6 Unexpected Ways You’re Hurting Your Skin— With Your SHOWER
It’s a basic hygienic necessity, and yet it turns out that when it comes to our showers, we’ve all been doing more harm than good. The Huffington Post has a list of common ways we’re actually sabotaging our skin with our daily ritual, leaving it technically clean but much worse for the wear. Thankfully, we can all learn and change our routines for the better. Think your showers are perfect? Read and learn, because they’re not good if they’re:
- Too Hot
We all love a hot shower, but the truth is that super-hot water is just bad for your skin. It strips it of its natural oils and leads to increased circulation and inflammation, which in turn makes your skin itchy and red. Much as it pains us, we should keep our water at a more tepid temperature - Too Long
Much as this one breaks our hearts, too, we must report that staying too long under the water is also bad for your skin. Keep your showers short – 5 to 10 minutes at most – to retain your skin’s moisture. - Too Often
Not only should your showers be shorter, they should occur less often, too— at least when it comes to your hair. A lot of us grew up washing it every day, but hair specialists say that’s way too often, and strips our hair of natural, healthy oils. Try once or twice a week instead. Think of all the money you’ll save on shampoo! Which reminds us of the next common mistake . . . - Too Soapy
Save money and use less soap! As with the other mistakes, this one is also all about moisture. Soap breaks down dirt and oil, allowing water to wash it way, and in the process leaves your skin dry. Unless you’ve had a particularly dirty day, stick to soaping the truly oily, smelly parts of yourself, like your face, armpits, buttocks, groin and feet. - Too Full Of Chemicals
The kind of soap you use is just as important as where and how often you scrub. Stay clear of deodorants, antibacterial formulas, and harsh chemicals like parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium laureth sulfate in order to – you guessed it! – preserve your skin’s moisture and prevent flakiness. Cetaphil, Dove, and other gentle, moisturizing washes are recommended. - Too Dry
OK, let’s say you fix all these issues and still feel dry after showering? Then you might be making this last mistake— moisturizing too late! Apply a lotion or moisturizer, preferably one with ceramide, within three minutes of stepping out of the shower and gently patting yourself dry.
These mistakes are common, and they’re not the only ones! Check out the original list over on Huffington Post for more information and even more ways we’re all showering incorrectly. Were you surprised by any of these, or did you know a lot of them already? Will you be changing your routine, or do you love long, hot showers too much to care?
