Sometimes skin confidence comes from changing your habits, taking a step back and appreciating what makes your skin unique. Here are 5 skin habits you should take out of your routine so you can be happier with your skin.
1. Stop trying to find flaws
You’re not going to feel great about your skin if you’re just staring at it all day. (Remember that forehead wrinkle that definitely wasn’t there at 9am but is somehow all you can see by 5pm?) Give yourself a break and turn off self-view on Zoom calls. Same goes for magnifying mirrors. Step away from the unnecessary—and unnatural—10x magnification.
2. Exfoliate with caution
Got a skin concern—pimples, dull skin, you name it—that you want to just scrub away? Sounds satisfying in theory but unfortunately, that’s not how it works (like, at all). Exfoliating is important for sloughing away dead skin cells and encouraging cell turnover, but if you over-scrub your breakouts, you’ll just add to the irritation. Try the ClearBalm Power Elixir for gentle exfoliation.
3. Be mindful of who you get skincare advice from
Stick to professionals who have knowledge and training in dermatology and the physiology of skin. Remember: your skin is your largest organ, not a space for at-home chemistry experiments.
4. Learn to respect your skin’s unique needs
When it comes to skin treatments, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution. If you’re tempted by the new cosmetic procedure all your friends are getting, talk to a professional (see tip #3!) to learn if it makes sense for your skin’s unique needs. What works for one skin type may really not work for another.
5. Let this be the year you finally leave ingrown hairs alone
...unless there’s a very visible hair close to the surface of your skin that you can easily grab with tweezers, in which case you can (gently and carefully) proceed. If you have to dig for it—don’t. You’ll inevitably cause more inflammation and trauma. You can calm the bump down with topical lotions (hello, ClearBalm Serum Hydrator) while you wait for the hair to come close to the skin’s surface. Patience is a virtue skin-saver.
