Creating a skincare routine leaves plenty of room for individuality and creativity. There are few rules when it comes to which serums, toners, nutristrips, cleansers and moisturizers you prefer, providing your skin will tolerate them. However, there are a few skincare mistakes that can cause your routine to not work as well as it could for your skin’s health. Here are five common problems to avoid when designing and implementing your skincare routine.
Ignoring Your Neck
Don’t make the common mistake of cutting off products at your chin line. The skin on your neck is just as sensitive and delicate as the skin on your face and requires the same amount of care.
Most great skincare products are preventative and cumulative, such as retinol treatments that increase skin turnover steadily as you apply them for years on end. If you miss your neck for a year or more, that area of your skin falls far behind your face, and it can be difficult to bridge that gap going forward.
One easy way to care for the skin on your neck is to give it adequate hydration. A neck serum can reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the neck and improve skin elasticity.
Skipping Sunscreen
Sunscreen is the most important step of your skincare routine because the sun’s rays easily damage skin cells. Those with pale Type I skin can sustain sun damage after only 10 minutes of exposure. Sun damage causes premature skin aging and increases your risk of skin cancer, so for both health and beauty, never skip sunscreen.
Adding Too Many Products at Once
Skincare routines should be a source of joy, and for enthusiasts, it can be fun to play around with new products and formulations. Try to avoid adding more than one product in one week, however.
If you splurge on a dozen new skincare items and start adding them all at once, you may cause irritation from all of the new stimuli you’re piling onto your skin. This can be hard to tell apart from a minor allergic reaction. Adding too many products at once makes it impossible to tell which new product is irritating your skin.
Over-Exfoliating
Chemical exfoliants are useful skincare tools, as they encourage healthy new skin to grow. However, too much exfoliation breaks down the skin’s natural protective barrier. Make sure you’re not using more than one or two exfoliants in your routine, especially if you have sensitive skin.
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Forgetting Nighttime Routine
Skincare is an essential step in the morning, but at nighttime, it can be tempting to simply take off your makeup and call it a day. The nighttime routine is important because it allows beneficial ingredients and moisturizers to sink into the skin over a longer period of time. This strengthens the skin barrier, making it healthier and less prone to inflammation.
Nighttime skincare can also make it easier for you to sleep by conditioning the brain to associate this ritual with bedtime. Sleep strips can also help make your sleep routine more effective for better rest.
The devil is in the details when it comes to an effective skincare routine. Experiment within healthy limits by avoiding these five mistakes when caring for your skin.
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