Face Washing Faux-Pas

Four things NOT to do when washing your face

- by Camille Wodka

Listen up ladies and gents, it’s time to re-evaluate our daily and nightly skin care rituals. When it comes to washing your face, technique is something many of us put little consideration into. Some don’t realize exactly how much dirt can build up on our skin throughout the day. Taking a second to think about how often I touch my face (eeew), it’s safe to say quite a bit. I know falling into bad or ineffective skin care habits is a big no-no, which is why I’m going to put some direction into my own beauty routine and change those lazy habits into beautiful results.

We all wish for flawless skin. Skin has a tendency to be unpredictable, prone to annoying break-outs and irritations and begins to feel more like a never-ending battle. Here are some simple and worthwhile tips to follow so that we can all achieve that beautiful complexion effortlessly.

1. Don’t be wishy-washy
When it comes to washing your skin, make sure not to over-do-it. Over washing your face and skin can cause your skin to dry out, break out, become sensitive and contribute to the aging process. Also, don’t scrub or tug at skin aggressively all you basically need are your fingertips, a gentle cleanser and clean water. C'est fini! 

2. Don't forget to exfoliate

Make sure you DO IT! There are many effective techniques to slough off dead skin cells, get circulation pumped and reveal new, glowing skin surfaces. Our own individual skin is a unique biological mesh-like structure of cells, tissue fibres and hair which can collect microscopic residue from environmental pollutants, make up and dead skin cells.  So it's pertinent to relieve your skin of these grasping impurities with a gentle sloughing of the skin with an exfoliant. It will enhance skin’s texture, detox pores and rid your face of dead skin build up, leaving that beautiful glow. However, keep in mind that exfoliating more than twice a week can cause irritation so don’t over-do-it. It should take about 60 seconds to do a good job exfoliating but the results will be apparent in an instant.

3. Saving Face - but please wash it off at the end of the day

Girls, we’ve all been lazy pre bed-time. After a long, tiring day, forgetting to take off your makeup when crashing on the couch is your preferred option, can turn into a bad habit. That bad habit can ruin your complexion by clogging pores, suffocating the skin and allowing the toxins from make up to attack your range of cellular vitality and lead to oxidative damage and premature aging. Get up, smarten up and wash up, you won’t regret it in the long run.  And guys... don't exclude yourselves here. There is still a film of product and/or residue over your skin you need to remove before you hit the sack.

4. Don't believe the hype on harsh cleansers

Leave that gimmicky soap strictly for the brutes, it can cause skin irritation and rid your skin of its naturally moisturizing oils. Consider finding a cleanser that is pH compatible with your unique skin type. A great solution for an all natural cleanser is a Tear-Free Foaming Cleanser. It’s ideal for the face and even hands, and great for removing dirt and build-up from make-up and environmental pollutants leaving skin pH balanced and soft. If you love make up, but not on your pillow, use a make up melting soapfree cleanser before bed that removes even the most stubborn of Chanel red lipsticks.

So, if you didn’t know, now you know these simple starter steps and tips. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be efficient when it comes to skin care starting with the face washing basics. Let’s break free of the pesky habits, and start cleansing our way to a blemish free and flawless complexion.

Camille is mc2Beauty's hip and stylacious PR Associate and beauty contributor with an education in Public Relations and Fashion Merchandizing from Humber College.  Camille oversees the majority of the event coordination and execution for the Soya and mc2Beauty brands. We LOVE her infectious sweetness and her ability to get to the point.