You’ve been cleansing your face all wrong! Doctor reveals the EIGHT mistakes you never knew you were making – and how they could be adding YEARS to your skin
- Molecular biologist Dr Rozina Ali shares the common mistakes most of us make
- Doctor, 51, from Liverpool says removing make-up isn’t enough to stop ageing
- Washing face only in the morning and exfoliating daily are not good for skin
- You should use lukewarm water and always use product for your skin type
You might give yourself a pat on the back for taking your make-up off every night, but if you don’t use the proper cleansing techniques you could be at risk of breakouts and even premature ageing.
And according to celebrity anti-ageing doctor and molecular biologist, Dr Rozina Ali, from Liverpool, the effect of not cleansing properly gets worse as you get older.
‘It is even worse than not removing make-up in younger skin,’ she told Femail. ‘You get the same effects as in youth – clogged pores, breakouts, sensitive skin, dry looking skin.
But even worse, the make-up settles in deep creases and enhances every wrinkle. It is better to not wear make-up than to not remove it.’
Here Dr Ali, who is working with Nivea on its new new NIVEA Q10 range, reveals the essential steps to making sure your face is squeaky clean, and avoiding those unnecessary wrinkles.
Doctor Rozina Ali, 51 from Liverpool, has revealed there are five essential steps to follow to get radiant skin without having a facial at the spa but in the comfort of your own home (stock image)
No rubbing, no scrubbing
There’s an entire older generation that have been taught to use water, whilst there’s a younger generation who over sensitize their skin with harsh products and harsh methods.
For such a pleasurable and essential part of skincare it’s surprising how much confusion there is around cleansing.
The golden rule is to be gentle and kind with your flesh, as cleansing should be a ritual.
When cleansing the watchwords are no rubbing, no scrubbing – be gentle and not abrasive, although there should be no make-up stains left on the face towel when you pat dry.
After cleansing, always wait a few minutes and see how your skin feels – it should be soft and supple.
But if it quickly feels dry the cleanser is too harsh and is stripping natural oils from the face.
Take your time, be gentle and focus on how the cleanser makes YOUR skin feel. We are all different so concentrate on how your skin responds.
Make exfoliation part of your cleansing routine
Skin cells take two weeks to transit from the deeper layers to the surface and during that time become flattened, waterproof and lose their nuclei.
These dead, flat cells stay on the skin surface for another two weeks and form the protective outer waterproof layer of the skin that has a store of HA, lipids and sebum.
As we grow older skin turnover slows down and dead cells may lie on the surface and not be shed for an additional few weeks, which makes the skin look dull and uneven, and prevents skincare products being optimally absorbed through the skin into the deeper layers. This is when exfoliation is useful.
Rozina insists cleansing is one of the most important things for people to do, as failing to remove make-up, at any age, can clog pores or in wrinkles
Exfoliating makes the skin look plump and hydrated and acts to protect from most external stressors such as UV radiation, microbes and chemicals.
People should exfoliate at least two to three times per week, mainly in the evenings so the newly exfoliated skin can be protected from sun damage and environmental stress.
A thorough nighttime routine is a great opportunity to use active ingredients on the skin, because that is when it is most receptive.
However, overuse of exfoliation can result in dry, sensitive, skin with breakouts, so again, always be gentle.