1. Over exfoliating
People with dry skin often think exfoliating can help by sloughing away flakes and dead skin cells. But over exfoliation can make dry skin worse by impairing your skin's ability to hold onto water, making it look dull, lifeless and older.
2. Using the same moisturizer year-round
If you have oily skin, don't assume you should use an oil-free moisturizer all year--or that you can go without. Instead, use a serum or lotion when your skin is oily and switch to a richer cream when it's dry.
3. Using a harsh cleanser
People love the tight, tingly feeling they get after using foaming cleansers and bar soaps, but that feeling just means your natural lipids have been stripped away, leaving your complexion parched and more prone to premature wrinkling. Instead, use an oil-based cleanser like Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil.
4. Going green
There's no natural alternative to retinoids like Differin and Atralin, and they're the only products proven to diminish existing wrinkles. Organic sunscreens are just not as effective as their chemical counterparts, especially if you're going to be in the sun for prolonged periods. So use an organic cleanser and moisturizer.
5. Mixing the wrong ingredients
Some ingredients are not compatible. For example, neither retinoids nor hydroquinone should be used in combination with glycolic acid, which renders them inactive. And you can only use hydroquinone and retinoids together if they're in a specially formulated product like Tri-Luma. All of these ingredients fight signs of aging and sun damage--but you have to use them correctly to get results.
