Developing a skincare routine that works for you can be very difficult. All marketing companies work to make their products the most attractive and convincing. Additionally, tons of people offer skin care advice that may or may not even work for your skin. Struggling with skin care can lead to excessively dry skin, oily skin, and acne. These problems could cause additional stress to college students, especially if they are involved. Many products include cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers, and more. Seeking skin care advice and finding products can be overwhelming. To ease that stress, here is a list of things to avoid:
- Not cleansing and moisturizing
- Using harsh exfoliants
- Not removing makeup properly
- Not wearing sunscreen
Cleanse & Moisturize
The two most basic steps that every skincare routine must include are cleansing and moisturizing. Most dermatologists agree that you should cleanse your skin at least once a day at night. Washing your face at night is important because the cleanser will remove the sweat, bacteria, makeup, and everything else from the day. There is some controversy about whether it's counterproductive to cleanse your face in the morning, but using a cleanser at night is mandatory.
There is less controversy and advice about when to moisturize. To best maintain the health of your skin, it is best to moisturize after cleansing. Moisturizing is important because it prevents the skin from becoming too dry or oily, which can lead to more serious problems. Individuals who choose not to cleanse their face in the morning should moisturize. Cleansing and moisturizing at least once a day should be the basis of everyone's skincare routine.
Avoid Using Harsh Exfoliants
Dermatologists agree that exfoliating is important to include in a skincare routine. You may consider adding it if exfoliating is not part of your skincare routine. There are many different products to choose from when searching for a reliable exfoliant. Some products exfoliate the skin by manual labor, and others with chemicals. Depending on your skin texture, you may prefer one or rotate both. Regardless of the brand and type, avoid using abrasive exfoliants.
The purpose of exfoliating is to remove dead skin cells from the first layer of the skin. Doing this regularly will lead to visibly smoother skin. Using an exfoliant that is too abrasive can damage the skin immediately and long term. Abrasive exfoliants have too scratchy products that go beyond the first layer of skin. Chemical exfoliants that are too abrasive contain material that is potentially dangerous to the skin if the dosage is too high or frequent. Avoid using manual exfoliants that contain nut products, as these are too damaging. When using manual exfoliants, be sure not to apply too much pressure. Exfoliating too aggressively or too often will cause the skin to become irritated, red, peeling, or sensitive to other products.
Remove Makeup Properly
Lots of individuals in college wear makeup or other beauty products daily. While these individuals may wash their face daily, they may not remove their makeup properly. Not removing beauty products fully could lead to excessively oily skin and acne. Individuals who wear makeup should invest in a product specifically for removing makeup.
Not Wearing Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a product that everyone should use daily. Most individuals' biggest skincare mistake is not protecting their skin from the sun. This is especially important for college students as these individuals may spend more time outside socializing and traveling to classes. Not using sunscreen daily can result in long-term irreversible damage to multiple layers of the skin. Most dermatologists recommend using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 25.