At times, in this fast-paced life we hardly find time to spare for vanity. Hence, you may find yourself rushing through your makeup routine more often than not. While taking the easy way out is okay at certain times, some of the beauty shortcuts are best avoided. It must be understood that beauty does not come with the swish of a wand. Here is a list of some beauty shortcuts to avoid.

Sleeping with your makeup on:

Makeup certainly makes you look pretty and helps you feel more confident. But if you are too lazy to remove your makeup before bed, you might do a lot of harm to your skin. Sleeping with makeup enlarges the pores which may lead to bacteria that would only bring more acne. Be sure to use a good cleanser to remove your makeup. Coconut oil is also an effective natural option for makeup removal. But be sure to use a toner afterwards to help close the pores.

Applying makeup over makeup:

In a bid to save time, some women tend to apply makeup on a face that already has previous makeup on.  This must be avoided at any cost, as too much makeup will harm your skin and clog your pores resulting in blackheads.

Avoiding sunscreens:

Stepping out for a lunch date and it is bright outside? Taking a trip to the beach? Planning to go shopping on a sunny afternoon? Don’t forget to apply sunscreen. The sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays can profusely harm your skin and in the long run it may lead to different types of skin cancer.

Using dirty makeup brushes:

Using an unclean brush to apply makeup will badly contaminate your skin. When it comes to skin care, one cannot take any chances. If you don’t have time to clean your brush, use a new spare one.

Heat-styling wet hair:

While it is alright to blow dry your hair once in a blue moon, try not to heat-style your hair very often. Too much blow drying or ironing could damage the hair beyond repair. Your hair may become dry and brittle and lose its shine. If it’s really necessary to use a drier, make sure you keep the temperature not very high.

Open pores gives you an appearance of premature aging. Usually, those with the oily skin type are largely affected by this problem. The most common cause of open pores is acne infection and picking on pimples. The pores may be most apparent on the nose, cheek and chin where the oil concentration is higher. However, if you are willing to take that extra effort to take care of your skin, you can conceal such open pores and make your skin healthier than it is.

Exfoliation

Exfoliate your skin but not too often

Most people with open pores tend to think that scrubbing the skin excessively can cause the pores to appear closed. However, over-exfoliation can worsen the problem. Make sure you exfoliate only once or at the most twice a week without being too harsh on your skin.

Pimples

Refrain from popping pimples

When you pop a pimple, your pores get damaged and this prevents it from returning to its original size. Rather, use some soothing remedy than touching a pimple, so that you can prevent scarring and open pores.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen can prevent collagen degradation

Everyone seems to overlook the advantages of sunscreen and settle for a natural tan. However, sunscreen actually prevents damage from ultraviolet rays rather than just tanning. Collagen degradation can cause open pores as well, and if you use sunscreen effectively you can manage to keep your collagen levels optimal.

Home remedies

There are several home remedies for open pores

There are several home remedies to help with this problem. Lemon juice, aloe vera, curd, honey and vinegar and apricot are some ingredients that are usually used to prevent swollen open pores.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a method used to reduce open pores

Another way to reduce the size of the pores is with microdermabrasion. This method is normally conducted by a healthcare specialist. In this technique, fine crystals are used to mechanically peel the skin that helps to reduce open pores.