Bad Beauty Habits

Five Beauty Practices That Are a No-No

Sure, not all of us have time to do avocado face masks and coconut sugar scrubs, but there are still some things we should be doing to practice basic beauty hygiene. The following are common beauty habits that do more harm than good:

1. Sleeping in Make-up




In an interesting article on the Daily Mail website, a woman underwent an experiment in which she slept in her make-up for a month. By the end, experts said that her skin had aged by a decade. Though it may seem like a trivial task at the end of a long day, removing your make-up can prevent damage to your skin. Dermatologists warn that long-term avoidance of cleansing the skin of make-up can result in the accumulation of environmental pollutants, which contribute to the breakdown of collagen and elastin (the structures that keep you looking young and healthy).
Do instead: Make sure to cleanse and moisturize your skin every night.

2. Squeezing Zits



We all do it. We can't help it-- who wants to go around with a big whitehead on their nose? Well, it turns out that popping your pimples can actually cause more of the same problem. The pustule, or the "head," actually contains all of the bacteria in one place. When you puncture that sack of gunk, it can spread to other pores and lead to more zits. You can also force the bacteria deeper into your skin by poking and prodding, or introduce new bacteria from your fingers, which can make the pimple even more red and inflamed than before.
Do instead: Your best bet is to have your zits popped by a professional dermatologist or esthetician. However, as that isn't always feasible, here is the proper way to get rid of whiteheads:
1. Wait until the whitehead is ready: the pus will be close to the surface and ready to drain.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, including under your fingernails.
3. Sterilize a pin with a match or lighter, then let it cool and wipe it with rubbing alcohol.
4. Swab the zit with alcohol, as well as your fingers. Dry your fingers and wrap them with a clean tissue.
5. Gently pierce the very tip of the whitehead's center with the sterilized pin. Using your fingers or cotton swabs, softly squeeze the pimple around the base, not the tip. If the pus doesn't come out easily, stop! It isn't ready.
6. Apply alcohol or bacitracin ointment (neosporin) to the now deflated bump.

3. Touching Your Face



Try an experiment. For one day, count the number of times you touch your face. It will surprise you! There are millions of tiny bacteria, viruses, and other scary microbes that can make it from our hands to our faces. But that's not the only reason to stop rubbing your eyes; rubbing your skin can actually do a lot of damage as well. For example, when we rub our eyes/eyelids we can actually create microscopic tears in the tissue, making the eye area look older faster. Rubbing our eyes can also break capillaries in the eyelids (causing little thread-like veins) or break capillaries under the eyes (causing darker circles). Touching our face can also worsen acne, contact dermatitis, and herpes simplex.
Our hands aren't the only problem, however; cell phones and dirty bed linens (sheets and pillowcases) can also exacerbate acne. When something comes in direct contact with your face, make sure you keep it as clean as possible.
Do instead: Avoid touching your face as much as possible. When you have to, clean hands thoroughly with soap and water, making sure to get in between the fingers and under the fingernails.

4. Picking at Cuticles/Biting Nails



Does the word onychophagia ring a bell? That is the word for the syndrome known for repetitive biting, chewing, and picking of one’s fingernails and the cuticles around them. Not only does picking and biting leave your nails looking less than manicured, it also leaves you more prone to bacteria and infection. Additionally, severe picking or chewing can lead to pain and even bleeding. 
Do instead: Keep your nails well manicured and moisturized. Paying for a manicure will leave you less likely to mess with your nails and fingers, and moisturizing your hands will cut down on the dry cuticles (which can be a trigger for picking). If your habits are triggered by stress or boredom, try doodling or squeezing a stress ball instead.

5. Sharing Cosmetics




Sharing cosmetics can lead to a nasty infection. Sharing mascara may cause a bad eye infection and even sharing lip balms/sticks/glosses can lead to a viral infection because viruses can live on inanimate objects. You should never share anything that comes into direct contact with someone's skin or mucus membranes.
Do instead: Buy your own make-up.




Sources:

http://youqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/woman-sleeping1.jpg
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2380419/What-sleeping-make-does-skin-Our-shocking-experiment-exposes-happens.html
http://cf.ltkcdn.net/skincare/images/std/147691-425x290-young-woman-with-blemish.jpg
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/teen-acne-13/pop-a-zit
http://www.gettingtotruelove.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/The-top-five-5-dating-mistakes-we-all-make..jpg
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/10/touching-your-face_n_3568126.html
http://www.therapistlocator.net/imis15/Images/ConUpdates/Nail-Biter_ps.jpg
http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/nail-care/cuticle/cut-cuticles.htm
http://www.skinpick.com/nails-cuticles-picking
http://www.newbeauty.com/blog/dailybeauty/7143-why-you-should-never-ever-share-makeup-again/