Have you fallen victim to poor skincare advice from friends, family, or even the internet? If so, there’s no need to worry — we’ve all been there! The important thing is that you learn from those mistakes and make smarter choices when it comes to your skincare. So, to help you ensure your skin stays healthy, we’re sharing six examples of poor skincare advice that you’ll want to avoid at all costs.
1. Exfoliating Too Much
We all know that exfoliating is an essential step to any skincare routine if you want to achieve clear skin. Exfoliating will help remove dead skin cells, while also giving your skin a deep-down clean. However, what many people seem to forget is that there is such a thing as too much exfoliation, so you need to be careful.
Using abrasive exfoliating scrubs and products with salicylic acid or retinol too much can leave your skin red and irritated. If this is the case for you, take a break from some of the products you’re using. Ideally, you want to use a skin-friendly scrub just a couple times a week so you don’t overdo it. And since retinol can make your skin very sensitive, you want to avoid using it in combination with too many other products with strong ingredients.
2. Really Hot Showers
You may love the feeling of getting into a really hot shower, but the truth is, it’s not doing your skin any favors. Your skin is delicate and it can be quite sensitive to hot temperatures, leaving you red and blotchy. If you notice this happening, turn down the water temperature to give your skin some relief and prevent redness and dehydration.
3. Using a Toner That Has Alcohol
Toners provide many great skincare benefits for your face. They can be beneficial to purify, balance, and treat the skin. However, you want to be careful about which toners you use because some could be doing more harm than good.
You’ll want to skip the toners that contain alcohol because they can actually strip the skin of water. Ultimately, this will dry out the face and can therefore increase oil production as your skin tries to overcompensate for the dryness. Instead, look for a toner that doesn’t contain alcohol. It will treat your skin without being too harsh.
4. Using Toothpaste to Clear Zits
By now, you’ve probably heard someone recommend toothpaste as a remedy for a pesky blemish. While you may have seen this DIY treatment to be effective for drying out pimples, it’s not really ideal for your skin. You see, toothpastes typically contain hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and alcohol. All three of these ingredients will dry out those stubborn zits, but it can also irritate and dehydrate your skin.
To avoid this, you’re better off purchasing a blemish specific spot treatment to heal your acne. Look for ingredients that purify like ichthyol and burdock extract, as well as soothing extracts like chamomile and calendula to combat irritation. You’ll notice much better results and you won’t have to worry about damaging your skin.
5. Using a Sonic Cleansing Brush Too Often
There are many difference sonic cleansing brushes on the market today, which promise to cleanse your skin much better than your hands can do. While there’s nothing wrong with these facial cleansing brushes, they can be harmful if used too frequently.
A sonic cleansing brush is essentially an exfoliating tool. It can remove dirt and makeup, while also lifting away dead skin cells. And when you think back to our first point about too much exfoliation, you can see why this could become problematic. Even though these brushes are said to be gentle enough for daily use, that’s not the case. For many, they’re left with irritated skin and even an increase in acne from using it too much. If you’re going to purchase one of these sonic cleansing brushes, pay attention to your skin and how your face responds to it. You need to know when to scale back if it’s providing too much exfoliation.
6. Thinking the Sun Will Clear Up Your Acne
Has someone ever told you that the sun can help clear up your acne? Well, the truth is, the sun is really just doing more damage than good. The sun can actually dry out your skin, which can lead to an increase in oil production to make up for the dryness. More oil will only lead to more acne, which no one wants.
So, when you head outside to get your daily dose of vitamin D, make sure you’re taking the proper precautions. You need to be wearing SPF and shielding your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. It’s the best way to keep your skin healthy for years to come.
