Photo: Jessica Felicio/Unsplash
No doubt some of us have fallen into naughty traps that could lead to aging skin far sooner than we’d like. Some of us are a little lazy, and others may be enthusiastic; either way, it’s best to know what to avoid to make sure you don’t age before your time.
Whichever you may be, it’s worth knowing what the no-nos are so that you confidently step out into a new day with skin that’s healthy, fresh, and glowing. Often we do not know what we do to our skin that makes it age so quickly.
Here are a few of the most common skincare mistakes that lead to aging skin:
1. Going to sleep with makeup on
Yep, it’s probably the last thing you want to do after a great night out on the town, but the accumulated damage over time is not worth it. At night, our skin cells regenerate at twice the speed as it does during the day. So if you still have the foundation on from your night out, it results in clogged pores which makes it almost impossible for your skin to produce new skin cells. Not to mention the chemicals inside the foundation, cause your skin to dry out very quickly, which also results in premature aging.
Really want to avoid the visible signs of aging? Wash that makeup off before you lay your head down on the pillow and don’t forget to clean your makeup brushes too!
2. Giving moisturizers a miss
Keeping your skin well-hydrated with the right moisturizer throughout the day is essential if you have dry skin and want to avoid fine lines and keep wrinkles at bay. Make sure it has at least an SPF of 15, winter and summer. Use a rich moisturizer at night to feed the skin while it’s resting.
As mentioned previously, your skin regenerates during the night, and when you apply a rich moisturizer, you help your skin to discard old skin cells, make new ones and soak up the night cream to penetrate optimally. It’s tempting to think that if you have oily skin adding a moisturizer will just exacerbate the oiliness, but it doesn’t. Everyone needs to use a moisturizer, as long as you make sure it’s the right one for your skin type.
3. Not drinking enough water
Water aids in hydration from the inside out. It keeps our bodies hydrated, which helps to keep skin healthy too by flushing both the body and skin for that glowing effect. Drinking water is the easiest way to boost collagen and elasticity in your skin. The more water you drink, the more you create an environment for your collagen to thrive. As a result, your skin will take much longer to age and wrinkle than it usually would if you don’t drink water.
Add a slice or two of lemon to your water as a natural anti-oxidant. It’s worth it if you want to keep your skin looking young and smooth for longer. Of course, not everyone loves water, so add the lemon to tea without caffeine; it’ll work just as well.
Photo: National Cancer Institute/Unsplash 4. Unpacking SPF only for summer:
This is more common than we think. We haul out sun protection creams for summer and pack them away for winter, which is not the way to go. UV rays are powerful enough to penetrate the clouds, and we don’t always realize the negative impact the sun can have on our skin. Sun damage plays a massive part in prematurely aging skin. Lucky for us, it is entirely preventable. By applying a mild sunscreen over your moisturizer daily, you will surely be thanking yourself in the future.
5. Exfoliating too much, or not at all
Whether or not you have sensitive skin, exfoliation is an excellent way of getting rid of dead skin cells to give the skin room to breathe. Dead skin cells piling up is terrible for your skin and can cause it to age a lot faster than it has to. The idea is to soften and brighten your skin. An excellent way to start is to exfoliate once a week and take it from there. It’s important to make sure you’re using the right exfoliator for your skin and that you don’t exfoliate more than twice a week if your skin isn’t too sensitive.
