Mistake 1. Applying Too Much
It's very tempting to apply more product hoping that more of the good stuff will surely make your face look more beautiful. Unfortunately, this approach is not the best one, as dermatologists and facialists alike agree that less is more when it comes to your creams, serums and potions.
If you do use more, you’re simply wasting your money.
For no more money down the drain, here are the general guidelines on how much product to use:
- A grape-sized amount for: cleansers, cleansing waters, toners/mists, body lotions and masks.
- A pea-sized amount for: face lotions and creams, as well as hand and foot creams.
- A rice-sized amount for: serums, eye creams, facial oils and treatments.
Also, instead of applying too much, get the most of your products by layering them correctly: start from the products with the highest viscosity, such as toners and serums, and then seal in your plump, freshly rehydrated skin with a good lotion or moisturizer.
Mistake 2. Cleansing Too Often
As I’ve written above, yours truly is guilty of committing this mistake. After all, what could be the harm in keeping your skin clean? As turns out, there can be a lot of harm, as overcleansing can strip your skin from its natural moisture and make it more susceptible to acne, rosacea and dry it out considerably.
On top of that, it can also make oily or combination skin more oily, as the skin is trying to compensate for the lost moisture by producing even more sebum. A general rule is to cleanse no more than twice a day.
If you wear makeup or sunscreen, it is also recommended to double-cleanse: first wash off the makeup with your favorite cleanser or cleansing water, and then repeat to clean your skin, especially those pesky pores.
Mistake 3. Sleeping With Your Makeup On
Every woman knows that sleeping in makeup is one of the worst things one can do to their skin. Still, we all do it from time to time. The results of a lazy evening can range from clogged pores and acne to eye infections, such as conjunctivitis, as eye makeup tends to migrate inside your eyes during sleep.
The remedy is simple: wash your makeup off, or at least remove it with a wipe.
A great illustration of what sleeping in makeup could do for your skin is Anna Pursglove’s little experiment. Anna is a Dailymail reporter who decided to test what would happen if she didn’t wash her face at night for a month.
In the end of the experiment, a dermatologist that supervised Anna’s journey concluded that she aged by 10 years! Her wrinkles looked more prominent, her skin was parched, and her pores were all clogged up, all of which made her skin look older, quite red and inflamed. Just look at the before and after picture above.
Mistake 4. Applying Skincare Right Before Bed
It is a bad habit to postpone taking your makeup and doing your skincare routine as late as possible, as it increases the possibility of skipping it altogether, which definitely links this mistake with the previous one.
But that’s not all, another reason why you might want to apply your evening skincare no less than an hour before bed is that your skin needs time to absorb the products. Alternatively, you’ll just end up smearing your expensive creams all over your pillowcase and sheets.
Mistake 5. Using the Wrong Skincare For Your Skin Type
This is a complex problem, as it requires quite a lot of trial and effort to understand your skin. Still, it is possible to generalize and say that dry skin requires more moisturizing, thick creams, whereas combination and oily skins should opt for lightweight lotions when it comes to moisturizers.
Both under- and overmoisturizing your skin can result in acne and more textured skin.
The situation is more complex with sensitive and acne-prone skins, as they require careful examination of the products’ ingredients to exclude any potentially irritating ingredients:
- Essential oils
- Fragrance
- Petroleum-based ingredients
- Sulphates, etc.
Acne-prone skin would also benefit from ingredients that fight acne, such as salicylic acid.
The same goal should be maintained when cleansing:
- Sensitive, acne-prone and dry skins should opt for hypoallergenic, fragrance-free cream cleansers that don’t strip the skin of moisture.
- Combo and oily skins would rather benefits from foaming and gel cleansers because they clean the pores better.
Mistake 6. Tugging At Your Eye Area
Wrinkles around your eyes form more easily than in any other part of your face, as the skin in this area is the most delicate and thin.
The fact that many of us like to wear eye makeup only complicates the situation even further, at it takes quite a lot of effort to remove waterproof mascara and eyeliner. To avoid tugging on your eyes, either use a cleansing oil or a cotton pad soaked in eye makeup remover that you should hold for 20 seconds on your eye before gently wiping it off.
The key here is to avoid rubbing your eyes and be as gentle as possible. As to eye cream application, use only your ring finger to spread the cream around your eyes (but never on the eyelid), as it has the gentlest touch.
Mistake 7. Neglecting Your Neck (and Decollete)
My mother always used to say that a woman’s age usually shows on her neck and her hands. I completely agree, but I would also add the upper chest area to that list. Indeed, many women neglect their neck and decollete while applying a lot of product on their face, which can result in an unfortunate disparity.
To avoid this from happening, apply all of your facial skincare onto your neck and decollete, and you will age gracefully and always look like your best self.
Do you like skincare? If so, take a glimpse at our article about 3 Effective Face Exercises that will make your skin glow with health.
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