You might think this is a simple operation. Wash your face. How complicated can it be? You just put some soap and rinse with water. Right? Wrong!
You probably wash your face for many years by now. And you might be thinking you are doing everything right. But almost every one of us is making one of these mistakes.
Washing the face the right way will help you keep your facial skin clean, and your face healthy and glowing. Doing it in the wrong way can cause problems, like dry skin, breakouts, and more.
With that in mind, here are some ways you are washing your face the wrong way. Try to avoid these mistakes.
What is the right cleanser?
Any good face washing routine starts with the basics. And that is a good cleanser. We advise you to invest in the best quality cleanser you can find.
When looking for a facial cleanser, you need to look for products that clean just the dirt and grease. When you buy a cleanser for removing makeup, go for products that are mild on your skin. A lot of cleansers can make your face look dry and dull.
The reason is simple, they strip your skin of its nutrition.
How often to wash your face?
This is one of the biggest, and most common mistakes people make. It is best to wash your face just one time per day. That is unless your skin gets exposed to dirt due to traveling or spending a lot of time outdoors.
Just one wash per day will keep your face to the required level of clean. Washing your face more often than once can make it dry out.
We talked about how some products can strip the skin of its natural oils, and what happens when you wash the face more than once.
Rinse completely
The most important part of the face washing routine is rinsing.
Yes, you read it right.
When you wash your face, you have to rinse completely and thoroughly to wash away the dirt, grease, and everything else accumulated on the surface of your facial skin. If you do not rinse completely, there might be some impurities left behind on the skin, and they will clog your pores.
The result?
Your skin will look dry. Make sure to rinse areas like the hairline, nose, and jawline thoroughly.
How warm is warm water?
One of the myths when it comes to skin care is that our pores open when we use hot water, and that they close when we use cold water. So, with that in mind, people are often in a dilemma how warm the water should be?
What you need to understand is that hot and cold water cannot be the levers that open or close your skin pores.
So, what to use?
Go with lukewarm water that will help you clean your face. Of course, combined with a good quality cleanser, and you will see the magic happening on your face.
Avoid irritating ingredients
Who doesn’t want to smell fresh? Well, while fresh scent can be good everywhere else, you do not want it on your facial skin.
Facial cleansers that contain colorants, fragrances, and other scent ingredients can irritate your skin. Even more important, they can cause a burning sensation, which is the starting point of a skin infection. You are better off without scents on your facial skin.
Do not over exfoliate
This is the temptation for many people. We all know exfoliation is great for our skin. But exactly how much and how often is enough?
When you over-exfoliate, you can make your skin look dry and dull. And even more, you can see signs of tugging on your facial skin.
With that in mind, how to properly exfoliate?
Use your fingers in a gentle manner one or two times per week. Do not use clothes for exfoliating, as they cause damage to skin cells.
When to moisturize?
The key to hydrated and moisturized skin is the timing of the moisturizing. There are good times, and then there are bad times when you can apply moisturizer.
The best time to apply moisturizer on your face is as soon as you make your skin fresh and clean. That means after cleansing your face in the morning.
By doing this, you allow the moisturizer to work faster, penetrate deeper into your skin, and your skin to retain the moisture through the day. The same logic applies to skin serums and treatments as well.
Pat, do not rub
Let’s talk about one of the common mistakes we make. You wash your face, and now you need it dry.
What do you do? You pat it with a towel, or rub it with a towel?
We cannot ignore the fact rubbing gives you a nice feeling. But your skin does not get that nice feeling. Instead, try to pat your face with a fresh towel after rinsing. Do not use used towels, as they can spread bacteria on your now clean face.
Quality over price
We have to understand that quality matters. You need good products that will help you in your facial skin care.
That is why we suggest you allocate a small portion of your income on a monthly basis to skin care products. And make sure they are quality skin care products.
If you hesitate on spending money on your facial skin care, you cannot expect great results. It is as simple as that.
Trust in oils
Last, but not least, we have to talk about oily skin. It is one of the most challenging skin types. And people with oily skin often believe there is no cure for their problem. Wrong. The irony is that oils actually help for oily skin.
With that in mind, we refer you to essential oils that can balance the oiliness of your skin. Or you can try using oils like coconut and Argan oil that also help. There is always a cure for the problem, it is just a matter of finding it.
Check all of the mistakes you might be making above, and try to avoid making them in the future. Your face deserves that.
