We tapped into our professional network of skin clinics to uncover the top skin sins that dermal therapists really wish we’d stop committing. Guilty, much?
1. Overdoing it with devices
Sure, skin loves a little stimulation but mess too much with the surface layers of your skin and that stimulation will fast become inflammation or irritation. There’s nothing more potentially dangerous than an at-home skin tool – be it a cleansing brush or skin-needling device – in the hands of an overly enthusiastic skincare obsessive with a bit of time on their hands. And if you have highly sensitive or inflamed skin (like open acne breakouts, eczema, or dermatitis) then at-home skincare tools are not your friend right now. These types of devices are best used on skin that can tolerate active ingredients and is ready for the next step up in terms of skin refinement.
Always follow the product recommendations or your therapist’s advice and when it comes to skin needling, we recommend you use your Derma Roller no more than once or twice a week.
Watch our SKINTEL IGTV episode on how to best use your device here.
2. Skipping sun protection
Daily sunscreen application – in rain, clouds, or shine - is a skin discipline that many people (still) choose to skip, despite the fact that UV exposure is responsible for up to 80% of premature skin ageing, not to mention the very real risk of skin cancer. Where it becomes even more of a concern is if you’ve had a professional peel, laser resurfacing, or a course of microdermabrasion treatments – all of which can leave you with very delicate, very fresh skin that is even more sensitive to the elements than usual. Professional treatments aside, even using high-strength AHAs and Retinol can make skin more sensitive than usual thanks to the exfoliating nature of these actives that push those fresh, young skin cells to the surface.
The bottom line: if you want to maintain your skin goals and gains, don’t leave the house without Age Defence SPF50+.
3. Believing more (skincare) is more
We’re big fans of active ingredients like AHAs and Retinol for the change they create in the skin but like all great things, they need to be used in moderation. Our therapist friends cite heavy-handedness and a more-will-do-more approach to product application as one of the biggest skin sins they encounter. Excessive cleansing and exfoliating is most often seen in those fighting breakouts and excessive oiliness yet ironically, this can make your skin condition even worse, causing irritation and overactive oil glands. When overusing active ingredients, skin is highly likely to clap back; starting with inflammation and redness and spiraling into irritation and extreme sensitivity. They also report that people will often blame the ingredient or product, rather than admitting they’ve ignored the application instructions. [You know who you are.]
When trying anything active like Vitamin C, A, or AHAs, diligently follow the application instructions and start slow to ensure your skin can tolerate the ingredient. You can always incorporate a little Vitamin C in with your moisturizer – try our versatile Vitamin C 100%: a genius powder you can add to certain products. When experimenting with Vitamin A, we recommend using our Retinol Serum once every three nights for the first week, once every second night for the second week, and then building up to nightly in the third week of use.