You want your skin to look great all the time. But no matter how hard you try, it feels devastating when your skin remains dull and prone to breakouts. Believe me, I tried almost all the beauty parlor treatments my specialist suggested to me and face packs I could find in the store, but nothing seemed to work. I even drank 2 liters of water every day and ate healthy food, but still had dull-looking, unhealthy skin. 

As I started feeling depressed and wondering what I’m doing wrong, my dermatologist friend noticed my condition and asked me a few questions about my habits. To my wonder, the problem was nothing but my old and dirty pillowcases. Since I was a busy person, I did not get time to wash my linens every week. So, the dirt and oil on my pillowcase took a toll on my facial skin.

While dirty pillowcases were responsible for my skin problem, I’ll share with you other habits that might be responsible for yours.

1. Smoking

Smoking is bad not only for your health but for your skin as well. You must have noticed the dry, dull, and sallow complexion of those who smoke. This kind of skin harm cannot be remedied even with a moisturizer and a good skincare routine. Smoking causes damage to your skin's elastin and collagen, resulting in sagging and loose skin. Nicotine also narrows down your blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin, thereby impairing blood flow and accelerating aging.

     2.Eating Too Much of Junk and Oily Food

An occasional burger or packet of chips would be of no harm, but if you are a habitual junkie and have a sweet tooth, you are causing extensive damage to your skin. Refined carbohydrates spike your blood sugar levels and trigger insulin surge. Insulin overproduction also leads to hormonal imbalance that exacerbates irritation and breakouts. Eat foods rich in antioxidants that are skin-friendly and good for your health too.

      3. Going to Bed Without Removing Makeup

It's common to feel tired after a long day of work. You would just want to reach home, change clothes, and jump into bed. But no matter how tired you are, take time for skincare and wash your makeup before sleeping, especially if you have oily and acne-prone skin. Wash away all the makeup and pollutants and let your skin breathe while you sleep.

      4. Over-Exfoliation

Exfoliation is imperative to remove dead skin cells from your skin and revealing youthful skin hidden underneath. But over-exfoliating does not help but only damages your skin's protective barrier. It also strips off the natural moisture from your skin and makes it dull and dry. Do not exfoliate more than twice a week for best results.

       5. Not Cleaning Your Phone

People stay glued to their phones these days, but did you ever realize that this device can wreak havoc on your skin? Believe it or not, cell phone serves as a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that leads to pimples on your jawline and around the chin. Make it a habit to wipe down your phone regularly with an antibacterial rub to keep it safe.

If you have any of these bad habits, get rid of them quickly to benefit your skin. You would wonder how a petty habit that you never even noticed created so much chaos on your skin.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230126/

https://www.allure.com/story/acne-fatty-sugar-food-diet-study

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/smarter-living/clean-your-phone.html