Ditch these bad habits for healthier skin in 2025
Some of these might be easier to get rid of than others...
Most health trends tend to focus on the food you consume or the exercise you do.
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Every year, new trends pop up, telling you to eat more or less meat, run more or run less – the list goes on.
While these are important aspects of adopting a healthier lifestyle, there is one part of the body people often forget about.
The skin is the largest organ in your body and might also be neglected the most.
In South Africa, we love spending time in the sun and drinking wine or a cold beer, but we rarely think about the effects all the fun might have on our skin.
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If you want to take better care of your skin and avoid serious illnesses like melanoma (skin cancer), here are some bad habits you should kick today.
Stop smoking
It's not rocket science that smoking is bad for your body in various areas, but many studies have shown that smoking can increase premature facial wrinkling and facial ageing.
Skin will also appear greyish and more sickly.
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Don't skip the sunscreen
You might think that sunscreen is unnecessary on a rainy or cloudy day, but harmful UV rays can still cause serious damage your skin.
Experts recommend wearing at least 30 SPF daily on your face, neck and hands.
Ultraviolet light (UVL) is our biggest risk factor for skin cancer. The UVL rays cause damage to our skin cells increasing the risk of skin aging and skin cancer. Using sunscreen on a daily basis is critical to protect the skin cells from this damage. This includes cloudy days when up to 80% of the UVL rays will penetrate through the clouds.
Don't over-exfoliate
Exfoliating with a gentle product a few times a week can be great for your skin, but doing it too often can damage your skin barrier.
Signs of over-exfoliation include irritation, redness, and otherwise inflamed skin.
Eventually, your complexion can become dry and flaky. You may even develop a rashlike texture, leading to uneven tone (like patchy, red blotches). Breakouts are another common reaction, especially small, rough, bumpy pimples.
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Use a washcloth and throw away the make-up wipes
Many skincare experts and dermatologists say a proper cleansing routine is the way to more healthy, glowing skin. While you might think make-up wipes are an effective cleansing method, they are not.
Makeup wipes move around makeup, dirt, and dead skin cells on your skin. Instead, it's better to use a cleanser and gently remove the product with a flannel or washcloth.
Makeup wipes can also irritate the skin due to the preservatives that prevent microorganisms from contaminating the wipes.
The bad stuff tucked away inside of makeup wipes is housed in the cleansing ingredient so unless you follow your wipe down with a cleanser, you increase your risk of developing inflammation on your skin. Rubbing can cause low-grade inflammation that, over time, can promote skin pigmentation or even early wrinkling.
Throw away old products
There is a reason things have an expiration date, especially regarding skincare and cosmetics.
Using expired products might seem harmless but it can cause breakouts, redness/irritation, itchiness, inflammation/swelling, and more serious reactions such as dermatitis or infections.
Make sure to keep things fresh in 2025 and soon you'll be glowing inside and out.
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