UNbeautiful Habits

There are things we all do each and every day to make ourselves look or feel better, and most of the time these actions benefit us in some way or another. Moisturizing the skin before applying makeup is a good example. Then there are the habits that aren't so beneficial... Come on, I know you all do something once in awhile that is a complete no-no! Let's say...not wash your face after a long night of partying? I won't judge anyone here as I have major beauty no-no habits myself (mainly pimple picking) but I think it's time some things stop. Here's to writing down the bad and, hopefully, stopping them!

1. Going outside without sunscreen. Okay, I've heard all the excuses in the book for this action people. "It makes my face breakout. I don't like the white film effect. It stings my eyes." I won't say that these issues aren't real but that doesn't mean you shouldn't wear sunscreen at all! It's about finding a sunscreen that works for you. There are tons of sunscreen products on the market and you have an abundance of choices. Why not do some research to find a sunscreen with all the right effects? So long as it's over SPF 15 and is both UVA and UVB preventive, then you're good. The rest of the choices, like whether it's a moisturizer, tinted, shiny/matte, etc. are up to you! I experiment with a ton of sunscreens because sunscreen is needed. This is one beauty item you can't live without if you want to stay young-looking, get rid of your scars faster (sun exposure causes increased melanin production), and prevent skin cancer!

2. Go without washing your face at least once a day. If you wear makeup, this is a big problem. Even if makeup is oil-free or is the mineral kind, it's just not healthy for your skin to be plastered with beauty products night and day. Your skin needs to be able to breathe and shed old cells. With a ton of gunk on your face, the old cells have nowhere to go but back into your skin. This is where beauty-related acne comes from, aside from allergies to ingredients. So I suggest to those of you who want to look great with, and more importantly, without makeup, wash your face after a long day! Did you know that technically, 20 seconds of washing is enough? Don't over do it or you may end up irritating your skin. If you wear heavy makeup try a makeup remover cloth first, then your normal cleanser.

3. Not moisturizing your face and body. Okay, this tends to happen to people who are oily. I know you gals/guys think that putting on moisturizer will make you even oilier but this isn't true all the time! In cases where you use the wrong product, yes this issue will happen. But if you find the right type of moisturizer, you shouldn't have a problem. And if you're dry skinned and still don't moisturizer...SHAME ON YOU! Dry skin is a sign of lack of moisture and what better way to fix this problem, not to mention the ugly physical side-effects such as shedding, scale-like skin, and itching, by slathering on some lotion?! So what kind to buy? If you're oily, you tend to need a light lotiong. Look for ones that say oil-free, non-comedogenic, mattifying, etc to reduce the addition of oil and oily-look. If you're dry, you will need an actual cream formula that is hydrating, heavy, and oil-based.