Ever wondered why dark spots are popping up on your face and your pimples never seem to go away? They could be your body’s way of crying for help because of your bad beauty habits. See if you’re guilty of any below:
1. Sunbathing
There has been debates on whether tanning under the sun is better than indoor tanning beds. Both still uses UV lights to give you bronzed skin. Sun tanning might give you a bit of Vitamin D which is not a bad thing, if you tan for 2-10 minutes before the sun’s peak at 10am-3pm with some SPF protection [1]. If you love your tanning sessions without the help of SPF (sun protection factor) then you might get hyperpigmentation or worst, melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.
2. Not using sun protection at all
Mornings are a rush and the last thing you want to do is slap on some sunscreen all over your body. But getting sunburnt is not a good feeling and in the long run, frequent exposure to the sun could damage your skin cells, increasing your risk of skin cancer. Put on sunscreen with at least SPF 30 about 20-30 minutes before you go out will provide some protection to you from the harmful UV rays from the sun [2].
3. Sleeping with make-up on
This is one habit that you have to change if you’re falling asleep with your makeup on often. Not only will the makeup clog your pores, it causes breakouts and premature aging because it prevents your skin from recovering from its damage throughout the day [3]. If you’re too lazy to double cleanse your makeup off, try putting some makeup wipes at your bedside table so you can reach for it easily.
4. Douching / washing your bikini area frequently
It’s not a MUST to wash your vagina everyday. Your vagina cleans by itself quite efficiently (The white/yellowish discharge is the aftermath of its cleaning). The area around your vagina can be cleaned with a mild soap with warm water occasionally. Medical experts do not encourage douching because it puts your vagina at higher risk of contracting bacterial or yeast infections [4].
5. Forgetting to wash your makeup brushes
Your makeup brushes are a great hideout for germs. Imagine dipping your brush into your blusher (some bacteria might stop here) then brushing it on your face (the 2nd batch of germs will stop here) before putting it on your dressing table uncovered (bring on the dust too). Dirty brushes could irritate, cause breakouts, spread infections and ruin your good quality brushes [5]. So wash them at least once a week if you use them often.
6. Picking your spots
I know the pimple in the middle of your forehead is being a nuisance. Picking it is not going to make it go away either. In fact, squeezing the pimple will damage the healthy skin that surrounds it, making it more inflamed because of the germs from your fingers and will cause it to spread [6]. Try to avoid squeezing it and try this technique that professionals use to remove pimples.
7. Exfoliating too often
Exfoliating is a good way to remove excess dead skin cells but doing it too often will leave your skin dry and irritated. Since new skin’s turnover rate is every 6 weeks, try to keep your scrubs to a maximum of once or twice a week to keep your skin from losing too much moisture [7].
8. Touching your face
It’s OK to touch your face when you have clean hands but if you massage your face after playing with your phone (which has a lot of germs) then you might get a breakout the next day. Your hands are in contact with a variety of germs that could come from your phone, money and even your bag. So can you imagine putting those on your face with just a touch? If you suffer from acne, touching your face will aggravate it more [8]. So do avoid touching your face unless you’re washing it with clean hands.
9. Sharing your make-up
Having girly night-ins are a great way to play dress-up but sharing makeup might not be the wisest move. Your eyes and lips are the most susceptible to infections such as conjunctivitis and cold sores. Both are contagious from just using the same shadow brush or lipstick. If you really want to share your makeup, just remember to wipe the applicators with a tissue or a brush cleaner, or use disposable applicators to make it more hygienic [9].
10. Using old make-up products
You have a big makeup stash in your drawer but some of them have been in there for more than 2 years because it’s not finished and you can’t bear to part with it. Different makeup items have their own expiry dates and if you noticed your skin breaking out or if you got an infection from one of your products then it’s time to bin it.
11. Biting and licking your lips
Sometimes when you’re nervous, you tend to bite your lips or you might lick your lips because it feels dry and you assume your saliva will help keep it moist. As your saliva evaporates, your lips will be drier because more moisture will be lost from your lips [10]. Also, dry lips could be a sign of dehydration too so always have a good lip balm (with SPF if possible) on hand to rescue your dry lips.
12. Doing gel manicures often
Gel manicures may cost more than the usual manicure but it lasts longer and if you keep it well, it might even last you for a month. But recent studies have found that gel manicures actually dries out your nail, making it more brittle and you are exposing your fingers to UV light to cure the gel polish which in the long term can cause premature aging and maybe even cancer [11]. Try giving your natural nails 1-2 weeks to fully recover before getting a gel manicure again.
What you put or don’t put on your skin and body is just as important as what you eat. If you have committed some of these bad habits, then it’s time to stop it before it gets worst. Your skin is the largest organ and the one that is most exposed to pollution and external damages from free radicals. Your fingers are usually exposed to water, dry air from air-conditioned rooms and UV rays from those gel manicure sessions too. So take care of your outer body starting from now!
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