By now I'm sure you know that healthy skin requires a long-term investment, it time and quality products and facials. Perfection doesn't come overnight! But, realistically we all slack sometimes. We're all guilty of sleeping in our makeup after a long night out, or going overboard with a peel, or worse yet, popping a pimple when we shouldn't. The good news? If you take excellent care of your skin most days, a mistake here and there isn't going to cause too much harm. Keep reading to learn some quick tricks to erase (well, minimize) some of the most common skin care slip ups.
1. The Mistake: Excessive Exfoliation
Maybe one day you discovered a new exfoliant and figured, why not double up and use it twice a day to speed up the results. The end result? Skin stripped clean of its protective barrier. Always read the product recommendations when it comes to how often you should exfoliate. Any type of exfoliant, be it a Clarisonic, acid peel, facial scrub or microdermabrasion wipes away dead skin cells. Yes, this is effective but too much can be detrimental, so be careful. Typically I recommend exfoliating once a week, but if you go overboard simply stop exfoliating for one week and use excess moisturizer that following week. Slathering on a creamy moisturizer (Dermalogica's Intense Moisture Balance) will help your skin to feel smoother and less irritated.
2. The Mistake: Pimple Popping
It happens, you picked at a zit hoping to make it go away sooner. The problem? Bacteria got in and caused it to look and feel worse! This type of mistake can cause scarring so start by fully disinfecting the pimple with a treatment to fight the germs (Dermalogica's Special Cleansing Booster) and then apply a salicylic acid treatment (Dermalogica's Overnight Clearing Gel) to clear it up. Keep it hydrated over the next few days and you should be on your way to clear skin soon.
3. The Mistake: You Forgot your SPF
You forgot to cover up. Just one time is too many, and can result in a painful red, inflamed burn, otherwise known as skin damage. How do you relieve the pain (and redness)? First things first, take an anti-inflammatory pill and apply a cool washcloth that's been soaked in cold milk for a few minutes here and there the first day. Yes, you read that correctly, the proteins will help calm your skin. After that, avoid exfoliating and add a dark-spot treatment (Dermalogica's C-12 Pure Bright Serum) to your routine. This will help prevent sunspots from developing and fade any existing ones.
4. The Mistake: You Slept in your Makeup!
The problem with this is that your skin heals and regenerates as you sleep, so by forgetting to cleanse your face you're preventing new, fresh skin from forming. Instead, your skin is soaking in excess grime, dirt and oil. This causes clogged pores, which lead to breakouts, which, luckily is something you can reverse. As soon as you wake up double wash your face. That's right, twice. First to remove any makeup that wasn't washed away with your remover and second for a deep cleanse. If you notice any pimples beginning to form simply apply a germ-fighting treatment (Dermalogica's Special Cleansing Booster). Next, apply your moisturizer and skip makeup for at least a day. Using only a tinted moisturizer (Dermalogica's Concealing Spot Treatment) and concealer if necessary.
5. The Mistake: You Drank too Much Wine and your Skin is Turning a Deep Shade of Pink.
This is common among those with Rosacea. Just a single glass can cause a dark rosy glow. So, avoid the heat! Turn up the AC, sit in front of a fan, or use an ice pack here and there to reduce inflammation. Also, try spraying a cooling, soothing spritz (Dermalogica's Ultra Calming Mist) on your face to help minimize redness quickly. Next time you want to sip a glass of wine, try a white variety to prevent any unnecessary redness.
If I missed any mistakes please, call any of our 4 locations to schedule a skin care consultation today so we can help you fix it! Like this post? Share it on Facebook!
