5 All-Too-Common Skincare Mistakes (And How to Correct Them)

Getting to know your skin can be an arduous and frustrating process. Since the effects of your skincare treatments often aren’t immediately noticeable, the trial and error process of fine-tuning your routine can seem like a never-ending experiment that leaves you with a lackluster complexion in the meantime.

It’s easy to fall into bad habits thinking you’re treating your skin issues but in reality you’re only treating the symptoms instead of the root cause, making things worse in the long run.

Here are some of the most common issues we’ve come across in our crusade to promote healthy skin, along with some helpful tips on how to right these wrongs and get you back on the path to a flawless complexion.

Drying Out Oily Skin/Drowning Dry Skin

A perfect example of people treating the symptoms instead of the root issue is realizing you have dry skin and moisturizing too heavily, or conversely realizing you have oily skin and over-drying.

Achieving healthy skin is all about finding the balance, so it’s important to remember that moderation in your treatment is key.

All skin needs a certain amount of its natural oils so if you have oily skin, constantly drying out your skin can quickly lead to inflammation and irritation. Try using a gentle cleanser a few times a day to gently wash away any excess oil and leave your skin with a healthy, hydrated glow.

If you tend to dry out more quickly to the point where you almost envy your oily counterparts, applying gobs and gobs of moisturizer isn’t the answer. Your skin can only absorb so much moisture so you can end up clogging your pores by over-moisturizing. Instead, switch to a creamier moisturizer that will both moisturize in the short term, and assist your skin’s natural moisture retention in the long term.

Facial Skincare Tunnel Vision

When it comes to the skincare industry, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that facial skincare is the star of the show. But getting wrapped up in that perception to the point that you’re ignoring the other 90% of your body can quickly become problematic.

Although it’s true that the skin on your face is more delicate and exposed than many other parts of your body and therefore requires more attention, there are other parts of your body that are equally as exposed and vulnerable.

Your arms, hands, decollete and neck are just a few areas that, if ignored, can begin to noticeably age more quickly than anywhere else on your body. Make sure you are taking the time to cleanse, moisturize and firm these areas with the proper full-body skincare regimen.

Over-Exfoliating

As stated earlier, the lack of immediacy in treating skin problems can be frustrating. This does not mean, however, that you should switch to the “burn it with fire” method of skincare in which you over-exfoliate simply because there’s immediately a noticeable effect.

Exfoliating too often can lead to a myriad of skin problems such as inflammation, irritation, and extreme dryness due to a damaged moisture barrier, as well as a defense response from your skin resulting in hyperpigmentation.

To avoid these issues, make sure you only use exfoliating scrubs a couple of times a week and acid-based exfoliators in a stop-start pattern (typically 3 days on, 3 off).

Not Protecting Skin Properly

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it a million times more because it’s simply that important: WEAR SUNSCREEN EVERY DAY.

Your skin’s natural defenses can only do so much to fight off the constant barrage of UV radiation and free radicals that you encounter on a daily basis, so do yourself a favor and add a much-needed barrier of SPF every time you’re about to step outside.

Also, maintain a healthy moisturizing schedule to help bolster your natural defenses and keep your skin operating at peak efficiency.

Living Unhealthily

Skincare science has progressed to the point where it can treat just about any skin condition you can think of, but no amount of salves and creams can combat an unhealthy lifestyle.

Everything from the amount of sleep you’re getting to what you’re eating and your average stress level has a direct effect on how efficiently your body works so ignoring those essential health requirements can be doing heavy damage to your skin.

Set your skin up for success by living as healthy a lifestyle as you possibly can.

Get on top of your skincare game and avoid these issues out of the gate by addressing your skin problems with one of the revolutionary lines of Lira Clinical skincare products!