Your Beauty Routine Is Harming You
Just because some semi-famous woman once said, “Beauty is pain,” does not necessarily mean she is right. Donald Trump said that the attendance at his inauguration broke records, but we all saw the pictures. So, it is time to let you in on a little secret, beauty doesn’t have to be painful. That is right. Yet — even if it is unwitting — your beauty regime is likely harming your body in ways you may not have noticed or even realized. Oh, and just so you know, we are talking about serious damage here.
The two thing to remember on this front is how important it is to choose products that are right for your body, and how crucial it is you use these products correctly. Letting your foot slip off the gas on either of these could mean your body comes under some serious harm, and that is not what anyone wants. It wasn’t long ago that tanning beds were acceptable, and now they are known to cause skin cancer. It was even more recently that talcum powder was a staple part of everyone’s daily routine, and now people are developing ovarian and lung cancer as a result.
That is why we have decided to do the legwork and teach you how to develop a much better and safer beauty routine. So, without further ado, here is how your current routine is likely harming your body in ways you never realized.
Your shampoo is stripping your hair of oil
A lot of shampoos — especially cheap shampoos — use sulfates, which is what makes them foam when you rub and scrub. But, while there has been a lot of debate around whether the sulfates are actually harmful to your health, it has been proven that using these shampoos and conditioners can be bad for your hair. One wash here and there may not do any damage, however, most of us wash our hair at least every other day and that is when these sulfates are really going to start having a noticeable effect. If you are a gym goer that ends up washing their hair twice a day, then just imagine how much worse this could be. The reason sulfates are bad is because they strip your hair of its essential oils, drying your hair out. They have also been known to irritate skin, which is not what anyone wants. If you have frizzy or curly hair then it is even worse. Of course, there is always a silver lining and, in this case, it is sulfate-free shampoos. Now pour your current shampoos and conditioners down the drain and go grab yourself some new ones.
Those makeup brushes of yours are dirty
Recent research suggests that 35 percent of women don’t clean their makeup brushes. But while that is worrying, it is the fact that the other 65 percent — the ones who do clean theirs in an attempt to avoid bacteria, blemishes and breakouts — don’t clean them anywhere near as often as they should, at least according to the beauty experts that we spoke to. You see, it is recommended that you clean all of your beauty-slash-cosmetic tools at least once a month, every month, although twice a month would be better (especially if you wear lots of makeup). The reason for this is pretty straightforward: if you aren’t cleaning your brushes regularly, then you could be spreading a cocktail of built-up product, dead skin and bacteria around your face and that is gross no matter how you look at it.
You are using makeup that has expired
Look, we are all for eating food that is past its sell-by date if we can see it is fine to eat. But food and makeup are very different ball games. The problem with using makeup that has expired is infection. That is right. If you are using expired products then you are running the risk of catching an infection. That is the more severe end of the spectrum. The less severe results include breakouts on your skin and, let us be honest, that is not what you are hoping for in a beauty routine. You may be thinking about your foundation and the brushes and not be that bothered. But take mascara as an example that is expired and thus living in a bacteria-filled tube, mascara that you are then going to apply to your eyelashes. That is hardly a recipe for good news. As such, we recommend that you always take a look at the date on your product’s packaging. If that has come off then have a look at the other signs — look, texture, color and smell. If you have any inkling of doubt, throw it away.
Not enough protection on your lips
That is right, your lips. Your beautiful, gorgeous and kissable lips. They need all the protection you can give them. That is because the skin on your lips is a lot more susceptible to harm like sunburn, which could lead to something nasty like cracking or chronic dryness or, worst of all, skin cancer. That is not what anyone wants to hear, especially not the Queen of beautiful lips, Kylie Jenner. That is why you need to make a conscious effort to up the ante on the lip-protection front, which can be easily done by wearing products that are packed-full of SPF. Do that and your big, plump, colorful lips will stay that way. It could be liner that you are using or a lipstick, lip gloss or even just lip balm — so long as it is going to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays as well as make your outfit absolutely pop you will be fine, but don’t risk long-term health problems for short-term beauty goals. Please. For the sake of our Queen Kylie.
As you can no doubt tell, it isn’t just about the products you are using and applying, it is also about how you use these products, how you maintain your cosmetic tools and how aware you are of what you are doing. Now that you know, though, you can look glorious and healthy forever and a day.
Article by Grace Coates
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.