Everyone wants to achieve flawless, glowing skin. With so much information on skincare floating around in magazines, old lore, and online, it can be difficult to determine what’s genuine. While some tips may help you improve your skin texture and reduce signs of aging, others may end up causing damage and making you appear older than you are. So, avoid making these 11 skincare mistakes as they can lead to premature aging.

Over-cleansing your face
Although washing the face is an important part of your daily routine, doing it too often can strip your face of essential oils and dehydrate it. Further, this could rupture the lipid barrier and make the skin more susceptible to infections. For optimal results, it is advisable to wash your face two times a day using a gentle cleanser and following this up with a quality moisturizer.

Not drinking enough water
Staying hydrated is an important aspect of making your skin appear soft, supple, and healthy. Dehydration can cause the skin to lose its elasticity, making wrinkles appear sooner. So, aim to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water daily to maintain skin as well as overall health.

Not using sunscreen
The sun rays are one of the most powerful sources of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Over time, constant exposure to the sun can affect the skin and the underlying connecting tissues, causing wrinkles, pigmentation changes such as age spots, liver spots, freckles, decreased elasticity, rough and uneven skin texture, broken capillaries around the nose and the chest, and redness or blotchiness. To avoid these, it is important to wear sunscreen every day (even in the colder months). Use a mineral sunscreen or a sun-blocking cream and remember to reapply it every two hours to avoid sun damage to your skin.

Touching up your makeup during the day
As you touch up makeup, you may be pushing pollutants deeper into the skin’s surface, which can cause blemishes, scarring, and acne. If you wear makeup regularly, invest in a quality setting spray so you don’t need to keep touching it up during the day. Alternatively, look for options that do not melt in the heat or use a mattifying formula that can be worn throughout the day.

Skipping the face wash
Regardless of whether you wear makeup during the day or not, it is important to wash your face every night. This helps you get rid of any built-up toxins or pollutants that may have found their way into your skin during the day in the form of free radicals. These particles can disrupt collagen and elastin production, leading to fine lines and premature aging.

Similarly, it is also important to wash your face in the morning. As you sleep, the skin works to repair barriers and restore itself from any impurities from the previous day. Skipping the morning face wash can cause build-up of these remnants and cause wrinkles.

Eating too much sugar
Too much sugar can also wreak havoc on your skin. Sugar is commonly found in most beverages and sweet treats but it is also added to packaged foods such as soups, breads, and sauces. High levels of sugar intake can block the enzymes that produce collagen and elastin. While indulging your sweet tooth once in a while will not cause much damage, a regular high intake of sugar can cause premature fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. So, limit your daily sugar intake to 30 grams or less.

Not getting enough beauty sleep
Getting adequate rest is important for the body to function optimally. Cutting into your sleep hours could result in increased stress hormones, a dull complexion, breakouts, and dehydrated skin. According to research, chronic stress could also shorten the length of the DNA strands, thus speeding up the aging process on a cellular level. Make it an aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night to keep your skin looking fresh and youthful.

Ignoring your neck and décolletage
When you wash your face, you may often end up skipping the neck and décolletage area (the skin just below the neck). Since these parts of the skin are exposed to similar external factors like the face, it is important to include them in your skincare routine. Ignoring them could cause the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and make your skin appear older than it is.

Switching your skincare routine frequently
If you’ve been experimenting with tons of different products too often, maybe it’s time to stop. The skin has a 30-day-long natural cycle. For a new product to begin to show its effects, it takes at least six weeks. Moreover, anti-aging products can take up to four months to have visible effects on your collagen and elastin cycles, so, it is best to avoid changing your skincare routine.

Skipping the toner
Several people believe that toners can dry out their skin. Well, that’s not necessarily true. Quality toners contain gentle exfoliants that will help keep your skin looking and feeling clean, restore its pH balance, and provide hydration. Invest in a good-quality toner and use it daily before applying your moisturizer and SPF.

Being glued to your phone
Smartphones are used for almost all daily tasks; however, when using them, it is important to be mindful of the position of your body. As you incline your head to use a cell phone, the skin just under the face tends to fold over itself, leading to the “turkey neck”, and giving it an untoned appearance. Over time, this can cause the formation of deep wrinkles in this area. Additionally, cell phones emit blue rays and significantly increase your UV exposure, making way for fine lines and wrinkles. Thus, using UV-protection eyewear and sunscreen when indoors can help. Those who lead a lifestyle that relies heavily on technology can also opt for specialist products targeted for tech exposure.

Make your skin youthful, hydrated, and healthy-looking by taking care of it and avoiding these skincare mistakes that lead to premature aging.