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Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:55 am  |
Interesting article that was recently on the Yahoo home page. Only part I cannot see incoporating into my skincare routine is going to the dermatologist office everytime I get a pimple, to "have a shot." Who has that kind of time or money. 
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Mistakes you're making with your skin (that you might not know about!)
by Sarah McColl, Shine staff, on Mon Apr 11, 2011
Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/mistakes-youre-making-with-your-skin-that-you-might-not-know-about-2474092/
Despite our efforts to achieve glowing, flawless skin, many of us are making mistakes that stand in the way of the finest potions and lotions. Here, the 14 biggest mistakes women are making with their skin, and the fixes to set things right. Gorgeousness, here we come!
Mistake: You're not wearing sunscreen every single day
We are all sick of hearing this advice (it gets more play than Lady Gaga!), but dermatologists are probably just as tired of repeating it. This is the single biggest mistake most of us are making with our skin, and there's no need: it's an easy gaffe to fix.
The Fix: You know it already: Wear an SPF lotion or cream with broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection every single day. But why every day? While UVB rays are strong in summer, UVA rays stay the same year-round. "If you go outside to shovel snow on the most overcast day of the year, you're getting the same amount of UVA as if you were on the beach during the summer," says Dr. Jeannette Graf, a Board certified, clinical and research dermatologist. Slather up, whether or not the sun's out.
Mistake: You think the SPF in your makeup is good enough.
We love a time-saving double duty product as much as the next lady, but this kind of two-fer just doesn't cut it. Why? Because dotting foundation on to even out skin tone or sweeping a powder across the t-zone simply isn't a generous enough application to offer real sun protection.
The Fix: "You really need to use an SPF cream or lotion," says Dr. Graf. In the winter, wear a moisturizer with SPF, but "during the summer you really need to bump it up and use a real sunblock that doesn't have any other ingredients but sunscreen and antioxidants," advises Dr. Graf. "You need that extra protection."
Mistake: You pick and squeeze.
We've all been there––it's just so hard not to!––but it's a habit that's not doing anything to help. "When you have a pimple under the skin, there is absolutely no way that you are going to be able to do anything about it in terms of squeezing," says Dr. Graf. "Nothing will come out and nothing good will come of it if you touch it." That is, unless you call scarring a good thing. (Nope!) Another mistake? Using a warm compress to draw out whatever is in there. That just expands the irritation even more, explains Dr. Graf.
The Fix: "If you start to feel a blind pimple under the skin, take it to the dermatologist's office for a shot." Can't make it to the doctor? Apply an ice pack, suggests Dr. Graf. The cold will help constrict the blood vessel and could help make the blemish smaller.
Mistake: You over-dry your skin.
It's the battle of the blemish, and we're all just trying to use our strongest artillery. But this plan of attack actually backfires. Over-drying the skin creates irritation and redness, and what's worse, dry skin leads to clogged pores. Keep this up, warns Dr. Graf, and "you're actually going to get more breakouts and more clogging."
The Fix: Take the path of moderation and lay off the full-on product offensive. You might need to try using your acne treatments every other evening or only a few times a week.
Mistake: You treat your entire face like it's a problem area.
It's like trying to use a chainsaw to shape your eyebrows. While you might have a few oily areas, like across your t-zone, you don't need to treat your entire face with products formulated for oily skin. When you treat combination skin like an oil slick it leads to irritation. And you know where irritation gets you––more clogging and more blemishes.
The Fix: As adolescence turns into adulthood, what was once oily skin is more often combination skin, explains Dr. Graf. Evaluate your skin type and treat it accordingly, whether you're dry, oily, or somewhere in between.
Mistake: You only protect your face from the sun.
Since we're trying to protect ourselves from the signs of aging, it makes sense that we'd focus on putting our best face forward. But as Dr. Graf warns, "one of the biggest places I see aging is on the chest." Also scary: covering up with clothing isn't much help. "A white t-shirt gives you an SPF of about 5," explains Dr. Graf.
The Fix: Any day you're going to be outside for a prolonged period of time, apply sunblock from head to toe, not just on your face and exposed arms and legs. Don't forget your ears!
Mistake: You're religious about using oil-free or non-comedogenic products.
Women with oily or blemish-prone skin have been taught that these words are the preventative gold standard for a break-out. In fact, many of us won't buy products that don't boast these terms on the bottle. But we might want to think again. "The terms non-comedogenic and oil-free are not FDA-approved terms. That's really just a selling point," explains Dr. Graf. The terms date back to the 1950s when beauty products used industrial-grade mineral oil that could break you out. "Today's mineral oil is a totally different cosmetic grade and is not going to break you out."
