Six Face Washing Mistakes that are Damaging Your Skin, Everyday!

Face-washing may be a simple everyday task that requires no great effort on your part. But when it’s not done right, it causes significant harm to your skin, each day. The mistakes that you may make while washing your face could lead to issues like irritation, dryness and even wrinkles. Read on to find out how you can avoid making these common errors, and save your skin from blemishes, ageing and lustreless look.

1. Using the wrong cleanser

The use of the wrong cleanser can throw your pH levels out of balance. The optimal pH balance of your skin is 5.5pH. This is the ideal level at which the thin protective layer on the surface of the skin (called acid mantle) can function to keep germs, toxins and bacteria at bay. You should therefore be picking your cleanser based on your skin type as it would come with the right pH balance.

2. Not cleaning your hands before touching the face

Always clean the germs and dirt of your hands first before moving onto your face. Ignoring this crucial first step can cause you to transfer all the bacteria and dirt of your hands on your face, giving rise to common skin problems such as acne, pimples and blackheads.

3. Using a pre-used washcloth

To avoid the filth from clogging your pores, always clean the washcloth that you use with an antiseptic to keep germs and bacteria at bay. Once you’re done washing your face, don’t rub the cloth all over your face but pat dry it.


4. Washing face using with hot water

When it comes to the water that you splash on your face, you should always use lukewarm or room temperature water. This is because hot water leaves your skin dry as it washes away the skin’s essential oils; and cold water can break the capillaries (fine blood vessels) of your skin. In contrast, mildly lukewarm water will keep your skin hydrated and healthy.

5. Not washing the face twice a day

Just as you shouldn’t ignore this important skin care habit that keeps your skin clean, you also shouldn’t go overboard with it. Excessive face-washing can hamper the natural oil production of your skin, giving rise to dryness and irritation as a result. Your skin requires the natural oil it produces to keep it smooth and supple. Ideally, you should wash your face twice daily - once in the morning for removing the bacteria and dirt that clogged your pores, and again at night before going to bed.

6. Rushing through the routine

Lastly, don’t rush through your cleansing routine. Make sure to properly rinse your face of cleanser completely, otherwise the residues would cause your skin to dry up later on, leading to skin irritation.

It is therefore very important to pay attention to all the little details that make up your face-washing routine. By doing it right, you get to achieve the clear and blemish-free skin that you always wanted.

Radiant, supple and youthful looking skin is everyone’s dream. However, due to pollution and incorrect nutrition habits, your skin tends to show signs of aging before it is supposed to.

To reverse the signs, you can avail certain daily habits, which will make your skin look radiant and keep it young for a long time:

Hydrate inside out: It is crucial to drink water as it cleanses your skin from within and flushes out toxins, making it look radiant. Along with drinking enough water, you also need to use hydrating lotion and serums which moisturize and protect your skin from infections and bacteria.

Increase your intake of vitamin C: Many studies have proven that including more amount of vitamin C in your diet will help you keep your skin younger for longer and keep aging signs such as fine lines and wrinkles at bay. Include more vitamin C rich food in your meals, such as citrus fruits, sprouts and bell peppers because they are crucial for the formation of collagen (building blocks of the skin) in your skin.

Eat sorbitol rich fruits: A particular humectant (a substance that is used to retain moisture) called ‘sorbitol’ is responsible for adding sweetness to grapes, berries and plums. Including sorbitol rich fruits in your diet is a great solution as the humectant helps in absorbing and retaining moisture in your skin. The moisture content in your skin helps in keeping it radiant and youthful.

Exfoliation is a must: Along with the basic skincare routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing, you should also be exfoliating your skin. Exfoliation means removing a layer of dead skin and impurities by mild scrubbing. You can use a loofah or a pumice stone to exfoliate and get rid of the dead skin. Doing it once a week will ensure clean and clear skin which is free of impurities.

Cut down on your dairy intake: Dairy products, including the organic ones, contain cow hormones, which stimulate the oil glands and pores in your skin; which is the main cause of acne and pimples. By cutting out dairy products, you can get an oil free, radiant skin. If you still feel the need to include dairy in your diet, opt for skimmed milk over full fat.

Acne scars are not just embarrassing, but in some cases are painful as well. However, with these below mentioned derma treatments you can easily get rid of these scars.

Derma rollers: Derma rollers are small rollers that contain dozens of needles 0.25 mm in diameter and up to 2 mm in length. They reach the papillary dermis of the skin (deeper than the lasers and peels). Derma roller rips the fibrous connections intergrown by scars and strongly stimulates the healing processes, that is, the collection of macrophage and growth factors. The results are visible six weeks after the treatment. They are especially suitable to people with darker complexion.

