Terri Ramsey Beavers Following a beauty routine is totally commonplace in the modern era. And even before the 21st century, people around the world took part in beauty rituals and daily cleansings to keep their skin looking good! It’s not new to have a routine you follow every morning or night, and there are thousands of products out there that make it easier to achieve the look you’re going for.
However, there’s also a chance that your beauty routine is harming your skin, rather than protecting it. After all, who really knows what’s in every single product that graces the shelves, and whether or not it’ll be beneficial?! And that’s what we’re going to delve into below. If you currently have a beauty routine you’ve personalized to full effect, it’s time to go back over and see if you’re truly doing yourself a favor by following it.
Not Cleaning Your Tools
A very quick point to get started, but this is quite possibly the biggest sin you can commit in the whole beauty world! If you don’t clean off your brushes, sponges, and other tools in your makeup kit from time to time, you’re just rubbing dirt back into your face. This will make it a lot harder to clean off at the end of the day, and very hard to exfoliate, cleanse, tone, and moisturize when you do your beauty routine again in the morning.
Exfoliating Too Hard
If you’re rubbing in your exfoliating cream or gel for too long, or you’re using a shower mitt and/or brush and pressing too hard, it could be harming your skin. Sure, you need to be a bit rough to get the dirt and dead skin out of your pores, but you still need to be gentle for your skin’s benefit. After all, it’s easy to rub off good and healthy skin when you’re using abrasive force!
Feel free to invest in a more gentle cleanser that’ll do some good work. Swap out your usual heavy duty cleanser and save it for the days when you’re wearing heavy makeup, or you’ve sweated a lot, or you’ve been through a storm to get home.
Using Too Much Hair Product
Using too much hair product can dry out your scalp and even irritate it. Indeed, it’s one of the biggest causes of scalp psoriasis, especially if you have a history with sensitive scalp problems. And when you rub too much shampoo, conditioner, serum and/or hair oil into your roots and tresses, you can dry the follicles out and make it a lot harder for your hair to maintain a healthy balance.
It’s why it’s often recommended to not wash your hair every single day. Sure, it makes you feel a lot cleaner, but it doesn’t do anything for the natural oils your skin releases. If you can, buy a shower cap to use when washing and use your hair products every other day instead.
Missing Out on Sun Protection
If you’re not using any UV protection when you’re doing your beauty routine, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice! You could be prematurely aging your skin, or drying it out, or even causing deeper, more risky issues that’ll have a long term health effect.
And it’s never a good idea to rely on a foundation or concealer that promises an SPF factor – you need a separate, dedicated sun block for some real protection! SPF factor 50 is the highest factor you can use that still has benefits for your skin, and it’s easiest to find in sun cream made for kids.
Gently apply it to your face after you’ve applied makeup, and reapply it from time to time throughout the day. Sure, it promises to be waterproof and long lasting, but you can never quite be sure!
Drying Out Your Skin
It’s very easy to accidentally dry out your skin. Simply getting into a hot shower, for example, can remove a lot of moisture from your skin layers and make it a lot harder to maintain that fresh glow you really want.
Just turning down the temperature is a quick and easy way to solve that! However, you’ll also want to look out for your skin’s pH balance as well. The usual pH level of skin is between 5 and 6, but some people can dip down into the high 4s as well.
And it’s knowing this pH level that’ll make it a lot easier to find products that work with your skin type. If you’re rubbing in something that doesn’t also fit this pH level, your skin can become itchy and even flaky.
Using the Wrong Base Products
Finally, it’s best to investigate your current beauty box and make sure the products you’re using have the right bases to them. That is, are they water based or oil based? Both have their benefits and drawbacks depending on what skin type you’re working with.
Most people will swear by using water based products; they soak right in and don’t take long to bring about that healthy glow you’re looking for. However, if you have noticeable dry skin, or your skin feels rough in certain areas, using oil based products is the way to go.
Oils take longer to get through the pores, but they tend to last longer and penetrate deeper as a balance. That makes them very good for days when you need a proper, deep seated treatment or you want to use makeup that lasts for a long time and won’t move with the outside conditions.
Your beauty routine could be counterproductive right now, but it doesn’t have to stay that way! Change a few products here and there, change the way you use them, and even skip out a few steps you thought were essential at one point. Of course, book an appointment with a dermatologist if you’re truly concerned about your skin, but as long as your skin looks and feels good, you should be good to go!