Skin care is one of the most important components of natural beauty. Regardless of our age, skin tone or skin type, we can always use new skincare tips.
Did you know that there are several habits that can ruin our skin? Having these may feel so natural and we can indulge in them on a daily basis, completely unaware of the fact that they cause damage to our skin.
Now, let’s take a look at these habits together and see if you have any of these.
1. Popping pimples
These unsightly things cannot be ignored as they grow larger and even become painful on occasion. At these times you may really feel the need to pop them. It may seem like a good idea at first however if you pop a pimple carelessly and without proper hygiene, you actually push more dirt and bacteria into your pores, which leads to infections and scarring.
If you really want to pop a pimple, you must first wash your hands preferably with antibacterial soap. Then clear the area thoroughly with a disinfectant like rubbing alcohol.
It is also important to know which pimples are good to pop. Whitehead pimples are usually easy to pop and when treated with care they can be safely removed without spreading infection or scarring the skin.
Avoid popping pimples that have just appeared in the past day or two. Wait until a whitehead appears on top of these pimples. Also avoid pimples that are red, big and sore. Messing with these may push bacteria deep into the skin causing infection and scarring.
2. Using cell phones
We bring our cell phones to have good times almost everywhere you can think of, even in the toilet. According to a survey, Americans check their phones about 47 times a day. Under these conditions, it is impossible for our phones to be free of harmful microorganisms. Research Scientists at the University of Arizona have found that cell phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.
Fortunately, most of these bacteria is not harmful enough to make you sick. However, if you have a habit of keeping your face close to the phone and talk for long periods, you may need to clean it with an antibacterial wipe once a day to keep your skin safe. You can also consider using headphones before having a phone call.
3. Sleeping with make-up on
At the end of a long day, it’s too tempting to skip cleaning make-up and go to sleep without washing your face. However, this is not a wise thing to make a habit of. Leaving your make-up on overnight can lead to clogged pores which harms your skin. On the other hand, cleaning your face before going to bed allows the natural bacteria and natural oil on your skin to repair and moisture.
4. Chlorine in the pools
It keeps the pool clean of bacteria but it is harmful for your skin. Chlorine dries out and bleaches the skin damaging the melanin in the process. Make sure to wash your skin thoroughly with soap after taking a swim in the pool as chlorine clings to the skin and can only be washed away with soap.
5. Too much coffee
Here is a bad news for all the coffee lovers. Caffeine, the active chemical in coffee can be a good buddy that wakes us up and gets us ready for a busy day. But it also dries out the skin and causes wrinkles. If staying away from coffee isn’t an option for you, you can drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated. Also, you can use a moisturizer to maintain a healthy and glowing skin.
6. Sleeping on one side
Sleeping on the same side too much is another factor that can harm your skin. When your face is pushed into the pillow all the time, wrinkles can develop on that side of your face. Over time these wrinkles become permanent.
Try to build a habit of sleeping in different positions. Sleeping on your back is the only position that doesn’t create sleeping wrinkles.
7. Facial expressions and gestures
Squinting and frowning are some of the habits that cause wrinkles on the face. As we age our skin loses elasticity. This means when you relax your face muscles, your skin goes back to its initial form a bit later then it used to. If you squint your eyes while reading or have a facial expression that has settled on your face over time, you can remind your self to relax your face muscles throughout the day.
8. Dirty sheets and pillow cases
Changing sheets and pillow cases regularly is important for skin care. Especially pillowcases house lots of dirt due to dead skin cells, dandruff, make-up residue and nightly beauty products.
Also, sheets and pillows are where microscopic organisms called the dust mites gather. Dust mites feed on shed human skin cells. So this makes our sheets and pillows the perfect environment to meet their needs.
To avoid skin problems caused by these tiny bugs, remove and wash all bed linens once a week. Choose a setting that uses 140° F (60° C) to kill the dust mites and eliminate allergens. There are also products you can add to your laundry to eliminate dust mites while keeping the water temperature below 140° F.
