Skincare mistakes

SKINCARE MISTAKES MOST OF US MAKE

When it comes to skincare, we all know that the influx of information can be overwhelming, making it hard to know what to believe (and even harder to know what to do)! Unfortunately, many of us are making common skincare mistakes every single day and likely not knowing it! Here are the biggest skincare mistakes most of us do every day and what you can do instead.

Squeezing pimples

Yes, we know this is a really obvious mistake that we’ve been told about countless times, but chances are you might still do it on occasion. Whilst it can be very tempting, try to avoid it at all costs! Picking skin or squeezing pimples can push bacteria and pus into the skin which can result in more swelling, redness and even more pimples. It can also mean you’re left with nasty scabs which can cause permanent skin pits or scars. If you have a pimple that you want to treat, the best thing to do is to leave it. Don’t touch it and don’t squeeze it. If you absolutely must squeeze it, please be gentle. Apply a medium amount of pressure on either side of the pimple and slowly push down with the lightest pressure possible. Do not wiggle your fingers back and forth to try and squeeze it out. Large amounts of pressure or pushing at the skin will create micro tears which can cause scarring. It can spread the bacteria in the pimple further which can create a bigger problem for your skin. Ideally, you’ll avoid touching your face at all, unless it’s to apply a gentle serum after it has been left alone.

Layering too many products

A common trend in skincare lately is layering products a la K Beauty style, however if you’re not completely up to speed with how each ingredient can affect your skin, then it’s probably not advisable. Many people don’t realise that some ingredients when layered together can actually cancel each other out (meaning they don’t actually do anything) or worse – cause harmful skin reactions. But before you throw away the entire contents of your bathroom cabinet, consider understanding how ingredients interact with each other and potential risks that can be involved. For example, Vitamin C serum and Retinol work optimally in different pH environments, so shouldn’t be layered on top of each other. Retinol also shouldn’t be layered with AHAs or BHAs because retinoids the combination can cause excessive skin sensitivity, redness and irritation. Also consider the fact that reducing reliance on synthetics which your skin may not really need can help to restore natural hydrating processes, balance PH levels and strengthen the natural protective barrier. Beauty routines that overload the skin with synthetics are, according to Biologi’s research, unnecessary and can damage the protective barrier that protects the body. Traditional skincare products can be packed with toxic ingredients including chemical activators, irritating fragrance, occlusive emulsifiers and even water to dilute natural actives.

SKINCARE MISTAKES MOST OF US MAKE

Not cleansing properly

The skin needs to be cleansed both morning and night (but not over cleansed – more on that in the next point)! The problem however is that many people don’t actually clean their skin properly. Unfortunately some cleansers just don’t get all the dirt and residue off thoroughly. Whilst your skin might ‘look’ clean, it’s likely there’s some product build up or excess residue sitting on the surface. To counteract this, implement a great cleansing routine at night to ensure make up is removed along with any dirt and residue. Please try to stop any habits of using single-use make up wipes! While makeup wipes can seem like a convenient option to remove make up, not only can they be full of harsh chemicals that disrupt the pH balance of your skin, but they are also terrible for the environment. Instead of a single-use make up wipe, opt for a microfibre cloth. Microfibre cloths are small, reusable pads that look and feel like a very small towel. All you need to do is apply water to the cloth and gently wipe across the face to remove makeup. The water slightly loosens makeup and surface dirt, and the hundreds of tiny fibres grab the particles and hold them away from the skin.

Scrubbing the skin or over-cleansing

Conversely to the above, some people can make the mistake of cleansing too much or scrubbing the skin. Many people thinking scrubbing skin will get rid of excess dirt and residue (which is true) but it also depletes the skin of its natural oils. The skin is home to a complex ‘skin microbiome’ or ‘acid mantle’ which refers to the microorganisms which reside on the skin, comprised of trillions of bacteria that are part of the immune system. The skin’s microbiome is our first line of defence against disease and infection. Its job is to protect the skin from bacteria, environmental pollutants and moisture loss by neutralising contaminations and holding cells tightly. When we cleanse or scrub too much, we can disrupt how effective our acid mantle is, thus throwing it out of whack and causing skin issues like excessive oil production. Rough scrubbing can also irritate the skin and cause inflammation which can result in a myriad of skin issues. Most people should really only need to exfoliate once a week with a gentle enzymatic exfoliant which requires no scrubbing at all and use a gentle cleanser daily.

Using nice smelling products

Most people will tend to opt for products that smell nice, however what many people don’t realise is fragrances can be the number one cause of skin sensitivities! Unfortunately, the term ‘fragrance’ can sometimes just be a code word for chemicals. The unfortunate thing is that brands do not need to fully disclose all ingredients on a product label and fragranced products can often disguise toxic chemicals under the guise of ‘fragrance’. In fact, the European Union, USA and UK are now considering banning fragrance from beauty products, however not in Australia. The rise in health problems and skin conditions associated with fragrances is alarming - one in three Australians recently reported adverse health effects from fragranced products. This includes breathing problems, migraines, asthma attacks and a host of skin irritations. So, if you are suffering from skin issues, consider how fragrances in your products could be contributing to this. Try opting for fragrancefree products but be careful of another marketing trick - ‘Unscented’ products may still contain fragrance. All that word means is that the scent is a neutral one designed to cover up the smell of the ingredients. Fragrance-free products can still have a scent, but it isn’t one that’s been added synthetically. By Lucy Macdougald, Dermal Specialist at Biology. www.biologi.com.au