By Saya Skincare
Look, we get it. We all make mistakes. No one’s perfect. But the skin is the largest organ in the body, so it is definitely worth looking after as best we can. And when it comes to the skin, some mistakes are more costly than others, leaving you with dull, damaged, and congested skin in desperate need of love and care.
But what are these skincare sins, and how can you avoid them? Let’s find out:
1. Not double cleansing
If a quick once-over with a face wipe or a splash of water is generally how you wash your face, unfortunately it’s not going to cut it. Especially if you wear a lot of makeup or tend to have oily, combination or congested skin.
Not properly cleansing your face can accelerate the ageing process, lead to a dull, tired complexion and clog pores causing breakouts. Just like your hair, your face needs to be cleansed twice. Preferably morning and night, but at least at the end of the day. Why you ask?
Because your first cleanse will break down and remove what’s sitting on your skin – like makeup, sunscreen, sweat, dirt, bacteria and pollutants, but it won’t necessarily get deep down into your pores and wash away impurities. But that is exactly what the second cleanse will do. Leaving you with truly cleansed skin ready to absorb your serums, oils and moisturisers.
So, consider this your PSA and go and wash your face. Twice!
2. Skipping exfoliation or over-exfoliating
When it comes to exfoliation people tend to fall into two categories. Not exfoliating at all or exfoliating too much. Of the two, they’re both as bad as each other!
Exfoliation is the key to healthy, glowing skin. By removing all those dead skin cells, you help your skin maintain and improve its natural skin cell renewal. However, the best thing that exfoliating does for your skin is allow all of your other skincare goodies to penetrate deeper. This means your moisturisers, serums, facial oils and creams are much more effective. If you aren’t exfoliating, you are missing out on all these amazing benefits.
On the other hand, if you over-exfoliate, you can damage your skin causing sensitivity, redness, dry and dehydrated skin, peeling and flaking. None of which is good for the health of your skin.
So, no matter which category you fall into, we recommend exfoliating 1-3 times a week for best results.
3. Stopping at your chin
Many of us make the mistake of thinking that once we have nourished our face, this is where our skincare routine ends. But our neck and décolletage need just as much nourishment.
The skin around our neck produces less oil than the skin on your face, making it quite delicate and prone to damage. It also receives a high amount of sun exposure, often without the SPF protection we afford to our face.
All of this means, it is one of the first areas to show signs of ageing and skin concerns. So, if this is one skin sin you’ve been committing, repeat after us: ‘your face doesn’t stop until your boobs’.
4. Using sulphates
Using sulphates on any part of your body is a big no-no. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is the main culprit and we aren't going to lie, this ingredient is pretty average and is commonly found in skin and hair care products. SLS is used for its awesome ability to foam and lather. However, it also has the not-so-awesome power to:
- Disrupt your skins PH Balance
- Damage your skins ability to retain moisture
- Strip your skin of its oils leaving it dry
- Cause sensitive skin and breakouts
So, this one skin sin that should definitely should be avoided. Be sure to check your labels and ingredients.
We are happy to report that all of our products are sulphate and paraben free.
5. Sleeping in your makeup
This is a skin sin that is easy to do. After a long day at work (or a long night out partying), the last thing you want to do is a skincare routine. We get that.
But going to sleeping in your makeup can clog pores, leaving you with a fresh face of breakouts. And your makeup won’t be the only thing to stay on your skin. All the dirt and pollutants that build-up over the course of the day (and night) will too - seeping into your skin as you sleep.
So for healthier, glowing skin always wash your face thoroughly at night.
