The 8 things experts really wish you'd stop doing to your skin.

by Kahla Preston August 4, 2015

Image: So you left the house without applying sunscreen again, hmm? (iStock)

You’re a grown adult, and what you to do your skin is entirely your business.

That said, if you want to keep your body’s biggest organ happy and healthy, there are a few naughty habits you should probably consider kicking. We’ve asked the experts to name the biggest culprits.

1. Using products that can strip the skin

According to Associate Professor Greg Goodman, a dermatologist from the Dermatology Institute of Victoria, excessive scrubbing, exfoliation and masks can undermine your skin’s natural defences.

“They will simply take away the defences of your skin surface,” Associate Professor Goodman says. Somewhat ironically, he adds, if you are prone to acne this could actually be making matters worse and make anti-acne creams and lotions too hard to use.

Instead, Goodman recommends you opt for cleansing milks and creamy cleansers, and look for products containing salicylic acid, which cleanses pores “in a gentler fashion”. (Post continues after gallery.)

The Glow Teams' Favourite Cream Cleansers

Neutrogena Deep Clean

Bio Elixia Cleansing Cream

MV Gentle Cream Cleanser

Moo Goo Acne Cleansing Cream

David Jones Deeply Purify

Iluka Cream Cleanser

Akin Rose/Geranium Creamy Cleanser & Toner

Philosophy Purity 3-in-1

Jurlique Moisturising Cleanser

Napoleon Auto Pilot Hydrating Milk Cleanser

2. Picking and squeezing your spots

Here’s the one we’re all guilty of: getting a little too handsy with those damn spots. Picking and squeezing seems like a good quick fix, but long-term you could really mess with your complexion.

Step away from the spots, lady.

"A spot is an inflamed lesion filled with bacteria. If you squeeze it you can spread the infection, cause damage to the very delicate skin and end up having not only more spots but possibly a scar too," explains Emma Hobson, Education Manager for the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica.

To avoid, you know, scarring your lovely face, Hobson suggests using treatment products like overnight intensive spot-clearing treatments and daytime tinted treatment products. "They are placed directly onto a spot to heal them rapidly and effectively," she says.

3. Washing your face with traditional soap

For the sake of your face, say nope to soap.

What works for the body works for the face, right? Well, not exactly. This is one area of your skincare routine where corner-cutting could be harmful.

“The squeaky sound and feel one gets after stropping the oils from the skin is not a good thing for the skin to experience,” Associate Professor Goodman explains. A foaming cleanser is a better option, he adds, because it’ll cleanse your skin and remove dirt without stealing your natural oils.

4. Skipping the sunscreen

The sun doesn't disappear in winter, you know.

Repeat after me: Wear sunscreen. Yes, even when it's cold or not particularly sunny outside, and even if you're not a sun-baker. Just do it. Emma Hobson says, as a minimum, we should all be wearing SPF15 every single day to prevent sun damage and its aesthetic effect on the skin.

"UV rays reflect off surfaces and hit our skin, even when we are in the shade. They can even penetrate glass if it doesn’t have UV filters," she explains.

"UV rays are the number one cause of premature ageing. It’s not just wrinkles you get; it’s the uneven, mottled pigmentation marks that make you look aged before your time." (Post continues after gallery.)

The Glow teams favourite sunscreens

WOTNOT Sunscreen

On the topic of sunscreen, Ginelle Kelly from Sydney's Form and Face and Costhetics.com.au says zinc-based sunblock — which operates as a chemical and physical barrier from the sun — can be a great option for people with acne-prone skin or open pores.