Skincare mistakes that make you look older

When I was in my teens and early twenties, makeup was about the only thing I put on my face. Whether it was covering up a pimple with my mom's department store foundation, or creating the perfect smokey eye for a night out dancing with friends, I thought more about jet black eyeliner than moisturizer — let alone developing a longterm skin routine. If my makeup looked good, I looked good. Period.


These days, I'm all about keeping my skin looking younger and healthier. That's why I went to the experts to get their advice on what we should all be doing (and avoiding!) on our journey to more beautiful skin. And as it turns out, there are some things many of us do every day that could actually be sabotaging our faces.

Here are several common skin care mistakes that make you look older.


Going to bed with makeup on

I'll admit that when I was in college, I was notorious for coming home after a late night out and jumping into bed with a face full of makeup. Not only did this result in my constant need to do laundry (mascara, meet my white pillowcase), but it made removing my dry, caked-on makeup a total nightmare. It was also a terrible way to treat my skin.

"Whether you are a religious make up wearer or not, washing your face twice daily is imperative for healthy skin," licensed esthetician Michaela Bailey of Refresh at Mosaic Hair Studio in Orlando, FL, told me via email. "Sweat, makeup, pollutants in the air, and bacteria from our hands are all sitting on our skin and need to be cleansed off daily."

Joy Chen, CEO of H20 Beauty, says that even if we don't wear makeup, we're constantly exposed to pollutants that can damage our skin. "Air pollution is widespread — it's not just confined to urban areas. Plus, pollution particles are 20 times smaller than pores, which means our skin easily absorbs these toxins," she told me. "Though you may not notice it immediately, leaving your skin unprotected and exposed to pollution takes an even greater toll over time — it's one of the main factors contributing to inflammation and visible signs of aging."


 Skipping out on moisturizer

For many women with oily skin, the thought of lathering up on moisturizer seems counterintuitive. Adding more moisture to already oily skin will only make things worse, won't it? Well, not according to Bailey.

"Everyone needs a moisturizer whether you are a dry skin type or extremely oily," she explained to me. "This keeps the skin hydrated throughout the day and will help keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay. Heavier moisturizers can be used at night and lighter moisturizers with SPF 15 or higher can be used during the day."

Wearing SPF only during the summer

It's easy to remember to apply SPF when we're headed to the beach, but the truth is, we should really be applying it every day before stepping outside. "Sun protection is key to keeping your skin and body healthy," Dr. Ben Johnson, MD, founder of Osmosis Pur Medical Skincare, told me. "The sun is the most powerful energy source, why would you want it beating against the only thing protecting your body?" He added, "Anytime your skin is overexposed to the sun it has to work overtime to try to protect itself which can cause it to weaken and therefore, create sun spots, aging skin, and wrinkles."

Hillary Kline, a makeup artist and beauty blogger in Minneapolis, is also a huge proponent of sunscreen. "Being exposed to UVA rays — I cringe at tanning beds — will make your skin age quicker," she told me. Kline also suggests using a sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF 40 daily. "Not only does it help guard against sun damage, it will also assist in keeping the skin looking younger [and] more youthful."

Not drinking enough water

Wearing moisturizer is only one part of keeping our skin hydrated. Another super important practice we often forget about? H20.

"Water helps keep our systems running smoothly. This, in turn, keeps the skin properly functioning, as well," said Roberta Perry, founder and president of ScrubzBody Natural Skin Care. "Whatever your weight, you should be drinking half that amount in ounces of water, daily. It helps flush the body and the skin, and keeps it dewy."

Not a huge fan of water? Perry suggests trying decaffeinated tea with lemon.

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