Nine bad morning habits that are ruining your skin

Living in the city is no picnic. All too frequently, we find ourselves scampering out of the house in the morning to beat the rush hour traffic that we don’t always have the time to nail down our morning beauty routine. Sometimes we end up taking shortcuts to get through it faster but some of these habits might be harmful for your skin. If you find yourself guilty of one or more of these, it’s time to kick the habit!

Bad habit #1: Taking hot showers

Sure, a hot shower feels so good in the morning but hot water can dry out the skin. Stick to a warm shower with a temperature that is just slightly higher than room temperature. It also helps to limit the length of time you are exposed to heated water by turning off the shower in between rinses, plus you conserve water. If you must have a hot shower, though, you can help compensate for the dryness by adding an in-shower moisturizer to your routine like the Nivea In-Shower Conditioner (P124 for 100 ml at department stores).

Bad habit #2: Skipping facial cleansing

So you did your 10-step Korean skincare routine the night before and you might think that you can get away with just splashing your face with water the next morning? Wrong! Skin oils continue to accumulate even while we sleep so it’s best to cleanse the face again in the morning to clear our skin and allow maximum absorption for our morning beauty products. There’s no need to deep clean; a simple cleanser (like these under P500 picks) will do. Just make sure you’re doing it correctly!

Bad habit #3: Picking on your blemishes

Staring at your reflection as you brush your teeth in front of the bathroom mirror can suddenly make you aware of a surprise zit or two. I know it’s hard but resist the temptation to pop them! The resulting wound can leave your skin vulnerable to bacteria and even delay its healing, leaving you stuck with a blemish for longer. Leave the zit-popping to the professionals and apply an acne patch over it instead. We love the CosRX Acne Pimple Master Patch (P170 for 24 patches at theskincarecurator.com) which treat pimples quick and allow them to heal without leaving marks.

Bad habit #4: Applying products in the wrong order

Skin care can get expensive; it would be a waste if we don’t get to maximize its effectivity. The general rule is to apply starting with the thinnest consistency to the thickest, otherwise the lighter formulas may not be able to penetrate the other layers of product. If you’re still unsure about when to apply what, check out our guide for layering skin care!

Bad habit #5: Tugging on your eyelids

Having to get up even when you don’t want to leave bed sucks but don’t rub the sleep out of your eyes! The skin in the eye area is the thinnest part of our face and also the most delicate. Rubbing, whether upon waking up or as you apply your eye cream, can stress your skin and cause unnecessary fine lines in the long run. Splash your face with water instead and use your ring finger (which has the least amount of strength among our fingers) to gently pat the eye cream on. Don't have one yet? We've shared our fave products for our peepers!

Bad habit #6: Foregoing moisturizer

Even as an oily-skinned gal who struggles with her skin every day, I’ll be the first to tell you: yes, you still need to put on some moisturizer! No matter your skin type or how hot and humid the weather feels, there is just no excuse for skipping this step. If you don’t like the heavy, sticky feeling of creams, try a gel formula. They’re water-based, lightweight, and easily absorbed by the skin, making it perfect for people on the go.

Bad habit #7: Ditching sunscreen

If you haven’t incorporated sunscreens into your daily routine yet, it’s the single, most important skin care product in your entire routine. Aside from the anti-aging benefits, it’s your best protection against skin cancer! Formulas like our favorite Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50 PA+++ (P420 at leading department stores) no longer have that sticky feeling, white appearance, or annoying scent. You can even buy sunscreens on a P500 budget. Remember that although your makeup may have SPF, you’ll have to apply a whole lot of product to get that amount of protection, so it’s still best to use a dedicated sunscreen.

Bad habit #8: Neglecting your lips

We nitpick every pore and wrinkle on our faces that sometimes we forget that our lips need some TLC as well. Just like the rest of our skin, they can also experience dehydration. Aside from regularly applying lip balm, you can actually show your lips some love by putting a bit of your favorite serums and moisturizers on them as with the rest of your skin! You can also prime your lips with something like the In Her Element Nourish & Cleanse Balm (P595 at Inherelement.ph) so your fave lip colors won't dry out your kissers.

Bad habit #9: Using dirty makeup brushes

Cleaning makeup brushes can be such a chore sometimes but neglecting to do so can undermine all the good skin care work you’ve been doing. Makeup brushes can get loaded with bacteria, oil, and dirt that can clog your pores and cause breakouts. You can always use baby shampoo or make one yourself. No time to deep clean your brushes? Clean your brushes in a jiffy with quick solutions like Ellana Minerals Cucumber Melon Makeup Brush Cleaner (P400 at ellana.com.ph) or Pure Instant Color Cleaner Solo (P275 at suesh.com).

Which bad morning habits are you guilty of?

Sources: Stylecaster, Byrdie, Bustle