13 Common Skincare Mistakes to Avoid

In the quest to flaunt an envious complexion people are constantly dabbling in the newest products, techniques, and procedures that promise miracles. But none of this matters if you are inadvertently slipping up on the basic skincare rules.  It counteracts all your best efforts. The good news is it’s pretty easy to clean up your act and fix the blunders once you know what they are. We share 13 common skincare mistakes to avoid for clear and radiant skin.

1. Not Cleansing Properly

How often have you splashed your face with water for a quick clean when exhausted? A proper double cleansing before retiring to bed is one of the most important skincare tips. Start by removing every trace of your make-up with wipes and then use a mild face wash to get rid of the accumulated grime, sweat, and gunk with tiny circular motions. Its best to use a sulphate free cleanser based on your skin type. A brand like Dot&Key offers a range of such cleansers for different skin types.

2. Sleeping in Makeup

Hitting the sheets with makeup can spell disaster. It blocks the pores and oil glands which can trigger all kinds of skin woes like inflammation, breakouts, and blemishes.  Make sure to remove all traces of makeup to ensure your skin is squeaky clean.

3. Over Exfoliating

Exfoliation is amazing for the skin as it sloughs off dead cells, draws out impurities and controls oil.  But overdoing it can do more harm than good. Over-exfoliating strips the epidermal layer and the skin’s natural oils, leading to flaking, dryness, redness, and infection. A healthy skincare tip is to gently exfoliate 1-2 times a week with a focus on pores.

Must Read: Super Foods For Healthy Skin.

4. Skipping Toner

Do you reach for the moisturizer on hopping out of the shower and skip the toner? A big blooper! Toner restores the pH balance of the skin and is essential for further beauty procedures to avoid issues like dryness, and rashes. Here’s a great skincare tip! Make sure the toner doesn’t contain alcohol.

5. Not Changing Bed Linen Often

A thorough cleansing regimen is not enough! A healthy skincare tip entails sleeping on clean bed linen. This is vital for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin. Wash your pillowcases/bed sheets often as they can harbor residual make-up, sweat, dirt, scalp oil, bacteria, etc. which can clog pores and lead to flare-ups.

6. Forgetting Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

Ever wondered why SPF is touted a beauty staple? It shields the skin from the sun’s powerful ultraviolet rays.  Skipping out on sunscreen can lead to premature aging, wrinkling, skin sagging, hyper pigmentation, and even cancer.  Dermatologists recommend the use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher 365 days a year.

7. Popping Pimples

Most of us are guilty of squeezing ugly zits, despite being repeatedly warned against doing so. Diagnosing your acne is a big no-no. Improper and unhygienic procedures of picking pimples can aggravate the condition leading to nasty scarring and infection.  Can’t resist the urge to pop a zit? A healthy skincare tip is to go for spot treatment.

8. Neglecting the Neck & Chest

This is another skincare mistake we are guilty of! In our pursuit to attain a gorgeous face we tend to overlook the neck, collar bone and décolleté. These areas require extra care as they have sensitive skin and are the first to betray a person’s age.

9. Choosing Wrong Products

We have a tendency to blindly grab products that have garnered good reviews or seem appealing. It’s really important to know your skin type (dry, sensitive, normal, oily, aging, or acne-prone), and use products designed specifically for the same. A good skincare tip is to scan labels for active ingredients to be well-informed before splurging on expensive products.

10. Applying too Much Product

Again, a common skincare mistake! A small blob of any product is enough but we often slather a generous amount to cover the entire face.  Experts advise just dabbing the forehead, cheeks, and the chin area evenly and then massaging gently.

11. Ditching the Moisturizer

People with oily skin usually cut out moisturizing from their beauty regime fearing it will cause breakouts. This is a huge misconception! Regardless of your skin type, a daily application of moisturizer is a must to keep the skin well hydrated. You can consider a lightweight, non-greasy product that has a matte finish.

12. Applying Products in Wrong Order

Have an excellent skincare routine but are no closer to achieving a flawless complexion? The culprit could be using products in the wrong order. According to experts, the thumb rule on how to get glowing skin is to apply products from lightest to the heaviest formula. This enables optimal absorption and the desired outcome.

13. Using Dirty Makeup Brushes

Using dirty make-up brushes is the worst skincare mistake ever. Besides lingering make-up, the brushes hold on to dirt, grime, bacteria, dead cells and more that can transfer to skin and cause unwanted breakouts and infection. An important skincare tip is to wash your brushes regularly with baby shampoo. Your skin will thank you!

Now that we have covered what not to do, let’s focus on a daily beauty regimen for beginners on how to get glowing skin. The trick is to start simple and use the right products in the right order. Following a consistent skin care routine comprising of cleansing, toning followed by a serum to prevent free radical damage, moisturizing and SPF for sun protection along with an occasional mask for added hydration can get the job done.

What say, ready to re-evaluate your current skincare routine and bring it on track? Cheers to a supple, beautiful, and velvety smooth skin we all crave for!