The 5 skincare mistakes I vowed I would never make again

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I still cringe when I think about what I used to do (and not do) when it comes to skincare.

For your reference, I have combination skin — dry, sensitive cheeks and an oily t-zone — and believe it or not, it actually took me a while to figure just that part out. Back in high school, I used to get acne on my forehead, so I assumed I had acne-prone skin. And then when I moved to the U.K. for college, my skin started peeling at one point, so I assumed I actually had really dry skin. For several years, I wasn’t taking care of my skin the right way, wasting a bottle after another that just didn’t work out for me.

But the skincare mistakes I’ll be sharing here doesn’t even have anything to do with those experiences. These are just silly bad habits that the today-me cannot believe the younger-me used to have. They may seem harmless, but over time, they can do real damage.

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Read on to make sure you don’t repeat my mistakes.

Going to a barre class with makeup on

Or hot yoga, or spin class.

I would have makeup on because I was going right after work. Sweating and opening my pores to makeup foundation was one of the reasons why I continuously had visible large pores — one of my greatest skin concerns for a long time.

The thing is, I kind of always knew I shouldn’t keep my makeup on when I exercise, but I was lazy, and sometimes I felt self-conscious about having a bare face in class. One time, I tried a new BB Cream and my skin started to itch mid-way into a barre class I was in. My skin looked and felt so angry — I could see that my cheeks were getting extremely irritated. Even after I washed everything off, my skin stayed inflamed for the whole night. That was my “scare moment” that motivated me to change up my habit.

I started bringing makeup wipes and a cleanser with me and would make sure I really clean off all the makeup before I walk into the fitness rooms. This one small change alone gave my skin the long-lost glow after a few days — my husband complimented on how “healthy” my skin looked, too.

Now that I do at-home classes due to COVID, I actually wash my face before and after I work out!

2. Thinking that removing makeup = Cleansing my face

I used to just use a makeup wipe or some form of face wash to clean my face, and I still can’t believe young-me was like that because my cleansing routine is the most important to me right now.

Your face cannot benefit from any skincare product if it isn’t even clean in the first place. That’s why double-cleansing is so crucial to having beautiful, clear skin.

When I have eye makeup on, I soak a cotton pad with Bioderma’s gentle makeup remover to remover stubborn makeup like waterproof mascara. Then I move on to use a makeup remover like Malaya Organic’s cleansing oil or Banila’s Cleansing Balm. Finally, I wash my face with a cleanser like Charlotte Tilbury’s Cleansing Balm or the Milky Jelly Cleanser by Glossier. Twice a week, I use an exfoliator like the Face Scrub by Frank Body or the Rose Facial Polish by French Girl.

< I chatted with 5 beauty gurus about their skincare mistakes — more on my latest News Break article. >

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3. Not giving my skin a day off

Having makeup on every single day is in fact quite a burden for your skin! Giving it at least one day off a week will allow it to have a chance to breathe and rest.

Pre-COVID, I made sure I would give it either Saturday or Sunday off — usually, it’s Sunday since it’s a “family day” for me. Right now, since I work from home, my skin has been able to go makeup-free a lot more often which is great because I do sometimes get acne from wearing a face mask.

4. Not washing my makeup brushes

Makeup brushes can accumulate leftover powders and store dust over time, so being lazy about cleaning them was definitely a mistake. Especially little brushes that I use for eyeshadows because the skin around our eyes is the most sensitive.

When I come across a cleanser that doesn’t really work for me, one of the ways I repurpose it is to use it to clean my brushes. I’ve gotten into a habit of washing them on a weekly basis now — even though I don’t use them as often as I used to.

5. Not changing skincare products when seasons change

I stuck to the exact same skincare routine and products for several years before realizing the need of changing it up depending on the weather and the environment I was in.

In college, when I lived in the U.K., my skin would go crazy dry in the winter because of staying in heated rooms. In the summer, the mild weather made it a lot easier for me to take care of my skin. But when I moved to Taiwan to work after graduate school, it became the total opposite; my cheeks would sometimes peel from the dryness of being in air-conditioned rooms during the summer.

From the cleanser to toner to moisturizer, I would swap out products depending on what my skin needs that season. In fact, sometimes I also switch things around if I’ve been sleeping late, drinking the night before, or during the week I have my period, as well.

What are some skincare mistakes you’ve made before that you make a point to avoid now? Have you made any of my mistakes? Leave a comment and let me know!

Thanks for stopping by Happily Ever Style.

xoxo,

Tricia