It’s common knowledge that the right skincare routine can help you to prevent and reverse the visible signs of skin aging. However, if you get things wrong, your skincare routine could have the opposite effect, causing your skin to age faster and sooner than it should.

Wondering which category you fall into? Read on as Introstem shares some of the most common mistakes that people make with their skincare routines, along with tips on how to turn things around. 

Not Using Enough Sunscreen

If you’re concerned about aging, then you’re probably well aware of how important sun protection is. After all, the sun causes up to 80% of the wrinkles, sagging skin, and hyperpigmentation that you develop as you grow older.

However, even with the best of intentions, people still often make mistakes when it comes to their SPF usage. One of the biggest is failing to give certain areas of their skin adequate coverage.

Ideally, you should be using one-quarter to one-third of a teaspoon of sunscreen on your face and neck. Don’t skimp out on this because not using enough sunscreen will mean that your skin isn’t receiving the amount of SPF stated on your sunscreen’s label. Make sure that every inch of exposed skin is covered. People commonly neglect their ears, hairline, eyelids, and neck, but these areas are just as prone to sun damage, along with skin cancer, as the rest of your face and body.

To make your SPF efforts more convenient, consider investing in an SPF moisturizer, such as the Introstem VitisCell Facial Shield Cream SPF 30. It provides the recommended amount of SPF for most skin types (you may need something higher if you have very sensitive skin), making it perfect for keeping your skin protected, so long as you use enough of it!

Over-Exfoliating

Exfoliation keeps the skin looking smooth, bright, and healthy. There’s no denying that regular exfoliating is key if you want your skin to look its best.

However, going overboard with your exfoliation efforts will do the opposite. Not only does over-exfoliation cause everything from dryness to acne to extreme sensitivities, but it will also accelerate the skin aging process.

Most people assume that over-exfoliation refers to exfoliating too often, and this is correct. However, even if you’re exfoliating at the right frequency, over-exfoliation can still occur if you’re using an exfoliator that’s too harsh for your skin. 

Ideally, you should be using a gentle exfoliator – one that isn’t going to damage your skin’s protective barrier. The Introstem Stem Cell Facial Peeling is perfect for this. With both mandelic acid and bamboo powder, it combines mild exfoliants in a way that makes them so much more effective than if they had each been used on their own. The resulting formula is fantastic at exfoliating the skin without causing it any harm. 

Skipping the Moisturizer

People with dry skin very rarely skip using a moisturizer. After all, a moisturizer can be a godsend when your skin is flaking or peeling.

However, it’s a different story for those with oily skin. With the skin’s surface already feeling greasy, people with oily skin often forgo using a moisturizer. They believe that it will make their oiliness even worse, which, in some cases, is true.

However, a moisturizer serves a very important purpose. Not only does it hydrate the skin but it also locks in moisture, along with the other skincare products that you’ve applied. Every skin type needs moisture in order to function properly, with moisture being very different from the oil that your skin naturally produces. Without enough moisture, your skin cells will start to look dull, shriveled, and older than they really are.

If you have oily skin, the secret is to look for a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer. You need a formula that will moisturize without weighing your skin down, just like the Introstem ThermoStem Completion Cream. Since this cream doesn’t contain any plant oils or butters, it’s silky and light to the touch. Even better, it’s infused with salicylic acid. This beta-hydroxy acid will clear out blockages from your pores while making your skin feel significantly less oily.

Using Hot Water When Cleansing Your Face

You may be patting yourself on the back for making the effort to cleanse your face twice a day, but if you’re using hot water to do so, you could be causing more harm than good.

As your skin ages, skin barrier function declines. This leaves the skin struggling to keep itself hydrated and moisturized. It goes without saying that, to prevent this, you need to preserve your skin barrier as much as possible. However, if you use hot water on your face, you’ll only be contributing to its demise. Hot water strips away that all-important layer. This leaves the skin even more vulnerable to the aging process.

