Some of us really love our beauty products and we each have our own daily routines when it comes to skin and hair health. But, did you know that there are some beauty products that would do more harm than good if you used them daily? Here are some things that should be saved for special occasions.
1. Exfoliants
Sure that deep cleaning, abrasive action is great once a week but an everyday exfoliation can really rub your skin raw. It can irritate and inflame your skin, leaving it prone to infections and acne.1 If your daily facewash has micro beads or exfoliating properties, consider switching to something gentler for everyday use.
2. Deep Conditioning Hair Masks
Our hair could definitely do with a deep condition maybe once or twice a week. It replenishes moisture, prevents frizz, and adds softness to your hair. But, doing it any more often than this can weigh your hair down and leave it looking limp and volume-less. It can also make your hair look and feel greasy. If you have thin hair especially, a weekly deep condition is more than enough.
3. Lip Balm
Lip balm, even medicated ones can do more harm than good in the long run. Your lips tend to become extremely dependent on lip balm to stay moisturized, which means that they can’t stay plump and hydrated by themselves. Certain ingredients in the lip balm also draw more moisture out.2 Drink more water instead and lay off the lip balm for a while.
4. Matte Lipstick
If you use matte lipstick, you know that it is extremely drying on the lips. You can put it on and sometimes feel like the life is being sucked out of you through your lips. While you can minimize the effect by putting lip balm on first, it’s really not a good idea to use it every day. Save it for special occasions.
5. Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo can be a lifesaver on those bad hair days when you really just need to get rid of the grease. However, everyday use is just not what it’s designed for. Some people even use it straight after washing their hair which strips it of its natural oils and makes your hair dry and lifeless.
6. Waterproof Mascara
A lot of people love waterproof mascara because it is smudge-proof and really doesn’t budge. But, it does damage your lashes. It can make your lashes dry, brittle, and cause them to break off. Instead, coat your lashes with a non-waterproof mascara before going over with waterproof if you must. While removing your eye makeup, be super gentle to prevent pulling your eyelashes out.
7. Primer
Primer is often used before foundation to give you that flawless finish. While your skin might look fabulous, it’s a different story underneath the makeup. Primer clogs up pores with oil and sweat which can cause breakouts. It doesn’t allow your skin to breathe. When you’re on a night out, it’s perfectly fine to use it, but give your skin some breathing space during the week.
8. Self Tanner
Self-tanner is something a lot of people love using simply because it gives them that sun-kissed glow without risk of getting sunburnt. However, using it every day is not a good idea when you consider its ingredients. DHA, the main coloring agent in tanning lotions has been known to cause genetic mutations and potentially cause skin cancer.3 Not to mention, applying it every day will just result in a patchy looking mess, especially if you’re layering it on top of a previous coat.
If you use these beauty products often, or perhaps even daily, you’re doing yourself more harm than good. Give these products a miss every now and then. Your skin and hair will thank you.
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