It’s a common human characteristic to only value something when it’s gone. The same concept applies to your skin health. Acne and breakouts make you appreciate the time when your skin was at the top of its game. Speaking from personal experience, I didn’t take skincare seriously until I realized that my skin was ageing. I happened to notice changes that prompted me to take necessary action.  

One such action was to ditch the bad skincare habits that were silently ruining my skin.  

Despite following a perfect skincare routine and having the best skincare products at your disposal, you might have been following some skincare habits that can be extremely harmful for your skin health. 

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Now you may find yourself wondering if what you are doing for your skin right now is benefiting it or harming it. Let me tell you that despite doing everything right, you might have been making certain mistakes that go unnoticed because they seem way too trivial and unimportant.  

Need an example?  

Did you know that your phone screen carries more germs than a toilet seat? Now imagine how many germs you expose your skin to while talking on the phone.  

There are several such habits that may silently be sabotaging the health of your skin. Here’s a list of some of these bad skincare habits that you need to stop right now to give yourself a glowing and supple-looking skin: 

1. Skipping SPF

Many people believe that it isn’t important to use sunscreen during winters or on rainy days. Some even go to the extent of skipping it all together or applying very little of it. If you’re amongst any of these people, it’s time to ditch this habit. 

Your skin, when exposed to UV rays, ends up falling prey to premature ageing which means you may develop wrinkles and fine lines sooner than you should. Why take that risk when you can just use sunscreen to protect yourself? 

Make sure that you use at least SPF 30 on regular days and SPF 50 on beach days. Sunscreen is magic and skipping it is a big, big blunder.  

I use Supergoop SPF 40 regularly and Murad SPF 50 while on a beach. 

2. Not Wiping Down Your Phone Screen

As mentioned above, cell phones carry more bacteria than a toilet seat, and you don’t want these bacteria to enter your skin and cause pimples or acne. Make it a habit to clean your phone screen with an alcohol-based antibacterial solution or wipes. I use Premoistened Lens and Glass Cleaning Wipes to clean my phone and find them to be very effective.  

3. Not Washing Your Makeup Brushes And Beauty Blenders

For a really long time, I didn’t care to clean my makeup brushes and beauty blenders. I would just store them in an airtight packet and believed that that was enough.  

Well, you can call me a fool! 

Makeup brushes are just as prone to catch pollutants as your mobile screens. They carry a lot of dirt and bacteria that you certainly don’t want to be transferred to your face. 

Make it a habit to clean your brushes at least twice a month. You can use EcoTools Makeup brush shampoo and a brush scrubber to clean your makeup brushes and beauty blenders. 

I have lately started using an electric makeup brush cleaner that’s more effective than I imagined. I use this device when I feel too lazy to use a scrubber and absolutely love it. 

4. Neglecting Your Lips And Neck

Most people tend to ignore their neck and lips when going through their skincare routine which is probably the biggest skincare mistake one can make. Your neck is prone to develop early signs of ageing if you aren’t giving it the same love that you give to your face. So be sure to make your neck a part of your cleansing and moisturizing routine if you want it to stay healthy and youthful.  

Given that your lips are very much a part of your face, they may equally suffer from the harmful effects of UV rays which is why you must always use a good-quality SPF infused lip balm to protect and moisturize your lips. 

5. Over-exfoliation

During my teenage years, I came across a lot of women who were made to feel so insecure about their skin that they started using exfoliators every day to treat their skin woes. I wish I had enough knowledge about skincare back then to tell them not to do that to themselves.  

Over-exfoliating your skin, either with those harsh scrubs or AHAs and BHAs, can damage the skin barrier thereby causing a whole lot of skin issues. Over-exfoliation gives way to itchy skin, redness and can even cause your skin to become sensitive to certain products. 

Remember that exfoliating once or twice a week is all that your skin needs to get rid of dirt and dead skin cells. Anything more than that is a recipe for disaster. 

6. Sleeping On A Dirty Pillowcase

Your pillowcase is yet another dirt-prone object that might silently be damaging your hair and skin. Pillowcases, especially the ones made of cotton, attract dirt and impurities that end up getting transferred to your face at night. 

Make it a habit to wash your pillowcase every other day. I have lately started using satin pillowcases to sleep on as they have been scientifically proven to attract less dirt than cotton pillowcases and are gentle on the skin. 

7. Washing Your Face Too Often

I was one of those people who grew up believing that washing my face again and again would keep it clean and dirt-free. Thankfully, I got rid of this habit in my late teens when I started gaining more knowledge about skincare.  

Washing your face too often can strip your skin of its natural oils which in turn gives way to dry and flaky patches. Make it a habit to wash your face just twice a day, once in the morning and then while going through your nighttime skincare routine.  

Remember that skincare means a lot more than applying a bunch of products on your skin. No moisturizer can hydrate your skin if you aren’t drinking enough water. No Vitamin C serum can be a total replacement for the vitamins that you get from eating citrus fruits. And even the most perfect nighttime skincare routine can’t replace the quality of a sound sleep.  

So even if you have been doing all the right things to keep your skin radiant and healthy, just make sure that you aren’t making the above stated skincare mistakes.  

Have a great day!