Forgive me, beauty gods and goddesses, for I have sinned. I have committed several crimes against beauty that have left my skin worse for the wear. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Everyone has a few bad beauty habits, and some that you may not realize are actually bad. From makeup mistakes to how often you're touching you're hair, there are some serious bad beauty habits you need to break today.
Just looking at this list of bad habits makes me cringe, because even though I know the negative outcomes, I'm still struggling with banning the bad habits from my daily routine. Changing your habits is not easy, but it's important to get a handle on them, otherwise they spiral out of control. By altering a little bit of your beauty routine one day at a time, you too can break the bad beauty habits you've been holding onto for too long, and start each day knowing you're doing all the right things for your skin, hair, nail beds, and beyond. So listen up, because these crimes are a little bit too easy to commit, and you're going to want to break the habit as soon as possible.
1
You're Using Dirty Brushes
Cleaning your makeup brushes is among the first cardinal rules of beneficial beauty, and one of the first bad habits people fall into. According to The Gloss, dirty makeup brushes can cause breakouts, irritations, infections, and more. Not to mention they prevent proper application of your makeup. Wash your brushes, people!
2
You Fall Asleep With Your Makeup On
Dermatologist Dennis Gross told Refinery 29 that sleeping in your makeup is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as it "leads to bacteria build up, breakouts, and enlarged pores, which are many of the reasons women wear makeup in the first place." Do your face (and your pillowcase) a favor and wash your face before you climb into bed, even when you're not up for it.
3
You Touch Your Face Too Much
Think of everything you touch during an average day. Now think about putting all of those things on your face, and then some. A study done by the National Institutes of Health showed that people touch their face on average, 3.6 times every hour. From bacteria to allergens and everything in between, the less contact your germ-ridden fingertips have with your face, the better.
4
You're Using Dull Razor Blades
Bustle notes that using a dull blade makes it more difficult to shave, and increases your chances of getting razor burn. When your razor starts to feel like it's tugging across your skin, it's time to toss it.
5
You're Not Changing Your Pillowcase Often Enough
While not everyone's pillowcase is a cesspool of oil and dirt, most are. "When your pillowcase isn’t laundered or changed regularly, a build-up of dirt and oil from the environment as well as your skin and hair touching the pillow is transferred back to your skin," David E. Bank, director and founder of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery, told Huffington Post. This can clog pores and cause blemishes." So do yourself a favor ad do your laundry.
6
You're Keeping Product Too Long
Dermatologist Hadley King told Women's Health that using expired makeup is harsh on skin. "All of the molecules in these products can break down into something else, and you can have a reaction to it," King said. Pay attention to your expiration dates, ladies.
7
You're Playing With Your Hair
Both your fingertips and your face contain oils that when touching your hair, transferring the oil to your hair, and making it instantly greasy. Nobody wants a greasy mane! Beauty blogger Michelle Phan recommends trying to avoid running your fingers through your mane as much as possible, to keep your strands clean for a healthier head of hair.
8
You Workout With Makeup On
Rachel Nazarian of Schweiger Dermatology Group, told Refinery 29 just how bad it can be to keep your makeup on while you work up a sweat. “Sweat and bacteria get trapped under layers of makeup and prevent the skin from dissipating heat properly," Nazarian said. "The trapping of heat can also flare temperature-sensitive conditions such as rosacea, ultimately causing redness and uneven skin tone." Moral of the story? Wash your face before you get on the treadmill.
9
You're Still Tanning
Seriously, stop tanning. Subjecting yourself to ultraviolet rays and overexposing your skin is a big no no. In a study done in 2014, the acting U.S. Surgeon General Boris Lushniak reported that 10 percent of melanoma cases were directly related to indoor tanning. No thank you.
10
You Pick And Bite At Your Cuticles
When you pick at your cuticles, you not only ruin your beautiful manicure, but cause much bigger health problems down the road. Dermatologist Jeanine Downie told Refinery 29 that biting cuticles can, "lead to infections, which range from just a little bit of pus to permanent deformation of your fingernails." Keep your nails and quit picking.
11
You Rely On Makeup For SPF
"Makeup does not provide enough coverage," dermatologist Leslie Baumann told WebMD. "You need seven times the normal amount of foundation and 14 times the normal amount of powder to get the sun protection factor on the label." Do yourself a favor, and find an SPF that you can layer under your makeup for full coverage. Future you will thank you for it.
