7 Mistakes You’re Probably Making with Your Skincare Routine

Think you’ve finally managed to perfect your skincare routine? Think again…

Skincare mistakes are so easy to make, and some are far more common than others. If you’re doing any of the following, then it’s time for a few changes to your beauty regime.

Using Facial Wipes Everyday

There’s no denying how convenient they can be when traveling, but facial wipes are definitely not a substitute for a good cleanser. Unfortunately, facial wipes often feature heavily in daily skincare routines, leaving so many with skin that hasn’t really been cleansed.

What’s the problem with facial wipes? Most contain harsh, drying ingredients that alter the natural pH of your skin, which could leave you dealing with everything from acne to premature aging. They also don’t effectively cleanse the skin of excess oils – use them as your main cleanser every day and you’ll soon end up with clogged pores.

Instead, swap your facial wipes for a gentle, hydrating cleanser that will clear debris, sebum, and dead skin cells without damaging your skin’s protective barrier.

Combining Incompatible Ingredients

Not all skincare ingredients play nicely together. In fact, certain combinations can cancel each other out, or even work together against your skin.

Retinol and glycolic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide, glycolic acid and salicylic acid – none of these pairings are ideal. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to choose between your favorites – simply pick one to use in your morning routine, and the other for the evening.

Neglecting Your Neck

If you concentrate your skincare routine on your face and don’t give your neck the same TLC, then you’re making a huge mistake. The skin on your neck is actually even more vulnerable than parts of your face – it contains fewer protein fibers and fatty tissues, meaning that the skin in this area is thinner, and therefore more prone to wrinkles and sagging.

You don’t want to be dealing with turkey neck when you’re older, making now the time to add a good neck cream into your skincare routine. Don’t have one yet? Check out this Strivectin TL Advanced Tightening Neck Cream PLUS review. This formula is a popular choice because of how it lifts, tightens, firms, and brightens – everything that you could possibly need for the delicate skin on your neck.

Incorrect Product Layering

The order in which skincare products are applied matters more than many people realize. Get the order wrong and your products won’t actually be able to properly penetrate into your skin, meaning that they simply won’t work.

So, what should the order be for applying the products in your skincare routine? A cleanser should always be the first step, followed by a toner and/or an exfoliant. After that, the general rule of thumb would be to start with the thinnest and lightest product, such as a serum, and work your way up, ending with the thickest.

Rubbing Instead of Patting

In Japan and South Korea, you’ll rarely see people rubbing their expensive skincare products into their skin. Instead, they use their fingertips to lightly pat the product in. 

This may seem a little strange at first, and it can definitely be more time-consuming, but experts believe that patting may help to increase product absorption, making a skincare product so much more effective. As an added bonus, tapping motions also increase blood flow in the skin, which will leave your face with a natural, radiant glow.

Skipping the SPF

Let’s face it, we’re all guilty of skipping the SPF from time to time. However, do this on a regular basis and you’ll soon regret it. UV rays cause some major damage to the skin – not only are they responsible for up to 80% of facial aging (this includes fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, and dark spots), but they can also lead to skin cancer.

So, it’s time to get serious about your SPF usage and make this a priority in your daytime skincare routine. The key to doing so is finding an SPF product that you genuinely love. Look into mineral, rather than chemical, sunscreens – you’ll find several options that are not only gentle and safe for the skin, but offer additional skincare benefits too.

Using Toxic Ingredients

Wondering why we just recommended using a mineral sunscreen, as opposed to a chemical formula? Because some of the ingredients used in chemical sunscreens can actually be dangerous for both your skin and your health. 

Unfortunately, it’s not just sunscreen products that you need to be wary of. Unless you’ve spent some time researching clean beauty ingredients, it’s highly likely that your skincare routine contains products that could potentially be doing more harm than good.

Parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, benzyl alcohol, fragrances – there are too many dangerous, yet commonly used, toxic ingredients to list. So, take matters into your own hands – do an online search for any unrecognizable ingredients in your skincare products, so that you’re fully aware of everything that you’re putting into your skin, and therefore into your body.

Summary

Even if you have the best of intentions, it’s likely that you’re still guilty of making some of the above skincare mistakes. Fortunately, you now know better, so do what you need to do to once again give your skin the very best.