When we are young, we don’t value things in life as we believe that we can get away with anything. Growing up, we learn so many things that actually benefits us in the long run. For me, it was skincare. Skincare was the thing I paid no heed to. The reason behind it was undoubtedly the lack of knowledge. The moment I started learning about things that do and don’t benefit my skin, I started taking my skincare quite seriously. In fact, I started a proper basic skin care ‘routine’ just a couple of years ago.
It took me years to understand that my skin has some special requirements that need to be taken care of. I was lucky that I had not caused any severe damage to my skin. But, not many are fortunate. That is why I wanted to share the mistakes I made when I was younger so that you who are still teenagers learn from them. So, here we go.
Washing Your Face At Least Twice a Day
Talking about basic skin care, the one common thing I can think of is washing your face. People who don’t follow any skin care routine, at least wash their face religiously. But, do they do that twice a day, are they most likely to forget washing their face at night? In most of the cases, yes. People wash their face in the morning for a dose of freshness but as the day proceeds, they start to become tired and lethargic which leads to skipping the night-time skincare.
This practice is definitely a no-no if you want to have a clearer and healthier skin. During the day, your skin surface gathers dirt, grime, sebum and what not! You must get rid of those impurities before sleep to prevent those things from clogging your pores and producing acne.
Make sure you are using a cleanser that is meant for your skin type. Use a gentle/mild cleanser if you have sensitive skin, an oil-free foaming cleanser if you have oily skin and a hydrating, soap-free cleanser if you have dry skin.
Scrubbing is Essential
Speaking of clogged pores and acne, how can I miss the part that is often overlooked but really important in basic skin care? Exfoliation is a must for your skin, no matter how much you neglect it. Scrubbing your face at least twice a week makes sure your skin gets rid of all the impurities and dead cells which will result in an even skin surface. When your dead cells are removed and new cells are uncovered, you know that all the toner, serum or moisturizer that you use actually goes into the skin instead of stopping there on the outer surface. Exfoliation also helps unclog your pores, helping it breathe properly.
If you have oily skin then you must not skip this part. People with oily skin have more open pores because of which they secrete more sebum. If you don’t exfoliate your oily skin religiously then the impurities will clog them which will result in breakouts.
Remember to exfoliate and not over-exfoliate your skin.
Moisturize Your Face No Matter How Oily it is
One thing that I have been doing wrong all my life is not moisturizing my face during summer. It’s not too long ago when I actually changed this practice. Every single skin-type needs proper hydration. If you don’t moisturize your face, it will reflect more signs of dullness, ageing and fatigue. The drier your skin, the more chances of appearance of fine lines. Now, people with dry and normal skin cannot think of moisturizing their skin. It’s the people with combination to oily skin type who often skin the moisturization part thinking that oily skin does not need hydration, especially in summers.
Just because your skin looks greasy doesn’t mean it’s properly hydrated. People with combination to oily skin use products that helps control the secretion of sebum and make your pores shrink so that it secretes less oil. In this process, we actually make it dehydrated. You definitely need a dose of hydration to make it healthy. You should use an oil-free moisturizer for your skin.
Don’t Rub Under Your Eyes
This is another thing that I have learnt so late. Now, I want to warn you while you are young so that you don’t make the same mistake. The skin under our eyes is extremely delicate and thin. It gets thinner as you age. Rubbing them can cause irritation, it can also accelerate the appearance of fine lines under your eyes. This is something we don’t need at all. I have spent the majority of my life rubbing under my eyes for removing that stubborn kajal and it has caused me a couple of baby fine lines there.
You should always use a good eye makeup remover to remove your makeup so that you don’t end up rubbing it. Take some makeup remover onto two cotton rounds and press them against your eyes for 10 seconds and gently wipe the makeup off of your eyes. You will see how easily it removes your eye makeup, even the intense ones.
Applying an eye cream is a must for as you start ageing the skin under your eyes tends to sag and also becomes thinner. You need some firming eye cream to help tighten the skin. Take the eye cream onto the tip of your ring finger and gently dab it on the under eye area. Ring finger is advisable because it produces the least pressure. If you are not concerned about ageing skin or fine lines, you can always use a brightening eye cream for obvious reasons. Our under eye area tends to get dehydrated, so we need to give it a boost of moisture. Try and make it a part of your basic skin care.
Don’t Go to Bed with Makeup
Never ever do this! The primer or base makeup that you apply fill in all your pores, suffocate the skin and results in massive breakout (or a few pimples). The mascara that you have on your lashes makes them weak and then they tend to fall. Make sure to break down all your makeup using a good makeup remover and then follow it by a good wash using a deep cleaning face wash. One product I can swear by is the Maybelline Clean Express Total Clean. I have already finished three bottles of it!
I like to scrub my face after washing my face to make sure that my pores are open and can breathe. This is one of the most important point to remember in your basic skin care.
Invest in Good Products
In skin care, what you give is what you get in return. Consider this as an investment that going to benefit you in the long run. Use good products, quality products. Don’t hesitate in spending your money (Obviously, don’t make a hole in your pocket!) on quality products. Use paraben-free products, collagen-based products for your basic skin care.
Always Read the Ingredients List
If you are even a little bit aware of harsh chemicals and how they affect your skin, you must read the list of ingredients written on the product that you are buying. Don’t go for products that don’t have a proper ingredients list unless you have read several reviews on those products. Avoid anything that has SLS/SLES, Paraben, Silicone, Propylene Glycol etc.
So. which mistakes are you still doing?
This post was originally posted on Cherry On Top Blog