The Fix: If you're someone with oily skin who lives in fear of a break-out, you should use a pH-balanced foaming cleanser on your face, and you might want to add in a silicone-based powder or gel, suggests Dr. Graf. But you don't need to rely solely on products billed as oil-free or non-comedogenic. Seek out products you like, regardless of meaningless marketing terms.
Mistake: You're over-exfoliating.
Quick science lesson: Over the course of 28 days, the bottom layer of your skin––the basal layer––migrates toward the surface of your skin. When it gets there, it dies. Enzymes in the dead skin cells then cause the dead layer to fall off. That natural process is called exfoliation. Got it?
"If you see a 3-year-old child, that process is working perfectly. As we get older, that's not working as well. Why? Because the enzymes in our skin require hydration and moisture in order to be activated. When we lose that natural moisture over the years, our enzymes don't work. We have that dead skin cell layer that hangs on, and we need to remove it. That's why we use exfoliators."
But exfoliation needs to be gentle in order to be effective. "I've seen doctors on television talking about exfoliating. 'If it burns, great.' I see this, and I want to cringe."
The Fix: Steer clear of harsh scrubs and exfoliators like BuffPuffs, which can break blood vessels, and apricot scrubs, whose needle-sharp pits will break your skin and cause redness. At home, "using a peel kit or microdermabrasion kit is great. Using it every single day is not," says Dr. Graf. Any deeper exfoliation should be done in the care of a skin care professional, she says.
Mistake: You're using the right products at the wrong time.
You've got an all-star line-up of retinols, sunblock, and microdermabrasion kits in your medicine cabinet. But when you use your products is as important as what you're using. "Everybody's using the kitchen sink in the morning," complains Dr. Graf. Retinols are light-sensitive, so using them during the day isn't such a bright idea.
The Fix: "You want to use protective products in the daytime," says Dr. Graf, so slather on sunscreen twenty minutes before you leave the house. At bedtime, bring out the big guns, like exfoliators and retinols, "when your skin's natural circadian rhythms renew themselves," explains Dr. Graf.
Mistake: You use products with gold or metal in them.
It might seem super luxe to use creams flecked with gold, but you're better off keeping your money in your pocket. "They can cause contact dermatitis and there's no evidence that they do anything except drain your wallet."
The Fix: Invest your money in gold you can wear around your neck. And when you feel like splurging on a rich potion, pick something that smells divine or has a luxurious texture––but is free from any precious metals.
Mistake: You go to sleep with your makeup on.
We've all been there: You get home late and can't quite muster the energy to wash off the day or your makeup. (And waking up looking as "done" as Kim Kardashian can seem kind of screen goddessy.) "A lot of people will go to bed with makeup on. And a lot of people who don't go to bed with makeup on won't wash their face in the morning," says Dr. Graf. Both are big mistakes.
The Fix: Wash your face morning and night. But doctors sympathize with real life; they just want us to be prepared. "You go out on a Friday night and come home at 2am––it's going to happen. At the very least, have those pre-moistened makeup removers at your bedside. I'd rather you do that than not do it at all."
Mistake: You don't give your skincare products a chance.
We live in a quick fix world, so when we don't immediately see results from a new skin care regimen, we can get frustrated and give up. We then bounce from product to product, trying to find the magic potion.
The Fix: Exercise some patience. We take multivitamins, Dr Graf explains, knowing they're good for us, even when we don't see results. Sometimes you have to give your products the same measure of faith. "When you're using a skincare product, don't be so hard on the product. Understand that it's doing something for you." And that means waiting more than two days to see a difference––more like four to six weeks.
Mistake: You smoke.
If your health isn't motivation enough to quit, let vanity convince you. The toxins in cigarettes cause decreased oxygen flow to the skin, resulting in a dull complexion, explains Dr. Amy S. Pappert, assistant professor of dermatology at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Repeatedly contracting your muscles to inhale, or squinting to protect your eyes from smoke can deep, premature wrinkles around the mouth, frown lines, and crow's feet.
The Fix: There's no better time to quit than now. Talk to your doctor about a game plan, and comb online resources like the Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society, and the American Lung Association. Your skin, not to mention your family and your friends, will thank you. |
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56, Very Fair Skin, Oily with Mild Breakouts, Blonde, Blue Eyes, Irish/German Descent |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:17 am |
Great find Misty!
