5 beauty habits that are secretly doing you damage.

By now you know you’re not supposed to squeeze pimples – it may not stop you but at least you know it’s bad for you. But what about those habits you’ve formed over the years that you didn’t even know were damaging your skin? Read on for five things to drop from your beauty routine stat.

1. Over-exfoliating.

You might love the squeaky clean feeling of your granular exfoliator or hand-held device but STOP; you’re overdoing it by using these on a daily basis.

Dermatologists recommend that you limit exfoliation to once or twice a week, as one of the most common mistakes of using hand-held devices and granular products is being too heavy-handed. All you need is a very light pressure, using circular motions to shift your make-up and cleanse the skin.

When you attack your face with the same enthusiasm reserved for sanding a piece of furniture, the end result is irritation, redness, tightness and flakiness. In short, all the things you want to avoid by exfoliating in the first place.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Dove. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

2. Shaving your armpits.

You’re probably not going to stop shaving but have you ever noticed how your underarm skin gets dry and damaged immediately after you shave? Yeah, that’s not a good thing.

Recent Unilever research found that each time you shave under your arms, up to 20 per cent of what you shave off is skin. Yikes. Rather than trying to moisturise your pits (can you imagine?), go for protective, non-drying deodorant that will help shield those delicate top layers of skin.

3. Wearing an SPF+ make-up product alone.

Ok, so by now you know you need to wear sun protection every day, but did you know that your SPF makeup probably isn’t cutting it? The Cancer Council recommends that you apply more than half a teaspoon of sunscreen to your face AND neck – an amount that most of us don’t use when applying foundation. Exposure to UV rays is not only dangerous; it ages you. Even a few minutes of exposure can lead to a breakdown of collagen, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. The solution? Double up on your application with a SPF30 or higher underneath your SPF foundation, especially if you’re going to be outside for long periods.

4. Sleeping with your makeup on.

I know, I know, this one is a doozy. We all wish we could sleep in our make-up and have our skin thank us for it in the morning but sadly, it won’t. When you sleep in your makeup –a wake-up call here – it’s basically an invitation for wrinkles to have a party on your face.

Now that I’ve got your undivided attention, the reason this happens is because makeup and external pollutants seep into your pores and when left untouched they break down collagen and elastin. The two things that are keeping your skin looking youthful. Pass the make-up wipes.

5. Your mascara is out of date.

There’s one very good case for not spending a small fortune on mascara – it expires three months after opening.

What’s that? It’s your favourite mascara and you don’t want to bin it after three months? Well, it’s a good idea to go home and take stock of how old the mascaras are in your beauty bag because you could be at risk of irritation and eye infections by swiping on the same formula for years on end.

How many of these habits do you need to break?

Underarms are one of the most neglected body parts. Many women do not even think of their underarms as skin and, therefore, deprive them of the care and attention they give to the rest of their bodies. Without even realizing it, women are damaging their underarms when shaving. On average, when you shave your underarms, 36 per cent* of what you shave off is skin.

Ditch your harsh, drying deodorant and choose a product that moisturizes and replenishes to reduce the potential for irritation while providing all-day perspiration protection. Dove Original Deodorant provides effective 24-hour protection from sweat and odour with the added benefit of skincare. Dove’s unique ¼ moisturising cream helps skin repair itself from the damage of shaving. This leaves your underarms softer and smoother.

* Unilever Research, 9%–64% female underarm skin debris