Like many, you may have spent so much money on skincare products over the years that it doesn’t bear thinking about. There are many items you may use daily, yet you still see problems with your skin. It might be dry, red, have constant breakouts, etc. So why is this happening? You’re following a good skincare routine, so what’s the problem?

Well, the issue could arise from something else that you do every single day. Either in the morning or evening (or both) – you hop in the shower. You have a nice little scrub, and then you hop out – usually doing your skincare routine after. But, did you know that your shower routine could be the thing that’s ruining your skin? It sounds crazy, but it’s true!

How is this possible? Let’s look at some of the potential problems you might be guilty of. 

Hot showers dry out your skin

There’s nothing better than getting under your shower and enjoying a nice warm rinse. You turn the temperature up because it feels so relaxing, yet this could be a huge problem for your skin. 

Research proves that hot water is really bad for the skin. Why? Because the heat causes inflammation and can dry out your pores. In turn, this leads to excessively dry and red skin – and it can also exacerbate existing skin conditions like eczema or acne. The longer you stay under hot water, and the hotter it is, the worse the problems will be. 

So, instead of having hot showers every day, turn the temperature down. Cooler water is much better for your skin, allowing it to remain hydrated without getting inflamed or drying out. 

Hair products can cause breakouts

Naturally, part of your shower routine will involve washing your hair. You may not do this every day, but there will be days when you lather your hair in shampoo and conditioner. A big problem with this is that shampoo and conditioner often include ingredients that are bad for your skin. Primarily, most will include oils that can linger on the surface of your skin, blocking pores and causing body acne. This might be why you get spots on your upper back and chest – your hair falls onto these parts of your body when it’s got shampoo or conditioner on, rubbing the substances onto your skin.

There’s also some talk that propylene glycol – a common ingredient in haircare products – irritates the skin and can make it dry. So, if you leave this on your skin for too long, it could also dry it out and possibly lead to a break out of spots. 

Thankfully, there are a couple of easy ways to prevent these issues. Firstly, be careful when buying hair products. Try to pick things that don’t have many ingredients and that are natural! Avoid oily products if you are prone to spots as well. 

However, the best thing to do is rethink your shower routine. Do you wet your hair, apply shampoo, wash your body, and then apply conditioner? Most people do this, but even after rinsing the conditioner from your hair, some can still lie on your face and body. Instead, switch up your routine and apply shampoo and conditioner before washing your body. This way, you can rinse out the conditioner and clean your skin after, ensuring no products are left clogging your pores or causing further issues. 

Towels might damage your skin and cause breakouts

When you step out of the shower, you instinctively pick up a towel. You dry yourself down and the job is done – you’re now ready to either go to bed or attack the day! Unfortunately, your towel could be a massive culprit in damaging your skin. Normally, there are two reasons behind this. 

Firstly, the towel could be old and full of bacteria. Do not use the same towel to dry your hands as you would to dry your body. In fact, it is a good idea to use a separate towel for your hair, face and body. Of course, you will also have a hand towel for when you go to the toilet. If you use one towel for everything, so much bacteria can spread around your face and body, affecting your skin and causing spots.

Secondly, towels that are rough might damage your skin by leaving it inflamed. Effectively, you’re sanding down your skin with a rough towel, so the outer layer gets damaged and can lead to excessive redness and dry skin. 

The solution to this is extremely simple. Use things like organic cotton towels that are nice and soft, keeping your skin safe. At the same time, have a selection of towels for different parts of your body – and be sure to wash them regularly. You should wash your towels once a week to kill any bacteria and prevent them from spreading around your body and causing breakouts. 

Showering strips your skin of natural oils

Finally, the most common shower routine mistake is to avoid moisturising right after you have washed. Showering strips away essential oils in your skin, so it can be prone to drying out. Of course, dry skin can lead to a whole host of skin conditions and problems that plague your life. 

As such, always be sure you apply moisturising lotion as soon as you are out of the shower. The sooner you do it, the better, as it will trap in the moisture from the water and leave your skin nicely hydrated. 

And on that note, you’ve seen all the shower mistakes that are ruining your skin. These are all really common things that you’re probably guilty of, but you didn’t think twice about. Now, you know how your shower routine is harming your skin and you can take steps to prevent it. As a brief summary, make sure you turn the temperature down a notch, use clean & soft towels on your skin, avoid harmful hair products and apply moisturiser immediately after showering.

Just like that, you can take much better care of your skin.

DISCLAIMER: This is a collaborative post.