7 Most Common Skincare Mistakes You Might Be Making

You might be wondering why your skin is not cooperating with you, even when you have the best products that are the perfect fit for your skin type. Well, let me tell you, it might not be the skincare products you use, it probably is the way you treat your skin and the way you apply these products.

Certain lifestyle habits that we normally do can be harming our skin and cause damage without us being aware of it.

I understand that we all want healthy, shiny, young-looking skin, however, here we’re not talking about what skincare products to use or how to use them. Instead, we’re going over the common skincare mistakes you might be making and costing you the best possible results.

I am here to tell you that you are not alone, and to help you avoid these mistakes, so let us dive in!

Table of content:
Mistake #1 – Not washing your hands before cleansing
Mistake #2 – Using products that are not suitable for your skin type
Mistake #3 – Not moisturizing correctly
Mistake #4 – Exfoliating too often or with the wrong product
Mistake #5 – Skipping SPF
Mistake #6 – Forgetting your neck and chest
Mistake #7 – Not being consistent
Conclusion

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Mistake #1 – Not washing your hands before cleansing

washing hands before washing face
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Should you wash your hands before cleansing your face? The answer is yes, definitely yes!

Hand hygiene should be a top priority for everyone. We touch many surfaces on a daily basis, from keyboards, and phones, to doorknobs, and whatever else that you can think of. Dirt and bacteria can easily get stuck on your fingers and under your fingernails.

Imagine taking all of that bacteria to your face when cleansing!

How horrible does that sound?

This can be the cause of random breakouts and unwanted pimples.

So, make it a habit to always wash your hands right before your start your skincare routine.

Mistake #2 – Using products that are not suitable for your skin type

skincare products for certain skin types
Photo by Karolina GrabowskaPexels.com

We all see skincare trends on TikTok and Instagram, with trending products that claim to give you glass skin in just one night! Or you see your favorite beauty influencer suggesting a product that claims to get rid of acne in two days.

It’s true, it can be tempting to go straight to the store and buy those products and start using lather them all over your skin because we all want great-looking skin, quick!

But this is where we go wrong, for three reasons.

First of all, not everyone reacts the same way to different skincare products. What works for you might not work for me, and what works for that one beauty influencer might not work for you or your friend.

Second of all, healthy-looking skin does not happen in one or two days, not even in two weeks. The skin life cycle of a middle-aged adult is 28 days, so the period in which you can actually test a product out if it’s working in your favor or not is almost one month.

Lastly, it is essential for you to know what your skin type is before purchasing any skincare product, especially active ingredients like retinol or AHA/BHA.

The last thing you would want to do is use a product that will cause further irritation to your skin if you already have dry and sensitive skin. Or using an oil-based product that will clog your pores further and cause acne and breakouts.

Mistake #3 – Not moisturizing correctly

moisturizing face - skincare mistakes
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A simple basic PM skincare routine consists of a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer (SPF for AM routine).

Moisturizing is an essential step in any skincare routine, and it must not be skipped! Since the first step might take away a little bit of the skin’s natural oils, it is absolutely crucial to use a moisturizer to keep your skin moisturized and protected.

How can you moisturize correctly? What is the proper way to moisturize? And how is there a wrong way to moisturize in the first place?! Well, moisturizing improperly can either cause more damage to your skin or can be absolutely a waste of product and money.

To moisturize properly, you need to apply it on damp skin right after cleansing and applying your serum if you are using one, to give your skin the opportunity to absorb the active ingredients properly and make the most out of the products.

The order in how you apply your skincare products is very important, you should always apply thinner products first and work your way up to the thicker products, this will let your skin absorb all of the products and you won’t end up wasting any product.

Mistake #4 – Exfoliating too often or with the wrong product

AHA/BHA skincare exfoliation
Photo by Joana MagsPexels.com

Exfoliating is a good way to accelerate the turnover of our skin cells. You can learn more about the different types of exfoliants here.

Firstly, you need to set up an exfoliating schedule depending on your skin type and tolerance, but as a general rule, exfoliating 2-3 times a week is ideal.

Secondly, your choice of the type of exfoliation is very important, because if you use a product that is too harsh for your skin, you will be causing more damage than you are benefiting your skin. This is why it is always recommended to patch-test any new product that you buy before using it on your whole face and neck.

You can start a method called “skin cycling”, learn more about it here.

Mistake #5 – Skipping SPF

applying SPF for sunlight protection
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This is a MAJOR mistake! I can’t put enough emphasis on this mistake because skipping SPF will push your skin back to zero, if not less!

Let’s look at the list below to understand what happens when we “forget” to apply sunscreen:

  1. If you are using active ingredients in your routine, the sun can and will damage your skin even further, that is because these ingredients make the skin more sensitive to UV rays.
  2. Exposure to direct sunlight can cause the skin to dry out quickly (hello wrinkles!).
  3. Let’s not forget about skin cancer, which is a major concern for skin exposed to direct sunlight.
  4. It will be a waste of all the products you use that are anti-aging.

In my opinion, these reasons are more than enough to make me remember to apply SPF anytime I want to go out, even if it was cloudy, AND to reapply SPF every 2 hours.

Mistake #6 – Forgetting your neck and chest

skincare products
Photo by Tara WinsteadPexels.com

Having a healthy-looking face with a dull neck and chest is never a nice picture.

The goal here is not to look young forever or to look perfect!

On the contrary, we are trying to maintain healthy skin and glow, I mean, there is nothing wrong with that! Right?

So, for that reason, let us not forget to apply our skincare products to the neck and chest areas!

Mistake #7 – Not being consistent

applying skincare on neck and chest
Photo by Karolina GrabowskaPexels.com

Consistency is key. Yes, we’ve all heard and read this sentence all over the internet. It can apply to practically anything!

You can’t complain about your skin’s results or the products you use when you are being inconsistent with your routine. Staying consistent with the frequency of use of your skincare products and the quantity is very important. Build a routine and a schedule for your skincare, make it a ritual.

Having a consistent routine helps your skin build a tolerance to certain strong ingredients and also gives it time to repair its barrier. Skin cycling is a good method to start building a consistent routine.


So there you have it: seven of the most common skincare mistakes you might be making that can be damaging your skin, and what you can do about it. If you have been unsure of yourself or frustrated by the results, now is the time to make a change.

Remember to stay vigilant about avoiding these pitfalls, following the advice here should help you make better decisions about your skincare routine – your skin will thank you for it.

Let me know in the comments section if you have been doing any of these mistakes.