How your beauty regime could be ageing your skin – simple tips to fix it

The average woman will spend an eye-watering £18,000 on products for her face in her lifetime, but may be throwing those hard earned pennies down the drain by applying them incorrectly.Indeed, many women make common mistakes every single day that could lead to their skin ageing faster. Femail called on the best dermatologists in the […]

The average woman will spend an eye-watering £18,000 on products for her face in her lifetime, but may be throwing those hard earned pennies down the drain by applying them incorrectly.
Indeed, many women make common mistakes every single day that could lead to their skin ageing faster.
Femail called on the best dermatologists in the business to shed some light on the classic mistakes women make and to share their vital tips for ensuring you’re getting the most from your skincare regime.
Many women spend hundreds of pounds a month on expensive skincare products but make common mistakes every single day that could lead to their skin ageing faster.
Don’t only use SPF on holiday
Perhaps one of the most common misconceptions women have is that you only need to use an SPF in boiling climates. Wrong.In fact, an SPF should be an essential part of your daily skincare regime, says Dr Mike Bell, Skincare Scientific Advisor for Boots UK.
‘Protecting your skin from the sun and environmental stress is really important, particularly if you want to proactively delay the signs of ageing,’ he said.
Even when there isn’t a ray of sunshine in the sky, your skin is still at harm. UVA rays can penetrate glass, meaning your skin is at risk from ageing through your car windows or even when sitting at your desk.
Dr. Adam Geyer, Kiehl’s Consulting Dermatologist, concurs. He said: ‘Apply a broad spectrum, high SPF sunscreen before heading out the door each morning, with reapplication every 2-3 hours during peak outdoor exposure.’  
Apply creams in the correct order
Another simple way to make your products work harder (particularly if you’ve spent a small fortune on them) is applying them in the right order.
Indeed, products with a thinner consistency – such as serum – should always be applied before thick face creams.
Those creams with heavier consistencies can actually stop the lighter ones from penetrating the skin and doing the job they’ve been designed to do – practically making them redundant.  
Never sleep with your hair down
This is a common mistake copious amounts of women make – but one that can easily be rectified.
Many people have forehead breakouts due to the oil clogging up their pores.
Always tie your hair back loosely before you get into bed. By sleeping with your hair and fringe down, the oils from your locks (not to mention the greasy hairspray and serums you’ve used in the day) are kept well away from your face.
Not everyone needs a toner
Cleanse, tone and moisturise is a mantra for millions of women, sold by the beauty industry as a sure-fire way to fresh, glowing skin.
But while the benefits of cleansing and moisturising are obvious, part of the routine is simply habit for many women – and few question its benefits: toning.
Toning is meant to remove the last traces of dirt and grime, leaving skin dewy and pores closed. According to market intelligence firm Mintel, one in five of us uses toners daily.
But many women who religiously apply this classic skincare product don’t realise toners can include harsh ingredients such as alcohol, which can dry out even the most oily skin, and parabens, which have been shown to induce allergic reactions.
‘The alcohol found in toners can be a trigger for rosacea, increase the risk of breakouts in acne-prone skin or exacerbate sensitivity,’ reveals cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting. This means that regular use of toners could leave the skin irritated, inflamed and vulnerable to environmental damage.
Dr Bunting believes that even if your toner doesn’t harm your skin, its place in your beauty regime may be redundant.
‘Soap used to leave behind residues, but today’s cleansers are designed to rinse clean and don’t disturb the skin’s natural equilibrium in the same way, so there’s no need to use a toner.’
Dr Harold Lancer, author of Kim Kardashian’s favourite book, Younger, comments: ‘Most skincare regimens include a toner step, but not everyone needs one.
‘Toners are primarily formulated to return the skin to its natural ph level. The ph is the balance between acidity and alkalinity in your body. The skin on the face is at its healthiest when it is slightly acidic. Acid prohibits bacterial growth that can contribute to acne and helps maintain the skin’s barrier function, keeping moisture in and harmful substances out. Alkaline skin is more prone to lines, wrinkles and sun damage.
‘All that would seem to make toner a must, but if you have relatively normal skin, exfoliate regularly, and use a cleanser that does not strip your skin of its natural moisture, you should be able to maintain a healthy ph level. Lifestyle changes will do the rest.’
Don’t over-cleanse
While the key to acne-free skin is squeaky clean skin, you can do more harm than good by over washing your face.
You can also over exfoliate by buffing away too much of your top skin layer, which serves as a protective barrier against environmental toxins and sun damage – both of which accelerate the ageing process.
Dr. Geoff Genesky, Kiehl’s Head of Laboratory, emphasises that consumers should also be careful to follow product instructions very carefully, especially when using products that have anti-ageing benefits but that can be a bit harsh to the skin’s outermost layers.
‘Making sure to wear sunscreens when using retinol or alpha hydroxy acid products comes to mind,’ he said.
‘As does limiting application to once or twice a week in the case of products with high concentrations of acid exfoliating ingredients or cleansers with particularly rough scrub particles.’
Don’t use too much product – and don’t be lured by expensive creams
‘Don’t be swayed by marketing hype – using the right product for your skin type is key,’ advises Emma Leslie, editor at Escentual.com.
‘Buying a cult £120 moisturiser that’s optimised for dry skin when your skin is oily means that you won’t reap its full benefits, and your skin will start to misbehave. Chat to a professional, they’ll be more than happy to point you in the right direction.’
Leslie also warns of the dangers of getting carried away and applying too much product.
‘Applying more product doesn’t mean you’ll achieve better results,’ she said. ‘In fact, applying too much product could overload and irritate the skin, particularly around the sensitive eye area. Apply less product and pay more attention to the way you apply it (many brands will provide a step-by-step specialised application method), and you’ll glean greater results.’
Use the right techniques to apply your eye cream  
Cammie Cannella, Kiehl’s Vice President of Global Education and Customer Relations, explains another important tip: to be sure that you don’t use too much of any type of product in the eye area, to avoid overwhelming the skin there and potentially exacerbating any puffiness.
‘For best results, dispense a very small amount – about the size of a pea – onto your fingertips and dot the product around the orbital bone first, then go back and lightly pat or press the formula into your skin (ideally using the ring finger, which is weakest and therefore the least likely to unnecessarily pull or stretch the delicate skin around the eyes),’ she said.
Culled from Mail Online