5 Habits that Damage Your Skin (That You Need to Change Now!)
Avoiding skin damage is always easier than reversing skin damage. Here are some of the more common ‘bad’ habits and EASY and EFFECTIVE ways to fix them!
Sleeping with makeup on
Your skin (and body) rejuvenates while you sleep. By sleeping with makeup on you are not allowing your skin to breathe and preventing it from taking up that much-needed oxygen to fight free radical damage. The best way to prep your face for bed is:
- Wash it with a hydrating cleanser with lukewarm and cold water
- Apply a night time serum, preferably something with antioxidants and reparative properties like vitamin C
- Use a rich night cream or lotion (depending on your skin type)
This very basic skincare routine allows your skin to ‘breathe’ and absorb all the nourishment you just gave it. Try it out for a week or two, and you’ll notice your skin’s real behavior. You’ll then know if you should add retinol or hyaluronic acid serum to your regime, as well.
Washing your skin with hard water
The quality of water you wash with affects your skin’s condition. Washing skin with hard water makes it dry and dull (a similar effect it has on your bathroom hardware…yikes). If you live in an area with hard water, consider installing a water softener; there are plenty of options and price points. If that isn’t an option – there are inexpensive shower heads that can be self-installed and will filter and soften your shower water. Soft water makes a difference, not just for your beauty, but for your overall wellness.
Washing skin with very hot water
Taking hot showers feels amazing, for sure, but there is a downside; hot water severely depletes the skin of its natural oils and causes major pH imbalance. Instead of taking a very hot shower, consider a lukewarm one, and end with a cold wash; this will balance the pH levels in your skin and hair. You’ll notice quite soon that your skin does not have a dry, stretchy and itchy feeling. Hot water is also detrimental for sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes because hot water can promote inflammation. Instead of rubbing your skin with a towel – blot your skin, then use nourishing body oil or moisturizer of your choice. These steps are going to help more than you know!
Sleeping on a dirty pillow
Throughout your sleep, you toss and turn, and the oils from your hair combined with leftover makeup on your face – your pillows essentially become Petri dishes if not washed often; gross but true. Your sheets are exposed to the bacteria you’ve carried throughout the day which adds to the microbial load, and just basic washing (once a week) will sufficiently keep bacterial overgrowth at bay. Avoid detergents and dryer sheets with synthetic ingredients. A lot of household cleaning products contain allergens that are very inflammatory to your skin and overall wellness. If you have moderate to severe acne, consider washing your pillowcase every 3 days. Use silk pillow covers and/or copper-infused pillows to prevent excess bacterial breeding. I highly recommend investing in a copper pillowcase. I use this pillow and it has significantly improved my skin and quality of sleep. This pillow is also effective in improving overall skin tone, texture, and health. I. LOVE. IT.
Sleep deprivation and dehydration
Lack of sleep and lack of water are sure to show up on your skin first. You’ll notice dark circles under your eyes, dry skin, brittle nails and hair, dry mouth, lethargy, and other bodily issues that are usually misdiagnosed for something else. When we deprive ourselves of proper sleep and hydration, we are not only causing bad side effects for our skin and beauty but our overall health and well-being.