Ditch The Washcloth (And 5 More Skin-Saving Moves)
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Anyone who’s ever gawked at the skin-care aisle of a drugstore knows the feeling of being overwhelmed. Serums, moisturizers, cleansers, exfoliants, masks, spot treatments—there’s just so much. No surprise, then, that so many of us assume that we need to start doing more, more, more in our pursuit of a glowing complexion.
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But here’s another idea: What if you could have healthier skin by doing less? Cutting out a few bad habits can lead to healthier skin, says Dr. Amy Wechsler, a Manhattan-based dermatologist who’s also board-certified in psychiatry.
Of course, the essentials still matter (gentle cleansing, SPF, moisturizer, antioxidants—you know the drill). But paring down your skin-care routine may be the smartest (and easiest!) thing you can do for your complexion. Here, six habits to eliminate immediately—and they don’t cost a dime.
Tone down the exfoliation.
“In general, American women are overly scrubbing their skin,” Wechsler says. “I see women whose skin is irritated because they’re using a scrub, a harsh toner, and a mask—and they’re all drying.” While gentle exfoliation can be part of a good skin-care regimen, Wechsler notes that nothing should hurt, burn, or sting. And on that skin-pampering note, it’s time to put your washcloths aside, too. “They’re too harsh, especially for the face,” Wechsler explains.
Give up cigarettes—even if you don’t smoke.
You probably know that smoking breaks down collagen, aggravates acne, and creates wrinkles. But even if you’ve never touched tobacco, secondhand smoke can lead to the same problems. “Secondhand smoke can have the same effects that smoking does,” Wechsler says. “Your skin just doesn’t work as well.” So if you’re prone to lighting up, quit—and if you’re not, try to stay away from smoke-filled places.
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Never go to a tanning bed again.
Unless you’re looking to increase your risk of skin cancer while simultaneously accelerating the aging process, stay away from tanning beds. “There’s still a misconception, especially during the winter, that tanning beds will improve your mood,” Wechsler says. But it’s the visible light, not the ultraviolet light, that boosts our mood. A better option for beating the winter doldrums: a light box with a UV filter, which delivers good vibes without the skin damage.
Hide that magnifying mirror.
What a shocker: Skin doesn’t look its best at 20x magnification. “I hate them,” Wechsler says of magnifying mirrors. “Obviously the skin does not look like it does in a magnifying mirror to any other human. Nothing looks good magnified like that, and you’ll think you have deep lines and huge pores—it feels crummy.” She advises saving this tool only for plucking eyebrows and applying eye makeup. For everything else, a regular mirror will suffice.
Keep your hands to yourself (just not to your face).
Know that single chin hair, that tip-of-the-nose blackhead? Leave. Them. Alone. “I wish people would stop picking their skin, popping their pimples, plucking their hairs, digging things out, and sticking needles in their pimples,” Wechsler says. Not only is all of this fuss unlikely to solve the issue, it can possibly worsen your skin situation.
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Stop judging your skin.
The only thing worse than imperfect skin? Constantly talking trash about your skin. “I have patients in their thirties who had severe acne as teenagers, and they judge their skin,” Wechsler says. “When their self-esteem was forming as adolescents, they defined themselves with ‘bad skin,’ whatever that is, and that sticks.” The good news, she notes, is that we don’t need to stay in these behavioral ruts. “The health of the skin can be fluid,” she says. And that’s quite the encouraging reminder for the future of your complexion.
