17 Common Everyday Habits That Cause Acne And You Don't Even Know

Looking beautiful not only makes you happy, but gives your self-confidence a boost to go and face the world. When you look good, you automatically feel good. But, in today’s time with the growing pollution, wrong eating habits, and ever increasing stress levels, our skin suffers the most.

And not to forget, the weird sleeping patterns that count up to make the skin dull and prone to breakouts. Not only this, but there are also a few mistakes we knowingly or unknowingly make that increase the chances of getting pimply skin. So, we get you a list of some bad habits you must stop doing to avoid damaging your skin.

#1. Touching face too often

Throughout the day, our hands come in contact with thousands of bacteria, and we do not necessarily wash our hands every now and then. It is a strange sense of satisfaction that one gets by gently swaying the hands over the face, but that is what transfers those bacteria, oil and dirt particles to the face, thus causing breakouts.

#2. Scrubbing skin the wrong way

You may think that roughly scrubbing your face with a facial scrub, or a towel will help to clean your pores from deep within, but in reality you are just irritating and harming your skin. Gentle scrubbing once a week is more than enough to exfoliate your skin, and remove the layer of dead skin cells.

#3. Popping out pimples

We know you cannot bring yourself to stop doing it, and it is rather fun. But remember, doing so will not only spread the breakouts, but also leave dark and uncool marks.

#4. Dirty makeup brushes

Sometimes, we are too lazy to clean our makeup brushes thinking them to be pretty clean as no one else used it. But, that is one big blunder you are making. Dirt particles and makeup leftovers get clogged in the brush strands that cause acne and other skin infections.

#5. The wrong haircut

If your haircut allows your hair to come on your forehead or cheeks all the time, the pores on your skin are then blocked by those strands, thus encouraging breakouts. So, better choose a haircut that keeps all the hair off your face.

#6. Harsh hair care products

Using hair products with very harsh or skin-irritating agents can lead to breakouts. Products that you use on your hair may come indirectly in contact with your face, seeping deep into the skin pores and blocking them. Thus, in turn giving breakouts a fair opportunity to erupt.

#7. Not taking a bath after an exercise routine

Any exercise routine will make you sweat a lot. Pollution (in case you are exercising outdoors) mixed with sweat and dirt along with the friction of your sweaty clothes is the perfect combination to pave the way for breakouts. Always remember to take a shower after you come back from your workout session.

#8. Not sleeping enough and on time

Getting enough sleep reduces the stress levels in your body and mind. Lower stress levels and an energised body ensure clean and healthy skin, otherwise your skin tends to take a toll of all the ill-effects on your health. And, it comes out in form of acne, and breakouts. So, 'early to bed and early to rise', is the mantra you need to follow to avoid skin damaging.

#9. Changing skin care products too frequently

We all want miracles to happen overnight, and most of the time, we are impatient to wait for long-lasting effects. Changing skin care products too often, just because the previous one did not work that well is not really a great idea. You can end up damaging your skin by trying too many new combinations on it, instead of saying goodbye to breakouts.

#10. Cheap cosmetics

Another mistake that ruins the skin and causes breakouts, is the use of low quality and cheap cosmetics. When it is a matter of your skin, pay a little extra, but always go for good branded skin care products. After all, you do not want to end up paying more for skin treatments that you might need to undergo, due to the damage caused by the cheap cosmetics.

#11. Washing face with hard water

Well, there is nothing much you could do about that if your locality gets only hard water. But, what you could do is use water softeners or filters that can be fixed on to the showers. You can also use a face wash with balanced oil and pH levels to retain the moisture levels of the skin; thus, preventing breakouts.

#12. Severe and harsh sun exposure

Too much sun exposure is another reason for breakouts. The harsh sunlight not only causes skin damage and darkening due to UV Rays, but also makes your skin dry. Thus, stimulating oil production, in turn making the skin more prone to acne. So, always apply a sun-screen lotion before stepping out in the sun, and use sun shields such as, an umbrella, eye shades or stawl to cover your bare body parts.

#13. Not reading the contents of detergent

Sometimes, harsh chemicals present in your laundry detergents can also be a cause for skin breakouts, as they come in contact with your skin each time you use a towel or keep your face on the pillows. So, always go for mild detergents or fabric softeners.

#14. Smoking

Smoking not only can cause cancer, but can also lead to major skin breakouts, wrinkles and premature ageing. This is because every time you smoke, the amount of oxygen that goes into your skin decreases. And, the smoke tends to dry out the skin, stimulating oil production, which again leads to pimples.

#15. Taking too much stress

Yes, taking too much stress, too causes skin breakouts. Under tremendous stress, your skin tends to produce stress hormones that lead to major oil production; thus, creating a breeding ground for breakouts. Meditation, taking breaks from your daily routine, and exercising are some of the ways you can handle your stress.

#16. Eating very spicy food

We are sorry to bring this to your notice, but those of you who love chillies need to choose between the spice and a flawless skin. Chillies have the ability to irritate the skin by unbalancing its pH Levels for many people, hence causing breakouts. Eating spicy food in moderation, however, would not be a bad idea.

#17. Your man’s beard

We know how men now a days can think of nothing but their beard, and chic ways of grooming it. A lot of women too somehow like men with a nice beard. But, did you know that your partner’s beard could be the reason behind your acne? Yes, when you make out, his pokey beard rubs against your soft skin, making it irritable and opening the skin pores. These pores attract dust and oil, and can further lead to nasty pimples.