The skin is the largest organ of the body, and it needs to be taken care of. Unfortunately, there are so many skincare mistakes that we all make too often. These are ten things you should avoid doing when it comes to your skincare:

1. Touching your face

The best skincare advice you can ever receive is to keep your hands off your face. The worst thing you can do to a pimple is to pick at it. However, a lot of people cannot resist poking and pinching and rubbing and popping. Frequent touching not only causes lesions but also transfers dirt and germs to the face and spreads infection.

Solution: KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR FACE. If it is absolutely necessary to touch your face, wash your hands first or use a wipe.

2. Using too many products

Clear skin is very desirable and makes a good canvas for makeup. We should all have a skincare routine, but there is such a thing as overdoing it. A lot of people are starting to follow the YouTuber/blogger skincare routine that comprises of multiple face washes, toners, serums, treatments and masks. These complicated regimens will do you no good if you do not know what is actually wrong with your skin. The products may even end up reacting with one other and worsening the case.

Solution: Visit a professional dermatologist to determine what exactly is your skin problem. Use what is prescribed and wait for results. It will cost a lot less than stocking up and switching out products that do not work for your skin.

3. Using harsh products

When you spot a pimple on your face, your first thought is usually to make it die by fire and by force. You get your trusted pimple roaster and prepare for the sizzling action. But it is better to hold off on that and kill it with kindness. Using skin care products that contain harsh chemicals on your skin could end up causing a lot more damage than a small pimple.

Solution: Look for products that gently cleanse and exfoliate the skin without causing any long-term damage.

4. Switching products frequently

Another mistake you could be making is switching out your skincare products too frequently. When people try out new products, they expect immediate results. But skincare is a process that takes time and consistency. If you get impatient and change your products before they start to work, you may never get your desired results.

Solution: Be patient. Use the right products consistently. Good things take time.

5. Not moisturising

It is a common misconception that too much oil is the cause of zits and pimples. So from the time some Nigerians get their first pimples as adolescents, their skincare goal is to have the driest faces possible. What they do not know is that dryness can cause the skin to overproduce sebum to make up for the moisture it has lost. This, in turn, leads to the growth of more whiteheads, blackheads and pimples.

Solution: Find a moisturiser that complements your skin type. Moisturising increases the elasticity of the skin and is the key to unlocking your inner glow.

6. Not taking off your makeup

The skin goes through a regeneration process at night. The skin naturally exfoliates itself by shedding dead skin cells. Makeup impedes this process, thereby making your skin look duller over time. Makeup also traps dirt and aids the growth of germs which cause boils and pimples. Your skin is an organ too, and it needs to breathe.

Solution: Do your face a favour and wash it before you go to bed. If you are too tired, keep makeup wipes or micellar cleansing water and cotton pads by your bedside.

7. Not cleaning your makeup tools

Just like your skin, your makeup tools need to be cleaned regularly. Dirty makeup brushes and sponges are a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Sadly, a lot of people tend to go months without washing their makeup tools. You could try all the skincare you want, but if you don’t take care of your brushes, you will end up re-infecting your skin.

Solution: Anything that comes in direct contact with your skin must be washed regularly. This includes pillowcases.

8. Not drinking enough water

Water makes up 75% of the human body, and the cells need it to stay alive. Water rids the body and skin of harmful toxins, leaving the skin clean and hydrated. But a lot of people would rather replace water with sodas and other unhealthy drinks, thereby leaving their skins dying of thirst. If your skin is not getting enough water, dehydration will make your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin ages faster and is more vulnerable to damage.

Solution: Get a bottle and monitor your water intake every day. Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables like watermelons and cucumbers to cleanse your skin from the inside out.

9. Not using sunscreen

The skin does not thrive well when overexposed to the sun. The ultraviolet (UV) light of the sun damages the fibres in the skin called elastin. This speeds up the ageing process and has been proven to cause skin cancer. Even if you are #melanated, use the right skincare products and glow in the sun, you still need a layer of protection from it for the health and vitality of your skin.

Solution: Get yourself an affordable sunscreen with SPF in it and apply it on your face, neck, shoulders and hands before you go out every day.

10. Not wiping your phone

You put your phone down on a lot of unsanitary surfaces throughout the day, and it picks up a lot of bacteria. Once you get a call, you transfer the bacteria from your phone right to your face. Your phone is basically an Uber for bacteria trying to get on your skin.

Solution: Wipe your phone down every day with a disinfecting wipe, a makeup wipe, or a baby wipe.

If you avoid making these skincare mistakes and show your skin some love, it will love you back. Stay gorgeous!