6 Skincare Habits that Work and Are Actually Sustainable

You can’t deny this, having a good skin is the best makeup EVER. So on top of focusing to find the best skincare products that suit yourself, there are also little techniques and tips that you could do to fundamentally change the state of your skin.

And the best part? They are just little habits and not some crazy 9 steps or 15 steps skincare routine that you have to spend an hour every day on, cos seriously, who even has time for that??

Tip #1: Use lukewarm water to wash your face.

While many girls already know that using hot water to wash face is a no no, many have the misconception that the colder the water one uses to wash her face, the smaller the pores will be.

Trust is, that “firming” illusion brought about by the contact with cold water can only sustain for at most 30 minutes. Let alone that the sudden cooling stimuli on your face will signal your body to bring more blood to the area due to the drop in temperature – just like your hands turning red after holding ice – hence in the long run, it will result in microvascular expansion.

Tip #2: Less is more.

I can’t stress this enough. I have been through some dark acne times, so I really understand that desperation to get better skin. The worse my acne, the more products I thought I have to put on my face. And it seemed like everywhere, from the beauty gurus to the commercials, were telling me the same thing. It took me so long to understand the truth - the more products I put on my face, the more I stressed out my skin. And hence, the more acnes and pimples I’d get.

You can find out more about how I gained this “enlightenment” here - How I got out of my horrible acne days for real.

Tip #3: Sunblock, sunblock, sunblock.

Regardless of the state of your skin, no one can escape from the damage of the UV rays. And I really don’t have to tell you anymore on how sun exposure will deteriorate your skin. So smack that sunblock on my dears. Smack that on every day even if you are just chilling at home.

Tip #4: Use makeup remover for only 30-40 seconds.

No matter what brand of makeup remover you use, in order to emulsify the makeup, the remover has to contain a certain amount of surfactant (or the equivalents). These chemicals, when used accumulative over the years, could seriously strip away the hydration capabilities of your skin.

So do not leave it on, thinking that that would get rid of your makeup more. 30-40 seconds is more than enough to take out the grime, rubbing it for too long will dry out the skin.

Tip #5: Only massage face lightly.

Imagine the dense network of collagen and elastin fibers in your skin as an elastic band. The impact of excessive massage on the skin is like pulling the band, which will quicken the process of losing its elasticity (equivalent will be the firmness of the skin).

But it does not necessarily mean that one has to completely stop the face massages, as moderate massage can indeed speed up product absorption. Face massage must done with a layer of lubricant (either serum or cream), and use only the fleshy part of your middle finger and ring finger.

Tip #6: It's never too early to stop aging.

Some people are worried that using anti-aging products in their 20s might be too early for the state of their skin. But the thing is, it can actually help to prevent skin damage and restore normal skin function. The root of skincare is more of early prevention rather than of treatment. If the products are too greasy for your skin, you can always find one with a lighter texture to not cause any burden to your skin.