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[This article was originally published in May 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.]
So you want to start a skincare routine, but you have some questions. Which products are right for your skin? Which common skincare mistakes have you made?
I’ve learned so much in the past few years about taking care of my sensitive skin. And I’ve also learned what NOT to do – especially when it comes to my skin.
Everyone’s skin is different and so many people do their best to perfect their skincare routine. With so many skin care products you use every day, you might be doing wrong with your skincare routine. This routine still keeps your skin from reaching its potential.
I’m definitely guilty of most of these common skincare mistakes, but ever since I cleaned up my act, my skin has improved so much – no acne for months. The best part is, that these mistakes are easy to fix!
Something as simple as taking your makeup off at the end of the day or having a night moisturizer vs. a day moisturizer can really make all the difference! So read on to truly try to perfect your regimen.
Not washing the makeup off
Sometimes you’re so tired and too lazy to wash off your makeup before applying skincare. I can relate. But that one would be very bad for your skin. The very first step in your skincare routine should be cleansing. Ideally, you need to wash your face twice. The first step is for washing off the makeup, the second step is to make sure your pores aren’t clogged.
Applying your products in the wrong order
Correct order for applying your skincare products is crucial if you want to get the most out of all your products. A general rule of thumb is the lightest products and those with the most beneficial ingredients go on first, then your creams, and you always end with your SPF.
Using the wrong cleanser
The normal pH of our skin is around 5.5. That’s why cleansers with a higher pH can cause acne, by provoking our sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than we naturally need.
Not applying toners after cleansing
Toner doesn’t seem like a necessary step in your skincare routine, but it is. This is one of the common skincare mistakes that I encounter years ago. I used to ignore (forget) using Toner after washing my face, but not anymore. I have read that toners help ensure that your face is completely clean before using a moisturizer. Toners will prepare your skin for a moisturizer and remove chlorines and minerals found in tap water. Don’t forget to make sure you are using an alcohol-free one.
Not giving your products enough time to sink in
Well, this is could be my old bad habit. Remember don’t rush through your skincare routine, after you cleanse, tone, and spot treat, wait around 3-5 mins for your skin to really take in all the product. If you don’t give your products enough time to sink in, they won’t work as well as they intended to.
Using too many exfoliating products
How many times do you exfoliate your skin? Removing dead skin cells is very important, but physical exfoliants can damage your skin. First, you need to know your skin type: dry, combination/oily, or normal skin. Then you can figure out an exfoliating regimen that works best for you.
- Normal Skin: 2-3 times a week
- Combination/Oily Skin: 2-3 times a week (I regularly exfoliate 2 times a week)
- Dry Skin: 1-2 times a week
You don’t apply your skincare upwards, and your makeup downwards
When applying your skincare, you should always rub the products into your skin in an upward motion. This is to allow all the products to really seep into your skin and get absorbed really well.
On the other hand, when you apply your makeup, you want to do it in a downward motion so your makeup stays on your skin and doesn’t get absorbed by your skin too much.
Popping pimples
I used to like to touch my pimples and my mother really hates it. It’s really bad to squeeze pimples because this way you’ll only spread the infection further on your face. Instead, use special acne treatments such as salicylic acid directly on spots. We have this kind of oil at home that I apply on my pimple so the pimple won’t become inflamed and it can also remove acne scars slowly.
Avoid using oils
Even if your skin is more on the oily side (like mine), you should definitely use oils to moisturize your skin. Lack of hydration leads to even more active work of our sebaceous glands, and we don’t need that.
Not using SPF products
Using day cream for the night or the same cream for day and night is common skincare mistakes that most people do. But is your daily moisturizer too much for the daytime? Too little moisture for overnight? Sometimes moisturizers have SPF built-in, which is great for the day, but not so great for the overnight.
A lot of times, you see products that say “night time” – those products should be used at night because sometimes the products have ingredients that can cause your skin to be sensitive when exposed to the sun.
Skin that is unprotected from the sun tends to get more wrinkles and pigmentation. You should definitely use sunscreen every day and not only when you go out.
Not having a towel just for your face
I read about not using the same towel for your face and your body years ago. Then I told my mom about it so we bought a designated towel for our faces.
Your face and your hands have nothing in common, so why should they have a common towel? You don’t want the germs that build up on your towel to go on your face – which is way more sensitive than your hands.
Have a towel just for your face and make sure no one else is using it. You don’t want someone else’s skin problems on yours, right? You already have enough to deal with as it is.
Not changing pillowcases regularly
It’s not a secret anymore that our pillowcases actually collect a lot of bacteria from our bodies and external sources. During our sleep, these bacteria can transfer to our faces and cause acne. To avoid this do not forget to change your pillowcases at least once a week.
Not drinking enough water
I get distracted very easily, so I didn’t drink enough water every day. But, since I bought my Tumblr 3 years ago, I fixed my bad habit. I make a conscious effort to drink enough water, especially during long days at work! I’m also trying to get in the habit of drinking water before bed and after waking up in the morning.
So are you guys guilty of some of these common skincare mistakes too? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to keep an eye out for my next post!
The cover photo of this is absolutely gorgeous. A really interesting post that definitely has given me some new ideas for looking after my skin.
Thank you sweetie 😀
Eeek there’s definitely a few things here I need to start and stop doing to improve my skincare! I’ll be washing my pillowcases and sheets this week for sure haha!
