Everyday Skin Saboteurs

Audra Lowe: Well, we all know that taking care of our skin is a must but did you know that your everyday skin care routine might actually be more harmful than helpful? Yeah, bad news here. Beauty expert Rebekah George is here. She is going to tell us a few ways that we could be sabotaging our skin without even realizing it and the good news is, you got some alternatives. It’s not all bad news, right?

Rebekah George: That’s right. It is not about just buying the right products. Everyday moves really can damage your skin. So, it is important to really take no and avoid this.

Audra Lowe: And this is really scary to me because you are talking about the loofah and the washcloth, reusing it. What's the real deal about this?

Rebekah George: Okay. Well, people end up doing that and then night after night, that accumulation, that just causes bacteria build up on your skin which can cause acne and inflammation and redness. So, it is important to wash your washcloth or loofah after every use.

Audra Lowe: Because a lot of people still have this—I don’t know what they’re called.

Rebekah George: Yes, the poof.

Audra Lowe: The poof. So, you are supposed to wash that somehow every single day.

Rebekah George: But with the body, you can get away with a couple of days but you should wash it at least two to three times a week.

Audra Lowe: Okay because you got dead skin cells on it.

Rebekah George: Exactly.

Audra Lowe: All right. Now, the soap bars on the face.

Rebekah George: Yes.

Audra Lowe: You shouldn’t be using like just a regular soap on your face. That’s damaging?

Rebekah George: You really shouldn’t do that because soap can dry out your skin because it has higher levels of detergents than actual face wash. It is best to just look for a face wash geared towards your specific face type versus using a bar soap. And it is also not going to give you the benefits of using a face wash, the anti-aging benefits, the moisturizing benefits or if you have skin issues like acne, it is best to look for a skin specific face wash.

Audra Lowe: Okay, for the body not for the face, right?

Rebekah George: This is for the body, yes exactly.

Audra Lowe: Okay. Now, we’re looking at some products here and a lot of people have this issue with products expiring. They don’t necessarily put expiration dates on these things. So, how do you know and what do you do in your face when you open up a container and you don’t know how long its been?

Rebekah George: Well, as soon as you open it, that’s when the seal is broken and the freshness starts to deteriorate. What happens then if its ingredients lose its efficacy. So, a sunscreen for example, if you use it next summer after using it from the past summer, it’s not going to be as potent and protect you from the sun. So, that’s obviously so damaging for your skin.

Audra Lowe: Right.

Rebekah George: And then the same thing goes with the night creamer and night serum. Once you open it, its ingredients start to deteriorate, so you are not going to get the benefits. So, it is important to always check the jar and if you have any question, you can log on to the AAD and follow the guidelines. It is always best.

Audra Lowe: That’s good to know. You can write down when you open it, that way at least you’ll know how long it is going to last.

Rebekah George: Yes, that’s a really good tip.

Audra Lowe: We got a cell phone here and everybody is on their cell phone.

Rebekah George: All the time.

Audra Lowe: And the cell phone can lead to acne.

Rebekah George: It’s true. It can lead to a whole host of problems; inflammations and redness and especially acne because you’re constantly—

Audra Lowe: Up against the face.

Rebekah George: Exactly and the oils leak onto the cell phone, the dirt. So, it is important to wipe your cell phone down, I say nightly. You should do it every night because think about it, once you put that on your cheek and your mouth, all that bacteria is soaking into your skin. It is not a good thing.

Audra Lowe: As if you got a ton of make up on like we always do and then if falls up on the phone.

Rebekah George: Like most women.

Audra Lowe: Exactly, don’t pick your blemishes.

Rebekah George: Don’t pick anything. A lot of women do this because they think “Oh, I’ll just get rid of this,” pimple or something starts to bother them and then they pick on it. That can cause scarring, that can lead to inflammation. Let it heal or see your dermatologist. Don’t be your own doctor.

Audra Lowe: You got--all over here. That is supposed to be really good for the face.

Rebekah George: That’s really good for the face. I specially love these towelettes because the last skin sabotage you can do is not wash your face at night. Lot of us are guilty of that. It is really hard to especially those late nights, right?

Audra Lowe: You say you pay for the whole week and you don’t take your makeup off, right?

Rebekah George: It is true. It is really true. And sleeping with your makeup on just for one night can age your skin up top three nights. So, it is really important to wash. You're too lazy to get to the bathroom, leave some of these by your bed side, take them out, just wipe it over your face. While you are falling asleep and starting to doze off, just wipe it away. You will be thankful in the morning.

Audra Lowe: And then just drop your little--in the washing machine at the same time.

Rebekah George: Exactly.

Audra Lowe: Thank you so much Rebekah. Good to have you here. If you guys want to get more information on the ways that you might be sabotaging your skin, you can go to www.bettertv.com and then click on the link.