Our skincare obsession has definitely stepped up a notch over the years – our beauty cabinet is stashed with effective serums, well-formulated cleansers, and more sheet masks than a die-hard K-beauty fan. But, as meticulous as your skincare regimen may be, you could still be guilty of making one of these common skincare mistakes, and it could be the only thing coming between you and your dream skin. Here are seven skincare mistakes you don’t want to be making:
1. Overusing skincare products
With so many miracle products around, it’s hard to know which ones to use and when – surely the more the better, right? Wrong! Sometimes you can overuse products and overload on active ingredients. For example, if you’re using multiple products containing AHAs, you could be over-exfoliating your skin, disrupting the skin’s protective barrier, and triggering breakouts. When it comes to active ingredients, try to stick to this rule – the stronger the ingredient, the less you should use it. Take salicylic acid as an example, it’s a super potent exfoliator so you should only need to use it a few times a week, and not in conjunction with other exfoliating formulas like a glycolic acid peel or lactic acid formula. Find out other ways you may be overwhelming your skin here.
2. Neglecting your neck
SO many of us neglect our necks, which means later down the line our face and neck don’t match up. You should actually continue your entire beauty regime all the way down to your collarbone, including cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and of course, moisturizing. But most importantly, make sure you’re gentle when dealing with your neck and décolletage, as the skin is very sensitive. Always use upwards motions so that you’re not pulling at the skin.
Knowing how to layer your products is another essential skill in any beauty junkie’s repertoire. If you layer them incorrectly, you could prevent the formula from being absorbed properly into the skin. The general rule to follow is: apply the most lightweight formulas first so they’re not blocked by the heavier creams. You should also wait a couple of minutes between applying each product to give it the opportunity to sink in. This will also prevent your products from piling – when those tiny little balls form on the surface of your skin when you’ve used too much product. See our full guide to layering products here.
4. Neglecting your upper lip
Often when we apply our lotions, our cheeks get all of the love, but there’s one area that definitely doesn’t get the TLC it deserves; the upper lip. Your upper lip is actually mega important since your lips age faster than the rest of your face. This is why we recommend applying your eye cream to your upper lip as they contain ingredients to boost collagen production and strengthen and tone the skin.
5. Not applying correctly
One of the biggest skin mistakes you can make (and we’re pretty sure we’ve all made it) is pulling or tugging at your skin while applying products. You need to be super gentle with your skin, otherwise, you’ll just be counteracting the job your cream is trying to do.
How to apply creams correctly: Glide your fingertips across your face, using light upwards motions from the inside to outside of your face. Then using small gentle strokes, glide the product along your chin. Finish with the eye area, using soft tapping motions – our fave K-beauty method. This will help increase circulation and boost lymphatic drainage, which will help tone your skin.
6. Not drinking enough water
If you ask any model what their number one skincare rule is, it’s to drink A LOT of water. We know it’s one of the most basic rules out there, but the sooner you realize what’s going on in the inside MASSIVELY reflects on the outside, the better your skin will be. If your body, and consequentially your skin, is dehydrated, it’ll look dull, your pores may become more obvious, and your fine lines will be more pronounced. So, make sure you drink at least two liters of water a day – we love starting our day with a cup of hot water and a wedge of lemon to cleanse our digestive system.
7. Not wearing SPF
What a lot of people don’t realize is that 90% of how your skin ages is directly related to sun exposure and it’s completely within your control – basically, wearing sunscreen is a must! But as well as containing SPF 30 or higher, you need a sunscreen with a 4 or 5-star UVA rating, to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are directly responsible for sunburn, skin discoloration, redness, and they also contribute to skin cancer. UVA rays are actually considered more dangerous than UVB, as they penetrate more deeply and are the main cause of long-term skin damage, like fine lines and wrinkles, and the destruction of collagen that leads to skin sagging. To find out more, check our ultimate SPF guide.
Application tip: Make sure you apply your sunscreen after all your skincare products but before you apply your makeup. Also, bear in mind it takes sunscreen 20 minutes to activate.