Five Bad Skincare Habits to Break Sooner Rather Than Later

By hitting the gym every morning and incorporating more healthy foods into your diet (like those rich in vitamin C), you’re taking action to better your body and overall health. But, are there also things that affect your skin, too? Yes! Bad skincare habits, like not getting enough rest, using bad skin care products, and/or going to bed without washing your face, can take a beating on your skin over time. But, by asking the right questions and getting some good-quality knowledge under your belt, you can tackle your day without the worry of anything giving your skin the takedown.

To answer some of your most gripping face care questions (and to help you break those bad skincare habits), we’ve compiled a list of some of the worst things for skin. Here’s a look:

Bad Skincare Habits: Not Hydrating Your Skin After a Day in the Elements

How Does Being in Nature Without Protection Affect Your Skin?

With the spring and summer months coming up, a lot of us are gearing up for days spent in the sun enjoying the outdoors. While you can rarely overindulge in nature, being exposed to the sun and wind for long periods of time can negatively affect your skin. Wind can cause the outer layer of your skin to dry out, weaken, and/or flake away. Losing this layer can reduce your skin’s natural sun-protective effects, resulting in sun damage.
Bad Skincare Habits and Elastin
Sun damage happens when your skin is exposed to UV rays without any sort of protection. The rays, which can injure and even kill your skin cells, may cause the outer layer of your skin to become dehydrated, resulting in rough, flaky patches. The sun’s damaging rays can also have a negative effect on your skin’s elastin, which are fibers that help your skin stay smooth and young-looking.

MOX PROTIP: Did you know that your skin is super receptive to nutrients? Nutrients are vital to maintaining the barrier functions of your skin in the face of everyday stressors (like the wind or sun, for example). The MOX Multi Nutrient Serum is loaded with fatty nutrients, including squalane, to help maintain the health of your skin by giving it a hardy dose of hydration.

Bad Skincare Habits and Squalane
Squalene (with an “e”) is a lipid produced naturally by your own skin cells, while squalane (with an “a”) is its hydrogenated form. Your skin readily welcomes nutrients like squalane in your skincare because it recognizes them. Basically, by applying the MOX Multi Nutrient Serum, which can be looked at as a powerful topical supplement, you’re feeding your skin from the outside.

To snatch up the MOX Multi Nutrient Serum, click here.

Bad Skincare Habits: Not Getting Enough Sleep

How Does a Lack of Sleep Affect Your Appearance?

Have you ever wondered if not getting enough sleep is the cause of your skin problems? Truth is, your entire body depends on a good night’s rest to recover from the day’s stressors. And since your skin is the largest organ in your body, sleep is necessary for a strong, healthy appearance.

As you sleep, your body goes through three distinct stages that benefit your skin:

In the first three hours of sleep, your body’s pituitary glands, which keep an eye on many of your body’s functions, release a human growth hormone (HGH) known as somatotropin. Without this hormone, your skin wouldn’t be able to repair itself fully as you rest.

In the next two hours of sleep, your body’s production of the hormone melatonin increases. Melatonin, while a great supplement, is good for your skin, too. It’s an antioxidant that helps protect your skin from free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable atoms that can cause illness and signs of aging. Antioxidants stop free radicals by giving them an electron, preventing them from damaging your skin.
During the final stages of sleep, known as REM sleep, your body’s cortisol levels (a stress hormone) and temperature decrease. As your skin begins to cool, your muscles relax causing the production of collagen to increase. Collagen can be found all around your body; it helps keep your skin smooth by diminishing the appearance of aging.

Sleep and Bad Skincare Habits

While sleep is vital to the health of you and your skin, researchers have found that 30% of adults in the U.S. don’t get the proper amount of sleep (which is seven or more hours per night). If you have trouble sleeping, accessories like noise-canceling headphones, light-blocking sleeping masks, and weighted blankets can make catching some Zs easy. You can even try taking a melatonin supplement while listening to a sleep-friendly app like Calm.

Bad Skincare Habits: Not Getting Enough H20

Does Drinking Water Affect Your Skin’s Health?

You probably don’t need me to tell you that hydration is always important. In fact, it’s believed that adults need to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. While squeezing in this much H20 sounds difficult (and like a lot of trips to the bathroom), it’s essential for your skin and overall health. But, it’s important to know that while drinking water won’t magically restore your skin overnight, it will help to keep it healthy and strong.

Bad Skincare Habits and Dehydration

According to Alok Vij, M.D., a dermatologist with the Cleveland Clinic, “If you’re dehydrated, the outermost layer of your skin won’t contain enough water, and your skin won’t spring back if you push on it,” Vij explains. “If you rehydrate, your skin bounces back for a more youthful look.” The takeaway is pretty clear: Drink water because it’s important for the health of your body which – ultimately – impacts your skin.

