For many women, putting on makeup is part of a daily beauty routine. However, this seemingly harmless gesture can, in the long run, become problematic for the epidermis. In this article, we will help you zoom in on the harmful consequences that too much makeup can have on the skin, as well as the techniques to protect the face in the best possible way.
What Are the Effects of Everyday Makeup on the Skin?
Make-up helps hide imperfections and enhances the natural beauty of each. But behind its harmless appearance, makeup can have negative consequences on the skin in the long run.
1. Prevents Skin from “Breathing”
Many makeup products put pressure on the epidermis and prevent it from breathing. This is especially true of foundation, which can end up irritating the skin and causing acne breakouts.
The foundation, by virtue of its composition, can have a comedogenic effect. Despite careful makeup removal, residues can be captured in the pores and clog them. The result is the generation of blackheads, pimples, and skin reactions.
2. Infections
Any new cosmetic is contaminated with bacteria when it comes into contact with the air and the skin. The more makeup is used, the more contacts are multiplied, the more microorganisms proliferate.
We increase this exposure tenfold if we do not respect the expiration dates of cosmetics. As a result, there is a risk of infections. Experts also indicate that it is important not to lend your make-up utensils at the risk of contracting ailments.
3. Visible Imperfections and Fast Aging
The more we mask our skin, the more it loses its elasticity, its collagen, and loses its anti-aging properties. Applying makeup daily tends to accentuate premature skin aging. The thin and delicate skin around the eyes and mouth are the first to be affected. Moreover, a vicious circle can set in. While we try to cover up some imperfections, they can be even more visible. The excess makeup gets lodged in the furrows of wrinkles or pimples.
4. Too Dry Skin
One of the most common mistakes is using the same makeup in summer and winter. However, the needs of the skin are not the same during the cold season. Applying excess matte and powdery finishes to the face and lips can lead to dryness.
The skin barrier, by absorbing makeup, becomes dehydrated and becomes uncomfortable. This is the case when the foundation is applied directly to the face, without using moisturizer first.
5. Excessive Use of Makeup Remover
Applying a lot of makeup inevitably leads to increased use of makeup remover and cottons to remove excess. What if we thought of the planet by using, for example, washable cotton pads?
Having mentioned the consequences of excessive makeups on the skin, fortunately, there are techniques to deal with the inconvenience caused by it, without having to draw a final line on your favorite cosmetics.
How Do You Best Protect Your Skin From Makeup?
To protect your skin from the harmful effects of makeup, there are simple steps you can take. Thanks to these, you will be able to continue to apply makeup while ensuring you don’t damage your skin barrier.
1. Have Impeccable Hygiene
It may seem obvious, but it is always important to remember this: when you put on make-up, your hands must be clean. Do not touch your face with dirty hands, as this may cause acne and nasty pimples to appear.
An application brush is very practical for applying creams, masks, and foundations: it allows for perfect hygiene while helping to apply the product evenly to the skin.
2. Remove Makeup Every Day
Another golden rule: Never go to bed without removing your makeup completely. At nightfall and bedtime, the face should be clean and without makeup. If it doesn’t, your pores may become clogged, which will lead to breakouts.
Also, makeup residues, by preventing the epidermis from regenerating, can cause premature aging of the skin.
The time to remove makeup is therefore essential if you want to protect your skin from the negative effects of makeup.
3. Use a Protective Base
To take care of your skin, it is essential to use a moisturizing base before applying the foundation.
If your skin is not properly hydrated, the foundation will only hide dry and damaged skin.
Therefore, before applying a layer of makeup, it is important to resort to protective care. We recommend a corrective primer, which will be ideal for those who want to apply makeup while pampering their skin.
In addition to tightening the pores and refining the skin texture, primers help fix the hold of the foundation for longer.
4. Choose Good Quality Cosmetics
When buying makeup, look for brands that use ingredients of natural origin. Some products contain toxic elements that worsen the harmful effects of foundation on the pores.
The best option is to use only natural, non-comedogenic and organic cosmetics. They are gentler on the epidermis and are suitable even for the most sensitive skin.
5. Take Care of Your Face
To intensely hydrate your face, and reduce the covering effect of the foundation, it is important to regularly exfoliate and detoxify your skin. A raspberry resurfacing peel will do wonders to get rid of your dead cells. It will act in depth by purifying your skin barrier, and leaving the facial skin soft and refreshed.
6. Reserve Days without Makeup
One last essential technique to protect your face: try from time to time to go days without makeup. If it’s difficult for you to go to work with natural skin, you may decide not to wear makeup on weekends, when you have a more relaxed schedule and fewer social obligations.
Going days without makeup helps your face breathe and easing pressure off it. It is essential to give your skin the opportunity, from time to time, not to be covered with cosmetics. In this way, cell renewal is stimulated, and the epidermis has time to regenerate properly.
The ideal is to spend at least two days a week with bare skin. If that sounds like a lot to you, one day a week may be fine. The most important thing is to give your face free moments every week so that it can breathe naturally.
7. Wash Your Face with Room Temperature Water
Whether it is dry skin or not, you will always find your face a little oily when you get up in the morning. But if you wash your face with hot water or a product with very strong cleaning power, it will damage the skin, cause enlarged pores or irritate acne.
Acne growth on oily skin, when you can’t remove the oil by washing your face all the time, will cause the skin to secrete more oil from the imbalance of oil and water.
8. Thinner and Lighter Maintenance than Usual
Less is more. Just use enough moisturizing lotion! Choose the skincare products that suit your skin type. Don’t give your skin too sticky and heavy skincare products, so that your skin can breathe.
It can activate the skin’s repair function. You can also try to use petroleum jelly to lock the water in the last step of maintenance. Many even say that even using only petroleum jelly makes the skin better.
9. UV Protection Is Important
Ultraviolet rays can penetrate the clouds and can also penetrate the glass. To take advantage of beneficial UV, the skin will not have UV-resistant makeup or sunscreen on the face during the rest day.
Don’t forget to shade and sunscreen between 10 am to 2 pm. After all, ultraviolet rays are a big cause of skin aging. No matter what, try to avoid contact with it!
10. Don’t Do Anything! Go To Sleep!
If you don’t get enough sleep or stay up late, this may affect your skin texture, and you may have dark circles, edema, dry skin, oily T-shaped skin, and rough and aging skin. Let the skin take a good rest. It is better to relax, and sleep.
11. Eat More Fruits
Fruits are rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, and other ingredients that are good for the skin. Apples, kiwis, etc. are all fruits that can make the skin better. Ingesting healthy water and fruits is better than just taking snacks or sweets. Absorbing unhealthy ingredients not only doesn’t help the skin but may also make the body look out of shape!
Conclusion
The make-up: there are those who have banished it and those who could not go out without wearing it. If each person has found her routine, it is clear that the trend is to overlay layers. “Perfecting” base, foundation, concealer, setting powder, blush, highlighter, mascara, and eyeliners. These are real sublimating layering. But what are the consequences on our skin and mucous membranes?
Make-up is an ally, but the skin and the mucous membranes suffer from it. This is due to the composition of cosmetics, to the way we remove makeup, but also to the bacteria and viruses that nest on our cosmetics.
Make-up is necessary when going out, but when you can stay at home and don’t see people every week, you might as well let your skin take a good rest. Reduce skin pressure by occasionally choosing a day or two to give the skin a complete rest time. This way, the skin can develop its proper self-healing power and vitality.