TRM is starting a bi-monthly skincare series with Ritika Jayaswal, founder & CEO of Nourish Mantra to answer all your skincare woes.
Taking care of your skin should be a meditative part of your day, after all, it’s a form of self-care that’ll truly pay off in the long run. However, the thing about skincare is that it’s not just about applying a series of products to your face. Different products with different ingredients have a way of working together to give you that coveted glow. Unfortunately, this also means that these ingredients paired incorrectly can cause disastrous results and lead to preposterous skincare mistakes.
Let’s be real if you’re investing more than Rs. 2000 in a skincare serum, you’d like to get all of its benefits, right? Below, TRM Skincare Expert and Nourish Mantra Founder Ritika Jayaswal tackles a few rookie skincare mistakes that can become a hindrance to getting perfect skin. Introducing these tiny changes in your skincare regimen & lifestyle can help you achieve all your skin goals.
1. Not Double Cleansing
Double cleansing is one of the most underrated evening skincare steps. If you’ve not climbed the bandwagon yet, you should consider it the most potent skincare step. It is a simple step that involves two types of cleansers – an oil-based & a water-based cleanser. The oil-based cleanser squeezes out oil-based impurities, and the water cleanser strips water-based impurities.
Here’s what people with different skin types should do:
Oily Skin – You are struggling with greasy and shiny skin and think that an oil cleanser will not help. That’s absolutely not the case as oil attracts oil & will help remove sweat, makeup & any other oil that’s clogging your skin.
Dry Skin – Your skin is at risk of over-washing. Realistically, double cleansing can do more harm than good, so it’s necessary that you use a face cleanser that has emollients, or you can use cleansing balms enriched with shea butter & oil like sunflower, coconut & jojoba. It will restore your skin’s lipid barrier.
Normal or Combination Skin – Using an oil-based cleanser with ceramides can keep your skin plump & moisturized.
Sensitive or Acne-Prone Skin – For those suffering from acne, double cleansing may seem counterproductive. Try to keep your cleansing routine fuss-free. To ensure that it doesn’t break out or irritate, look for antioxidants & anti-inflammatory ingredients like vitamin E, green tea, glycolic acid & tea tree oil.
2. Not Applying Sunscreen
One of the biggest skincare mistakes made by most people that could heavily cost you. The sun emits UV rays all year round, even on cold & cloudy days, EVEN when you’re indoors. After you do cleansing & moisturizing, your next step must be sunscreen without fail. Applying sunscreen all year round helps to keep free radicals away. I would suggest it be your last step and make sure to apply it at least 30 minutes before you step out.
Must-Read: Your Step-by-Step Skincare Routine Guide for Glowing Skin
3. Not Layering Hyaluronic Acid
Once you know some of the amazing benefits of Hyaluronic Acid, you’ll learn to indeed love it. Most importantly, it is suitable for all skin types. I would recommend you use it twice a day. Once in the morning to offer additional moisture throughout the day and then in the evening to refill the moisture lost during the day. Hydration & moisturization are not the only primary benefits of hyaluronic acid. It can single-handedly fight all signs of premature aging as well.
4. Applying Comedogenic Ingredients on Acne-prone Skin
There are some ingredients that severely affect acne-prone skin called comedogenic ingredients. If a product or component is comedogenic, it blocks the pores in your skin, causing a breakout. If your skin is acne prone or breaks out easily, always read the ingredients written on the label before deciding to buy.
5. Over-exfoliation
Exfoliation is the best way to shed dead skin cells, but over-exfoliation causes irritation, burning sensation, redness, inflammation, breakouts, and skin sensitivity. You need to exfoliate twice a week, which is ideal. If you have over-exfoliated, I suggest you stop using any foaming cleanser, retinol products & physical or chemical exfoliators. What you can do is look for a mild cleanser & fragrance-free moisturizer instead. Treat the most affected area of the skin with a rich emollient.
6. Keeping Products Even After They’ve Gone Bad
Never, and I mean NEVER use products after they expire. If your eyes are sensitive, you should be extra careful of using anything on your face as expired products can cause eye infections. Products have a shelf life for a reason, and they are temperature sensitive too. They lose their efficacy if not kept at the required temperature so ensure to keep your skincare jars in cool and dark places, away from harsh sunlight.
7. Sleeping Carelessly
Although I have multiple tasks to complete throughout the day, I never disrupt my 8 hours of sleep for any reason. Yes, beauty sleep is a very real thing. The quality & length of sleep we all indulge in every night profoundly impacts our skin’s overall health. So, avoid staying awake till late or sleeping carelessly as your skin may be unable to heal, restore & eliminate toxins from the body.
This meditation music can help you get the good night’s rest that you deserve.
These 7 skincare mistakes may not seem that major, but they stack up to skin damage in the long run. It’s absolutely necessary to rectify your habits to find the ultimate skincare routine that works best for you. That way, you can tick off the red flags and have a meditative routine that you wouldn’t want to skip no matter what.
About the Author:
Fueled by curiosity, self-introspection and love for wellness, Ritika Jayaswal founded Nourish Mantra in 2019. She is born and brought up in a simple town in Central India in an industrial family. Her grandfather Shri Basant Lall Shaw Jayaswal is one of the key players in the industrial revolution in India and Ritika has always been influenced by his trajectory immensely. This is what evoked her love for consumer behaviour at a very nascent stage.
After completing her education at Parsons School of Design in New York, Ritika delved into the fashion and beauty industry there. Over time the fast-paced life of New York took a toll on her and she started looking for ways to combat the quick shrill of everyday life, she needed stillness. Trading back to her roots and the Indian way of healing, she started practising Vipassana – a virtuous process that trains the mind to practice zero interaction with any soul. The practice is usually continued for a few days and it involves complete silence and solitude, giving the mind a clear path to envision creatively.
Read more: 7 Ways Meditation Can Help Manage Stress & Reduce Anxiety
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