Things That Are Bad For Your Skin – Are You Sabotaging Your Appearance?

As much as you may be trying your best to keep your skin in good condition, there are things that are bad for your skin that you probably didn’t even realise you were doing and sometimes those little bad habits are undoing all that effort and causing more damage than you could imagine.

Do you think you have your skincare down to a fine art but still something isn’t right? Have a look below and see if you are guilty of any of the following skin care crimes that could be undoing all your hard work.

Sleeping In Makeup

Sleeping in makeup is one of those things that most of us are guilty of at some point. Whether it’s because we’ve been out on the town till all hours of the morning or maybe we’ve just had too long a day and don’t have the energy to cleanse before hitting the pillow. But not removing our makeup at night can cause all sorts of damage to our skin.

Our skin repairs itself at night but can not do that effectively if it’s covered in a thick layer of makeup. It can leave us with dry, dull and blotchy skin and can also clog pores which can result in acne. It can also cause premature aging and fine lines from all the pollutants that have clung to our makeup throughout the day that we also haven’t removed.

Over-Exfoliating

We all love a good exfoliant but it turns out that some of us may be exfoliating too much or too aggressively. Exfoliating too hard or too often can remove too much skin and leave it extremely dry, sensitive and irritated. Some of us don’t even realise that many of today’s products already have an exfoliating effect, so you could be unknowingly using a number of different products from cleansers to moisturisers that all contain exfoliating ingredients therefore mildly exfoliating with every single product you use multiple times a day!

Not Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep is so important to us on so many different levels both mentally and physically and insufficient sleep can be seriously detrimental to our appearance. Not getting enough sleep can cause dark circles and bags around our eyes which can add years to our face. Also, the stress and depression from lack of sleep can cause premature aging, not to mention that our skin is not getting the full repair time that it needs if we’re not getting enough rest.

Eating The Wrong Foods

People always say that you are what you eat and that statement couldn’t be truer when it comes to our skin. We need a lot of different vitamins and minerals for not only a healthy body but also for healthy skin too. A bad diet can actually be the cause of many different skin problems, not to mention that a lack of certain vitamins and minerals can cause the signs of premature aging as well as other skin issues.

Using The Wrong Products

As we all have different skin, we should be using products that are specifically formulated for our own skin type. Just because something worked wonders for our friend doesn’t mean it’s going to work wonders for us. Using the wrong products could be causing further problems to already problematic skin like applying a drying product to skin that is already dry. We should stick to products that are made specifically for our particular skin type.

Not Applying Sunscreen

Sunscreen is one of the most important pieces of our skincare routine that we should never be without. Sun damage is one of the biggest causes of premature aging and even in the middle of winter on a cloudy day, we should still be wearing sunscreen. Investing in a moisturiser with built-in SPF is a good way to stay protected.

Sleeping On A Cotton Pillowcase

This is an interesting one. Apparently sleeping on a cotton pillowcase can eventually cause permanent lines and wrinkles on our face. We’ve all woken up with that sleep crease on our face that eventually goes away as the morning goes on and apparently it’s because your face doesn’t slide around freely on a cotton pillowcase so you end up with lines where your face has been pressed against the pillow all night and eventually those lines can become permanent.

Cotton also absorbs moisture so it’s stealing it from your face leaving you with dryer skin. It can also affect the condition of our hair too. Instead, opt for satin or silk pillowcases to prevent this. People who have made the switch, swear by it and say that their skin is much smoother and softer.

Popping Pimples

We all know that this one is bad but it doesn’t stop us from doing it. Attacking a pimple can not only make it worse, it can actually spread it. The bacteria from the popped pimple could spread into further pores causing more pimples. A pimple could also become infected with other bacteria from under your nails and worst case scenario, you could end up with permanent scarring. It’s best to leave it well alone and let it go down in its own time.

Using Dirty Makeup Brushes

Using dirty makeup brushes is basically putting a whole ton of bacteria and dirt straight back on your freshly cleansed face every time you use them. They can be filled with all sorts of germs and may cause blocked pores, skin irritation and acne breakouts. Your makeup brushes should be cleaned at least once a week but in some cases depending on the products and frequency of use, you may need to clean them daily.

Applying Products In The Wrong Order

Well, although this is not necessarily bad for your skin, you’re probably not getting all the benefits that you should be getting from your products if you’re doing this. The general rule of thumb is that products should be applied by starting with the thinnest and ending with the thickest. Thinner products will have great difficulty trying to penetrate through thicker ones if you apply them the other way round meaning that you’re not getting the full benefits of those lighter products.

Not Washing Sheets And Pillowcases Enough

Our pillowcases and sheets can be covered in everything ranging from dead skin, oil from our face or hair, old makeup, you name it, our sheets are probably covered in it. Not cleaning our sheets regularly enough means that all that yucky stuff is getting all over our skin causing anything from skin irritation to breakouts. Bed sheets should be washed at least once a week especially our pillowcases.

Are You Guilty Of Any Of These

Well, I don’t know about you but I can certainly relate to this because I’m guilty of quite a few of these things. What about you guys? Have you or do you repeatedly commit any of the above skin care crimes? Please feel free to share your stories in the comments below. I know one thing that I’ll be taking away from this, I’ll be going out to buy a silk or satin pillowcase!