It can take time to get a successful skin care routine right. First, you need to determine your skin type, then figure out which ingredients to use, and finally find the right products that suit your skin’s needs (as well as your budget).
Once you get to that point, you think you’ve made it. But sometimes your skin has other plans and refuses to play ball. We recently spoke to two of London’s leading dermatologists and they revealed the skincare mistakes people keep making. Keep scrolling as you may find some that apply to you. And you never know that fixing a few bad habits here and there will improve your skin today and beyond.
Common skincare mistakes
1. Don’t wash your face before going to bed
While going to bed with a full face of makeup may be considered sacrilege to some, it isn’t as it seems to others. Dr. Stephanie Williamscosmetic dermatologist and founder of EUDELO Dermatology & Skin Wellbeing Clinic, still sees people who don’t think to cleanse one of the golden rules of skin care.
“I can’t stress enough how important proper cleansing is to our daily skincare routine,” she says. “Even more so at night, as cleansing not only removes dirt, old makeup, excess oil and dead skin cells, but also removes residual pollution from the skin. Urban pollution is known to create free radicals, cause inflammation and deplete antioxidant defenses in the skin.’
Not cleansing also increases your chances of breakouts, so if you’re prone to breakouts, it’s even more important to cleanse your skin at night.
Balance Me Pre and Probiotic Cleansing Milk, £20 | Fantastic look
Suitable for all skin types, this cleansing milk removes make-up, SPF and pollution. It also strengthens the skin’s microbiome, soothes irritations and leaves the skin hydrated.
Delo Rx Hybrid Cleanser, £85
“This deep pore facial cleanser contains anti-blemish, soothing and anti-aging ingredients that are powerful, yet gentle enough for more sensitive skin,” explains Dr Williams. “Delo Rx Hybrid Cleanser contains the highest concentration of active ingredients of any cleanser on the market – 31.5% active ingredients (plus mild detergents) and contains QuinCleanse™, a blend of beta hydroxy acid symbiotic ingredients, antioxidants and calming agents components”.
Wildsmith Skin Energizing Gel Cleanser B5, £38
This is one of the industry’s favorite gel cleansers and works well in reducing the effect of oxidative stress on the skin. It can be used morning or night and is the perfect second step for a double cleanse.
2. Collecting points
“As someone who suffers from acne, I know how hard it is to leave your skin alone when you’re dealing with a breakout,” she admits. Dr. Anjali Mahtoconsultant dermatologist and author of The Skincare Bible. But she warns against picking at your blemishes as it creates a higher risk of scarring and infection. “I often advise patients to distract themselves if they feel like they are going to pick at their skin. Applying a topical cream to the spots can also help – look for a cream with ingredients like salicylic acid and azelaic acid.’
Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster, £8
The £8 version of this booster gives you a small travel-sized tube, but for spot application, it’s all you really need. The intense amount of azelaic acid (which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties) reduces the size, redness and anger of any blemishes.
Super Spot Remover Origins Spot Treatment Gel, £17 | Fantastic look
If you have one of those pesky angry red spots under the skin, apply a few dabs of it and overnight all the scum will have surfaced. It’s really quite magical. Keep applying and the salicylic acid inside will help calm it down and slowly reduce the size.
3. The excessive use of silicone derivatives in skin care
You must have heard some beauty experts talk about silicones and how we should avoid them at all costs. But this can be quite difficult to do if you don’t know what to look for. “There’s a trend in skin care to overload skin care products with silicone derivatives like dimethicone and cyclomethicone,” explains Dr. Williams. The reason is that silicones create that wonderful feeling in a product, the non-sticky, silky feel. “This is a very bad idea in my professional opinion. Silicones create a thin film over your skin and ‘fill’ the pores (a bit like Polyfilla for a hole in the wall) to minimize the appearance of pores. And while that may make your skin feel good, it clogs pores and encourages congestion and breakouts.”
Look at a product’s ink list (the ingredient list on the back of the package) and watch for words like these: dimethicone, cyclomethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, and cyclohexasiloxane.
4. Avoiding SPF or not reapplying
We’re torn about this, because on the one hand we’re surprised that it’s still a common skincare mistake people still make, and yet we’re not surprised. Olay recently carried out research which revealed that one in 10 adults think they are too young to wear SPF every day, a fifth of Brits believe that UV rays can actually help you look younger and another fifth of people admit that he only wears SPF when he’s in the sun.
“Many people assume that SPF is only required when the weather is extremely hot,” says Dr. Williams. “and we must protect ourselves from being burned. However, if you want to slow skin aging, daily SPF is vital. Up to 80% of visible skin aging is caused by UV rays. Sun damage is a cumulative process. From childhood, our skin counts all those hours of sun exposure. The skin doesn’t forget.”
In short, UVA rays cause aging as they are able to penetrate deeper into the skin. UVB rays cause burning and can even get you through windows and clouds. However, both are linked to skin cancer, so you need good protection from both on a daily basis.
The other mistake many of us make is not topping up our sun protection during the day. “There’s a tendency for people to think that if they’ve put on factor 50 first thing in the morning, that’s enough to cover them for a long time,” adds Dr. Mahto. “It’s not like this. Especially when you’re on holiday or on particularly hot and sunny days here in the UK. Sunscreen must be reapplied every 2-3 hours and especially after leaving the pool/sea. There’s no magic answer to how to get people to do this more often, I’m afraid.’ Dr. Mahto suggests maybe setting a timer on your phone, or check out our guide to the best SPF to apply over makeup.
Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide24 Day Cream SPF30, £38 | Boots
This radiant day cream, which promises visibly firmer, brighter skin within 14 days, is the perfect way to introduce SPF into your routine without adding extra steps. This is a really good SPF moisturizer with both protective and antiaging benefits.
Supergoop! (Re)Setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF30 PA+++, £28 | Cult Beauty
To make reapplying easy, this setting powder from Supergoop! lets you tackle that midday glare while giving you added protection. It’s a simple, on-the-go solution.
Pai Skincare British Double Summer Time SPF30, £39 | Fantastic look
This face sunscreen sits beautifully under makeup, doesn’t aggravate the skin (perfect for those with sensitivity), and protects against UVA and UVB rays.
5. Trying too many new products at once
We are all guilty of this. After a pretty intense shopping spree at Space NK, you can’t wait to get home and try on all your purchases at once. “With the abundance of skin care products available and the rise of influencer culture, where individuals can be seen using endless products in their day/night routine, it has led many of my patients to experience FOMO,” explains Dr. Mahto. “And they start introducing too many products into their routine, which can lead to overuse and skin problems.”
Recently, Dr. Mahto had a patient who used too many active ingredients on her skin after watching skincare routines on TikTok. The result? The person had developed perioral dermatitis, which presents as a red, scaly, dry rash around the mouth. The patient’s skin barrier was compromised and some serious microbiome-friendly skin care was needed. “My advice is to keep your skincare routine streamlined and simple,” she says. “Most skin types will benefit from a good base cleanser, moisturizer and vitamin A product.”