Common Skincare Mistakes You Should Never Make

The world of skincare seems fairly straightforward, right? You pick the right products for your skin type and apply them morning and night. What more could you need to know?

Fortunately, we have answers for you. Whether you have a basic skincare routine or the best skincare routine that parallels celebrities’ skin regimens, you can always improve. 

There are a few common skincare mistakes that you should avoid so you can achieve radiant, healthy skin. Here’s what you need to know about the biggest skincare mistakes out there. 

 

Wearing Your Makeup to Bed

We’ve all been there: After a long night out, you’re ready to climb into bed and sleep the hours away. However, this becomes a problem if you still have makeup on your face. That’s right — keeping your makeup on overnight is one of the biggest skincare mistakes you can make. 

Styes, Breakouts, and Bacteria

Makeup settles into your pores and along your lash line, and the longer you wear it, the more difficult it can be to remove. Allowing your skin to marinate in last night’s makeup for several hours can clog your pores and lead to acne breakouts — or worse. 

A stye can form around your eyelid when one of the glands that surrounds your lash line becomes blocked. Keeping makeup on for too long can cause this common problem, and a stye is the last thing you want on your face. They’re often painful, itchy, swollen, and red, which can cramp your style (and comfort). 

Additionally, bacteria that cause acne and other skin problems will thrive on a face full of day-old makeup. When you wear your makeup to bed, you spread all that harmful bacteria around your pillows and sheets. 

When it comes to skincare mistakes, keep it sanitary and simple. Don’t wear any makeup to bed, ever. 

 

Rushed and Rough: Applying Your Skincare Products the Wrong Way

Your skincare routine should be relaxing and enjoyable, not rushed and rough. Using harsh rubbing to cleanse and moisturize your skin can do far more damage than good in the long run. 

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

One of the biggest reasons you should cleanse your face with a gentle hand is that harsh rubbing can contribute to wrinkles in the future. If you want to look youthful for as long as possible, scrubbing your face isn’t the way to go. 

Your skin is made of flexible collagen fibers that eventually wear out and become less firm. As a result, you develop fine lines and wrinkles, which are both normal parts of aging. However, those who want to avoid premature skin aging should remember this when removing makeup and cleansing their skin. 

Whish's Revitalizing Cleansing Oil is a gentle, oil-based cleanser that removes makeup and impurities without needing to scrub your face. It also contains bakuchiol to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Skin Damage

Your products will work just as well if you apply them gently. Like cleansing, using harsh movements and gestures to moisturize and apply makeup will damage the network of collagen and elastin fibers on your face. This can cause redness, irritation, and further skin damage long-term. 

Your body can only regenerate so much collagen at a time. Avoid skin damage by delicately applying creams and serums. Your youthful complexion will thank you later. 

 

Doing Your Skincare Routine With Dirty Hands

This is a common skincare mistake that many people have made before. It happens to the best of us, but if you want clear, glowing skin, you must avoid this error. 

Always wash your hands before starting your skincare routine, no matter how clean you think they are. Our hands hold millions of tiny bacteria we pick up throughout our day while touching our phones, using makeup, and carrying out other daily tasks. Applying your skincare products without washing your hands first transfers these bacteria to your face’s skin. 

It’s best to use a gentle hand soap that cleanses dirt, debris, and grime from your skin. Ensure you scrub your hands thoroughly, getting all the spaces underneath your fingernails and between your fingers. 

 

Touching Your Face Throughout the Day

While it can be a hard habit to break, you should always avoid touching or picking at your skin throughout the day. Touching your face introduces bacteria to your pores and can contribute to wrinkles and sagging skin. Just don’t do it. 

If you need to touch up your makeup or wipe your face, clean your hands thoroughly first. Try keeping your hands busy with a craft or other activity so you aren’t as tempted to touch your face with unclean hands. Eventually, you won’t have to stop yourself from touching your face. Your pores will thank you for your new habit.

 

Using the Wrong Products for Your Skin Type

Your skin type determines what products you should use to achieve a flawless complexion. There are many different factors behind your skin type. Genetics, hydration levels, lifestyle habits, and the skincare products you use all contribute to the texture and appearance of your skin. 

For example, if you have dry skin but use harsh chemical exfoliators and light moisturizers, you do more harm than good. Dry skin needs ample moisture to rebuild the barrier that keeps debris out of your pores. By using irritating products, you could be damaging your dry skin. 

On the other hand, if you’re acne-prone, you should avoid heavy face oils and thick moisturizers. Keeping your skin hydrated is important, but you shouldn’t use products that clog your pores and contribute to breakouts. 

The first step in building your best skincare routine is learning about your skin type. Once you know what your skin needs, you can nourish it with the clean beauty products it deserves and avoid the ones that will irritate it.

 

Sleeping on Unwashed Pillowcases 

Your pillow is where you rest your head each night to refresh and rejuvenate before the next day. This is also where all of your skincare products and facial bacteria transfer onto, which spells bad news for your complexion.

We recommend washing your pillowcases once or twice each week. This will keep them clean and free of acne-causing bacteria. It’s also a good idea to wait two hours after performing your skincare routine before sleeping. The more time products have to soak into your skin, the more benefits you’ll see from them. 

Never share pillowcases with anyone, even if you’re close. Another person’s face has unique bacteria that could cause breakouts and irritation for you. Sharing is caring, but not when it comes to your pillowcases.

 

Keeping Expired Products 

You should throw it out as soon as you know a product is expired. Every cosmetic product in the U.S. has a tiny jar symbol on the packaging that indicates how long it expires after you open it. Follow these expiration guidelines to avoid undoing all the good that your routine does for your skin. 

It’s a good idea to mark each product with the date you opened it. This way, you’ll know exactly how many months you have until you need to throw it out. You may not always remember when you bought something and started using it, so we highly recommend this method. 

Expired skincare products are so bad for you because they start to grow bacteria after expiration. If you keep applying these products to your skin, your pores can become clogged, trapping bacteria. This can lead to acne breakouts, poor skin texture, and eye infections. 

You likely spend a lot of time and money curating the best skincare routine for yourself. Using old, expired products will reverse the progress you’ve made with your complexion. Don’t risk the health or appearance of your skin. Buy fresh products once yours have hit their expiration dates. 

 

Using Harsh Chemicals in Your Skincare Regimen

Clean beauty products are your best bet for achieving youthful, gorgeous skin. Many mainstream skincare products on the market contain irritating chemicals that can damage your skin over time. 

When you use products with harsh chemicals, you strip your skin of essential moisture. This can lead to acne breakouts, sensitivity, and texture problems. Some chemicals damage your skin on a cellular level, which is why it’s important to select the best serums and exfoliants for your skin type. 

Whish's line of skin care with bakuchiol contains botanical actives to help your skin stay clean & healthy without the harsh chemicals often found in beauty products.

Whish Beauty products are free from the following harmful chemicals:

  • Parabens
  • Sulfates
  • Phthalates
  • DEA and TEA
  • Petrochemicals

These are all popular ingredients in many skincare products, but they aren’t safe for your skin and body. Protect your precious complexion by shopping Whish Beauty instead. 

 

Find the Best Whish Beauty Products for Your Skincare Regimen

Whish Beauty products are cruelty-free, certified by Leaping Bunny. When you add our products to your skincare routine, you’re choosing clean, ethical beauty over the alternatives. 

We have options for every skin type, tone, and texture. Shop our collection of high-quality beauty products to build the best skincare routine today.