With Lent just around the corner (6th March-18th April), many people are wondering what bad habits to ditch from their everyday life. Whether you are religious or not, Lent is a great way to better yourself when it comes to bad habits.
Most people go down the traditional food-related route, giving up sweets, alcohol, fizzy drinks, or chocolate, however, a large proportion (including me) succumb to the temptation after only a few days. While your diet can affect how clear your skin is, what we do externally to our skin, like our skincare for example, also plays a significant role. Here are 5 bad beauty habits to give up to achieve better looking skin.
1. Not taking your makeup off after a night out
We have all been there. You get back after a full night of dancing, drinking, and, of course, a trip to Maccies. However sometimes, all you want to do is hit the hay, even to the point where traipsing to the sink to take off your makeup seems like a chore. While neglecting to do this every once in a while is not the end of the world, making this a habit can result in clogged pores, acne, and even increased ageing.
When you do not take your makeup off, free radicals, produced by external environmental factors such as sunlight and pollution, can remain on your skin, clinging onto your makeup. This in turn can decrease the skin’s collagen and damage skin cells. Ideally, you should cleanse to take it all off but, for the duration of Lent, make using a facial wipe the bare minimum of your skincare routine post night-out. While wipes can never take all of your makeup off, it is better than nothing.
2. Not Double Cleansing
Have you ever taken off your makeup at night, gone to sleep and seen mascara on your pillow the next day? Or seen remnants on your towel after you wash your face the following morning? Do not worry, we have all been there. This is why cleaning your face properly is essential. In the past few years the term ‘double cleansing’ has been popping up everywhere. But what is it?
As the name suggests, it is where you use two different cleansers to take off your makeup, sweat, and just general bacteria that accumulates on your face throughout the day. Usually you start off with an oil or a balm cleanser and then follow it up using a cleansing milk, gel, or cream. The general idea is that you use the first cleanser to remove makeup and sunscreen and the second cleanser to properly clean your skin. And no, makeup wipes do not count as a first cleanse. While we should all really be double cleansing every day anyway, Lent is the perfect time to incorporate this step into your night-time routine. Your skin will definitely thank you.
3. Not wearing sunscreen every day
According to the World Health Organisation, sun exposure may cause up to 90% of the visible changes attributed to ageing. A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine showed the effects of sun damage to a 69 year old truck driver whose left side of the face had been exposed to the sun every day for 28 years. The difference is truly shocking.
From a young age it is drilled into us that we need to wear sunscreen and cover up in the summer. However, even in the colder months we seem to forget that UV rays are still very much present. While it is not t-shirt weather just yet, protecting our faces and necks against harmful rays with sunscreen is a great habit to adopt, especially during the Lent period as the weather is slowly getting warmer.
4. Not Applying Heat Protectant Before Using Heat On Your Hair
Nearly everyone has some sort of electrical tool for your hair, whether that be a hairdryer, straightener, or curler. Not everyone uses heat protectant though. While adding moisture to your hair, heat protectant also acts as a protective shield to minimise moisture loss when you apply heat. This in turn decreases the chance of split ends and lackluster hair. Still need convincing?
5. Forgetting to Moisturise
Moisturising is arguably the most important step in your skincare routine. It helps with anti-ageing, hydrating dry skin, controlling oil, and protects your skin from moisture loss. Without including moisturiser in your daily routine, you skin can feel tight and itchy and even look dull. If you have oily skin you want to opt for a gel, something that has a lighter consistency and that will sink into the skin quickly. If you are at the other end of the spectrum and suffer from dry skin, opt for creams that have a thicker consistency. Another benefit is that makeup sits and looks better on the skin and will not cling to dry patches as much, but even if you do not wear makeup, it is still a necessity and certainly something to add into your daily routine.
Anna Scott
Featured Image courtesy of @glossier via Instagram.
Main Images courtesy of @carolinehirons and @julisskin via Instagram.
