10 Skincare Mistakes That Could Be Aging You

You may think it’s no big deal to fall into bed with the day’s makeup and dirt still caked on your face, but this naughty little habit can clog and congest your skin, leading to a dull, dry complexion. The older we get, the drier our skin becomes and makeup is of no help – particularly if left to sit on the skin for hours upon hours. If you really find it tough to spend two minutes cleansing your face before bed, keep a pack of face cleansing wipes on your bedside table and, at the very least, quickly swipe the debris off your skin before hitting the sack. You’ll notice a difference in the morning and thank yourself in 10 years.

A grey sky is no excuse for skipping your SPF. UVA rays (the ones that have the greatest negative impact on our skin) can penetrate those thick clouds, and even glass windows, so it’s essential to protect your skin with sunscreen all year round, whether you’re inside or outside. Use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 every day, reapply every two hours when in the sun — and don’t forget to protect your lips with a lip balm containing SPF too.

You may be making all the right choices for your face, but forgetting all about your neck in the meantime. Often the skin on our neck and décolletage belie our age, getting wrinkly earlier than it should because we forget to bring the SPF down onto these areas. Whatever you do to your face, you should do to your neck and décolletage too.

Why not detox your skin by leaving it makeup-free once or twice a week? Makeup, while it looks great, actually gets into pores, enlarging them and, over time, causes sagging. Spend a day bare-faced and let your skin breathe and rejuvenate. Your pores will actually shrink! Give yourself a facial in the morning, consisting of a deep cleanse and exfoliation followed by a generous application of an ultra hydrating moisturizer. Let your skin absorb all the nutrient-rich ingredients and see how plump and luminous your skin looks the next day.

Caffeine and alcohol are just part of life, but too much of either without adequate rehydration, can have serious implications on the health and appearance of your skin. A healthy liver works to flush out toxins, keeping your skin looking youthful and healthy. Too much alcohol or caffeine can create build up in your liver, leading to skin sagginess, acne, rosacea outbreaks, and wrinkles. You should drink at least one glass of water for every cup of caffeine or glass of alcohol you consume.

If you use oral or topical acne medications, stop if you're trying to get pregnant. Drugs like Accutane, Retin-A and other topical retinoids are absorbed through your skin and into your — and your baby’s — bloodstream. Steer clear of products containing salicylic and beta-hydroxy acids too, as there is very little information on the effects of these chemicals on unborn babies.

Treating your skin too aggressively can have negative and permanent consequences. You really want to be as gentle as possible with your skin. Too much rubbing, tugging or pulling can challenge the elasticity of your skin, leading to sagging and the appearance of fine lines. Remove your makeup gently with cotton balls and massage gingerly to avoid harming your fragile protective skin barrier.

Using the appropriate type of skincare for your skin type is important, as the wrong products can just exacerbate, or even cause, the problems. If you have oily skin and use something that’s not purifying enough you can increase oiliness, causing breakouts and leaving impurities on the skin. Meanwhile, if you have dry or dehydrated skin and use something for oilier skin types, you will strip and dehydrate your skin further. All of these things can lead to premature aging of the skin, so it’s best to use skincare products that are right for you.

When washing your face, it’s best to use tepid water — not too hot, and not too cold. Water that’s too cold can constrict your capillaries, while too hot water can dilate them, both leading to broken capillaries and spider veins.

Exfoliating has a very important role in our skincare regimen. By scrubbing off dead skin cells, we are keeping pores clear and skin smooth. Removing cell build up helps your skin properly absorb moisturizer, which in turn, keeps fine lines and dehydration at bay – all vital to prevent premature aging of the skin.