12 common skin care mistakes to avoid

Do you know the frustrating feeling when you try to take care of your skin – doing the research, willing to spend money on the right products, really taking the time, and for some reason it just refuses to cooperate?

I definitely do.

More often than not in the past, my immediate response was to go out and get another new product, because that must be the issue, right?

Well, not always.

In the last few years, the more research I’ve done and the more I got to know my own skin, the more I realized that it’s necessary to reevaluate our skincare habits and routines from time to time to see whether we’re causing more harm than good.

Because by making some simple skin care mistakes we sometimes inadvertently sabotage all our best efforts (not to mention the money spent on products).

So, if you have a skin issue, before you spend even more money on trying to find the next miracle, holy grail product, check this list of the most common skin care mistakes getting in the way of beautiful, clear, and glowing skin.

I for sure have been guilty of some of these in the past. Are you?

Common skin care mistakes to avoid

+ Overdrying the skin

Dry skin is always bad news. People are often told, especially if they have oily skin or acne, to use harsh drying product – lots of BHAs, drying cleansers, creams, and alcohol – and stay away from oils. This is a vey harmful myth. As our skin always strives for balance, if we strip it of its natural oils and moisture, it will work twice as hard to replenish them. What does that mean? Overdrying will result in excess oil production and potential breakouts. Limit the drying products and always use a good moisturizer.

+ Squeaky clean skin

This is closely interrelated with the above point. If you’re skin is very tight and shiny after cleansing, you probably harmed its natural barrier. The skin should feel soft and silky after a good cleanse, not tight and “squeaky clean” (whatever that means).

+ Not cleansing the face properly

This is the surest way to get spots and pimples. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this step. Going over the face with random face wipes is just not enough. Take a look at this post on the best cleansing method ever.

+ A bad diet

Whatever you put into the body is just as important as what you put on it. Too much sugar, bad fat, salt, alcohol, or a lack of water, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients will have a very visible effect on skin, like a dull complexion or an acne breakout. Check out some of the worst foods for skin.

+ Scrubbing/pulling/rubbing the face too hard

While a good facial massage can do wonders for the skin, being too hard on it, pulling, rubbing, or scrubbing the face too vigorously can be very, very harmful. It can result in broken capillaries (experience) or even slight bruises. Be gentle when washing your face, using a cleansing cloth, scrubbing, or applying cream. Especially be careful with your eye area. Pat your eye cream, rather then massage it in (here’s a tutorial).

+ Not wearing sunscreen everyday

In my humble opinion that’s one of the worst skin care mistakes ever. There’s no wonder cream on earth that would remove the harmful effects of too much sun (sunspots, wrinkles, pigmentation). Wearing SPF everyday, not just in the summer is non-negotiable. Here’s an in-depth summary of everything we should know about sun protection and SPF.

+ Neglecting to wash beauty tools and makeup brushes

I’m still guilty AF of this. And it’s such a bad habit. I don’t even wanna think about the dirt and bacteria that live on those unwashed brushes. And it goes back right onto our skin. So, try to wash them a lot, especially if you have acne-prone or sensitive skin.

+ Sleeping in makeup

Yes, the thing every women’s magazine, dermatologist, and aesthetician tell you NOT to do. Sleeping in makeup is really a bad idea, as it can clog pores (especially combined with the sweat produced at night) and dry your skin majorly. Take those 2 minutes to wash off the day’s dirt every night.

+ Not exfoliating the skin

Our skin sheds dead cells in approximately 4-week cycles. However, this slows down as we age. The dead skin will pile up on the surface and the result is a dull-looking complexion. Exfoliating products will help shed away the dead cells, which in turn will increase the efficiency of products (by better absorption), unclog the pores, and leaves you with glowing skin complexion. Try to stay away from very abrasive scrubs and instead start with mild acids. The Pixi Glow Tonic is an ideal start.

+ Over-exfoliating the skin

I’m all for using chemical peels and AHAs, they did wonders for my skin, but there is such a thing as over-exfoliation. If you experience redness, flaking or waxy skin, burning, itching, or milia and you use exfoliating products daily, maybe decrease the intensity. Here’s a FAQ on over-exfoliating.

+ Self-diagnosing and self-treating skin issues

When it comes to more serious skin issues, Google is absolutely not your friend. If you see something unusual, an issue that refuses to go away, it’s well worth to visit a dermatologist rather than misdiagnosing and home treating a skin problem. This is especially true with acne and rosacea.

+ Not using the right products for your skin type and specific skin concerns

Not using the right products can mean absolutely no results at best, or new skin problems at worst. Unfortunately, we pay more attention to glaring reviews and an influencer’s stamp of approval than actually investigating whether that product is for us. Take a loot at the packaging and the ingredients.

I probably could have put picking on your face and attacking pimples on that list (it could even be the single most common skin care mistake), but let’s just not fool ourselves. Everyone does that, even though it might be bad. However, this post is very useful in helping to identify the kind of spots we can actually try to extract and which ones to stay away from.

As always, prevention and research before buying expensive products. Try to avoid these skin care mistakes or get information about a skin issue before treating them.

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