Image via Pexels
1. You Sleep in Your Makeup
It’s understandable every once in a while. After a long day or a late night out, you don’t want to waste time that could be spent lounging in bed with meticulously taking off the day’s makeup. Not only will this lead to you waking up with some grungy looking makeup, but it’s bad news for your skin.
Sleeping in your makeup clogs pores, leading to blemishes and even infection. Remember that just washing your face might not be enough to take off some types of makeup, especially waterproof formulas. Your skin needs a break overnight, so always use a makeup removal tool to gently take off any makeup before bed.
2. You Skip the SPF
The sun ages skin quickly, and it can also lead to health risks like skin cancer. Most moisturizers come equipped with some SPF, but you might be neglecting to wear this protection on other parts of your body. Even if you don’t plan to go outside for any long periods of time, you should still protect yourself. Make sure your chest, arms, face, and hands are all protected from the sun’s harsh rays before you start the day.
3. You Forget Heat Protectant Spray for Your Hair
While the sun damages your skin, your favorite hot tools are equally damaging to your hair. Who doesn’t love the way straighteners and curling irons make your hair look perfectly styled every day? Did you know those same tools are slowly destroying your hair? It’s easy to skip the thermal protectant spray, especially when you’re in a rush in the morning. If you want your hair to be healthy and protect your style throughout the day, make sure to coat your hair in a protective spray before going to town with your favorite hot tools.
4. You Don’t Wash Your Makeup Brushes
We’ve all been guilty of using a dirty makeup brush. It happens, but it doesn’t have to be a habit. Your makeup brushes quickly become sanctuaries for harmful bacteria, and this isn’t something you want to use on your face every day. While you should deep clean your makeup brushes at least once a week if you use them daily, you can purchase an inexpensive daily spray to use between uses to make sure they aren’t coated in harmful germs.
Image via Pexels
5. You Always Wear Nail Polish
Who doesn’t love the look of perfectly manicured nails? When you’ve always got a fresh coat of paint, your nails don’t have a chance to breathe. This is because of a lack of oxygen, and it can lead to yellow, dry, brittle nails that don’t look healthy.
Between trips to the salon or DIY painting sessions, treat your nails to an oxygen treatment like this one. This not only looks great but lets your nails heal. Making sure your nails are healthy will mean your next manicure looks better than ever.
6. You Apply Lipstick Without Exfoliating
Have you ever applied your favorite shade of lipstick only to feel the formula cake and get flaky quickly? Odds are it’s your skin, not the makeup causing this reaction. Lipstick wears off quickly on dry, flaky lips, and it only shows off the damage.
Applying a sugar lip scrub before your favorite coat of lipstick will help the makeup go on smooth. It’ll also make sure the color lasts longer, so you don’t have to reapply all night long.
7. You Don’t Use Good Lighting
We’ve all looked picture-perfect in the mirror at home only to catch a glimpse of ourselves outside looking like a complete disaster. Nope, this isn’t a trick of the light. If you aren’t applying your makeup in high-quality (not yellow!) lighting, you won’t be able to blend everything naturally. The best option is to apply your makeup in natural light, but you can also get a quality LED light that does the trick.
Looking your best doesn’t have to mean going out of your way to buy the latest products. It’s all about your beauty and skincare routine, and how you keep your body healthy and happy. If you’re making these mistakes above, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just start to shake up your routine with new, healthy practices that will do wonders for your look.