10 Things We Do That Are Slowly Damaging Our Skin
Expertise: Beauty, Health, & Wellness
Experience: 2 years
Indrani is a writer and artist who likes to add a dash of humor to everything she does. She has two years of experience in writing articles across beauty, health, and lifestyle genres. After graduatin... more
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In the quest to flawless and perfect-looking skin, most of us create a healthy skincare regimen and swear to follow through with commitment. But sometimes, even with the best efforts, we are unable to reap the results we want, and that has a lot to do with the kind of skin treatment you choose for yourself. According to some skin specialists, a majority of people are guilty of not moisturizing their skin every day. Dry skin is more prone to developing wrinkles, acne, and flaking than moisturized skin. Here in this article, are some of the most common ways in which we are damaging our skin without even knowing it. Read on to know them all!
1. Not Washing Your Makeup Off
Cleansing should be the first part of your everyday skincare routine. Preferably, conduct a double cleaning in the evening after you enter your home after a long day. Taking off your makeup is the first step, followed by clearing up your pores, and applying a moisturizer.
2. Not Using The Correct Cleanser
The benefits of having perfectly clean skin can’t be overstated. Our skin’s typical pH level is about 5.4-5.9 (1). You need to find a cleanser with the same pH because our sebaceous glands are stimulated by cleansers with a higher pH to create more sebum than is necessary, leading to acne. If you are not able to determine which cleanser will work for your skin, it’s best to consult with a dermatologist to find out which one will work for you.
3. Not Applying Toner
It may come as a surprise that using a toner is an essential part of your skincare routine. Using a toner first will help your skin absorb moisturizer more effectively, and it will also get rid of any chlorine or minerals in your tap water. Make sure it’s alcohol-free before applying it to your skin.
4. Over-Exfoliating Your Skin
Although eliminating dead skin cells is crucial, strong exfoliants can be harmful, leading to dryness and flaking. You can use peeling serums occasionally, which operate on the skin’s surface and encourage cell regeneration instead.
5. Popping Pimples
Squeezing your pimples may seem satisfying, but it will simply transfer the skin problem to other parts of your face. Rather, you should apply topical acne treatments like salicylic acid directly to the problem areas. If you have regular acne breakouts, it’s best to consult a dermatologist and get to the roots of the problem.
6. Not Using Face Oils
You should use oils to hydrate your skin, even if your skin tends to be oilier. We don’t need the sebaceous glands to be working any harder than they already are, which they do when we don’t drink enough water. Oils rich in linoleic acid, such as pure rosehip oil, hemp seeds, or pumpkin seed oil, are preferable.
7. Not Using Sunscreen
Skin that hasn’t been protected from the sun is more likely to develop wrinkles and uneven pigmentation. Sunscreen is something you should apply all year round, not just during the summer months. An SPF rating of 50 or above is ideal.
8. Not Changing The Pillow Cases Regularly
Pillowcases tend to harbor a surprising amount of microorganisms, both from our own bodies and from the environment. The acne-causing germs can hitch a ride on your pillow and end up on your face in the morning. It’s important to remember to switch out your pillowcases every week to prevent this.
9. Not Drinking Enough Water
Every issue that manifests outside has an inside origin. That’s why it’s important to think about what you put in your body as well. Your skin will improve if you start taking better care of it by increasing your water consumption and eating healthier.
10. Not Getting Rid Of Your Bad Behaviors
Not that smoking has any positive effects on humans, but it also reduces collagen and elastin, two proteins crucial to maintaining youthful skin (2). That’s why giving up smoking may make a significant dent in the aging process.
Skin is a very sensitive and important organ that protects all other organs, hence we need to be very careful with how we care for our skin. Did you realize that some of the activities you take to keep your skin healthy might really be doing more harm than good? So which of these things are you guilty of doing to your skin? Let us know in the comments section!
Sources:
- Skin anti-aging strategies, NCBI
- Evaluation of pH of Bathing Soaps and Shampoos for Skin and Hair Care, NCBI