To counter this, turn down the temperature when cleansing your face. Keep it lukewarm instead of hot, so that it’s still comfortable but won’t damage your skin. Ideally, make sure that you’re using a gentle cleanser too. An overly harsh formula will have the same effect as hot water – it will slowly destroy your skin barrier. Avoid cleansers that contain sulfates, opting instead for products that use alternative surfactants, like the Introstem Stem Cell Mousse Cleanser. This formula also happens to be brimming with plant extracts and oils, making it great for refreshing and revitalizing the complexion.

Ignoring the Effects of Pollution

Air pollution is becoming an increasingly worrying health concern. Research shows that 99% of the global population is exposed to high levels of pollutants, with this being something that’s almost impossible to escape.

Not only is air pollution detrimental to your health, but it spells bad news for your skin too. Studies show that it contributes to acne, hyperpigmentation, dehydration, and psoriasis, while also drastically speeding up the rate at which the skin ages. Failing to address the visible effects of pollution with your skincare routine will only make things so much worse.

So, other than cleansing those pollutants away twice a day, what can you do?

Make sure that your skincare routine contains plenty of antioxidants. They’ll counter the appearance of the free radical damage that pollutants cause. 

The best way to give your skin its daily dose of antioxidants is with an antioxidant-rich serum. Introstem’s Stem Cell Vitamin C Serum meets the mark on all fronts. It’s bursting with a wide array of antioxidants, from vitamins A, C, and E to grape stem cells and antioxidant-loaded plant oils. 

Using Expired/Improperly Stored Skincare Products

People often don’t realize that skincare products expire. However, all cosmetics do, and although a product may not necessarily look much different once it’s reached its best before date, it could be causing your skin to age.

How? It all comes down to how some ingredients oxidize after a certain amount of time. Active ingredients are particularly prone to this. Once this starts to happen, applying those ingredients to your skin will only lead to free radical damage, which manifests as wrinkles, dark spots, and more.

The same applies to products that haven’t been stored correctly. If the products in your skincare routine have been exposed to light or oxygen, the ingredients within will rapidly deteriorate.

To prevent this, start by making sure that you’re storing your products properly. Keep them in a cool, dry, and dark environment – the sunny windowsill in your humid bathroom isn’t going to cut it. 

Then, make sure that you’re aware of the expiry dates for each of your products. Most cosmetics will have a PAO symbol on their packaging, next to which will be a number followed by an ‘M’. For example, PAO 12M. PAO refers to period after opening, and the number signifies the number of months that an opened product is good for. If you don’t finish a product by the time you’ve reached its PAO, don’t be tempted to keep using it. It’s time to throw it out and replace it with a fresh formula.

Not Being Consistent With Your Skincare Routine

In order for a skincare routine to provide noticeable results, it needs to be carried out consistently. This means following the same routine each and every day without fail. This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but it’s very easy to let skincare slide when you’ve had a late night or a busy morning.

Why is consistency so important? Because certain ingredients, particularly active compounds, need time to accumulate in your skin before they can begin to work their magic. 

This also means sticking with your skincare products for a while. If you start using a new formula and don’t see any results after a few weeks, don’t give up. Most products require months, not weeks, to work. Be consistent with your skincare and you’ll get a lot further when it comes to preventing the appearance of aging.

Using the Wrong Products For Your Skin Type

Tempted by a skincare product that you’ve seen advertised on TV or social media? Before hitting the ‘buy’ button, spend some time checking out its ingredients to ensure that the formula in question is suitable for your skin type.

One mistake that many make is using products that have been designed for a different skin type. This may not seem like a big deal at first but, over time, it can really take its toll on your skin.

Say, for example, you have dry skin but you’re using a cleanser that was made for oily skin. That cleanser will be formulated to remove a large portion of the oils that coat the skin’s surface, which is bad news for anyone with dry skin who is hoping to conserve as much of that oil as possible.

The same applies to those with oily skin who are using products for dry skin. Those formulas will likely be too thick and heavy for your skin type. The result will be clogged pores, inflammation, breakouts, and accelerated aging.

Summary

If you’re guilty of making any of the above skincare routine mistakes, it’s never too late to make a change. Follow our tips to put things right so that you can be confident that your skincare routine is helping, rather than hindering, your complexion.

Click here to elevate your skincare routine with more bestsellers from Introstem.