5 Common Skin Sins To Avoid

Originally posted: Oct 28, 2015 8:14:38 AM / by Lee Ann Burdette

Lee Ann Burdette resides near Princeton, New Jersey, and she is a Beauty Guru in her own right- a Licensed Esthetician and Professional Makeup Artist, her passion is to share beauty tips with anyone and everyone. When she's not writing beauty blogs, you'll find her indulging in reality shows like Real Housewives of Orange County and dining at upscale restaurants. You can find her on Instagram @laburdette

We all make mistakes, and when it comes to personal care such as skin care, you could potentially be damaging your skin without even realizing it. Despite your good intentions, continue reading to find out what skin care practices you may be doing that actually yield results that are the opposite of what you intended.

Using the Wrong Face Cleanser

Sometimes half the problem with our skin issues are due to simply using the wrong cleanser. For instance, I had a client who had a dry skin type and she was using a 'daily foaming cleanser' that was really designed for oily skin types. She chose this particular cleanser because it made her skin feel 'extra clean' due to the tight feeling she got after using it. But she couldn't understand why her skin was breaking out. After a thorough consultation with her, I soon realized what the culprit was behind her breakouts: her cleanser! It was too strong a formula for her dry, parched skin, that it was depleting her natural oil production even more (and dry skin types lack necessary lipids to begin with), so her skin freaked out on her and broke out from being irritated and a damaged moisture and lipid barrier.

Therefore, it is important to know your skin type- whether you're oily, combination or dry, consult with a Licensed Esthetician at a local spa for a skin analysis and she (or he) will recommend the right home care products for you.

Over or Under-Exfoliating

It is widely common to either over-exfoliate or under-exfoliate. For instance, the electronic cleansing brushes are all the rage now and they do in fact contribute to a deeper clean, which is great. However, many cleansing brush users use it every day (yikes) and over-exfoliate the skin and compromise the moisture and lipid barrier. It is best to use it no more than three times a week if your skin is on the oily side, or no more than twice a week if your skin leans toward dry. On the other hand, a lack of exfoliation can lead to a couple of things: bumpy, congested skin or dry, rough skin. When one neglects to exfoliate, the dead surface cells can accumulate, leading to dry, dull skin. This dead skin cell build-up can create somewhat of a barrier on the skin, which won't allow proper product penetration.

Neglecting to Wear Sunscreen

This mistake leads to premature aging and wrinkling. Many people wrongly assume that sunscreen is only required when basking out in the sun on a hot summer day. The truth is, the Ultra Violet rays are present all year round- even on overcast days when you can't see the sun- therefore it is crucial to wear a moisturizer with a built-in broad spectrum sunscreen all year round to prevent signs of aging (which is by the way primarily caused by the sun).

Using Bar Soap as a Face Wash