7 Skin Care Mistakes That Could Make You Look Older

When it comes to caring for your skin, how diligent are you about your routine? Well, it turns out that certain skin care habits—or lack thereof—could potentially make you look older than you really are. Here, we outline a few common skin care mistakes to avoid as well as tips for what to do instead. The good news is, a consistent skin care routine doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. Keep reading to find out what you can do.

Skin Care Mistake #1: You Think All Products Are Created Equally

What works for one person may not necessarily be the best option for another. If you’re in the process of putting together a skin care regimen, look for products that are formulated for your specific skin type and can address your skin concerns. After all, you wouldn’t use a system of shampoo and conditioner formulated for curly hair if your strands were straight, right? Keep with that line of thinking as you build your skin care routine.

Skin Care Mistake #2: You Don’t Exfoliate

Nope, it’s not just fine lines that can make you look older. Beyond wrinkles, dull uneven tone can make skin look older, too. Skin’s natural ability to shed dead skin cells from skin’s surface declines with age, which can result in dull, uneven tone and a loss of radiance. So, what can you do? It’s time to get familiar with exfoliating!

The L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Daily Scrub Cleanser is formulated with gentle micro-pearls and glycolic acid to help exfoliate dullness and impurities. Immediately, skin looks more radiant, while skin tone looks more even with continued use over time. To use, lather the scrub cleanser into wet hands, gently massaging it onto your skin in a circular motion. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Just remember that alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid can increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s harmful UV rays, so always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen in the morning and take other sun protection measures. Try the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Lotion SPF 30. Also, note that how often you should exfoliate is totally individual—some people can handle daily exfoliation, while others may only be able to tolerate doing so once or twice a week. Pay attention to how your skin responds after exfoliating to determine what works best for you.

Skin Care Mistake #3: You Skip Out on Moisturizer

This is one step in your skin care routine you don’t want to miss! Choose a moisturizer that’s formulated for your skin type and specific needs. In the market for a new one? Try a water-based moisturizer! The following three options from L’Oréal Paris are formulated with hyaluronic acid and aloe water to help provide long-lasting hydration.

If you have normal/oily skin…your skin faces external factors like pollution, UV rays, and excessive cleansing, which can damage your skin’s moisturize barrier, causing loss of moisture and increase in oil production. As a result, your complexion is unbalanced and overly shiny. The L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Oily Skin helps reduce the look of excess shine and has a matte finish.

If you have normal/dry skin…your skin faces external factors such as pollution and UV rays that can damage your skin’s moisture barrier, increasing loss of moisture and causing it to become drier. As a result, skin surface loses its natural glow, becoming dull. The L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Dry Skin envelops skin with moisture, improving skin’s radiance.

If you have extra dry skin…your skin has a very fragile skin moisture barrier that can easily be damaged by external factors such as pollution and UV rays. Skin consequently loses its ability to retain moisture, becoming easily dehydrated, feeling tight and uncomfortable. The L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Extra Dry Skin envelops skin with moisture, providing comfort.

Apply your water-based moisturizer of choice morning and night after cleansing, gently smoothing it over your face.

Skin Care Mistake #4: You Always Forget to Apply Eye Cream

Do you have visible signs of aging around your eyes, like dark circles, under-eye bags, or fine lines? Then don’t forget to apply an eye cream as part of your daily skin care routine! Not sure where to get started? Try one of these picks from L’Oréal Paris.

L’Oréal Paris Eye Defense: This light, non-greasy gel-cream formulated with caffeine and hyaluronic acid to help defend against premature signs of aging around the eyes, including puffiness, fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. Apply the cream in small dots around your eye area, smoothing it until full absorbed. Use morning and night.

L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream: With age, the natural lifters that are present in the skin and responsible for its firmness and youthful appearance begin to breakdown. As a result, skin can look and feel less firm—and it turns out that the eye area is particularly susceptible to these changes. This eye cream can help make skin around the eyes feel firmer and look smoother, plus it can also help reduce the appearance of dark circles with continued use over time. Use the cream morning and night after cleansing, then follow up with moisturizer.

L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power™ Eye Treatment: This luxurious, lightweight cream is formulated with hyaluronic acid, caffeine, and Pro-Xylane™ to help reduce the look of under-eye bags, wrinkles, and puffiness. Plus, the cooling applicator feels like a treat! Massage the cream gently around your eye area until fully absorbed, morning and night.

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Eye Renewal Eye Cream: As you age, surface skin cell renewal slows down, causing a decrease in overall vitality. This eye cream can help immediately hydrate your skin and diminish the look of dark circles, under-eye bags, and wrinkles with continued use over time. It can also help make your eye area radiant with continued use, too. Apply a small amount around your entire eye area using your fingertips and pat gently until thoroughly absorbed. Use it morning and night.

L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Miracle Blur Eye Treatment: The silky, hydrating formula glides onto skin for an immediate smoothing effect and cool finish. Formulated with Pro-Retinol, vitamin C, and a specifically-designed peptide for the eye area, it can also help improve the look of dark circles with continued use over time. Dot a small amount on using your fingertips and gently blend in.

L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Volume Eye Filler: As you age your skin starts to lose volume due to decreasing levels of hyaluronic acid—a naturally occurring hydrating substance within your skin. The earliest signs of volume loss can happen in the delicate area under the eyes, as the skin becomes thinner and loses its fullness. Enter this gel-cream, which is formulated with hyaluronic acid. With continued use over time, it can help reduce the appearance of sunken shadows and make your eye area look brighter. Morning and night, smooth a small amount around your eye area, gently patting it in until thoroughly absorbed.

Skin Care Mistake #5: You Only Wear Sunscreen in the Summer

When you spend prolonged periods of time in the sun without protection, this can lead to visible signs of aging, like dark spots and wrinkles, down the road. And you can get burned even on cloudy days, which is why it’s important to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher daily—rain or shine. A broad-spectrum sunscreen helps protect against UVA rays (the ones that cause signs of aging) and UVB rays (the ones that burn). Of course, remember to take other sun protection measures as well—that means limiting your time in the sun, especially during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., covering up in long sleeves, reapplying sunscreen every two hours, and wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat.

Skin Care Mistake #6: You Apply Foundation Without Using Primer First

Ever wonder why no matter how hard you try, your foundation just never looks as flawless as the beauty vloggers flocking your social feeds? The trick to faking the appearance of smoother skin is to start your makeup routine with a primer, like the L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets™ Professional Magic Perfecting Base. The silky, lightweight formula glides onto skin, leaving it velvety-smooth to the touch. It helps smooth fine lines, hide pores, and banish imperfections. Apply it after moisturizing dot by dot and blend in a gentle circular motion over your entire face or to targeted areas (under your eyes to smooth over fine lines, your nose and cheeks to minimize the appearance of pores, and your T-zone for a matte result).

Skin Care Mistake #7: You Neglect Your Neck and Chest

Pampering your complexion is great—but don’t forget about your neck and chest! Oftentimes, these can be the giveaway of your age. Remember to extend your skin care routine down to your neck. As far as moisturizer goes, you can use the same one on your face and neck, and you can even find one specifically formulated for face, neck, and chest.

As skin matures, one of the biggest changes is the loss of moisture, nutrients, and natural oils. Its ability to retain moisture decreases, which can leave your face, neck, and chest dry and appearring thin. The L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition - Golden Balm Face, Neck & Chest is a rich, luxurious balm that intensely moisturizes to nourish and strengthen mature skin. Every morning and night, apply onto cleansed skin. Rub the formula between your fingers, smooth it gently onto your face in an upward and outward motion, and smooth it from your neck to jawline, then upper chest until absorbed.