If you struggle with getting your water intake up, here are a few easy tips that’ll have you sailing through the day’s H20 finish line before you know it:

Set Reminders: It’s easy to forget to drink enough water throughout the day, so try setting reminders using an app or the alarm on your phone. These reminders can be based on a schedule that works for you (like every hour or two).
Replace Other Drinks With Water: By replacing drinks like soda with water, you’ll boost the health of your body and skin, while reducing your calorie intake. After all, these drinks are usually filled with sugars that have been linked to conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Eat More Foods High in Water Content: One simple way to increase the amount of water you get throughout the day is to eat more foods that have high water content like lettuce, celery, zucchini, cabbage, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. Believe it or not, all of these fruits and veggies are made up of more than 90% water!

Bad Skincare Habits and Hydration

Bad Skincare Habits: Drinking Certain Kinds of Alcohol

What Does Alcohol Do to Your Skin?

While we aren’t going to tell you to stop drinking alcohol altogether (because that’s impractical), we are going to provide you with the knowledge of what alcohol does to your skin and which kinds to avoid. If you’ve ever woken up with a headache and blotchy skin after a night out, then it should come as no surprise that alcohol is not only a toxin for your body, but your skin, too.

Drinking alcohol can dehydrate your body, which includes your skin. The dehydrating (or diuretic) effect of alcohol causes your skin to lose nutrients and vitamins that are the key to healthy skin. This can result in acne or your skin appearing dull, grey, bloated, and/or puffy. Adding to that, if your skin is dehydrated, you’re more prone to some types of eczema.

It’s important to remember that different types of alcohol affect your skin uniquely due to what’s in them and how they’re produced. So which types of alcohol should you avoid to keep your skin’s appearance up? Here’s a look:

Dark Spirits and Cocktails: Dark alcohols like rum, whisky, and bourbon are commonly made with grains and/or sugar, while cocktails are blended with sweet mixers. Sugar breaks down collagen (which we mentioned above) and grains can cause acne. Studies have found that acne can appear because of foods/drinks that trigger insulin or the hormone IGF. Since grains can do exactly that, they’re able to wreak havoc on your skin.
Red Wine: Yes, we’ve heard the whole “red wine is the healthier choice when it comes to alcohol” thing. But, while red wine contains antioxidants, it isn’t filtered in the way that some drinks are. This means that your liver and kidneys have to work harder to process and expel it. While red wine is in your system, it can cause redness and flushing. If you have rosacea, red wine can affect it more harshly.

Bad Skincare Habits and Alcohol

Bad Skincare Habits: Going to Sleep Without Washing Your Face

How Bad Is It to Skip Washing Your Face Before Bed?

Ah yes; The age-old question that we, as men, have asked ourselves since our teenage years when moms everywhere tried to instill in us the importance of washing our faces before bed. Well – your mom, sister, or whoever tried to get you to use skincare – was right.

As you go about your day, your skin attracts things like dirt, pollution, grime, and oil which don’t magically disappear at night. By thoroughly cleansing your skin before bed, you’re able to free it from anything that could potentially cause problematic skin. If you forget to wash your face every once in a while, don’t sweat it: Life happens.

Bad Skincare Habits
“Going a day without washing your face will not totally ruin your skin, but making a bad habit of not doing so most days leads to a cascade of poor outcomes in your skin health," Dr. Adeline Kikam, a board-certified dermatologist. “Continually not washing your face at night can lead to dryness, breakouts, eczema, and premature aging.”

MOX PROTIP: Did you know that cleansing your skin is actually one of the hardest things you can do to your skin? This is because the dirt and grime particles on your face are in the same place as your skin’s natural oils, which means that you need a cleanser that will clean your skin without disturbing its oils.

Formulated by a pharmacist, the MOX Invigorating Peppermint Cleanser was created with this important skin knowledge in mind. Its lipid-rich formula, AKA the scientific name for fats or oils, deeply and gently cleanses your skin while acting similarly to a moisturizing lotion. It’s the perfect solution to keep your skin in tip-top shape before, after, and while you’re sleeping.

To get your hands on the MOX Invigorating Peppermint Cleanser, click here. By the way, it also doubles as an incredible shaving cream!

Turn Bad Skincare Habits Good With MOX

In Conclusion: Give Your Bad Skincare Habits the Boot With MOX

Bad Skincare Habits

While you’re going through your day of hitting the gym, drinking a protein shake, and working your ass off to provide, you probably always have your health in the back of your mind. But, what about your skin? Like with most things in life: The little things matter. Simple day-to-day activities like upping your water intake, dodging certain types of alcohol, and even washing your face before bed can have a huge impact on the health and appearance of your skin.

At MOX, we believe that strong skin is healthy skin. Our pharmacist-created formulas will give your skin the strength it needs to face life (and its stressors) head-on in the ring. And, yes, we know that men’s skincare has been left out of the conversation for way too long. So we vow to change that by always providing you with reliable info and – best of all – the most strengthening, nutritious men’s skincare products on the market.

So tell us – do you have any bad skincare habits that you need to kick to the curb?

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