Our skin is an organ just like the rest in our bodies but somehow it is the one we care about the least.
One thing most of us have in common is the hope that we can look our best, have a youthful appearance and prolong the signs of ageing. A recent studied showed 75% of women dye their hair and a staggering 88% percent think their appearance has an effect on their overall confidence.
One major category that we are overlooking is our skin. Our skin is an organ just like the rest of the organs in our bodies but somehow is the one we care about the least. And, in my opinion, is the one thing we should be caring for the most.
However, so many of us are guilty of some of the following mistakes, and it's time to make a change.
Using make-up wipes
Make-up wipes are detrimental to our skin. Yes, they are handy and may seem like a quick option but they can cause lasting damage to our skin. Most make-up wipes and even “gentle” baby wipes contain drying alcohols and fragrances.
Meaning they actually dehydrate the skin and strip the skin of its essential barrier. This barrier stops the hydration getting out and toxins getting in.
Dehydrating the skin for those who have oily skin may sound appealing. But oily skin and hydrated kin are NOT the same. When the skin becomes dehydrated it actually created more oil to compensate for the moisture lost.
So, you're actually having the opposite effect and making your oily skin even more oily by using them.
Not double cleansing
Double cleansing is a technique that began in Japan and South Korea. It involves using two different types of cleansers, one right after the other when cleansing the face.
The concept behind double cleansing is to use a cleansing oil or similar product to first remove your makeup. This preliminary step is supposed to clear the way for your regular cleanser to cleanse your skin instead of having to work its way through layers of make-up.
The result is a more thorough cleanse and an easy way for your night cream to have its full effect, getting straight to the source rather than having to get through grime or make-up residue left behind by one cleanse.
When spending money on night creams and serums, don’t let them be used in vain on a skin that can’t absorb them properly because of the residue left on the skin!
Double cleansing can also help if you have very oily skin and are finding that your regular cleanser isn’t removing enough excess oil but that a stronger single cleanser leaves your oily skin feeling tight and dry.
It’s much better for your skin to use two gentle cleansers than one harsh, drying cleanser.
Leaving make-up on overnight
We are all guilty of it. We also all know that it is bad for our skin. But do we realise how bad it actually is?
When you leave your makeup on overnight, you are essentially leaving on the toxins and chemicals from your make-up on your face for 8-10 hours.
This means your skins natural oils can’t escape as the usually would and the get trapped underneath the skin. This leads to the formation of spots.
Not wearing SPF
SPF is not usually the first step on peoples skin care routine. Especially in Ireland. No, we don’t get much sun, especially in the colder months but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t wear SPF every day.
Sunscreen, in my opinion, is the most important step in any skincare routine. No matter what age you are or what skin type you have, there are plenty of varieties on the market. SPF should be step number one in everyone persons skin care routine.
Yes, we don’t get much sunshine in Ireland which means we don’t get much UVB rays. UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburn, tan and can contribute to the development of skin cancers but UVA rays are around all year. Even in winter.
A quick coin-sized application on sunscreen is all you need. The key thing you’re looking for in a sunscreen that is broad spectrum (meaning it protects from UVA and UVB rays).
Laura Doyle, mum of 4. Kyle 9, Noa Belle 4, Briar 2 and Milla 12 months. Breastfeeder, co-sleeper, coffee drinker. Staying positive and inspired by the chaos of it all. Follow her on Instagram.