Top 11 Skincare Mistakes You Could Be Making

Everyone takes care of their skin in some form or another. Some people have long and rigorous skincare routines, while others do not use skincare products. Skincare mistakes can be made by a lot of people.

1. Using the Wrong Products for Your Skin Type

Understanding your skin type will help you choose the right skincare products. Some skincare products are for all skin types, but sometimes even these products can irritate some skin types.

Why is it bad to use some products on the skin types they were not created for?

Because if you use a moisturizer designed for dry skin on oily skin, it could cause your pores to clog and develop acne. On the other hand, if you use a product created for oily skin on dry skin, it could cause the skin to become dry and irritated.

Understanding the ingredients in your skincare products will also help you know if a product will help or hinder your skin. Some ingredients that are healing for oily skin are irritating to dry skin.

2. Not Having a Consistent Skincare Routine

Let’s face it, some skincare routines seem like they could take hours to accomplish, and not everyone has time for that. Still, you need to have a consistent skincare routine in the morning and at night.

If you are sporadic with your skincare routine, your skin is not reaping the benefits your products offer it. Also, if you do not wash your face every day, your skin may start to break out because of the oil and dirt build-up.

Developing a skincare routine in your teens and twenties will help your skin stay healthy and happy later in life.

Having a consistent skincare routine does not have to take you hours to do. It can be as quick as washing your face, applying toner and serum, finishing it off with a moisturizer, and out the door you go!

3. Applying Too Much Exfoliation

Scrubbing and washing away dirt and dead skin cells makes our skin feel so smooth and soft, but too much exfoliation could cause harm to your skin.

If you are using too much exfoliation, it harms your skin’s microbiome. The skin microbiome is the good bacteria, fungi, and viruses on your skin that keep it healthy. The more strains you have on your skin, the healthier it is.

You have trillions of microbiomes on your face.

Your microbiome is a barrier to your skin. It is the first defense system against any bad bacteria or pollution that wants to harm you. Each one plays a part in protecting your skin from the environment around you, deciding what can enter your skin and what cannot. 

When you use too much exfoliation, you disrupt and harm the microbiome.

4. Not Reading the Label and Ingredients

Another skincare mistake you could be making is not reading the labels and ingredients on the products you are purchasing. Reading the item label and what ingredients are in a product will help you know what you are putting on your skin. Understanding what ingredients you are putting on your skin can help you avoid harmful and toxic ingredients.

When reading a skincare label, the words used for the ingredients sometimes do not make sense. When was the last time you called coconut oil ‘Cocos Nucifera Oil’?

The names that we use in ingredient labels are referred to as INCI. These names were created to keep skincare labels consistent. One app you can install on your phone to help you understand what ingredients are in a skincare product by scanning the label is Think Dirty.

Another reason to read the label and ingredients in the skincare product is natural can basically mean anything in the skincare world. There is no regulated definition of this word in skincare manufacturing. If you are looking for a natural skincare product, reading the ingredient will help you know if the product you are buying is actually natural.

5. Forgetting to Apply Sunscreen

Sometimes applying sunscreen can be an afterthought in a skincare routine. Forgetting to apply sunscreen is a skincare mistake that people make in their skincare routines. 

Applying sunscreen helps protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays that cause damage to your skin. 

6. Not Washing Off Your Makeup

After a long day or night, washing off your makeup could sound like the biggest chore in the world. On the other hand, not washing off your makeup could lead to unwanted skin conditions you do not want to have, making even more work in your skincare routine.

Washing your face in the morning and at night removes the excess oils, dirt, and makeup that could cause clogged pores. No one wants to deal with a pesky pimple popping up.

7. Continuously Popping Pimples

Watching pimples being popped can be something gross that is addicting to watch. Just ask anyone who loves to watch Dr. Pimple Popper.

Still, popping your pimples and zits is on skincare mistake that you could be making.

When you pop a pimple, it could develop into a scab and take forever to heal. Also, if you pop face pimples, they could develop into a scar, which no one wants on their face.

Using pimple patches or ingredients that you can use instead of pimple patches is your best bet for fighting those pesky pimples.

8. Skipping Toner

Some people may think that skipping toner is ok to do in their skincare routine. This is a mistake that they are making. 

Toners in skincare are created to readjust the pH of your skin after using a cleanser, remove the dirt and grime that was missed, and prepare your skin for serum and moisturizer.

Not using a toner is a mistake in skincare because it is a bridge between cleanser and serum in your skincare routine.

9. Not Using a Face Cleanser to Wash Your Face

Among the top eleven skincare mistakes, you could be making is not using a face cleanser to wash your face. Some people believe that using a body wash is good enough for washing the face. 

Using a body wash on the face instead of a face cleanser is harsher on the skin. A face cleanser is created to be gentle when cleansing the face. Also, face cleansers are created for specific skin concerns you may have.

10. Not Understanding the Importance of pH Balanced Skincare 

Another skincare mistake you could be making is not understanding the importance of pH-balanced skincare. Making sure that the skincare products you purchase have a skin-friendly pH could save you from dry or irritated skin.

The pH of the skin is between 4.7 and 5.75. Finding skincare with a pH in this range will keep your skin from being irritated and dry. 

When you are creating DIY skincare products, understanding pH is important. Some ingredients do better in some pH levels than others. Also, some preservatives only keep products safe in a certain pH range.

11. Having your Skincare in the Wrong Order

The final skincare mistake you could be making is having your skincare routine in the wrong order. For example, if you are applying a moisturizer before a toner, your skin is not going to absorb the moisturizer. 

An everyday skincare routine should follow this order:

1. Cleanser
2. Toner
3. Serum
4. Moisturizer

If you are not doing your skincare routine in the order listed above, your skin could miss some benefits your products have to offer.

Conclusion

Avoiding these eleven skincare mistakes may take some time adjusting your lifestyle and developing new routines. Once you fix these skincare mistakes, your skin will thank you!