Are you accidentally aging your skin? Our experts weighs in.
When it comes to skincare, there are millions of products and an endless amount of advice available. It can be difficult to know where to focus your attention and if your routine is an effective one. To help you avoid them, we asked Rachel Yang, NP, to weigh in on the top skincare mistakes people make, leaving skin vulnerable or inadvertently aging skin.
Mistake 1: Only applying products to face
You should treat your neck as well as your face! If you are ignoring your neck, the two areas will appear mismatched over time. That goes for your morning and night time skin care regimens.
Mistake 2: Relying on makeup for SPF
Although your makeup may contain SPF, most makeup does not provide adequate sun protection. You should be applying at least SPF 30 daily, specifically broad spectrum (meaning it covers both UVA and UVB rays). My favorite daily sunscreen is the EltaMD tinted facial sunscreen.
Mistake 3: Not reapplying SPF when outside
Applying sunscreen once a day isn’t enough. We know the sun prematurely ages skin, so you need to reapply sunscreen every two hours while outside. ISDIN daily skin protection mineral brush is great for on-the-go!
Mistake 4: Not double cleansing
Washing your face once typically doesn’t do a great job removing all of your makeup. You would be surprised what’s left on your skin after simply washing once! First, wipe your face and neck with Micellar water on a cotton pad. Then wash your face with face wash.
Mistake 5: Thinking your skin can’t tolerate a retinoid
Retinoid is a great part of night time skin care routine to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, but it can irritate the skin if applied too often or too much. Start by applying 2-3 nights a week then increasing nights as tolerated. A small amount goes a long way, so apply a pea size amount to the face and neck. Wait at least 20 minutes after washing your face to apply retinoid. You can also apply a moisturizer over the retinoid.
Mistake 6: Using too many products
There are a lot of products on the market! It can be confusing to figure out what you should be using. Don’t let skincare overwhelm or discourage you. If you’re not sure where to start, keep it simple: vitamin c and sunscreen in the morning and a retinoid at night.
If you are struggling to find a skincare routine that works for your specific skin issues or want to make sure you’re doing the right things for your skin type, make an appointment for a custom consultation with our expert providers!