I only make one out of all of those! (since a long time ago)  Hooray!!!! |
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I'LL SEE YOU ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON.... |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:42 am |
| Thanks for posting this, MystyPines. I would have liked to hear more about how often to exfoliate though! |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:50 am |
| The only thing I disagree with is the washing your face thing. I don't think it's necessary or beneficial to be washing your face twice a day. |
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24 yrs old. favorite sunscreen right now: Burnout [now 35] |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:14 am |
| rileygirl wrote: |
| Thanks for posting this, MystyPines. I would have liked to hear more about how often to exfoliate though! |
Good question Riley! Just how often is too much exfoliation? |
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I'LL SEE YOU ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON.... |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:19 am |
| Nimue wrote: |
| The only thing I disagree with is the washing your face thing. I don't think it's necessary or beneficial to be washing your face twice a day. |
I can't agree, morning crusty face and nighttime removal of all products! I also feel that anything you use on your skin sinks in much better on a clean damp face. Using either a ph balanced cleanser or OCM is key in my opinion.  |
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I'LL SEE YOU ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON.... |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:58 am |
| Thanks for posting this article. |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:17 am |
Okay, regarding the this section of the article regarding washing your face before going to bed:
"At the very least, have those pre-moistened makeup removers at your bedside. I'd rather you do that than not do it at all."
Is using Cleansing Cloths/Towelettes okay instead of washing your face? I get the impression from the dermatologist who made the above statement, that using Cleansing Cloths should be a last resort? |
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56, Very Fair Skin, Oily with Mild Breakouts, Blonde, Blue Eyes, Irish/German Descent |
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evilemma
New Member
 
Joined: 26 Apr 2011
Posts: 8
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:18 am |
| Nimue wrote: |
| The only thing I disagree with is the washing your face thing. I don't think it's necessary or beneficial to be washing your face twice a day. |
I agree. My skin doesn't get dirty while I am sleeping and washing it with cleanser after waking up just leaves it red, regardless of how gentle the cleanser is. I think leaving some of your natural skin oils is good, and it allows your skin to do its own thing. I just rinse with water and apply some moisturizer and sunscreen. |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:35 am |
| evilemma wrote: |
| Nimue wrote: |
| The only thing I disagree with is the washing your face thing. I don't think it's necessary or beneficial to be washing your face twice a day. |
I agree. My skin doesn't get dirty while I am sleeping and washing it with cleanser after waking up just leaves it red, regardless of how gentle the cleanser is. I think leaving some of your natural skin oils is good, and it allows your skin to do its own thing. I just rinse with water and apply some moisturizer and sunscreen. |
There are a lot of mornings where I only use warm water and a cloth to wipe my face off. There never seemed any difference to me. I think it may depend on what you use as a night treatment? |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:33 am |
| DarkMoon wrote: |
| rileygirl wrote: |
| Thanks for posting this, MystyPines. I would have liked to hear more about how often to exfoliate though! |
Good question Riley! Just how often is too much exfoliation? |
Even I used to over exfoliate my skin before. I felt if tiny particle or grains in scrubs won't rub through my skin..then the exfoliation is not working. But that changed after I read more and more into exfoliating methods I use gel exfoliator now!! and use it twice a week now..That would be enough for the skin.
Please look into Cure Aqua Gel!!! it really changed the way at getting rid of dead skin and impurities for me. This gel actually, after rubbing takes off the dead skin in tiny balls..and its not at all abrasive to your skin.
Here is the website of it..its the #1 selling product in Japan! (I'm sure many of you here heard about it). Those who haven't check it out
http://www.japalang.sg/cure/About_Cure.html |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:44 am |
| Aryanna wrote: |
| DarkMoon wrote: |
| rileygirl wrote: |
| Thanks for posting this, MystyPines. I would have liked to hear more about how often to exfoliate though! |
Good question Riley! Just how often is too much exfoliation? |
Even I used to over exfoliate my skin before. I felt if tiny particle or grains in scrubs won't rub through my skin..then the exfoliation is not working. But that changed after I read more and more into exfoliating methods I use gel exfoliator now!! and use it twice a week now..That would be enough for the skin.
Please look into Cure Aqua Gel!!! it really changed the way at getting rid of dead skin and impurities for me. This gel actually, after rubbing takes off the dead skin in tiny balls..and its not at all abrasive to your skin.
