10 Top Skin-Care Faux Pas

 

Male or female, we can all do a little more to help our side on the skin-care front. Here are some of the top foolish skin-care mistakes that we all make, heed where applicable.

1. Not having a skin-care regime
“Cleanse, tone, moisturize.” Let that be your mantra. It’s one of the most basic ways to help maintain your skin, keep it healthy and get it glowing. If you wear makeup, it is critical that you remove your makeup at night before bed as not doing so can lead to clogged pores, which can lead to blackheads among other things.

2. Not knowing your skin type
Because if you use the wrong type of skin-care products on your skin you can exacerbate skin condition(s) you may have. Get products that are suited for your skin type. A qualified esthetician can help you determine your skin type through a skin care consultation, which is normally complimentary.

3. Not moisturizing
As we age our skin loses moisture, gets drier and needs to be hydrated from both the inside and the outside. Replenishing the moisture that our skin craves, through the use of a moisturizer, will help skin maintain it’s vibrancy and elasticity.

4. Not drinking enough water
Our bodies and our skin need water to perform the processes required to detoxify itself. Coffee is a diuretic, meaning it causes increased passing of urine. It is recommended that you drink two (2) glasses of water for every one cup of coffee ingested. Additionally, cut down on your daily intake of soda and fruit juices (save the calories for dessert!) and replace with water.

5. Not re-applying sunscreen
Sunscreen, when applied, does not last forever, especially if you sweat or get wet. Do reapply. The sun’s ultraviolet rays only speed up the aging process by damaging skin cells. Protect your skin. For more the damaging effects of the sun see article here)

6. Yo-Yo dieting
This confuses your skin. “Am I only getting only protein today, or am I only getting only cayenne pepper?”. The skin needs nutrients: vitamins, minerals and various antioxidants to maintain itself and repair against environmental damage. Protein diets do not offer all the nutrients the body needs so do get off the fad dieting and start a healthy balanced lifestyle, one that encourages you to start moving and to stuff your face with green and leafy veges.

7. Drinking excessively
Apart from obvious health and cognitive issues, high alcohol consumption can severely dehydrate the skin. Moderation is key.

8. Smoking
Really a one-way first-class ticket to accelerated aging of the skin. Also your breath smells and your teeth get yellow. It also takes a huge toll on the health of your lungs. Generally not considered ‘sexy-aging’ in 2009.

9.  Popping zits and picking pimples
This is a big ‘NO NO’. Popping zits or picking pimples with finger nails on an uncleansed face increases the risk of a bacterial infection on site.  It also increases the risk of hyper-pigmentation on skins at are prone to discoloration or darkening, especially on darker skin tones. Instead, reach for of for a cleanser and spot treatment that specifically targets acne. Product ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and sulphur specifically target acne. Do avoid using harsh alcohols directly on the skin. 

Do consider monthly professional facials to keep problem skin in check.

**If you cannot resist the urge to pop, do wash both hands AND face, and wrap each index finger in a sheet of tissue paper before you make your best go at it. Do not force the issue if the pimple is stubborn, it will come out eventually, maybe tomorrow. Over-squeezing will only break the outer layer of your skin causing damage, which can lead to hyper-pigmentation (darkening) and/ or scarring.**

10. Not getting enough sleep
The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School states that sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and other vital functions. Most of us do not get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep every night. With respect to the skin, sleep deprivation can result in dull skin tone, under eye puffiness, dark circles and bagginess. 

11. Stressing unnecessarily
I know I said ’10′, but this is just too important to leave out. Elevated stress levels can have an adverse effect on the condition of our skin and can potentially lead to break outs. Relax. If you can’t fix it today, leave it for tomorrow.

A little TLC goes a long way. 

Let us take better care of ourselves.

 

POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS

Tip | Skin Types
Anti-Aging Tip #1
HAIs: Infections anyone?
Premature aging
Sun and Skin Types
 

 

 

The truth about makeup expiry dates

Saying goodbye to a barely used, safe-looking, I-paid-too-much-for-it eye-shadow may not be in your grand plan but your makeup can harbour bacteria. “Water-based makeup, such as mascara, are the greatest culprits because of the risk of contamination from bacteria which can lead to an infection” says Dr. Jason Rivers, a clinical professor at the University of British Columbia. Symptoms include redness, pain, swelling, pus, pimples or pink eye (ick!). Lynnette DaltonJames of M.A.C. Cosmetics recommends being especially vigilant about eye products.

How you handle your makeup in general can also affect it’s shelf life. If you take care of your products, it may be safe to use them a few extra months beyond the expiry date. 

Health Canada recommends that you keep cosmetics germ-free by:
~ Washing your hands before applying
~ Not sharing makeup
~ Not adding water or saliva to dilute makeup
~ Keeping cosmetics in a dry area, away from direct heat or sunlight.

Some warning signs that tell you that a product has expired include:
~ The product’s smell has changed
~ The product has been exposed to prolonged heat
~ There is an obvious colour or textural change
~ Mould is evident.

In general the following shelf life applies to makeup/ cosmeceuticals 

Mascara - 3 months (some say 6, but 3 months is recommended)

Liquid foundation and concealer - 6 – 12 months. The ones that are dispensed from a tube (with a small opening) rather than a jar or bottle (with a larger opening that facilitates contamination through double dipping of fingers or brushes) are safer to use for the 12 month period. If it contains sunscreen (SPF) in it, definitely do not use for longer than a year.

Cream blush and eyeshadow – 6 – 12 months. 

Powder blush and eyeshadow - 1 year

Eye-liner and lip-pencils – up to 2 years, 6 months for liquid eyeliner which is similar to mascara

Lipstick – 1 year

Moisturizer and skin care - 1 to 2 years. This is usually indicated by either an expiry date or an ‘open tuna’ tin on the packaging that usually shows ’12m’, ’18m’ or ’24m’ on it. This indicates the length of time, in months, the integrity of the ingredient mix is valid for, once opened.

Makeup applicators – 4 weeks max

Makeup brushes – wash with soapy water at least once a week. Lay flat to dry. Do not dry standing up as water can settle at the base where the hairs are attached and compromise the glue, destroying the brush.

This is a shout out to all my product junkies. Cosmetics/ skin care products do not last forever, so you may want to lean back a bit on spending on every new item you stumble across in the department store/ pharmacy. It’s tough I know, trust me! But do try getting through the hundreds that are already piled up under the sink/ in the top cabinet before they all go to waste!

Buy smartly.

Toodles

Supernova