1. Scrubbing Your Face
Scrubbing your face with rough washcloths, brushes, or gritty scrubs might feel like it’s giving your skin a deep clean, but it’s actually doing more harm than good. This outdated habit can damage your skin’s protective barrier and lead to irritation or increased sensitivity. Instead, opt for gentle cleansers and chemical exfoliants like AHAs or BHAs, which work more effectively and safely to remove dead skin cells without harming the skin.
2. Using Harsh Exfoliants
Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells and can make your complexion brighter, but using harsh physical scrubs with large, abrasive particles (like crushed walnut shells or sugar) can cause microtears and long-term damage to your skin. This outdated method has largely been replaced by chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid, which gently dissolve dead skin cells and promote cell turnover without physically damaging your skin.
3. Toothpaste on Pimples
Using toothpaste to dry out pimples is an old-school DIY hack that’s more damaging than helpful. Most toothpastes contain ingredients like menthol, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide, which can severely irritate the skin, cause redness, and even lead to chemical burns. Modern spot treatments with salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or sulfur are much safer and more effective on zits.
4. Alcohol-Based Toners
Old-school toners loaded with alcohol were once praised for their ability to “tighten” and “clean” the skin, but we now know they can be incredibly drying and damaging. Alcohol strips away your skin’s natural moisture, causing irritation and often triggering more oil production. Modern toners are gentler and focus on hydrating, soothing, and prepping the skin with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or niacinamide.
5. Wearing Sunscreen Only When It’s Sunny Out
Wearing sunscreen only on sunny days is a major skincare mistake. Harmful UV rays are present year-round, even when it’s cloudy or you’re indoors near windows. These rays contribute to premature aging, pigmentation, and skin cancer. It's a wiser idea to apply broad-spectrum SPF daily, rain or shine.
6. Skipping Moisturizer on Oily Skin
Many people with oily or acne-prone skin believe they should skip moisturizer, fearing it will make their skin oilier. In reality, this can backfire—when your skin is dehydrated, it produces even more oil to compensate. The key is choosing the right lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer that hydrates without clogging pores.
7. Using Hot Water to Clean
Hot water might feel soothing, but it strips your skin of its natural oils and damages its barrier, leading to dryness, redness, and irritation. This is especially problematic for sensitive or aging skin. Instead, wash your face with lukewarm water to gently cleanse without disrupting the skin’s natural balance.
8. Tanning for an Even Base
Using tanning (whether from the sun or tanning beds) to create an “even base” before a vacation or summer season is not only outdated—it’s dangerous. Tanning increases your risk of skin cancer, accelerates aging, and damages collagen and elastin in the skin. If you want a bronzed glow, opt for self-tanners or tinted moisturizers instead—they’re safer and won’t speed up the aging process.
9. Using Too Many Active Ingredients at One Time
Loading your routine with multiple active ingredients—like retinol, AHAs, BHAs, and vitamin C—might seem like a fast track to flawless skin, but it can actually overwhelm and irritate your skin. Overusing actives can damage your skin barrier and cause breakouts, dryness, or sensitivity. A smarter approach is to keep it simple: introduce one active at a time, allow your skin to adjust, and rotate ingredients based on your needs.
10. Lemon Juice on Skin
Applying lemon juice to the skin as a natural brightener or acne treatment is a popular DIY remedy, but it’s far too harsh and acidic. Lemon can disrupt your skin’s pH, cause serious irritation, and even result in chemical burns—especially if you’re exposed to sunlight afterward. There are safer and more effective ways to treat pigmentation and dullness, like vitamin C serums.
11. Mistaking Natural Products for Safe Products
Just because something is labeled “natural” doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe for your skin. Many natural ingredients can cause allergic reactions, irritation, or even damage (like essential oils or certain plant extracts). What matters more is how a product is formulated and tested, not just the origin of its ingredients. Look for well-formulated products with proven efficacy—natural or not.
12. Never Changing Your Skincare Products
Sticking with the same skincare routine year after year might feel comforting, but your skin’s needs change over time. Aging, stress, seasonal changes, and hormonal shifts can all affect your skin, so it’s important to take a good look at your routine every so often. Updating your products to reflect your current skin concerns can help you get better results.
13. Starting Anti-Aging Treatments Too Late
Waiting until deep wrinkles or sagging appear before starting anti-aging treatments is a common misconception. Prevention is much easier and more effective than reversal. Beginning a gentle anti-aging routine in your 20s or 30s—think sunscreen, antioxidants, and hydration—helps protect your skin long-term. It’s never too early to take care of your skin, and small, consistent steps now can lead to better results later.