The best hygiene tips to keep any and every beauty woe at bay
Maintaining good hygiene practices is absolutely essential when it comes to beauty routines. Besides the skincare products that you use, there are many other factors that can make or break the way your skin looks and feels, think the cleanliness of your make-up and skincare tools, whether or not you take off your makeup, the freshness of your face cloths and so on. Many common mistakes made by us due to negligence towards the aforementioned ‘little things’ can cost us our skin’s health and lead to bacterial infections, allergies, breakouts and other skin-related menaces. In fact, poor hygiene practices can even lead to more serious health concerns in some cases. By taking the time to prioritise hygiene in your beauty routine, you can help ensure that your skin stays healthy, clear and glowing. Maintaining proper hygiene practices can also help prolong the shelf life of your beauty products, ensuring that they remain effective and safe to use.
Ahead, we list down some of the most significant hygiene tips pertaining to the beauty routine that are super easy and convenient to incorporate, we promise!
Pillow talk: When you sleep, your skin secretes oils and sheds dead skin cells, which can accumulate on your pillowcase over time. If you don't change your pillowcase regularly, this buildup can mix with dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants, making it a breeding ground for acne-causing bacteria. In addition, friction from rubbing against a dirty pillowcase can cause irritation and inflammation, leading to breakouts and the development of premature signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles. Thus, it is paramount to ensure your pillowcases are clean at all times; ideally, wash them 2-3 times a week. To make things fail-proof, invest in a silk pillowcase, for it is gentler on the skin, restricts friction and prevents oil and dirt absorption.
Gunam Recommends: Silk Pillowcases from Sunday Forever
Clean face towels, only: Your face is exposed to dirt, bacteria, and other environmental aggressors throughout the day. Using a dirty face towel only means adding to the debris on your face, which can lead to clogged pores, breakouts, and irritation. Damp towels are equally perilous--they invite bacteria and mould, which can aggravate infections. Not only should you maintain a separate face towel, but also use a fresh one every day and ideally wash them in hot water.
Gunam Recommends: Face Towels from Akiiko
Minimise exposure to (all) gunk: Your face becomes vulnerable to dirt and grime (invisible to the eye) more often than you think. From the screen of your phone and the keyboard of your laptop to the makeup brushes you use and your own hands even, everything is loaded with debris. Sterilising and disinfecting the surface of your gadgets, your makeup and skincare tools and your hands from time to time is extremely important to prevent bacterial infections. Remember, any tool that is grubby, will fail to execute its job up to the mark. For instance, brushes that are clogged with product or debris won’t distribute your makeup evenly, leading to a streaky or patchy application.
Shower power: Minute tweaks during your shower time can prove to be very favourable for your skin. Firstly, monitor the temperature of water; in no event should your skin be exposed to extremely hot water as that can damage the skin barrier and open the pores extensively. Next, it is recommended to cleanse your body first and then your face so that you step out of the shower with skin that feels fresh and squeaky clean. Don’t mix up body and facial care products and similarly maintain separate towels for your body and face. Lastly, don’t neglect areas like the inside of your ears, neck and navel while showering as they can house bacteria if not deeply cleansed regularly.
Gunam Recommends: Fresh Reset Body Cleanser from Suhi and Sego
Double cleansing: Yes, this deserves a separate seat on the table--it is paramount for good skin health. No matter how much micellar water you glide on the skin, it’s very likely for minor traces of makeup to stay back on the skin, perhaps, from the oil-based products. Double cleansing refers to using an oil-based cleanser (balm or oil) first and then going in with a regular face wash to ensure all kinds of dirt and debris are tossed away from the skin. The first cleanse emulsifies the makeup and sunscreen and pulls out everything that’s gone and settled into your pores while the second cleanse ensures none of that stays back on the skin. Therefore, make double cleansing a part of your nighttime skincare routine without fail. Our Gentle Foam Cleanser features a non-drying formula pumped with chamomile, aloe vera, Centella Asiatica and naturally-derived surfactants, making it a skin-loving option for your second cleanse.
Gunam Recommends: Cleansing Balm from Clinique or D'you
Store your beauty products wisely: We all know that vitamin C can react to the sun and oxidise. Similarly, beauty products--makeup and skincare included--are sensitive to a plethora of factors such as humidity, temperature and sun exposure. And thus, storing each product on your dresser appropriately becomes critical to make sure none of the “products gone bad” react on your skin adversely. Store products in an enclosed cabinet that is away from direct sunlight and don’t get lazy with sealing back the products properly. Speaking of which, don’t miss adhering to the shelf-life and expiry date guidelines mentioned on the packaging of the product.
Go big on moisturisation: From your lips and under eyes to the rest of your face and body, moisturisation is key to prevent extreme conditions of dryness, flakiness, peeling skin, painful or burning sensations, irritation, redness and allergies. Keep a lip salve, hand cream and face mist in handy at all times during the day. When indulging in your beauty regimes (with clean hands) during the day and night, moisturise your face and body copiously. When need be, slide in a face and/or body oil in your routine as well for an added layer of nourishment.
Gunam Recommends: Lip Balm from Nuxe
Sharing is (not always) caring: Sharing a makeup sponge or brush or mascara with your bestie may seem cute, however, it goes against the fundamental principle of personal hygiene. Skin sensitivity, allergic triggers and the quantum of active bacterial infections vary from person to person; sharing tools with one another simply translates into cross-contamination, which you must avoid as much as possible.