Did you know?
Without even realizing, certain day-to-day things we do, prematurely age our skin.
I hear you! As if we didn’t have enough things to worry about, we need to add more to the list.
I get it!
But I also don’t want to have grandma skin, so I say we just deal with it, accept it, kick ass and make a few small changes here and there so our older selves can thank us!
Here are some critical mistakes that you should avoid more than vampires avoid garlic. Sorry, I’m Romanian; I couldn’t help myself! I shared some of these in a Facebook video, but I had to leave some out in order to keep that video under 20 minutes; so here they are – all of them – exclusively for you, my blog family.
Mistake #1
Looking down at your phone. Make it a habit to bring it slightly higher and avoid prominent neck wrinkles.
#2
Pursing your lips. Though it’s drinking with a straw, applying makeup or duck-lipping for selfies. The constant repetition leads to premature lip lines and you’ll look like you’ve been smoking for the past 20 years.
#3
Excessive running can cause:
“Runner’s Face”
– early sagging. More radical damage, that leads to a breakdown in collagen. TBH, I personally see this not only as good news for the face, but knees as well. Go instead for moderate exercise, basically working out at around 50% of your maximum heart rate.
#4
Steaming. I can’t with this and don’t understand why more people are not aware of it. And for heaven’s sake, WHY do some estheticians still use steam on their clients? Unless it’s used for the extraction of stubborn blemishes, steam should never come close to your skin! See this video for more about it.
#5
Not sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase. Even the softest cotton won’t be gentle enough and that can encourage fine lines & bonus: split ends.
#6
Sleep with the hair away from the face. Dirt from the day that accumulates in your hair, particles of hair products that perhaps contain fragrance, sulfates & other ingredients that would make your skin crawl, they will all rub from your hair onto the pillow and from the pillow onto your face. Solution? Pull the hair in a loose braid at night.
#7
Getting less than 7 hours of sleep.
If you’re a troubled sleeper, here are a bunch of tips that can help.
#8
Not managing stress. “Studies have shown that habitual worrying increases cortisol and promotes oxidative damage, which lead to premature aging.” I’ve made videos about how to manage stress by the way, they’re super practical and super effective, and they’re all on my YouTube channel. Just check out the Self Help playlist.
#9
Neglecting your neck, chest & hands – especially the back of the hands. Are you applying SPF there too?
Skincare doesn’t stop at the jawline.
#10
Using dirty makeup brushes. Dirty brushes and sponges don’t just lead to breakouts and acne, they actually cause premature lines & wrinkles. So lather those babies using a gentle shampoo and save yourself some premature grandma skin. Try cleaning them every week if you can.
#11
Not sanitizing your phone, glasses & everything else that comes in contact with your face.
Bacteria = breakouts = premature aging.
#12
Popping pimples. Aside from spreading bacteria which will inevitably lead to even more pimples, popping causes inflammation, irritation and damage to the integrity of the skin. Anytime you feel the impulse to pop, close your eyes and slooowly count to 5. The average lifespan of an impulse is 5 seconds.
#13
You’re not using antioxidants in your skincare routine & diet. Here’s a video I did that details antioxidants (what you HAVE to know) and another video, where I shared which foods are high in antioxidants (you’ll want to eat these!). That’s how you DOUBLE WHAMMY your anti-aging routine. Killer!!! You’ll look 30 on your 40th birthday!!
#14
Stop over-cleansing – it’s stripping the skin of its natural oils. Use a gentle (ideally creamy), non-foaming cleanser once a day at night and very little in the morning.
#15
Going to bed with makeup on. I mean… How much worse can it get!?
#16
You’re using gritty exfoliators.
The BEST and most gentle way to remove dead skin cells is by using AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) and/or BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids). Don’t be confused, it all makes sense in the previous video I made about aging, you don’t want to miss it (check out minute 9:30)!
Gritty scrubs – that have things like kernels or seeds in their formula, cause irritation and inflammation that often leads to clogged pores (go figure!) brown spots and YEEEP – wrinkles.
#17
Over-exfoliating. Even when you’re using the right product, there’s still such thing as TOO MUCH of a good thing! Two to three times per week is just right.
#18
You’re using the same skincare products year-round.
The skin has completely different needs throughout the year, as well as the weather will be different each quarter, attacking the skin in various different ways. So the same routine year round won’t give you the results I know you want; instead try this:
In the WINTER time – focus on products that encourage hydration AND moisturization. They’re two different things; hydration pertains to the water content in the skin, moisturization relates to the oil production at the top. They are both important and NEITHER should be neglected, no matter the skin type.
SPRING – think of cleansing the pores and exfoliating winter flakiness.
SUMMER – focus on hydration and over the top sun protection. Make sun protection an obsession. Think also hats, sunglasses, driving gloves, etc.
FALL – is the perfect time to focus on summer sun damage. Dryness from exposure, damage from UV rays, infrared and heat.
#19
Thinking sunscreen should only be applied in the summer.
UV rays will be around as long as it’s daytime and the sun is in the sky. Even when clouds cover it, the UV rays will still travel and hit your skin. The same thing goes for thinking you don’t need sunscreen because you’re staying home. Light will bounce off reflective surfaces and make its way to your skin.
#20
Not moisturizing thinking you don’t have to, because you have oily skin.
BOGUS!
#21
Not incorporating oils in your routine. Check out the description of this video, for my oil recommendations for all skin types.
#22
Overusing skin products that have fragrances, irritating chemicals and alcohol agents.
#23
Drinking too much Alcohol.
#24
Smoking.
Both of these bad habits will dehydrate the skin and will speed up the rate of lines, wrinkles and sagging.
#25
Processed sugar. Please cut it down anytime you can. It actually attacks the elastin and collagen in the skin, leading to dull, dry, lifeless skin with premature wrinkles.
#26
Using a foamy cleanser or bar of soap.
The foaming agents traditionally speaking, strip the skin of its water & natural oil, which leads to buildup of dead skin cells & increased sebum production.
#27
You’re not double-cleansing. While that sounds “time-consuming”, it is actually the best way to get rid of all of the makeup, grime, dirt, sweat, excess oils and bacteria that built up on your face throughout the day.
Double cleansing uses a cleansing oil, balm or Micellar water to remove the makeup, then using a water-based cleanser to remove everything else.
#28
Not applying products in the correct order – think of products in term of consistency and start with the thinnest products (like toner and serum), working toward the thicker, creamier ones. Apply the eye cream before the moisturizer, to make sure it won’t have to work through any potential thick barrier.
If a product is too heavy, it can block the lighter products from penetrating into the skin and doing their jobs.
#29
Using the same moisturizer Day and Night.
The skin acts differently in the daytime, than it does at night so its needs will be different as well. Not to mention that many daytime moisturizers have SPF in their formula – why would you need sun protection at night? You can confuse the skin by doing this, and that can lead to potential damage & breakouts.
#30
Changing products too quickly. The skin needs a few weeks before acclimating to a new product & starting to yield those specific results. Changing a cream 30 days into using it before you think “it doesn’t work”, is not only misleading but it can irritate the skin and cause breakouts.
#31
You’re leaving your face bare for more than a minute after cleansing. If you don’t immediately start applying your products after cleansing, you will dehydrate the skin.
So my dear friend… Which mistakes are you currently doing? If you avoid all of these you skin in 90 days will look years younger, I swear!!
With love always ♥︎
ᎯℒℰXᎯℕⅅℛᎯ
Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
