It is essential to take care of your skin if you want it to look beautiful and healthy. However, there are several mistakes that many people hold as the truth in the quest to care for the skin. In this post, we consider some of these mistakes and debunk them.
What Are The Frequent Skincare Mistakes?
Let’s now consider some of the common skincare mistakes and misconceptions.
Mistakes 1 – No Face Washing In the Morning
The first mistake about skincare that many have is that there is no need to wash the face in the morning. Why do they think this way? Well, many suppose that since they have washed their face before going to bed, there is no need to wash the face the following morning.
Some also think that washing the face in the morning, especially if they used skincare products the morning before, will remove all the skincare products that they used and leave their skin dry.
The Truth
The truth of the matter is that washing your face in the morning is beneficial to your skin. The skin needs to be cleaned every morning. Why? Well, just because you are asleep does not mean that your skin is asleep. In fact, the skin uses the sleep time to replenish itself – getting rid of dead skin cells and keratin.
Additionally, the bedding that you use, whether your pillowcases or sheets, might contain mites and other organisms that cause your skin to be unclean. If you don’t wash these off, then you’ll be inviting problems to the face.
Some of the problems that you might have to battle with include acne, blackheads, clogged pores, and so on.
Mistake 2 – Facial Cleanser Leaves a Residue
Another mistake that many consider as fact is the rumor that washing your face with a facial cleanser will leave product residue on the skin. With this rumor making the rounds, many people have become worried about using a facial cleanser.
But is this rumor true? Well, let’s see what the experts say.
The Truth
According to experts, we are constantly bombarded by contaminants. And this is true. All around us are chemical paint, radiation, and other sources of pollution. Therefore, whether you wake early in the morning or come back late at night, your face is certainly full of contaminants.
The best thing you can do to get rid of these contaminants is wash your face; you simply cannot ignore that. The substances in your facial cleanser are helpful because they help bring out the dirt that lies in your pores and help keep your face clean.
If you fail to use the cleanser, you might end up with skin problems you probably never expected.
So, what is the correct approach to washing your face? The correct thing to do is to wash the hands before washing the face. Why? The hands are a primary way of communicating with the world. Therefore, they carry lots of contaminants in the form of bacteria and other stuff. Touching your face will transfer these contaminants to the face.
If you don’t wash your hand before washing your face, it will waste face wash and stain your face with bacteria and some other contaminants.
To wash your face correctly, start by wetting the face with water, then pour the face cleanser on the palm of the hand. Form lather and then wipe the cleanser on the face. This will ensure that you get a better and more thorough washing effect. Gently use your fingertips to circle parts of the face starting from the eyebrows to your forehead, then from the bridge of the nose to the ears, then both sides of the nose.
After washing the whole face with the cleanser and warm water, pat cold water to the face to reduce the temperature and close your open pores.
To ensure that no residue is left on the face, it is highly recommended that you use a toner.
Mistake 3 – Use a Towel to Dry the Face
This is a skincare routine mistake made by many people. After washing their face, many pick up a towel and use it to clean their face. However, while it might remove the moisture from your face, there are some risks associated with it. Let’s see what the experts say.
The Truth
Rubbing a rough towel on the face after your bath runs the risk of damaging your skin – especially if it is delicate skin. Doing this will harm and stimulate the skin. Some of the results of doing this include wrinkles and fine lines appearing on the skin.
Additionally, it might also cause the intrusion of hidden bacteria. If you have acne, you will likely rub the towel on the spot, thus transferring some of the acne to the towel and spreading it to other parts of your face.
So should you not clean your face after washing it? Well, you should, but it should be done correctly. Here is how to do it:
After cleaning your face or washing it, use a tissue to pat the water dry. Do not rub it on your face. If you have acne, use a tissue to absorb the moisture instead of rubbing the towel on the spot.
Mistake 4 – Hard Exfoliation Is Good For The Skin.
One mistake that many are peddled is that you need to scrub or exfoliate firmly if you want to get the best from your product. Since exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells, the logic is that the harder you scrub, the better it is for your skin.
The Truth
While exfoliation is great, it does not have to be painful before it can work for you. When using an exfoliator, it is best to be as gentle as possible. If you scrub too firmly, you can cause serious damage to your skin.
You should also avoid exfoliating daily. Exfoliating once or twice every week should be sufficient for your skin. If you exfoliate daily, you will not give your skin the necessary length of time for it to heal.
After you exfoliate, it is best to use a moisturizer to soothe the skin.
Skin Toning Mistakes
More people appreciate the importance of using a toner in their skincare routine, but several still have misconceptions and peddle mistakes about sin toning. We consider some of these mistakes and debunk them.
Mistake 1 – Pour the Toner on Your Hands and Pat into the Skin
One mistake that many make when using toners is to pour the product directly on their hands then patting it on the face. They think that doing this will make the toner easier for the skin to absorb. But is this true?
The Truth
Well, there are several schools of thought about how to use a toner. However, pouring the toner on the hands and patting it onto the skin will not cleanse the skin or tighten it. In fact, patting the toner on the body will cause it to run off and lead to waste.
Instead of that, apply some toner to a cotton pad, and then gently apply it on your washed face and neck. With this method, even a small amount will go a long way. When done this way, you will get better adhesion of the toner on the skin, thus boosting the cleaning, toning, and moisturizing effect. After you use the cotton pad, then you can pat some more with the hands.
Mistake 2 – ‘Natural’ Toners Are Better
Many people believe that any product, including toners, that have been marked as ‘natural’ or ‘chemical free’ is better than other types of toners. This makes them stock them. However, this is not true.
The Truth
The truth is that while ‘natural’ products might be more appealing, there is no evidence to suggest that they do a better and safer job on the skin than other types of toners.
The effectiveness of a product relies, most of the time, on the person. Therefore, to know whether a toner will work for you or not, ensure that you know your skin type and consult with a licensed professional.
Additionally, products like chemical peels and those toners that aren’t marked as ‘chemical free’ or ‘natural’ might also be made from natural ingredients and will work for almost every skin type out there.
When choosing the ingredients to use on the skin, the main consideration is the skin type and what you prefer. Parabens and preservatives in your toner have not been proved to be harmful to the skin.
Furthermore, without the use of preservatives, most of your favorite skincare products will go bad quickly and be infested with bacteria, yeast, and similar organisms.
If you must absolutely use toners that are marked ‘natural,’ it is vital that you check out the expiration dates on the products because they might not last as long as the other products that have preservatives in them.
Conclusion
Skincare is serious business, and everyone wants the best skin. Take note of the mistakes that we have debunked in this article. You should now know the things that you should do or avoid doing when caring for your skin.
