and I’m here to share with you some common skincare habits to avoid and your skin will love you for it!
Are you guilty of these bad skincare habits?
#1 Not cleansing in the evening
This is a hard no. I fully understand and appreciate that we can get home and we are tired and can just about get ourselves changed and into bed, let alone have the energy for our skincare routine - but trust me you should have the energy. It’s a bad habit to not cleanse our skin in the evening, even if you aren’t wearing any makeup. Throughout the day our skin is exposed to dirty air, pollutants, you may have touched your face after touching a handrail - germs are everywhere and on top of that if you are wearing makeup, your face definitely needs a wash.
If you skip it, you’re leaving your pores clogged and the oil and dead skin cells set up camp for the night. All of this equals what we don’t want - blemishes! It also prevents surface skin cell turnover, so instead of having glowing skin when you wake up - it’s dull instead. It’s so worth spending that extra ten minutes before bed cleansing your skin, you’ll be thankful in the morning that you did!
💡 Solution:
Find the extra time to invest in your skin once per day, whether that’s going to bed a few minutes later or watching a few minutes less of your favorite Netflix show, your skin will thank you for it later!
#2 Not using SPF everyday
I would say that not using SPF everyday is one of the worst skincare habits anyone could adopt. It is incredibly important to wear SPF everyday no matter the weather even if it’s raining or snowing! You know when people go skiing and they get that tan line around their goggles, you know what that is? The sun! That’s even worse because you’re elevated higher so the risk of UVA and UVB rays is higher.
The sun can penetrate through the clouds and even your windows, it’s the biggest factor in premature aging skin and can also cause sun spots and pigmentation. So no matter what you are doing, what season it is, indoors or outdoors - wear SPF 30 or above every single day.
💡 Solution:
No matter what climate you live in, apply SPF each day - your skin will thank you for it for years to come.
#3 Over exfoliating
Exfoliation is great, it’s something we should be doing once a week at least. It helps get rid of our dead skin cells in order for our products to work effectively. However, we can definitely over exfoliate by either using products too harsh for our skin or exfoliating multiple times a week. Exfoliating too much can actually end up irritating your skin and sometimes cause your skin to break out.
💡 Solution:
Stick to once or twice a week and try to avoid abrasive scrubs which could damage your skin barrier.
#4 Picking your skin
It is so tempting to pick our skin, especially when we may have spots, blackheads and whiteheads, we don’t want them on our face - I get it. Honestly speaking, picking our skin is actually worse and creates more damage - don’t squeeze! If you pick your skin, you’ll be more upset with the damage left behind and you will wish you just left it alone. It can lead to scarring which can take weeks sometimes to correct, if not longer.
This also applies if you have burnt your face for example with your straighteners, I actually did this recently and didn’t even notice. I’m leaving it alone and letting my skin do its thing by naturally healing - the same applies for acne.
💡 Solution:
Don’t squeeze, obviously! When you’re tempted, constantly remind yourself of the lasting damage it could cause to help aleviate the urge.
#5 Not washing your makeup brushes
Your makeup brushes need to be washed once a week. I know you might be thinking ‘who has the time?’ but consider making the time. Let’s think about this, by not washing your makeup brushes you are just constantly passing bacteria back and forth from your skin, your brushes and your makeup products and back round again. You go to sleep with beautifully cleansed and glowing skin, only to put your bronzer on with your brush that hasn’t been washed in 6 weeks! This contributes to breakouts and can also contribute to undoing the hard work you put into maintaining healthy-looking skin.
💡 Solution:
Avoid piling on the bacteria to your skin daily and schedule in a weekly makeup brushes wash!
#6 Overloading your skin with products
I own a ton of different products with all different types of ingredients and whilst it is absolutely okay to use as many products in your routine as you like, make sure you are not doubling up on products with the same ingredients. In addition to that, some active ingredients cancel each other out and aren’t effective when using them at the same time. Not knowing when to use what product or ingredient can end up causing skin damage and irritation.
💡 Solution:
Take time to learn when to use what product, for example your vitamin C in the mornings and your active ingredients in the evening.
#7 Not being consistent with your skincare routine
Having a skincare routine shouldn’t feel like a chore, being patient and consistent with your routine is when you will see results. Of course instant gratification is great but that doesn’t really apply with skincare ingredients or our skin. Ingredients take time to work and depending on the skin concern you might be focusing on, the time frame can vary before you see results. Skin cell turnover is roughly six weeks, so you can see how it takes some time and patience to see results.
💡 Solution:
Don’t give up because after a week of using retinol you don’t see a difference, it takes time and giving up and not being consistent can cause you to end up missing out on amazing results. Consistency is key, it’s worth the wait.
Bad skincare habits final thoughts
Along with a great skincare routine, avoiding these skincare habits can lead to glowing skin. They are easy to incorporate into your routines and everyday life, you’ll love the results and wonder why you maybe didn’t stop these habits sooner.
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