Photo: Angela Roma
Skincare is an important part of taking care of your health, and there are so many smart things we can do to get that gorgeous, clear, glowing, dewy skin. At the same time, some pitfalls and mistakes can at best make it hard to get results from the products we use, and at worst, lead to irritation and other issues. How you apply your products is just as important as the products themselves, and there are a few key missteps that you need to correct to truly optimize your skincare regimen.
Skincare Mistake #1: Layering Products Wrong
The order in which you apply your products is an important factor that people often overlook in their skincare routines. Every product that you apply to your face serves a function, and to get the best effect, you have to make sure you don’t layer the wrong things. The rule is to apply the products from lightest to heaviest, and depending on what you use, it will be multiple steps. Your skincare routine always starts with a cleanser so you can remove all the dirt and impurities. Secondly, you need to apply toner and this is a very important step before you apply anything else. Washing your face with a cleanser raises the pH of your skin surface which actually isn’t the best condition for the rest of your products. Toner serves the purpose of bringing your skin pH down so that your serums, creams, and toners can be absorbed well.
After that, the next step is serums - which tend to be the most potent products that contain the most active ingredients. If you’re using things like retinol, niacinamide, and creme verte espoir, these need to be applied before you put on heavier creams so they can fully absorb and do their job. After your serum, it’s now time for moisturizer and facial oil, which help to seal in the hydration your skin has just gained. If it’s during the day, you can put sunscreen on top so that you place a protective barrier before makeup and anything else.
Photo: Tara Winstead
Skincare Mistake #2: Using Droppers The Wrong Way
Many skin care serums and more concentrated formulas come with a dropper application so that you don’t use more than you need. How you use these droppers is actually very important, and often it’s done wrong, and that ultimately affects the effectiveness of the product. Many social media videos that show you how to apply dropper products tell you to take the product with the dropper and use it to apply directly to your face, with the dropper actually touching your face. This is actually not the right way to do it. First of all, the dropper might actually irritate your skin, and secondly, it’s actually better to drop the product into the palm of your hand (making sure that it doesn’t come into contact with your hand), rubbing the product gently to warm it up and then applying it to your face that way.
Skincare Mistake #3: Mixing Active Ingredients
Serums are effective because they contain active ingredients that pack more of a punch in their concentrated form. Some products don’t actually work when they are mixed with other strong active ingredients. For example, vitamin C products can’t be used at the same time as retinol products. Retinol also leads to sun sensitivity, so you have to be careful about using that with sunscreen. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use these products at all, it just means you have to use them on different days.
Photo: Monstera
Skincare Mistake #4: Using Facial Wipes Too Frequently
For most people, facial wipes are a great way to remove makeup and clean up your face after a long day when you feel too tired to fully wash your face. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it definitely shouldn’t be an everyday thing. Facial wipes contain harsh ingredients that will dry out your skin, and also the action of wiping and tugging on your face can lead to irritation and even contribute to making your skin age faster. It’s much better to wash your face with a cleanser and your hands because it’s gentle, and it also allows you to fully remove all the layers of dirt and products from the day.
Having great skin can actually be really easy. If you have the right products, the right routine and you do things the right way, you will definitely have that stunning, healthy glow. Just remember, the process of applying also impacts the effectiveness of the product so be sure to put effort into that too.
Lots of love,
Liz
Post a Comment