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5 Common Skincare Mistakes That Are Damaging Your SkinBack in the early 2010s, the makeup industry was booming, YouTubers such as Nicki Tutorials, Huda Beauty and Zoella were the gatekeepers to young teens' makeup obsession. Fast forward to today, those makeup-loving millennials and Gen-Z have progressed their love of all things beauty to the covid bloom of skincare.
When Covid-19 hit back in 2020, people started to invest more into their own personal wellness, one of those avenues happened to be skincare. Gone are the days of a makeup wipe (and thank god for that), instead, it's a 10-step routine and various different devices to help you age backwards.
However, with this new influx of skincare lovers, comes little mistakes that could be having a greater impact on your skin. In the days of being truly ‘influenced’ everywhere you turn, it's important to understand the basics of skincare and the skincare mistakes that you need to avoid…
1. Over exfoliating
With the rise of acid exfoliants such as AHAs and BHAs, comes the rise of over-exfoliation. Previously, a general consumer would associate over-exfoliation with a gritty liquid that you rubbed into the skin to gently remove any dead skin cells. Therefore, it was very easy to see when you were over-exfoliating, as your skin would become red and irritated. Whereas now, people are opting for a BHA or AHA, however, because these are just a liquid either sprayed onto the face or applied with a cotton pad - consumers are not noticing they are using too much until it's too late.
Over-exfoliation causes the skin to be stripped of its natural oils, subsequently encouraging it to produce more oil to keep it hydrated - as you can guess, this is a vicious cycle. As a general rule, you should only be using a physical exfoliator up to twice a week. In contrast, chemical exfoliants can be between 1-3 times a week, depending on your skin type. If you are more on the oiler side of the skin, then you may be able to get away with it more often, in comparison to an anti-age or dry skin that may prefer less. Sensitive skins may be safest to avoid the acids completely.
2. Buying too many products
We’ve all been there, brought the new viral cleanser when you already have 3 at home, it's become a hobby for some skincare addicts - there are some people who collect stamps and others that collect moisturisers. As fun and exciting as this may be, the latter has some serious sustainability downfalls.
First up you have the problem of never finishing a product, not only is this a problem from an eco-friendly point of view but it also introduces the issue of using out-of-date beauty products. On every bottle, there will be a small pot icon with a number inside - for example, if there is a number 6 inside of the pot icon this indicates that the product has a 6-month shelf-life from originally being opened. Once a product goes past its expiration date, this can cause the product's formula to separate or even attract bacteria.
3. Applying sunscreen in the summer
If we can give you only one tip, it would be to ensure that you are applying sunscreen all year round - no matter the weather. UVA is prevalent every day, not just when the sun is shining and it is UVA, not UVB which causes most premature ageing and pigmentation issues. Sun damage can not only be associated with skin cancers, but create an acceleration mode on the ageing process - to avoid this, we would always suggest wearing sunscreen with a minimal UV protection of 30, but SPF 50 is ideal.
4. Using the wrong products for your skin type
Just like no person is the same, no skin is the same either. Products that work for one person, may lead another person’s skin to feel tight and dry, this is why it's extremely important to understand your skin type. For example, if you have dry or dehydrated skin you should be opting for a balm or milk cleanser, instead of foaming - that can dry out the skin further. Similarly, if you are using retinoids/retinol when you have young skin this can cause more harm than good, especially if retinol mistakes are made.
Before purchasing a product, make sure to check who the product is for - generally speaking, most brands will differentiate between sensitive, dry or acne-prone skins. On all Proverb skincare, it details what skin type each product is designed for - so you never have to worry about buying the wrong thing.
5. Rubbing your face the wrong way!
You may be wondering how you can possibly “rub your face wrong” however, it's an easy mistake to make that can prove problems in the future. Most people when washing their face or applying moisturiser, tend to pull their skin downwards when creating circular motions to lather the product - this just isn't right. Take yourself back to school science lessons when learning about gravity - it pulls things down, that is exactly what you are doing to your skin.
Making pulling sweeps down the face, over time this will increase the skin's likelihood to sag and appear older. Instead, you should be pushing up on the skin to increase blood flow in the skin, not forgetting to push up the product on your neck and chest as well!
If you would like to learn more tips and tricks, make sure to follow us on social media @proverbskin.