Laser Treatment: A dermatologist is the best option if the acne scars don’t reduce or fade away with time. Collagen is one of the building blocks of your skin and is an essential protein. Fractionated laser is a new technology that can smooth the surface of your skin and promote new collagen formation. Laser treatment can obliterate the scar and help smooth skin to form in its place instead. Filler injections help fill any indentation resulting from deeper acne scars. The only drawback to this is that fillers need to be re done after every 6 months or so as it gets reabsorbed over time into the skin.

Time heals all wounds: Patience is very important when you want to see scars fade away. Newly formed blood vessels, few weeks after the scar is formed, nourish the skin. Most scars in their early stages look pink for this reason. Collagen starts forming months later and fills in the injuries on the skin. Fat cells and skin are destroyed in cystic acne; so for the scars to vanish completely, it might take a year or more.

Prevention Tips: The best preventive method for scar formation is not to squeeze pimple. Popping a pimple leads to deeper infiltration of bacteria and pus. This damages the collagen further. A common skin care myth is that Vitamin E helps scars in healing faster. Contrary to prior belief, direct application of Vitamin E on a scar might hinder the healing process instead of facilitating it.

Use a sunscreen: Use a sunscreen with a high SPF over 30. The middle of the day is the worst time to step out in the sun. Reapply the sunscreen every two hours, if you sweat profusely.

Blackheads can cause a lot of social embarrassment and anxiety for many people as they look like ugly blemishes on your skin. Although blackheads are a skin problem, they could be manifestations of other internal problems as well. There are many topical remedies to tackle blackheads but a holistic approach such as the one provided by Ayurveda will be a more effective solution.

Why do we get blackheads?

If you have oily skin, this is a serious problem for you. The oil secreting glands on your face and nose known as the sebaceous glands produce oil to protect the skin and keep it hydrated. Excess production of this oil clogs the pores of the skin and expands them. As more oil keeps pouring, it gets clogged in the pores even more and then becomes hardened when it reacts with air forming blackheads. These blackheads may make you look weak and tired and the only solution is to take regular skincare, so that they don’t come back.

Some natural ayurvedic treatments of blackheads which you can follow

Use Tomato Paste: The easiest option is applying tomatoes on the affected area. They have antiseptic ingredients which have a good impact on your blackheads. Apply some tomato pulp on your skin and leave it overnight. Wash the face in the morning with lukewarm water and see the results.


Mashed Potatoes: Mash some raw potatoes and rub it on the affected area. Keep it on as a mask and then wash it off. Regular usage of this will heal the skin and reduce the problem of blackheads greatly.

Oatmeal Powder and Rose Water Mix: Mix oatmeal powder and rose water and leave it on the area prone to blackheads for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it with cold water. Regular usage should show results quite quickly.

Lemon Juice: Lemon juices are effective in killing blackheads. However they may make your skin quite dry. Hence use groundnut oil to dilute it and keep the skin hydrated. Use this mixture on your face and wash after 15 minutes.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Cornstarch: These is an excellent combination to get rid of blackheads. You can apply it on your face, keep it overnight and then wash it off with warm water soaked in a soft cloth.

These are some of the natural Ayurvedic tips to get rid of your blackheads. In order to make sure that they don’t recur, drink lots of water to flush out the toxins. Clean your skin regularly with a mild face wash regularly. It is also important to ensure that your lifestyle remains healthy and balanced or else these problems may keep coming back.

Do you know that dandruff causes acne?

Acne is a skin condition that happens when pores get clogged with dead skin cells and oil, giving rise to pimples. It can be caused by numerous reasons like hormonal changes, improper diet, stress, consumption of specific drugs, excessive use of cosmetic products etc. In addition to these factors, acne can be caused by dandruff too, which may not be known to most of you. It has been observed that people who suffer from dandruff problems are more prone to getting pimples.

How does dandruff cause acne?

Dandruff has been associated with presence of yeast or fungi, it is also associated with abnormal skin ultrastructure. Dandruff makes the skin on your scalp flaky. These dry flakes of skin are often responsible for clogging the pores on your face, mostly affecting your forehead. In this way, dandruff triggers appearance of acne and can worsen the condition of your skin if you already have pimples. Though acne is more common among teenagers, acne due to dandruff is mostly experienced by people above the age of 20.

How can you prevent acne due to dandruff?

Eradicating dandruff from your scalp is the best way to prevent acne breakouts on your skin due to dandruff. Here are some simple ways to keep acne due to dandruff away from your skin.


1. Ensure that your hair stays off your face

Keeping hair off your face will ensure that dandruff doesn't come in contact with your skin and clog pores, preventing pimples. For this, you can use hair bands or tie your hair in a ponytail or braid.

2. Brush your hair at least twice a day

Brushing your hair at least two times a day will ensure that the dead cells on your scalp are removed and don't get a chance to clog pores. This option is highly beneficial in getting rid of acne caused by dandruff.

3. Use medicated anti-dandruff shampoo

Topical medicated solutions like a medicated shampoo should be used as a treatment. Short contact period of shampoo with scalp is important for more benefit. Good conditioner should also be used after head wash with shampoo.