These Five Common Beauty Mistakes Could Be Giving You Acne

For anyone who has ever suffered with acne (which is probably most of us) you'll know that it literally becomes the bane of your life.

Often, when we get a bad breakout, the automatic reaction is to run to the chemist to buy an acne treatment or a new cleanser, in the hope that something will make it go away.

But how often do we actually look at how our current beauty and makeup habits could be affecting our skin?

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According to Women's Health, there are some easy ways to prevent acne by changing some of our makeup habits.

Using the wrong foundation

David Lortscher, dermatologist and CEO and founder of Curology, told Women's Health: "Technically, most makeup doesn't cause acne, but certain ingredients can clog pores, which helps acne-causing bacteria grow."

He advises people to opt for mineral based, hypoallergenic or non-comedogenic foundations, to avoid pores becoming clogged.

Using too much foundation to cover acne

This one is a toughie because there's nothing worse than having a full-blown acne breakout, and not being able to at least hide under a layer of foundation.

The problem is, when you cover acne with thick, heavy foundation, you block the air from reaching the breakout, which can delay the healing process.

Craig Austin, clinical professor of dermatology said: "Many of my patients cover up their acne with thick foundation, and that actually delays the healing process and could potentially cause further irritation."

Austin recommends spot treating acne before applying any makeup.

Using your hands to apply makeup

A no-brainer to most people, but some of us are still guilty of committing this beauty sin, especially when we're rushing to work and time is just not on our side.

Austin recommends using a brush or a sponge instead of using your fingers, as this won't carry half as much bacteria as our hands.

Using dirty makeup brushes

Come on, folks. There's no excuse for this one.

Celebrity makeup artist Cristina Bartolucci explains how washing your makeup brushes is just as important as washing your hair.

She told the publication: "Wash and condition them once a week. This will keep the bacteria load down and there is nothing like the feeling of a clean soft brush on your face."

Not fully removing your makeup from the night before

We DEFINITELY never, EVER do this... Lol.

But just in case, it's worth noting that not taking off your makeup properly at night can honestly be a disaster for you skin.

And for those of us who think using a makeup wipe is substantial effort, think again.

Using an actual cleanser, and even doing a double cleanse, works so much better for fully removing your makeup.

NYC-based dermatologist, Joshua Zeichner said: "It is extremely important to fully remove makeup before bed, especially if you have a full face of makeup."

He added: "During the day, dirt and oil may get trapped underneath heavy makeup, increasing your risk of a breakout."