As diligent as women try to be with their skin care routine, we can sometimes be our own worst enemies when it comes to treating our skin well. Here are five skin care mistakes that age women– and some suggestions on how to reverse their effects!
Using chemical-laden skin care products
Sandra LaMorgese M.S, H.N.,C.T., Founder of Wellness Innovations, and Director of Education for “Cures”– a wellness skincare line, says using skin care products with chemical preservatives can actually do more than damage than good to our skin. “The chemicals serve as free radicals in our body, which in turn age us,” LaMorgese explains.
Over-exfoliating
Josh Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in the Dermatology Department at Mt Sinai Medical Center in New York City says, “Most people can tolerate exfoliating the skin twice per week. Patients with sensitive skin should exfoliate once per week. Over doing it can cause irritation to the skin and lead to inflammation, and long-term inflammation can damage the skin and lead to premature aging.” Eep! Give your face a much-needed break from that exfoliator! It will thank you!
Forgetting Your Sunscreen
Nearly every skincare expert we consulted offered this tip: use sunscreen! Reapply often! Zeichner says, “You can’t control your genes, but you can control your environmental exposures. UV light can cause damage to collagen, dark spots, dilated vessels, and wrinkles. You can try to improve these with cosmetic in-office procedures, but nothing is better than prevention.
Being too rough with your fragile skin
Lori Leib, Creative Director of Bodyography Professional Cosmetics warns clients to go easy on their skin! She says, “Try not to pull on your eyes when applying liner, as this can cause premature wrinkles and sagging of skin. Instead train yourself to apply liner with a steady hand, or switch from pencil to gel liner as it applies a lot smoother.” When it comes to washing your face and removing your make-up, you also need to be gentle: “Be sure to use a gentle hand when using a cleansing pad or makeup remover to cleanse and remove makeup, especially around the eye area. A rough hand can cause redness and premature winkles,” she says.
Smoking
Cut the butts, ladies. It’s not sexy and it will wreck havoc on your skin. Seriously. Zeichner says, “We know smoking is bad for your lungs, but it is bad or your skin as well and can cause premature aging of the skin.” Put down the pack and walk away– for good!
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