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Top 10 Skincare Mistakes You May be Making

28th Sep 2017

Top 10 Skincare Mistakes You May be Making

As a beauty lover, it’s likely that you have a skincare routine that you follow religiously in order to improve the appearance of your skin. It’s also likely, however, that you could be inadvertently harming your complexion with the most common skincare mistakes outlined in this blog. 1) Forgetting to wash your hands before touching or washing your face. Thisis the number one mistake made by the majority of us on a daily basis. When transferred onto your face, the bacteria and dirt on your hands and under your nails can irritate your skin, create inflammation, and cause breakouts. To avoid this from happening, wash your hands and nails carefully before touching your face each time. It may sound like a long winded process, however, you will reap the benefits.

Korean skincare washing hands

2) Not using an oil cleanser. For those of you who don’t use an oil cleanser because of you either have oily skin or believe it will cause acne, you’re missing out; you can, in fact, fight oil with oil. If you have oily skin, you should stay away from overly drying products. Instead, use an oil-based cleanser, such as the Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil. The oils in oil cleansers help to wash off all the excess oil on your face, without stripping it of natural moisture and barrier.

3) Rubbing your skin during cleansing. By doing this, you will have a negative impact on the collagen and elastin within the dermis, which will lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Cleansing should be a delicate process in which you thoroughly, but gently, massage your skin. Your actions should be up and down, made in circular and reversed movements. Make sure you pay extra attention when you remove makeup from your eyes and always wash your nose. For your eye area, you should use an oil-based cleanser, as well as cotton buds to ensure that all makeup between your eyelashes has been removed in order to reduce the risk of eye irritation or an infection. When drying, don’t wipe your face with your towel. Instead, pat it gently.

4) Ignoring the toner stage. Your skin is slightly acidic; its normal pH level should be between 4.2 and 5.5. You should use an alkaline cleanser to wash away any impurities. However, this will change the pH of your skin. After cleansing, the toner will balance your skin’s pH level and prepare your skin for the next steps in your skincare routine. Korean toners, in particular, are beneficial as they have hydrating and balancing properties. You should avoid toners that contain alcohol as they will irritate and dry out your skin.

k-beauty the 7 skin method

5) Over-exfoliation. The skin barrier is a sensitive shield that protects our body from free radicals, bacteria and harmful environmental factors. The exfoliation process is important in order to keep your skin healthy and improve its dead cell turnover, however, if you overuse scrubs and exfoliators, your skin will be stripped of all its healthy oils and natural nutrients. As a result, your skin will become weak and prompt to irritation, infections, breakouts or dryness. Depending on your skin type and the products you use, we recommend exfoliating your skin one to three times a week, as per individual product recommendations.

6) Not taking care of your neck. Your eyes and neck are the areas which are prone to showing the first signs of ageing. Your eyes and face are areas that are typically already taken care of within your skincare routine, however, many of us forget about our necks. Instead of spending more money on neck-specific products, just use the same beauty products you already use on your face. Remember to cleanse, tone, exfoliate, and moisturise the skin on your neck twice a day.

7) Anti-ageing products are only for older women. In fact, the truth is that it’s never too early to start using anti-ageing skincare products as they help to both prevent signs of ageing and protect your skin. If you’re in your twenties, now is a great time to start using anti-ageing products, however, whichever products you use should be designed for your skin requirements. The best anti-ageing product is sunscreen, as well as BB cream, and it should be used every day, preferably in the morning, so that your skin is protected from harmful UV-rays throughout the day.

8) Using the same products all year round. Your skincare products should always address your current skincare problems/ needs. Seasons, environmental factors, your diet, physical activity, and stress levels are factors that can change your skin type and skin needs. Rather than using the same products year in, year out, switch things up to give your skin everything it needs in order to stay healthy.

9) Applying products incorrectly. This is a crime on par with using the same products all year round. Even if you are using the right products, they won’t work properly unless you know how to properly apply them. The following rule applies to apply skincare properly; thin products should go first, followed by thicker products that will lock moisture and protect your skin.

Skinsider 10 Step Korean skincare routine

10) Ignoring your diet. As the saying goes, you are what you eat. The food and drinks you consume will have an impact on your body and, as a result, your skin. Consuming too much sugar from sweet food and acidic drinks will clog your pores and promote nasty breakouts. The same can be said for alcohol, which will also dehydrate your skin as well as add dullness. Too much coffee or tea can increase your blood pressure and, particularly for acne-prone skin, create unwanted spots. To help your skin, invest in freshly prepared meals and use organic ingredients where possible to prepare your meals. Drink plenty of water, as it has zero calories and will improve your skin’s appearance. Search for healthy alternatives to foods; if you find yourself craving chocolate, compromise and eat dark chocolate as it doesn’t negatively impact your skin as much as milk chocolate does.

If you’re making any of these skincare mistakes, you could be doing more harm to your skin than good. Your skincare routine could be vastly improved if you make an effort to no longer make any of these mistakes, whether your skin problem is to do with oiliness, acne, dryness, dullness or signs of ageing.