12 Bad Beauty Habits to Kick

Whether you’re into making resolutions or not, a new(ish) year is still a great excuse to try and initiate better behaviors and improve or maintain healthy skin. Instead of the typical resolution list (going on a diet, reading more, stressing less), we came up with a list of 12 things that can really make — or break — your beauty experience. Reader beware: some of these will shock you!

Sleeping on our eye area

We’ve all seen those funny little sleep masks – satin covered double eye patches that some wear when they sleep. Besides serving the purpose of creating a darker environment for deeper sleep, these patches actually cushion the eye area. This is so those of us that sleep on our front and sides don’t end up causing a world of wrinkles, dark circles, or tugging around our peepers while we sleep.

Sleeping with makeup on

So… still guilty of this one, huh? Even after we’ve cautioned against it time and again?! Easily one of the *worst* habits you can have, sleeping in your makeup is never a good idea. As easy as it is to roll into bed fully clothed, with one shoe on and a full face of makeup after a long night out — consider the consequences.

When you sleep, your internal temperature rises and most of us begin to sweat (some more than others, TBH). If you know anything about makeup, you’ll know that sweating + makeup is a formula for pore-clogging and breakouts. Sleeping in your eye makeup is also a habit that’s not worth the risk, since products can be rubbed into our delicate eyes while we sleep. Leaving mascaras on for too long can also make lashes brittle, leading to fall-out and impeded growth. So, if you sleep in your makeup and constantly find yourself breaking out, or suffering from itchy eyes and shedding lashes… you’ll know who to blame!

PRO TIP: Want to get your makeup off FAST before bed? Scoop a dollop of our Blood Orange Cleansing Balm onto hands, then rub even the most stubborn makeup right off — leaving behind soft skin courtesy of olive, avocado, and coconut oils.

Using a bath pouf

Those little tulle puffs for bathing are really fun. They’re always in bright or serene colors, feel soft to the touch, and are still nice and scrubby enough on the skin that we feel squeaky clean. The problem is, they’re rarely ever clean at all — if you don’t replace them every couple weeks, they’ll breed bacteria at an alarming rate. They’re not meant to be cleaned like your average washcloth, and are often used much longer than intended. Instead: use our recycled version and replace every few weeks, opt for a wash cloth, or invest in a silicone scrubbing pad that’s hypoallergenic and doesn’t allow for bacterial growth.

High dairy intake

We have to admit, there have been occasions (okay, weekly occasions) where a cheese plate was our dinner. And when you love pasta with cream sauce and pizza as much as we do, it’s easy to overdo it on the dairy. While some use dairy products as a source of protein and healthy bacteria, it’s also a hidden contributor to breakouts, mucus buildup in the body, and overall it can negatively impact how we feel. If you can’t give up dairy altogether, try to limit your intake and switch to dairy alternatives that taste good without all that bad.

Midnight snacking

What is the snack you grab for when you’re having an after-hours craving? Whether you love a bit of chocolate as a treat, or something salty like chips to hit the spot, midnight snacking in general isn’t a great idea. Midnight snacking often results in poor diet choices, but the act of eating reactivates your digestion which can lead to a fitful sleep. It’s been proven that improper digestion and stomach upset can lead to increased skin issues like psoriasis, dermatitis, breakouts, and even dull, lackluster, or uneven skin.

Not drinking enough water

Everyone has a different idea about where healthy skin comes from. Some insist it’s genetics, while others argue it’s using the right natural skin care products for their needs. While we definitely believe healthy skin comes from a bit of both, we know one habit that makes a world of difference: drinking water. The more H2O we take in, the more we can flush our system of toxins, keep our skin clear, increase smoothness (through hydration), and enjoy a more radiant complexion.

Dirty makeup brushes

This one is probably a habit we’ve all been guilty of at some point. We use our brushes, and then use them again and again and, before we know it... they haven’t been cleaned in a week (or two or three). That’s no way to treat our skin! If you simply #cannot bear to commit time each week to washing your brushes, switch to a multi-tasking tool like our Non Latex Makeup Blender. This one is perfect for lazy girls (guilty as charged), is easy to clean, and works for complexion, skin care, and even for applying a wash of color on the eyes.

Cross-contaminating lip products

This winter was brutal for catching colds and flus, and we’re never quite sure when we stop being ‘contagious’ after falling sick. That’s why it’s a bad idea to wear lip products within a week of having a virus. While bullet lipsticks are relatively easy to clean with a little alcohol and a Q-tip, liquid lipsticks represent the perfect dark, wet environment for your cold to stick around and spread. This should be another great reason to NEVER share lip products with a friend!

Using old eye makeup

The eyes are another focus of ours in this bad habit beauty overhaul. This time, we’re focusing on the cosmetic side and the dangers of using old makeup products. Solid, dry products like eyeshadows for example, have a pretty long shelf life because it’s more difficult for bacteria to grow in a dry environment with no water or moisture. The same can’t be said for mascaras and eyeliners, which should be replaced every 3 months.

Excessive use of hot tools

The more damp and dark the weather gets, the more we rely on hot tools to get our signature hairstyle. Flat irons, curling wands, and blow dryers are the love-hate relationship that we can’t seem to give up, because the results are so fantastic, but the damage? Not so much. There’s a way to offset the damage from hot hair tools with reparative hair care products but learning to rely on non-heat styles is a great way to reduce heat damage to our hair in 2019.

Washing hair with hot water

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – a hot shower does not mean a hot head washing. Hot water essentially boils our hair from the inside, causing heat damage, loss of natural oils, dullness and rougher texture. We recommend using lukewarm water to wash, and finishing with an icy cold rinse to lock in shine.

Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase

Instead of the cotton pillowcases you’re used to, switch to satin or silk for bedtime. This might seem unconventional, impractical, and a little bit extra — but trust us, this makes a world of difference for your hair. Silk doesn’t rough up the hair cuticle as you toss and turn in your sleep, and is even softer on your skin. This way you’ll wake up to smooth and shiny hair instead of… well, let’s just use our imagination, shall we?

For sister stories on beauty no-nos, check out our recent posts 10 Crucial Skin Care Don’ts and 8 Things to NEVER Do to a Pimple.