When we talk about maintaining good skin we often talk about what you should be doing—wearing SPF, moisturizing regularly, eating all your fruits and veggies—but it seems like not enough attention is paid to what you shouldn’t be doing. Being proactive when it comes to your skincare can seem easier, but it will save you a lot of trouble and headaches to be clear on the habits you should cut out of your daily routine in order to maintain healthy, glowing skin.

If you’ve found yourself struggling with your skin, unsure why you’re constantly breaking out or your complexion is lacklustre, below are a few harmful skincare habits you should cut out today.

• Being too aggressive with your skin

Your skin is your body’s largest, most exposed organ, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t as sensitive as the rest of them. Being too aggressive with your skin—picking at it when you have a blemish or using hot water to wash your face—can cause reactions that lead to permanent scarring or a less-than-ideal complexion.

• Getting too much sun exposure

An old skincare myth is that sun helps to heal acne. In reality, sun exposure is a leading cause of skin irritation and blemishes. Too much sun exposure will dry out your skin, stripping it of its natural oils, and causing it to overproduce oil as compensation, leading to breakouts. If you like to spend a few hours under the sun to even out your complexion, consider slathering on that moisturizer afterward or, optimally, avoiding sun altogether.

• Being too handsy

The oils and bacteria from your hands are known to cause acne, so make it a point to avoid touching your face throughout the day. This also goes for talking on your cellphone—the bacteria accumulated on your screen can cause you to break out, so make sure to disinfect it as often as possible to avoid painful acne.

• Not washing your makeup brushes regularly

The old makeup sitting on your brushes will accumulate bacteria, so if you don’t wash them often enough you will find yourself regularly dealing with uncomfortable acne. It can be tedious to wash your brushes often, especially if you use them every day, but it can make a world of difference to the overall look of your skin.

• Being too stressed

Stress is known as a big culprit for sallow complexions and acne breakouts. Not being stressed is often easier said than done, but if you can try to get in enough sleep and maintain some relaxing practices throughout the day you’ll definitely notice a difference when it comes to the quality of your skin.

Do you want to get that natural glow from within? Then a habit you should start doing is drinking a gldn hour collagen-infused sparkling water every day! Visit our website for more information on what collagen can do for your skin.