The Top 5 Skincare Mistakes We All Make!

Are you also prone to making some of these common skincare mistakes? If so, no fear I also have some good news for you!

Before we look at the top five skincare mistakes we all make, I want to tell you the good news. The good news is that all of these skincare mistakes are easy to correct and avoiding them will help your skin glow, giving you skin confidence every day.

So, let's take a look at the top 5 skincare mistakes we often all make.

Mistake #1

The first mistake is related to exfoliating. We usually do one of two things - we either over-exfoliate or we don't exfoliate. Which one do you tend to do? Or perhaps you are in the middle, where you don't exfoliate enough.

How much is enough? What is the optimum number of times to exfoliate each week?

It depends on your skin type. My husband, for example, has oily skin and so he exfoliates every morning. But his skin is also tough so he can get away with exfoliating often. For most of us, who don't have skin like his, it’s ideal to exfoliate one to three times a week. Listen to your skin. It’s pretty smart, and it will tell you what it wants and needs.

However, regardless of our skin types, we should all exfoliate. Whether our skin is dry, normal, combination, oily or even sensitive, it is important to exfoliate to remove the top layer of dead skin cells that our cleanser doesn't remove. A cleanser will take off our makeup and some dirt and grime, but we really need exfoliation, some traction from the beads, to remove the dead skin cells.

Keep in mind that you don't need to use vigorous action on your skin, simply exfoliate using gentle circular movements. You also don't need an exfoliator with big or coarse beads. Small gentle beads will do the trick.

I regularly use two Annique exfoliators, the Essense Crème Exfoliator and the Essense Enzymatic Exfoliator. The Crème Exfoliator is, as its name suggests, a cream exfoliator which I use once or twice a week in the morning. The Essense Enzymatic Exfoliator is a gel exfoliator that uses enzymes to remove the dead skin cells. I use this one after I've done exercise, or been out hiking, when I have a layer of perspiration on my skin. I love how it cuts through the sweat, the perspiration, and the salt, and leaves my skin crisp, clean, fresh and glowing.

Exfoliating is a necessary addition to every skin care routine but be kind to your skin and don't over-exfoliate.

Mistake #2

The second mistake most of us make is forgetting to care for our tender neck area. Yes, we know to take care of our face, but we think it ends at our jawline. It doesn't. It includes our neck and our chest area. So, really, your face starts at the hairline of your forehead and goes to above your bustline. Take care of the whole area, and don't forget the back of your hands. Always save a little bit of your skincare product to take care of this exposed and tender area as well.

Mistake #3

Mistake number three is to apply skin care product with vigorous motion to our face. It is critical not to stretch the skin.  When applying your moisturiser, Revitalising Cream, or exfoliator, take a small amount, dot it on to your skin, and then pat it gently into the skin.  Don't rub it into your skin.

To be honest, I often see women failing to treat their skin gently. I’m always horrified when I see someone applying their product as if they are rubbing out a mark of dirt. Rubbing the product into the skin does not help it to absorb better. Vigorous application stretches the skin and adds to the lines and wrinkles we are trying to minimise. I show you how to do this in my video which you can view right here.

Remember, your skin always appreciates some tender loving care.

Mistake #4

Mistake number four is not being consistent. With so much in life consistency is key. You don't need a ton of skincare products to have well-cared-for glowing skin, but you do need to use what you do have consistently, both morning and evening. It’s important to make the time to take care of your skin. It's worth it, and you are worth it. Simply be consistent, and your skin will reward you with its glow.

Mistake #5

Number five is, perhaps surprisingly, to eat your greens, and to drink water and Rooibos tea. Again, consistency is key here. We think that taking care of our skin is only about the outside. No, it's also about what goes on in the inside. Eating our greens and drinking healthy liquids are equally important to providing our skin cells with what they need to rejuvenate at a cellular level, giving us younger and vital looking skin.

Which of these five common skincare mistakes are you most prone to do?

I know that in the past I have been guilty of not exfoliating regularly, of not patting my product into the skin, and of not drinking enough liquids. For me, these mistakes were really the errors of my youth when I thought I would have firm adaptable skin forever. However, as I have aged, I have realised that I can’t take my skin for granted. It not only needs a gentle touch, it needs me to be consistent in caring for it. It also needs me to eat my greens and to take hydration seriously for maximum cellular health and skin glow.