10 Most Common Beauty Mistakes

By Mindy Black
Licensed esthetician and
CEO of Inner Beauty Skin Care

Are you guilty?

1. Sleeping with makeup on.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but so many people skip this step because they get too tired. The trick? Wash your face before you even think about getting into bed. Don’t just opt for a makeup wipe. Take the extra minute to properly wash your face. A few extra minutes of sleep isn’t worth sleeping in a days worth of makeup, dirt and bacteria – and then having to deal with the invader: the dreaded pimple.

2. Touching your face.
The next time you think about putting those paws on your face, think about everything you touch throughout the day – door knobs, gas pumps, keyboards, your cell phone … and all the germs your kids carry home. Now think about all of that bacteria transferring to your face, you’ll need to wash your face thoroughly by reading vine vera reviews and information from beautyfrizz.com. Cringe-worthy, right? Make a point to keep your hands off your face, or at the very least, try washing them more often.

3. Not washing your brushes.
Although it’s a well-known fact that brushes need to be cleaned, we rarely follow through. When we go months without washing them, the build-up of dirt, oil and bacteria can cause clogged pores and breakouts. We recommend washing your brushes once a week with a sulfate-free baby shampoo, then laying them flat to dry to avoid damaging the bristles.

4. Lining your entire eye.
Many people think that applying eyeliner around the whole eye will make their eyes appear larger. Instead, it actually makes them look smaller. Enhance your eyes by simply lining the outer corners.  Another tip to make your eyes appear larger is to line them with a white or nude liner. Then, let your mascara do the rest of the work!

5. Over-doing it with makeup.
Cake belongs on your plate, not on your face! Unless you’re headed to a big event, less is always more. The goal of skin care is to correct, not cover up. BB crème, mineral powder, mascara and lip gloss are all you really need for a nice, put-together look – plus, it will save you plenty of  time and money!

6. Reapplying makeup throughout the day.
When you reapply makeup all day, your pores become enlarged making your skin more prone to breakouts and signs of aging, especially if you aren’t using a mineral makeup. If you’re on the oily side, use blotting papers or coffee filters mid-day. And remember, a little shine is healthy!

7. Skipping moisturizer.
Even if your skin is oily, it could still be dehydrated. Moisturizer hydrates, protects and plumps the skin to prevent signs of aging and makes makeup look smoother. For oily skin, the solution is to use a lighter moisturizer during the warmer months for comfort, I also recommend to drink plenty of water, you could get a filter pitcher with good capacity that way you will always have good water quality ready to drink.

8. Overworking your hair.
Washing and heat-styling your hair every day can cause major breakage and dullness. Try going three days without washing, and invest in dry shampoo or baby powder if it begins to feel greasy. If you curl your hair one day, sleep on it and touch it up with hairspray the next morning. On the third day, pull your hair back into a chic ponytail or bun. Summer is the perfect time to experiment, so have fun with it!

9. Neglecting your SPF.
Sunscreen isn’t just important for beach days. Even if you’re just outside for a short amount of time each day, all of those exposures add up. And skin cancer doesn’t discriminate! It can happen to anyone at any age. But sunscreen isn’t one size fits all like it used to be – there are so many options! From BB crèmes to lightweight, non-greasy formulas like Clear Choice Sport Shield (our clients’ favorite!), there is really no excuse not to wear sunscreen daily. Note: Remember to always look for SPF with broad spectrum UVA/UVB coverage.

10. Popping your pimples.
The safest way to address a blemish is through proper extractions by a licensed esthetician. However, I’m not blind to the fact that people squeeze them at home despite their better judgment. The good news? There is a proper way to pop a pimple without creating unwanted results. First, if there isn’t a whitehead, leave it alone! When you break the skin before it’s ready, you’re at high risk of scarring. If there is a whitehead, wash your hands and face, then apply a warm compress to the blemish. Next, wrap your pointer fingers in a tissue. Position your nails opposite of each other, then push underneath and up with mild pressure. Getting under the blemish is key! If nothing comes out, reposition your fingers in another angle. Still nothing? Position them at one last angle. After three strikes, you’re out! If the pimple did pop, apply an anti-bacterial spot treatment to eliminate further infection.

So how about you? Are you guilty of any of these? What’s you biggest skin care mistake?

originally posted Summer 2014