Here is a truth bomb for you. You don’t have bad skin. No one really does. But, you may have unbalanced skin. It is easy to do, with all of the skincare options and random information out there on the internet. We see a new skincare product that everyone is raving about, we run out and try it. If a Youtuber with a large following says to scrub our face with baking soda and lemon juice, we do it. Sigh!
If your skin is screaming for help, chances are, you are making one, or more, of these common skincare mistakes and have thrown it out of balance.
The Top Skincare Mistakes You are Making Right Now:
- You are over doing it. Skin likes to be babied. Gentler is always better. This holds true even for oily and acne prone skin. For example, if you are using a manual exfoliant on your face (a scrub) and then applying a toner after, YOU ARE OVERDOING IT! They are both exfoliants. If you do this long enough, you will have your skin screaming for mercy and worse, you will break down your moisture barrier ,(think tooth enamel) and you only get one of those. This can lead to rosacea. Trust me, I know!
- You are using products that don’t work for your skin type. Just because every beauty blogger you follow swears by the newest face mask, doesn’t mean it will work for you. (Also, it may mean the are all working with the same social media agency and are getting this stuff to promote) If you have dry sensitive skin, don’t use a deep cleansing charcoal mask on your face, and vice versa. Less is more. Choose products wisely and specific to your skin type.
- You are not washing your pillowcase enough. If you are suddenly breaking out and can’t explain why (ie. hormones, your period) think about when you last washed your pillowcase. Ideally you should change it after 2-3 days, more frequently if you are oily or acne prone. This leads me straight to my next point….
- You are not washing your makeup brushes enough. Gross, is all I can say. I have seen some complete horror shows when it comes to dirty makeup brushes. Some of my clients have never washed their makeup brushes. Like, EVER!!! Makeup brushes and sponges can get build-up from makeup along with oils, germs, and dirt. All that creates a nasty breeding ground for bacteria that can cause breakouts. Further, it can make your makeup application look less than flawless. I wash mine once a week, usually on a Sunday and use this to clean them. I love it, because it has mild, yet powerful cleansing agents as well as coconut oil, so it helps condition your brushes as well as break down cream products and waterproof makeup.
- You give up too quickly. Most skincare products take at least 6-8 weeks to show results, some take even longer than that. You will see your best results after 6-8 months of consistent use. Consistency is key, people. So many of my clients have a graveyard of expensive skincare products that they say “didn’t work”, because they only tried them for a few weeks or didn’t apply them consistently. Commitment is key here.
- You sleep with your makeup on. This is probably one of the worst things you can do. (The other is smoking but no one does that anymore, right?) Skin regenerates itself at night, so make sure you give it all of the help it can get. Let your skin breathe and let it soak up all of the goodness you are putting on before getting your zzzz’s. Double cleans at night. Apply your treatment product and then follow up with a moisturizer and eye cream.
- You are not wearing sunscreen every day, all year long. I have said this so many times before. Not wearing sunscreen every single day is like eating a Big Mac with a diet coke. It just doesn’t make sense. The sun doesn’t care if it is winter or summer, hot or cold. It is still out there. If you are black, white, green or orange, it doesn’t matter. Wear it. It needs to be at least an SPF 30, or higher and the sunscreen in your foundation is not enough. Here are some of my favorites.
- You think oily skin doesn’t need a moisturizer. My skin is already so oily, I don’t need anymore lotion on my skin, right? Wrong! By not hydrating your skin, you are actually sending it into overdrive, causing it to produce even more oil, desperately trying to compensate for the lack of moisture. Remember, how I was talking about balance earlier? This is a prime example. All skin needs hydration. You will find that once you start using a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer, you will re-balance skin and it will become less oily with time. Trust me!
- You are not drinking enough water. I am guilty of this but working on it. I ordered this water bottle to help me. One bottle a day, every day. Boom.Done. I don’t really take any anti-aging supplements for my skin, but I swear by this stuff. I just add it to my coffee or water in the morning and it has made the biggest difference. It also helps with nails, hair and joints.
- You are not using a ph balanced cleanser. This is more than a marketing ploy and goes back to the whole balancing thing. Your skin requires a balance between alkaline and acidity for your acid mantle – the barrier that keeps moisture in and germs and toxins out. Anything over seven is considered alkaline. Skin that falls on this end of the scale tends to be drier and more wrinkly, while skin that’s too acidic can appear red, irritated and itchy. Make sense? So always choose a gentle, ph balanced cleanser. Micellar waters are good examples of this, which I use in the morning. I give some examples below.
Ingredients to avoid in Skincare:
Parabens
Synthetic colors
Fragrance
Phthalates
Triclosan
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) / Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
Formaldehyde
Toluene
Keep it Simple:
A simple routine is the most effective for a couple of reasons:
You are more likely to stick to a simple routine
You are running less risk of over doing it and using too many products that could react negatively on your skin when used together.
Always use products specifically designed for skin type.
(I talk more about it in detail in this blog post. )
Re-evalute your Products:
Fall is a great time to re-evaluate your skin care routine and change, add, or even eliminate some products that don’t work for you. I have rounded up some of my favorite products, based on my age and skin type, (I am 44 years old with dry, sensitive skin and rosacea) so this is a good guide for skincare for 40+ men and women. Enjoy!
CLEANSERS:
Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil// This cleansing oil gets your skin squeaky clean without stripping or dryness. Its nourishing formula keeps skin feeling clean and smooth and targets fine lines, free radical damage and dryness with argan and olive oil.
