If only my skin could stay young and supple without blemish or spot
for the rest of my life. Sounds like wishful thinking? Well it is to a
certain extent, the older we get the more effort that needs to be expended
in order to maintain healthy, youthful looking skin. This is not a
process that only movie stars or pop idols need to do because of their
jobs, but it is something the ordinary person can do to ensure that
their skin is as elastic and fresh as possible. After all, the skin is
the largest organ your body has, and if you can treat it with care it
will reward you with youthful looks way into your old age.
The only problem is, we do several things to our skin that encourages
wrinkles and discoloration. Here are some skincare mistakes to avoid
so that the skin can be fresh and young even in old age:
1. Being “Touchy Feel-y” With Your Skin
Don’t pick at your blemishes, burst your pimples, (okay i'll confess! I'm guilty too..Lol) or otherwise touch
your skin with dirty hands. What will happen is that you break down
the follicle wall of your skin and cause bacteria to spread. This
irritation is not good for skin. Treat pimples without squeezing them
and make a conscious effort not to touch your skin, especially if you
were handling things that are not good for skin, like synthetic dyes.
2. Skipping Moisturizer
Moisturizing is a two edged sword. On one hand, it is very
important to moisturize your skin because it helps your skin to maintain
elasticity and acts as a protective barrier against the elements and
will shield your skin from toxins. On the other hand,
over-moisturizing, especially with creams or heavy moisturizers, can
cause your pores to be clogged and essentially cause breakouts in the
long run. A good rule of thumb is to moisturize internally, which
involves eating essential fatty acids like avocado and drinking water.
Use natural moisturizers like jojoba, grapeseed (my fav) or olive oils for supple skin.
3. Not Enough Sleep
In this regard, your skin tells all. Not getting enough sleep,
especially for extended periods of time, shows via your skin. You see,
skin repairs itself at night, while you are resting; your body is busy
repairing. Which is why it is advised to use heavy creams and treatments at night. When you skimp on the sleep, your complexion will suffer.
4. Not Washing Off Makeup
Do not under any circumstances allow this to happen to you on a
regular basis. If no washing off makeup is a practice of yours,
discontinue it now. The problems caused from not washing off your make
up at night will show up in your skin very quickly in the form of
wrinkles and breakouts. This is especially true if you use oil based
makeup, which can clog the pores.
5. Over Exfoliating
We hear that we need to exfoliate our skin but can too much
exfoliating be done? The answer is yes. Exfoliating skin too much can
cause your skin to become dried out and wrinkled, as the natural oils
that your body produces won’t get a chance to stay on your skin. Once
or twice per week for exfoliating is best and you can always exfoliate
with natural ingredients like oatmeal,
Brown Sugar Scrub, etc thus ensuring that the skin does not become
exposed unnecessarily to chemicals, which can be found in the commercial
preparations.
Until next post...remain beautiful,
Onome
