First of all, let us remind ourselves that there is no such thing as perfect skin! Everyone has to deal with various kinds of skin problems. And since every skin is unique, there is a variance in how our skin reacts to different stimuli. This is why there are so many skincare products for different skincare problems.
Yet, practicing proper skincare is not only smearing all kinds of serums and moisturizers on our faces. It’s not enough. We have to be strategic with our approach and watch out for those simple things that can lead to breakouts and give us generally unhappy skin.
When it comes to skin, there are many things we do daily, but some are more likely to give you a skin reaction. Let’s take a look at them.
5 Mistakes That Lead To Unhappy Skin
1. Touching your face too often
Your hands come in contact with a lot of things daily – food, TV remotes, door handles, your cat/dog, and other unclean surfaces. Even if you wash your hands, some bacteria and germs remain, and they transfer to your skin when you touch your face. If you have acne-prone skin, this especially may result in regular breakouts and irritated skin.
You might also have a crazy urge to pop that pimple or blackhead, but here’s a gentle reminder – it leads to permanent scarring every time!. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), people with pimple-prone skin need to control touching their faces because the bacteria, oil, and dirt can lead to never-ending breakouts and clogged pores. I am one of those people too!
2. Over-exfoliating
There tends to be a lot of confusion about exfoliators. Yes, it is essential to exfoliate when it comes to skincare. It helps to increase the cell turnover and gets rid of any “finished” skin cells that are sitting on your skin and blocking pores.
However, you should exfoliate your skin 1-2 times a week at most to get rid of those impurities. More than that can easily remove your natural skin barrier and leave you with skin that stays sensitized, irritated, and dried out all the time. It takes a lot of effort and patience to rebuild the protective skin barrier so it’s best to avoid over-exfoliation in the first place.
P.S. If you still want to exfoliate your face often to keep that glowing skin, there’s a solution! You can use a konjac sponge which is a very gentle face buffer made of natural bamboo fibers. I have very sensitive skin that gets irritated by most physical exfoliators. The konjac sponge NEVER does that. It almost feels like a puffy jell-like massager on my skin. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to use – you only have to soak it in the water for a few minutes and you’re ready to use it! It feels very nice on the skin and it’s an eco-friendly choice as well.
Honest Beauty Gentle Konjac Sponge with Pink Kaolin Clay
3. Bad lifestyle choices = bad skin
I hate to admit it, but our lifestyle choices profoundly affect our skin’s condition. Some of the things that impact your skin are smoking, not drinking enough water, not getting enough sleep, consuming too much caffeine, and consuming too much alcohol (I know, I know… It’s Rosé!). And, of course, not having a balanced, healthy diet.
It’s tough to try and stay away from all those greasy, processed, chocolaty foods, but if you cut these from your diet completely, your bad skin will soon see a huge improvement! Working out and exercising is also super great for your skin. Through the process of sweating, you are helping your pores to purge themselves.
4. Relying on makeup wipes to remove your makeup
They’re a lazy girl’s best friend, but makeup removing wipes could be irritating your skin! I know, there is a convenience factor of sticking to makeup wipes, whether you are traveling or simply are tired after a long day… All you wish for is to take off that makeup quickly!
However, the problem with using makeup wipes only is that you are leaving a lot of chemicals, dirt, and extra makeup on your skin – they’re simply not that effective. If you struggle with unhappy skin, I really recommend cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser (even if you used a wipe!) to remove any residual products.
5. Not changing your pillow covers regularly
If you have unhappy skin, this can be something you’re missing. Sebum, dirt, and dust accumulate on our sleeping surfaces quickly and this is why you should change your pillow covers every alternate day. Especially if you struggle with acne or breakouts. Clean covers = clean skin = healthy skin!
Also, it might also benefit you to switch cotton pillow covers to silk pillows (or satin pillows) because those rough cotton fibers don’t do any favors to sensitive or reactive skin.
Taking care of your skin is as important as taking care of your mind and body. When working to help unhappy skin, it is essential to have a good skincare regime and use the right products for your skin. If you take a step further to remove these unhelpful habits from your life, your skin will thank you even more.
P.S. trying to root out all the skincare mistakes from your life? Here are 4 changes to try if your skincare is just not working.
P. P.S. looking for more beauty tips? Scroll down below for trending beauty topics!
Hi! I am author + writer on personal development, beauty, relationships and self-care, sharing insights through this blog since 2018. After years of practicing personal growth, emotional wellness and feminine lifestyle (plus 19 years in a thriving relationship), I share effective and tested advice to help you foster beauty, self-improvement and order in your life. Some articles are written by a small team of beautiful writers I trust.
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