One Love Organics Skin Savior// I love this skincare company and sing its praises often. This multi tasking balm smells just like an orange creamsicle and has been a long time winter favorite of mine. It is a deeply nourishing cleanser that will remove dirt and makeup without stripping the skin of its essential moisture. It also works as a moisturizer. Warm a small amount between your hands and press into skin. It even turns mineral powder into a glowing foundation treatment. Just add a tiny bit to your foundation powder and mix together. I shared this trick, as well as my favorite way to use the cleanser in my Instasories.)
Pixi Double Cleansing Balm// The solid cleansing oil removes grime, makeup and sunscreen. The luxe cleansing cream cleanses the skin, prepping it for the next steps in your regime. I love that it is fragrance free, which sometimes can be an issue with sensitive skin like mine.
SHOP THE CLEANSERS:
TONERS:
Tarte Knockout Tingling Treatment// This toner is amazing and a great alternative to the very stinky and elusive Biologique Rechercher P50, which I rave about here. You can only get it in 2 places in the entire country. The Tarte treatment contains both, AHA’s and BHA skincare ingredients and you can really feel them working. It is also priced much better than the P50. Even sensitive skin can benefit from exfoliation, but it can be a tricky proposition and can be really irritating. That is why I prefer chemical exfoliants. I use this as a tonic, meaning instead of using a cotton pad, I simply add a few drops to the palms of my hands and apply with my fingers. It is great fo re-balancing your skin. I use it about twice a week.
Pixi Glow Tonic// Same idea as the above Tarte Tingling Treatment, this exfoliating toner leaves skin glowing. It also contains aloe vera to soothe skin to prevent irritation and ginseng to improve circulation to keep your skin looking great. It is paraben and alcohol free toner and won’t dry out skin. This is fabulous for sensitive skin.
SHOP TONERS:
MOISTURIZERS:
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream// Pricey, but worth it, in my opinion. The hundreds of positive reviews will back me up on this. The texture is heavenly and it is deeply hydrating without feeling greasy at all. This cream contains anti-wrinkle, hydrating and youth-promoting ingredients that lift and transform tired skin in an instant. This moisturizer fights the aging process on all fronts, stimulating collagen production and cell energy while fighting free radicals to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Skin is penetrated with hydration and elasticity is restored, smoothing the surface and promoting healthy cell renewal. It’s ideal for anyone with tired, thirsty or lackluster skin.
Eucerin Q10// A former client actually turned me on to this. The cream is rich and buttery and every bit as luxurious as a department store counterpart. It is also completely scent free, making it suitable for the most sensitive and dry skin. The price is a “miracle” in itself – a mere $9.00 at the drugstore. The only caveat is that is can be hard to find, so I order it in bulk on Amazon. They actually also have the best price.
SHOP MOISTURIZERS:
SERUMS:
RoC Anti Wrinkle Serum// RoC Retinol Correction Deep Wrinkle Serum complements your skin’s natural renewal process and is clinically proven to visibly reduce wrinkles. With a formula containing pure RoC Retinol, magnesium, zinc, and copper, this serum leaves skin feeling soft and velvety.
Murad Reviatlixir Recovery Serum// This serum has been great for my rosacea. It addresses stress-induced aging and instantly revives for a quick pick-me-up. It helps with dullness, dehydration, lines & wrinkles as well as puffiness.My skin has been a lot less red and more even looking since using this.
Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos// This is a holy grail product of mine and I simply can not be without it. It works great with my sensitive skin to exfoliate it and leave it glowing, but it is also great for acne prone skin. Honestly, anyone can benefit from this. I only use it once or twice a week, whereas acne prone skin could build up to nightly use. The glowing reviews will agree with me.
SHOP SERUMS:
MASKS:
Skyn ICELAND Arctic Hydration Rubberizing Mask with Vitamin C // This mask is a bit messy, but you will absolutely love the results. It helps to naturally soothe and rebalance vulnerable, dry, stressed skin
and delivers an instant infusion of hydration—on the surface and deep down into skin. I adore it.
Drunk Elephant Baby Facial// I can use this mask on my sensitive skin with great results and it can also be mixed with equal parts of this moisturizer before applying, to make it a bit easier on the skin. It is is a pro-quality AHA/BHA mask that resurfaces to reveal greater clarity, improved skin texture and tone and a more youthful radiance. Think of it as an extra nudge for stubborn, dull skin. I use it once a week and only leave it on for 15 minutes.
Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Mask// A calming mask that helps to soothe, hydrate, and revitalize skin. It also helps with redness. I use it whenever my skin feels parched and it is the perfect follow-up mask to the Baby Facial mentioned above.
SHOP MASKS:
EXTRAS:
There are a couple of extra gadgets and products I like to use to help me with my anti-aging regimen.
PRO Glow Derma Roller//This is my natural anti-aging approach and my botox alternative nor now. I use this twice to 3 times a week, after I apply my serum and before applying my moisturizer. It has worked wonders for my skin, rosace and also my skin cancer scar. It is absolutely worth the investment.
Patchology Eye Patches// I have been a long time fan of these patches and use them whenver I need an extra boost, or while doing my eye makeup to prep the under eye area for concealer and to catch any fall out. I love them.
Laneige Lip Lip Mask// A recent discovery, I am completely addicted. I suffer from chronically dry lips and am constantly using lip balm. This is an overnight lip mask that soothes and hydrates my lips overnight. A total game changer.
SHOP THE EXTRAS:
There you have it, a monster post on skincare, chock full of skin care tips, mistakes to avoid and products to love. I hope you love it.
XO,
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Thank you sooooooooo much. Hope this helps my poor dry, sensitive skin. ♥️
You are welcome. Keep me posted!