Have you been unknowingly sabotaging yourself? See if you’re guilty of these common beauty mistakes.
STORY BY ANNA M. PARK
- You’re not Hydrating oily skin
- Just because you have oily skin doesn’t mean you don’t need to hydrate it. Even oily skin can be dehydrated — after all, hydration is the amount of water in your skin, which is different from the amount of oil in your skin. In fact, stripping your skin can cause an overproduction of oil, says Valerie Grandury, founder of skin care line Odacité, while using the right oils, like grapeseed oil, apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil, and sweet almond oil, can help dissolve excess sebum, balancing out oily complexions.
- If you’re oily, try:
- Elemental Herbology Harmonising Cleanse, $70, elementalherbology.com
- Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Day Oil, $45, dr.hauschka.com
- Odacité Pure Elements Gr+G Grapeseed Grapefruit Serum Concentrate, $32, odacite.com
- You’re letting bacteria proliferate
- Bacteria buildup on makeup brushes and beauty blenders can lead to breakouts. Clean them at least every other week with a gentle cleanser; anti-microbial microfiber cleaning pads and ultrasonic brush cleaners make the job easier. In between cleansings, minimize impurities with a blending sponge embedded with medicinal bamboo charcoal.
- Clean it up with:
- Artis Premier Brush Cleaning Pad, $55, artisbrush.com
- BrushPearl Cosmetic Brush Cleaner, $99, brushpearl.com
- Earth Therapeutics Precisso Cosmetic Blending Sponge, $6, kohls.com
- Your lighting is off
- You may have the makeup skills of a pro, but with that dim bathroom lighting, you can end up looking like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat. Invest in a high-tech LED mirror, like one from Simplehuman, which more closely simulates natural, dim or even office lighting and utilizes the full color spectrum for a more real-life reflection.
- Brighten up with:
- Simplehuman Wide-View Sensor Mirror, $400, simplehuman.com
- You’re overexfoliating
- Regular exfoliation helps with dullness and clogged pores. But with the proliferation of facial brushes, scrubs and acids, we can end up over-exfoliating, which can result in dehydration, redness, even hyperpigmentation. “Rubbing the skin every day with a brush or scrub is irritating and can aggravate skin or acne,” says boardcertified dermatologist Dr. Kally Papantoniou. “I prefer chemical exfoliation, such as a glycolic or salicylic acid pad, which is actually more gentle on the skin and is more effective in evening out skin tone.”
- We like:
- Elizabeth Arden Skin Illuminating Retexturizing Pads, $56, elizabetharden.com
- You’re missing out on the most important time of day: night
- Nighttime is when your skin’s restoration processes are in high gear, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Craig Kraffert. And with a recent Yale study showing that UV damage incurred during the day continues to proliferate at night, it’s even more important to infuse skin with free radicalfighting antioxidants. Dr. Papantoniou recommends incorporating retinol, an antioxidant serum like Skinceuticals Phloretin, and a good moisturizer with hyaluronic acid into your nightly regimen.
- Try these:
- Cosmedicine Night Duty Perfected Overnight Resurfacing Serum, $220, cosmedicine.com
- Skinceuticals Phloretin CF, $163, skinceuticals.com
- Estée Lauder NightWear Plus Anti-Oxidant Night Detox Crème, $55, esteelauder.com