Here is the website of it..its the #1 selling product in Japan! (I'm sure many of you here heard about it). Those who haven't check it out
http://www.japalang.sg/cure/About_Cure.html |
I use one made by Aloette, gel based and it works great. I don't use scrubs except maybe once or twice a year (only with rounded beads). The one I use weekly is aloe based with enzymes.
http://www.aloette.com/Skin_Care/Exfoliators/Restorative_Enzyme_Peel
Description
Your alternative to harsh chemical peels, Aloette’s Restorative Enzyme Peel works right before your eyes to remove dead skin cells and reveal a healthy, hydrated glow—all in just one minute! A combination of natural fruit extracts—including grapefruit, cucumber, papaya and pineapple—and containing 54% all-organic aloe vera gel, our non-invasive 60-Second Miracle Peel gently smoothes and exfoliates without the use of abrasive acids or chemicals and with zero downtime. 2 oz/60 g |
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I'LL SEE YOU ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON.... |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:48 am |
Cure Aqua Gel reminds me of a product called Pretty Feet that I used to buy many years ago. I'd rub it on my elbows and knees the skin would just roll off. It wasn't abrasive at all. I wonder why they discontinued it.
The Cure sounds like it would be good to use if you were using tretinoins. I've been using my Clarisonic and my face is redder than normal so I think I need to use it on alternate nights only to see if that makes a difference. The Cure could be used on the off days. |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:05 am |
| On a hunch, I googled Pretty Feet and it's now called Pretty Feet & Hands. Read the FAQs for ingredients. This would be a much cheaper alternative. Although reading some reviews it sounds like it leaves a film that needs to be scrubbed off afterward, so perhaps it's only good for feet and hands, not face. http://www.prettyfeetandhands.com/faq.html |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:16 am |
Either site crazies or the link isn't working correctly, tries to open another EDS page that comes up blank?  |
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I'LL SEE YOU ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON.... |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 5:44 pm |
It's interesting that my comment that I don't wash my face twice a day is interpreted as I don't wash my face in the morning- it's the opposite. I wash my face whenever I shower, and most days that's in the morning : )
If I'm not showering in the morning, I'll only wash my face with water before putting on sunscreen. |
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24 yrs old. favorite sunscreen right now: Burnout [now 35] |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:37 pm |
Hmm just skimming over most of the stuff, it seems Dr. Graf has the same "beliefs/knowledge" as Paula. But not too surprising since Paula likes to look at peer-reviewed journals, which is what dermatologists are trained to do anyways  |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:37 pm |
| Hmm just skimming over most of the stuff, it seems Dr. Graf has the same "beliefs/knowledge" as Paula. But not too surprising since Paula likes to look at peer-reviewed journals, which is what dermatologists are trained to do anyways |
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Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:52 pm |
| SoftSkin wrote: |
Cure Aqua Gel reminds me of a product called Pretty Feet that I used to buy many years ago. I'd rub it on my elbows and knees the skin would just roll off. It wasn't abrasive at all. I wonder why they discontinued it.
The Cure sounds like it would be good to use if you were using tretinoins. I've been using my Clarisonic and my face is redder than normal so I think I need to use it on alternate nights only to see if that makes a difference. The Cure could be used on the off days. |
Certainly Softskin! you can use Cure whenever you are taking a break from Clarisonic. As it contain 90% of water and natural plant extract of aloe vera, gingko and rosemary..it won't be too harsh for your skin
if you are interested I can send you link to get it cheaper than any other site.. |
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Sat Apr 30, 2011 4:33 pm |
| Dieting and bad eating systems like veganism can really wreak holy hell on your skin, as bad as not wearing sunscreen or using a topical active. |
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Sat Apr 30, 2011 4:48 pm |
| I actually didn't like Cure Aqua Gel. It made me break out, or maybe that was the initial purge, but it just didn't really do anything for me. |
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Sun May 01, 2011 1:20 am |
| i have breakout so bad after use this. give it to my sister, she loved it. i guess its just not suit for my skin type. |
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Sun May 01, 2011 4:08 am |
| I have better advice: Just stay out of the sun period.The problem with using sunscreen: suncreen has so many chemicals in it that can be harmful to your body. Also it does not adequately protect from the sun AND you have to reapply every 2 hours.Stay out of the sun,wear a hat and take vitamins like lycopene that protect your skin from the sun. |
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Sun May 01, 2011 6:02 am |
| lucyluc wrote: |
| I have better advice: Just stay out of the sun period.The problem with using sunscreen: suncreen has so many chemicals in it that can be harmful to your body. Also it does not adequately protect from the sun AND you have to reapply every 2 hours.Stay out of the sun,wear a hat and take vitamins like lycopene that protect your skin from the sun. |
I don't think it's very practical to stay out of the sun entirely. Not to mention, UVA rays can still penetrate through walls and windows. If you do not want to use chemical sunscreens because of the harmful products (although the FDA has approved of its safety) or the requirement of reapplying, you can always switch to physical sunscreens! |
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