The biggest skincare mistakes you might be making

Finding the right skincare products to fill the needs of your particular complexion can be a bit of a challenge. There’s no end of cleansers, exfoliators, scrubs and more to choose from, and it can take time (and no small amount of effort) to find the exact formulas that are right for your skin. We know it can be difficult – but trust us, it’s well worth the effort. As experts in effective skincare treatments, we’re here to make that journey even easier here at AP Skincare – so here are our top tips on how to avoid making some of the most common mistakes!

Buying cheap products

Award winning beauty therapist Kristina Shepherd says a basic skincare routine should consist of a cleanser, serum, SPF, and a night cream. According to Shepherd, this is what everyone should be on, and urges that ‘Buying cheap products is the biggest mistake I see… All products are very different, but cheaper products are usually lower quality skin care.’

Shepherd makes the point that if you put your cash toward excessively cheap products, the likelihood is that you won’t get the results you desire! On top of this, there isn’t a one size fits all skincare regime that suits everyone so it’s important that you’re aware of the types of products that will work best for your skin type.

Applying comedogenic ingredients to acne-prone skin

Comedogenic is quite a technical term – if a cosmetic ingredient is comedogenic, that means it has a natural tendency to block pores, which can be a sure fire way to trigger an acne breakout – especially if you suffer from oily skin. So, how do you avoid them? Well, it can be quite tricky because most brands won’t market their products as specifically containing comedogenic properties. These are found in really common ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil, algae extract, and lauric acid, so it’s important to look out for products formulated for acne-prone skin in order to avoid these ingredients as best you can.

Not storing your products properly

It’s always good practice to mind where you’re storing your skincare products. We recommend keeping all products in a cool, dry area to ensure they remain effective over time. Obviously we know a lot of people choose to keep their products stored in the bathroom, but be aware that products like razor blades, tweezers, scissors and so on, will degrade quicker in warm/moist environments due to their metallic properties. Prolonged exposure to these conditions can cause the products to rust more rapidly.

This is also particularly true of products that contain active ingredients like Vitamin C, prescription retinol, antioxidants, and UV filters. If you’re exposing these ingredients to heat and moisture on a regular basis, their active properties will break down much quicker, making them far less useful.

Keeping products for too long

Storing your products properly is one thing, but even then they won’t last forever!

A lot of unopened products will last almost indefinitely, however some products will expire much quicker than advertised. A helpful tip we’d recommend is to look out for the little jar icon on the side of the product – the number inside the jar lets you know how long the product will remain effective for once it has been opened. In a nutshell – products that you’ve used once on Christmas day three years ago are very unlikely to still have the same abilities as they did, today!

Also, be mindful of products with clear packaging, or open top lids, as these will expire much more quickly compared to other products. This is due to their higher level of heat/light exposure, which causes the chemical structure of the product to degrade quicker.

Overly keen exfoliation

There’s a common misconception that the more you exfoliate, the cleaner your skin will be. Unfortunately though, that’s not quite accurate. It’s easy to make the mistake of over exfoliating by applying chemical based serums and scrubs every couple of days, but the main issue with this is that the skin on your face doesn’t replenish itself quickly enough to endure such a rigorous routine. Over exfoliation can lead to red, irritated skin which can be extremely dry – and not to mention painful!

If you avoid these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to a more healthy skincare routine. But if you’re still not getting the results you’re after – that’s where we come in. Here at AP skincare we take a detailed analysis of your skin to determine its level of health. Once we’ve reviewed the data, we’ll provide you with a personalised skincare treatment routine, as well as recommendations on at-home products that you can use to boost your complexion. If you’d like to know more or book an appointment, call our friendly team on 01254 29 000, or pop into our skincare clinic in Blackburn!