There are obvious skin-aging habits that we all know, like smoking, skipping SPF, and not staying hydrated. Those habits can leave you with premature wrinkles, a reduction in collagen, eye puffiness, and a greyish skin tone. And, obviously, there are other, more serious repercussions to those habits.
But less obvious, seemingly innocent habits can have a detrimental effect as well. Read on to learn about how breaking these habits could result in less skin damage and an overall more youthful-looking appearance.
Rubbing Your Eyes
Rubbing your eyes, whether, from irritation, allergies, lack of sleep, or stress may feel good, but could make you look older. While speaking to Men’s Health, Anupama B. Horne, M.D., chief for comprehensive ophthalmology at the Duke Eye Center, explained rubbing your eyes too much could break blood vessels, in and around your eyes, leading to puffiness and an overall aged look.
Excessive rubbing of your eyes can lead to dark circles, bloodshot eyes, and even damage to your vision. The delicate skin around the eyes can take the occasional rub, but when it becomes a habit, it could lead to problems.
To soothe eyes without rubbing them, try placing a cool, damp washcloth over your eyes or using eye drops to reduce irritation. Gel eye masks are great to have in your beauty toolbox if your eyes give you problems regularly.
Using Makeup Removing Wipes
Beyond the obvious downsides for the environment, disposal makeup wipes can actually damage age your skin.
Speaking to Glamour, Dr. Joshua Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, explained that most commercial wipes can cause skin irritation, which can lead to low-grade inflammation. Overtime, this type of damage can cause skin pigmentation and even wrinkles. The irritation that can occur is largely due to preservatives in the wipes that are meant to prevent microorganisms from contaminating the wipe itself.
To easily remove makeup, tried and true products like Pond’s Cold Cream does wonders, even Dolly Parton swears by it. Other great solutions include Micellar Cleansing Water paired with these eco and skin friendly reusable cotton pads. For waterproof eye makeup, this vegan and cruelty-free makeup melt from Bliss quickly and gently removes stubborn eyeliner and mascara.
Forgetting Your Sunglasses
This is one accessory you need to use year-round, according to Piedmont Healthcare. Sunglasses provide a plethora of benefits, plus they have a certain cool-factor.
They provide UV protection, which in turn can protect you from corneal burns, and other harmful, horrible sounding conditions. They’ll also protect the delicate skin around your eyes. “Eyelid skin is the thinnest skin on our body and it’s more at risk for sunlight damage,” stated Elliot Levine, M.D., an ophthalmologist at Piedmont. Any kind of skin damage can age you, but the skin around our eyes seems to go first. When you forgo the sunglasses, you’ll likely end up squinting, causing even more lines to occur.
Luckily, oversized sunglasses never go out of style. We love these vintage two-pair set that looks flattering on all face shapes. Another great option are these classic shades that never go out of style.
Over-Exfoliating
We all likely know the benefits of exfoliating. For the uninformed, though, the advantages include a glowing complexion, unclogging pores, evening skin tone, and baby-soft skin. The ‘pros of exfoliating’ list could go on and on. However, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and over-exfoliating definitely fits in that category.
First of all, there are two types of exfoliation: chemical and physical. Think grainy creams and scrubs for the latter, and acid-based exfoliants (alpha or beta hydroxy) for the former. Either one should be used with care, typically around two or three times a week, according to most dermatologists (via Allure).
Possible problems with over-exfoliating include irritation, redness, and dehydrated skin. “When exfoliation is done right, you won’t even notice it. Yes, your skin will feel a bit smoother, cleaner, younger, and healthier. But if you’re too overzealous, the irritation can look waxy from wiping away skin cells and natural oils, which allows for premature exposure of underlying skin,” Dr. Geetika Mittal Gupta, ISAAC Luxe, told Vogue. “It is important to note that healthy skin will look plump, not thin or slick.”
If you’ve gone overboard with the exfoliators try to give your skin a break and ease back into a routine. Find an exfoliator that works well with your skin, don’t overdo it, and consult a dermatologist if needed. Honestly, we could all probably benefit from a visit to the dermatologist.