While you may be able to get away with a few “skin sins,” there are still some that should remain off-limits.
We dive into how bad it really is to commit these notorious skincare don’ts.
Sometimes, you have the best intentions to do a full regimen or make all the right skincare moves … but then life happens.
“It is important to remove the makeup debris to avoid congesting your pores and triggering acne breakouts. If you don’t wear makeup and don’t have obvious grime on your face, occasionally skipping your nightly cleanse is unlikely to be a major deal, says Rachel Day, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Pennsylvania.
“Face wipes are great for removing makeup, or clearing sweat at the skin’s surface — but they don’t compare to the deeper cleansing abilities of a cleanser,” says Deanne Robinson, a board-certified dermatologist in Conneticut. “Wipes don’t loosen impurities in the pores, and they most likely won’t penetrate the oils at the skin’s surface to reach the deeper skin structures.”
“When we squeeze pimples, we are traumatizing the skin and adding to the inflammatory environment,” says Dr. Day. She recommends applying a concentrated benzoyl peroxide spot treatment or calling your dermatologist ASAP to get in for a localized steroid injection to bring down the inflammation safely.
“The tan that you get from tanning beds does not protect your skin from a sunburn or help with vitamin D synthesis. Worst of all, tanning beds accelerate skin aging,” says Dr. Day. She adds, “tanning beds are a lose-lose. I advocate for safe, fun outside in our natural environment. It’s good for both our mental and physical health.”