1. Using Dermaplane Razors From the Convenience Store
Don’t get me wrong, dermaplaning is one of my favorite services to perform on clients. It removes peach fuzz, reduces skin texture, allows makeup to go on more smoothly, and promotes deeper skincare product penetration. However, you should leave dermaplaning to your esthetician. I know, I know. You’ve used those razors time and time again and nothing has happened… yet. Unfortunately, those eyebrow razors have jagged blades which create micro-tears in the skin. Micro-tears allow bacteria to enter the hair follicles, which can lead to acne. If you are acne-prone, I would highly suggest avoiding dermaplaning all-together. If you can’t resist, I would use products tailored toward acne-prone skin to avoid an acne flareup.
2. Picking at Blemishes
Even as an esthetician, I struggle with letting my pimples heal on their own. In a perfect world, I would pop every clogged pore on my face using my magnifying mirror, and I would wake up the next day without a scratch. Sadly, that’s not how it works. When you pop your own pimples at home with unwashed hands, you not only risk the spread of infection and making more acne arise, but you also increase the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or acne scars. If you have trouble with pimple - popping like I do, I highly suggest wearing a pimple patch over your blemishes to prevent from picking at your skin.
3. Using Makeup Wipes in Place of Cleanser
I think it’s safe to say we have all fallen victim to using makeup wipes at one point or another to cleanse our face. If you are sitting here thinking that you can’t relate, you deserve an award. On the other hand, if you’re still using makeup wipes in place of a cleanser, it’s time to listen up. Makeup wipes contain drying ingredients such as alcohol and a texture that causes micro-tears in the skin, both of which can disrupt the acid mantle on the surface of the skin. Clean Wipes are the only wipes I recommend as an esthetician because they are fragrance free and contain safe and soothing ingredients like niacinamide, aloe vera, and chamomile extract. These are still NOT meant to take the place of a cleanser. Cleansing the skin is extremely important!
Thank you for reading!
This article of the Skinsider Scoop was graciously written by Licensed Esthetician and Certified Laser Technician, Carly Santini, and edited by the Clean Skin Club team. If you're interested in more from Carly, please shoot us an email, and follow her Instagram - @theoldtownesthetician