We all make mistakes, whats important is that we learn from them and do better.

3 women touching their faces interested in skin sins

Over exfoliating

One of the most common skin mistakes! Don’t get me wrong, buffing away excess dirt and skin feels so satisfying. Plus, exfoliating regularly is key to healthy skin. However, exfoliating too often will damage your skin barrier. You see, your skin is a protective organ, remove too much and you’re left with vulnerable, irritated, inflamed skin. Do you find yourself breaking out often? Does your skin feel tight, dry or sensitive? Over-exfoliating could be the cause. Keep in mind that there are more than just physical exfoliants, chemical exfoliants (AHA, BHA, retinol) can contribute to over-exfoliation. Try only exfoliating twice a week, and slowly build up retinol tolerance.

Sleeping in makeup

No, no, no! This should be a no-brainer! Your skin heals at night, so give it some love! Sleeping with makeup clogs your pores, and can irritate your eyes. If you struggle to remember to wash your face before bed, try to wash up as soon as you get home from work.

Not reapplying sunscreen

Awesome, you put on sunscreen and you’re good for the day- right? Well not quite, if you spend a lot of the day outdoors you need to reapply. Or if you exercise and sweat it all off. Oh and don’t rely on the SPF in makeup it simply can’t offer the same level of protection. If you want to reapply over makeup try an SPF powder.

Not cleaning your makeup brushes, pillows, or phone enough

Ack! The amount of bacteria build-up these items accumulate is not something I like to think about. Pimples love bacteria! This is your sign to wash your brushes, change your sheets and wipe your phone with some Lysol, TODAY.

Touching your face

Speaking of bacteria, stop touching your face. It’s one of those unconscious things we all do, breaking the habit can be hard but you gotta do it! Think of all the surfaces you touch in a day! Along with this you should never pick or pop a pimple. It’s tempting, but ultimately would you rather have a zit for a few days or a scar for life?

Not cleansing deep enough

What do I mean by that? Well, a few things can lead to not cleaning your face properly.

Not cleansing deeply
Deep cleansing means using an effective cleanser based on your needs. If you wear heavy makeup, consider double cleansing. Double cleansing involves using one cleanser to remove makeup (think oil-based cleanser or micellar water), followed by another cleanser to treat your skin issues and remove any excess makeup (typically water-based like ZO cleansers).
Washing too fast
Hey- sometimes you’re in a hurry. Washing too fast means you might not clean properly, leaving build-up behind. Or even still having cleanser on your face which can be quite drying.
Not enough water
Lather up, baby! Water is going to help spread the product evenly and activate ingredients. While you’re at it, consider adding a water softener to your sink. Hard water can contain high amounts of calcium and magnesium which can be harsh on the skin. Soft water = soft skin.

Neglecting toner

Toner is like the overlooked middle child, everyone ignores it! People often wonder if toner is really necessary, let me tell you why it is. First of all, after cleansing your skin’s pH becomes more alkaline, and healthy skin is slightly acidic. Toner restores your skin to a healthy level of acidity so it can fight bacteria. It also cleans up anything that got missed during cleansing, you should see how ZO Complexion Renewal Pads look after use, it’s shocking! Finally, toner helps with the appearance of pores, and preps the skin for moisturizing products. Who wouldn’t want to maximize their serum’s effectiveness?

DIY skincare

Please, just don’t. It may seem appealing to have a ‘natural’ low-cost home remedy but they are usually ineffective (or actively harmful). Mostly you see this kind of stuff on Instagram, but rarely do you ever see a licensed professional sharing it. So next time you see an infographic telling you to treat your acne with toothpaste, put the tube down and call your esthetician. It’s worth it to invest in your skin.