Ohh I’m so bad ay washing my sheets regularly haha – thank you Jen x
Loved these tips! Completely agree on all of these and came to discover them on my skin after a while. I got into skincare without much information to start with but now got better at it! Thanks for sharing x
I started like that as well, but after a while, I got better at it 😀 Thank you love x
Looove this post! I took it upon myself to learn more about skincare before I began my blog and realised I had all of the right products but I was using them all wrong. I changed it up and my routine changed for the better!
Rosie
Same like me haha thank you Rosie 😀
So true! These are the common mistakes people usually did. Having a face towel is super important. My mother taught me that when I was a teenager. Thank God.
I know right! My mom taught me that as well 😀
I’m actually doing a lot of these already which is great to see- I’ve clearly learned a lot since I started researching skincare! But there are some improvements I could make 🙂 I need to wash my pillow cases more for sure x
Oh recently I research how often to use a sheet mask haha there are so many to learn! Thank you 😀
Yes, very common mistakes! I knew a lot, but I actually learned one or two and of course, have made them in the past. Or might be currently making in one case LOL I think we commit a lot of these errors because we get lazy…I mean, who hasn’t rushed or skipped steps in their skincare routine? Thanks for sharing, I’ll be sure to correct the ones I learned about!
You’re right! Laziness is one of the key factors of these mistakes – I truly can relate to that. Thank you dear 😀
About the only thing on this list that I haven’t practiced regularly is applying a toner. I used to use a rosewater spray on a regular basis and I’ve even done lactic or hyaluronic acid serums – but toners tend to make my skin really uncomfortable, so now I just apply my oils and SPF after cleansing and call it a day. But I’m sure I’ll find a toner in the future that suits my skin. Great article here!
Oh I understand, it’s really difficult to find the right skincare products that suit our skin. It took me 2 years to find the right one and now I don’t want to change it anymore haha thank you Steph!
I love this post. I have regularly been trying to look after my skin more. There are a few tips that I am going to start doing now. Thank you for sharing.
Glad that you found this helpful! Thank you Charlotte 😀
Eeek! I am definitely guilty of some of these but it’s so handy to have another reminder to look after my skin. I definitely need to start waiting for products to sink in, especially in the mornings. Will need to get changed in between my skincare routine and doing makeup. Thank you for the great post! 🙂
Shannon x
http://www.shanylou.co.uk
Perfect 😀 I’ve learned a lot for the past few years! Thank you for stopping by Shannon 😀
Love your tips for getting the best out of the time and effort and nourishment to our skin! It is important to patient and intentional throughout the entire routine and rub in the right direction to get the results the backs of our bottles always glow about.
I know right! I’ve been making so many mistakes in the past and these few years I’ve learned a lot 😀
Great post! I never knew about applying skincare in an upward motion! That is so good to know. Also, it’s my bad habit to not wait enough time between steps as well—especially when I’m exhausted before bed. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, especially when we’re exhausted from working all day. I totally can relate to that! Thank you for reading Savannah 😀
Lovely tips. I don’t have a skincare routine yet because I am still trying out products. However, I will incorporate toners in my routine. I never knew they were important
Best luck! Thank you Magdalene 😀
I break so many of these rules. I definitely see and feel the benefit of drinking plenty of water. Thank you for this- a great reminder.
It’s allright. We make mistakes and we learn from them! Thank you for reading 😀
When I was younger I use to go to bed with my makeup on and I always regretted it. Now, I make sure to remove it before bed every night. It makes a world of difference! Thanks for sharing these great skincare tips!
Oh same, I used to do that years ago! Thank you Tiffany 😀
So many people don’t give products the time to sink into the skin. I try to leave a good 5 minutes in between. Even after cleansing before applying any products just so my skin has time to breathe.
Ikr! I used to be so bad at taking care my skin but in the past few years, I’ve learned to be better 😀 Thank you, Kelly x
There’s so much great info in this post! I’m really not the greatest at skincare. I definitely have had lazy/too tired days where makeup doesn’t get washed off. Eek. And now I’m thinking about my towel and how I need to get one for just my face. That’s a great point. Thanks for sharing!
Couldn’t agree more with you! Thank you Alison 😀
You answered many of my skin care questions! Why toner? Which one first? I probably only do half of them right
Thanks, Mandy! I was also confused at first so I hope this post can be helpful for you x
AH, I’m sooo guilty of popping!! I’m so bad and it’s such a bad habit I need to fix! I actually went to a doctor and they kept lecturing me to stop popping hahaha Loved this post so much, Merry! Thanks for sharing xx
Lynn | https://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
I used to do it often until my mother scolded me for it lol now I’ve fixed that habit by applying some kind of oil to the pimples so that they don’t swell 😀 Thanks for reading Lynn x
I have tried limiting the amount of products I use, I already see the improvement in my skin, especially as I cut foundation out too! Thanks for the tips!
I learned so much from this post! I’m awful for popping pimples, and I am always lost when it comes to applying skincare in the correct order. This is such a helpful post that I’ll definitely keep coming back to, thank you x
Omg, I am guilty of like almost all of these opps..Especially poping pimples…there is no way I am stopping that lol. Also, always forgetting to put sunscreen on, unless I am going to the beach. I’ve been trying to drink more water but always forget to too…gosh my skin hates me!!
This is a very interesting read. Loved the points you make. Am sharing your blog for further circulation.
I never thought about changing pillows for skincare but your post made me think and it actually makes perfect sense. Great post, Merry.