5 Skin Sins You Should Avoid

If your goal as you age is to maintain flawless, youthful-looking skin, then what you do to maintain it is undoubtedly important. However, of equal importance is what you don’t do — or rather, the habits that are sure to wreak havoc on your skin over time. Even if you are as diligent as can be about your diet, your sleep routine and your application of skincare products, certain habits are sure to derail your attempts at healthy skin. With that in mind, we asked the skincare and beauty researchers at Kristals Cosmetics about the skin-related practices you should avoid at all costs.

#1 Alcohol
An occasional adult beverage is undoubtedly a good way to unwind, but if you overdo it, your skin is just one of many victims. Not only does alcohol dehydrate you, it raises the levels of inflammation in the body, which in turn leads to wrinkles and saggy skin.

#2 Tanning Beds
By now we know that tanning is not all that it’s cracked up to be. What may appear as a toned, healthy glow when you’re 20 will quickly accelerate the process of skin breaking down as you age. So if you don’t want to look 10 yearsolder down the road, stick to sunscreen in the sun and avoid tanning beds entirely.

#3 Smoking
This one is another skin health no-brainer. Among the countless horrible things that smoking does to your body, the condition of your skin is far up on the list. One recent study noted that every decade of smoking adds about two and a half years to how old you actually look.

#4 Exfoliating Too Much
Exfoliation is great for cleaning and softening the skin — once or twice a week. Do it too much, however, and you soon strip the skin of all its natural oils and moisture. The skin tends to bounce back by overcompensating, and soon your complexion is a mess.

#5 Popping Zits
It’s best to stick to standard products or time when it comes to ridding the face of blackheads. All popping a zit will do for you is leave an unsightly mark on your face — or even a permanent scar.