You’re meticulous about your skincare routine, maintain a diet abundant in antioxidants, hydrate adequately, and never miss a day of exercise. Yet, your skin seems lackluster or lifeless, or maybe you’re persistently battling annoying breakouts or even dryness. If this resonates with you, there could likely be some missteps in your skincare regimen – you’re not alone! Continue reading as we highlight five frequent skincare errors you might be inadvertently making and provide solutions to correct them.
Depending Heavily on Facial Wipes
Facial wipes are a mix of affection and frustration. They are undoubtedly convenient, easy to carry around, and gratifying to use. Yet, they come with several shortcomings. The primary drawback of using facial wipes is that they don’t offer a deep clean. While they do eliminate some makeup and dirt, they shouldn’t be considered a replacement for your regular face wash.
Makeup wipes can be rough on the skin. The pressure required to move the wipe across your skin and remove makeup can be quite intense. Use non-toxic makeup wipes for travel or emergency situations. Put more emphasis on an actual cleanser. The concept of double cleansing is now being encouraged by numerous skincare professionals.
Untreated Acne
Acne can negatively affect one’s emotional state and lead to further skin complications if it continues unchecked, but early intervention can prevent this. The sporadic approach of men towards acne treatment has resulted in numerous skin conditions and unresolved acne that necessitate regular care to avoid flare-ups.
Acne treatment methods: Over-the-counter topical treatments are commonly used for mild acne cases. These often include antimicrobial combinations targeting specific skin bacteria, with prevalent types being benzoyl peroxide, erythromycin, and azelaic acid. For moderate to severe acne or mild acne resistant to the aforementioned treatments, more potent drugs are usually prescribed. These often include:
- Oral antibiotics like doxycycline
- Minocycline
Other Acne Treatments Columbus, Ohio options may involve chemical peels, physical exfoliation of the outer skin layer, and laser treatments.
Excessive Skincare Routine
Having a solid skincare routine that includes cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing is vital. But like all things, it’s possible to overdo it. Using your Clarisonic at high intensity twice daily, coupled with severe daily skin exfoliation, can upset your skin. This leads to the breakdown of your skin’s protective barrier, resulting in dryness and potential acne due to exposure.
Cleanse your skin but avoid excessive exfoliation. Aim to exfoliate only two to three times per week at the most. If you notice your skin becoming dry and highly sensitive, consider using a lightweight face oil for moisturizing purposes. Alternatively, indulge your skin with a hydrating mask.
Using Severe and Dehydrating Components
There’s a valid reason why bar soap isn’t recommended for facial cleansing; it’s excessively harsh! All kinds of cleansers can often be the source of this frequent skincare blunder as they contain potent ingredients that can rob the skin of its natural moisture and oils.
If your skin is dry or sensitive, transitioning to milder products could be an easy fix. Harsh ingredients and depleting are typically found in gel and foam cleansers, so consider switching to cream cleansers. Identify and avoid these potentially drying skincare ingredients:
- Sulfates
- Fragrance
- Alcohols
Certain acids such as Salicylic Acid and AHAs can also cause dryness, so use them sparingly and always follow up with a moisturizer.
Touching Your Face
A straightforward and frequent way to induce a skin breakout is through continuous contact with your skin. Your hands inherently have oils, which can effortlessly be transferred to the face upon touching. Given the various activities like typing on your computer, opening doors, or handshakes, your hands are likely to collect dirt and bacteria, which are definitely not good for your skin.
If you find yourself habitually placing your face on your palm or frequently touching your face with your fingers, be mindful of this behavior and earnestly work to abstain from it. Regular hand washing is a must to limit the transmission of dirt.
Endnote
At times, we commit errors unknowingly. You’re likely on a quest to learn how to enhance your skin using the right skincare routine. With the abundance of advice out there, it’s effortless to overburden yourself and your skin by either overdoing it or not doing enough.