15 Habits That Hurt Your Skin

15 Habits That Hurt Your Skin

We all try our best to take care of our skin, but it is possible that some of your daily habits may be harming instead of helping your skin. Here are 15 habits that you may be performing on a daily basis that you should avoid.

1. Thinking That Your Sunscreen Lasts All Day If you use a moisturizer with sunscreen or make it a healthy habit to apply sunscreen in the morning, you should know that it won't last you through the day. If you are exposed to sun for an extended period of time, you should be reapplying every 3 hours. If you use a foundation with sunscreen in it, know that they usually have little protection and it is best to apply a regular strength sunscreen underneath your layer of foundation. Photo: stockimages/ freedigitalphotos.net 2. Using the Same Hair Brush without Cleaning It If you use the same hair brush as your spouse, or even if you have your own, you should make it a habit of cleaning it out after every use. Leaving hair in your brush could cause the build-up of harmful bacteria that could cause your dandruff or even spread diseases like lice and Lyme disease! Also, any dust of germs that build up in your brush will go right to your hair, increasing the cases of you getting sick. So make it habit to clean out your brush each day! 3. Popping, Squeezing, Picking When you have a pimple, cut, scrape or itchy insect bite, picking at them may make you feel better in the short-term, but as you continue to irritate the wound, you may get an infection. Make sure to treat your wounds or bites once you get them with anti-septic or anti-itch ointment to prevent obsessive picking or itching that can also cause scarring. 4. Smoking Smoking does not just cause medical conditions like lung cancer, it is also terrible for your skin! Smoking will cause your skin to age prematurely as it reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to your cells, which is what is needs for clear and healthy skin. Begin a plan to stop smoking, or if you are just the occasional smoker, drop it completely. 5. Don't Skip Out on Moisturizer When you are in a hurry you may forget to apply your daily moisturizer, in the morning and at night. However, what you may not know is that skipping out on this important step you are causing your skin to dry out and increase the effects of aging on the skin. Make a habit of apply moisturizer as soon as you get out of the shower or bath to restore the moisture to your skin, or after you wash your face with a gentle cleanser. 6. Going to Sleep with Makeup On This one is for ladies only. So many women go out for a night on the town or have a long day and get too tired to take off their make-up. However, by being lazy ladies, you are causing a blockage in your pores, which in turn will cause pimples and lead to bacterial infections. To make life easier, keep from remover towelettes in your bag or by your bed for when you just don't feel like washing your face. 7. Drink More Water Your skin in moisturized from the inside out, which means that no matter how much moisturizer you may apply, you skin can still remain dry. That's why it's important to get in your 2 liters of water a day. It may sound simple, but drinking enough water will make your skin look the best. Photo: stockimages/ freedigitalphotos.net 8. Taking Long, Hot Showers Although long, hot showers are such an attractive notion to so many of us, they are actually terrible for your skin. The hot water strips your skin of its natural oils and leaves the skin even drier than when you came in. Shorten your showers and slightly lower the temperature of the water to keep your skins moisturizers working. Also, as mentioned above, apply a facial moisturizer immediately after getting out of the shower. 9. Not Protecting Your Face from Chemicals Chemicals are really everywhere, even if you don't feel them. If you use a hair spray or other products with chemicals in them, make sure to cover your face with a clean towel while applying them. Chemicals can seriously dry out your skin if you leave them on for too long. 10. Going to Bed Late This one may not be a surprise. Those who go to bed later tend to have a greater chance of getting sick, but it also seems that they are sacrificing the health of their skin. When you sleep, your skin naturally rejuvenates itself, and when you don't get enough sleep, it shows on your skin. 11. Touching Your Skin This is a big one and a mistake that most people make, thousands of times a day. When you touch your face, rub your eyes, and scratch your nose, you are transferring all of the bacteria on your hands to your face, one of the most vulnerable areas of your body. This will not only increase your chances of getting sick, but it will make the likelihood of pimples and other skin impediments much more likely. Make sure to count the times you touch your face each day and try to limit this dirty habit as much as possible. 12. Treating Persistent Skin Problems At Home If you experience a consistent skin problem, like dryness or breakouts don't turn to your local drug store for solutions. Make an appointment with a dermatologist that will be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe an effective solution. 13. Not Paying Attention to Your Skin Type When asked about their skin type, most people would not know what to say. The major categories are oily - combination - dry. Make sure you think about what kind of skin type you have before you purchase products for you and your family. Using products and moisturizers that do not suit your skin type may worsen any oiliness or dryness you experience. Photo: artur84/ freedigitalphotos.net 14. Using Antibacterial Products on Your Face Most antibacterial products contain alcohol, which is sure to completely dry out and even harm your skin. Indeed, applying alcohol when you have a wound is good at first, but too much can cause scarring. For that reason, use antibacterial soaps only on your hands, and not on your face. 15. Skipping Out on Exfoliation Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells which make your skin look dull and can even cause pimples and other blemishes from the buildup of dirt. While it is not a good idea to do a peeling regimen every day, consider purchasing a light exfoliating face wash to use daily or a stronger one to use weekly. Get rid of these bad skin habits fast!