Cooler(ish) temps are here which means it’s time to switch up your moisture game. But, before you do that, make sure you’re not committing these common moisturizer mistakes.
Applying moisturizer to your skin seems like such a cut and dry (oops, ignore our play on words!) activity, right? Rub it on and go.
What could possibly go wrong? It turns out, a lot. Dryness, itchiness, irritation and breakouts are just a few issues it could cause.
Hydrating your skin (inside and out) is the most important step in your skincare routine so let’s make sure you’re not unknowingly sabotaging your healthy, glowing skincare goals by committing these moisturizing mistakes.
1) Not starting off with a clean slate
We get it, it’s an easy mistake to make, especially at night when you’re tired and just want to go to bed. You splash some water on your face, figuring that’s better than skipping the face washing step all together and then apply your moisturizer as usual.
The problem is that moisturizers act as a seal or barrier to protect your skin. When you don’t thoroughly wash your face, you’re potentially locking in the bacteria, allergens and irritants that you didn’t wash off and that can wreak havoc on your skin overnight.
2) Not moisturizing acne prone skin
This is a common mistake and an urban legend that oily or acne prone skin doesn’t need to be moisturized.
Not true at all.
It’s an understandable misconception since you’re likely worried about clogging your pores. And if you use the wrong moisturizer, that can happen.
But, not hydrating at all causes your skin to produce more oil to overcompensate for the fact that you’re not applying any moisturizer which creates a vicious cycle of your skin producing more and more oil.
Just remember, there are a wide variety of different moisturizers out there. You just have to find the one that’s right for your skin type.
PS: We happen to know some people who can help with that!
3) Using the same moisturizer day and night
Another understandable mistake. Afterall, skincare is expensive and maybe you’re trying to save money or simplify your routine by using fewer products.
However, your daytime and nighttime moisturizing goals are different. We know what you’re thinking – who knew it could be this complicated?
In the morning, in addition to hydration, your moisturizer should also contain antioxidants and SPF to protect your skin from free radicals and harmful UVA and UVB rays.
At night, you typically want to use a thicker moisturizer that focuses on skin healing and cell turnover.
4) You don’t give a new product long enough to produce results
Patience is a virtue we weren’t all born with. Believe us, we get it. But it’s important to know that it takes around four to six weeks to start seeing any real results from a new product in your skincare regime.
So, try and exercise patience (remember, you’re also saving money by not running out and buying something else to try) by giving it at least that long to decide whether you think it’s the right product for you. The exception would be if it seems to be irritating your skin. In that case, stop using it immediately.
5) You forget your neck
Probably one of the most common things we see are clients with beautifully smooth, healthy glowing skin until you look down and see a wrinkly neck and decolletage.
Unless you plan on wearing turtlenecks year-round (a look we wouldn’t recommend for multiple reasons!), treat your neck with the same amount of attention and product that you give your face.
6) Applying your moisturizer too roughly
Another one we can relate to, you’re running around in the morning, putting “your face” on as fast as you can, after having hit snooze one too many times.
Instead of gently applying your moisturizer, you aggressively rub it all over your face (likely forgetting your neck – see above) so you can move onto the next step in your skincare regime.
What you may not know is that “aggressive moisture application” (yes, we realize that MAY not be an actual term recognized by the beauty industry but still ... ) can actually damage the skin and cause more wrinkles.
So, take a deep breath and be gentle when applying your moisturizer. The best anti-aging approach is to apply your moisturizer gently in circular motions using clean fingertips, then use your ring finger to apply moisturizer in more delicate areas (like the undereyes).
7) Applying fragranced lotion to sensitive skin
We all love a delicious-smelling skincare product, but that seemingly innocent scent could be the culprit behind your skin problems. It's difficult enough to understand the soup of ingredients listed on most beauty products, let alone the complicated terms that brands use to describe fragrances.
And a little insiders tip for you, just because something is unscented doesn't mean it is fragrance-free.
Unscented generally means that the product doesn't have an obvious fragrance but may contain substances that neutralize or mask the odors of other active ingredients (which don't always smell too great). Your best bet is reading over the ingredients list to confirm there are absolutely no fragrances present.
So, what's the conclusion? Are you a moisturizing maven or did you learn a thing or two? Or maybe you still have questions. Regardless, we're always here for any skincare question you might have!
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