No pics today because I am going through a bad skin phase! This is what happens when you start a new job and not used to a brand new routine - I went from a night owl to a 6.30am wake -up (5.30am if I want to go to the gym), so I definitely feel like it's taken a toll because I have less time to do a full routine.

Regardless, thankful that I do have a job that keeps me alive... (until I spend it all on beauty products anyway).

ANYWAY.

Here are 5 mistakes that I've made, and occasionally still make, and what I did to rectify them

1. Only cleaning face with water in the morning

We forget how much dirt and dust and etc. is on the bed, on the pillow and in the room, especially if there is no ventilation, i.e. stale air. All these are still considered pollutants for the skin and I've legit woke up with dirty face. Historically I've rinsed it with water, but have found it not being clean enough as a base for further makeup and skin care. Dirty skin creates a barrier for products and stops them from going through and for me, makeup doesn't bode well on top of dirty skin.
Rectification: Cleaning my skin with cleansing water/micellar water/toner with a cotton pad does a far better job than just water. The hard water we have here in the UK really shouldn't remain on the skin anyway and in my evening routine, I wipe it off the same time I apply toner with a cotton pad. After cleansing water in the morning, I will apply toner, eye cream and moisturiser and let that set in for good few minutes before moving on to make up.

2. Not masking enough

For a masking addict like myself, this is hard to imagine, but I never used to mask frequently and regularly and only "saved it" before big days. What I didn't understand is that good skin is the byproduct of good habits and you need to be masking regularly/frequently to really see the effect of the product. Applying hylauronic acid one day make make your skin look amazing for that day, but it won't sustain til the next, and the following. With all products, regular use is important to see the long-term impact and your skin will tell you if it's not suitable for you relatively quickly.
Rectification: I consciously made the effort in masking more frequently and when my skin is feeling dull and just bad in general, I mask consecutively for a few days and see immediate improvement. Sometimes you just need to pay some extra attention to your skin, work in new habits in your routine.

3. Not listening to your skin

I know, this sounds really obvious, but you'd be surprised how many of us don't do it. there are certain products that would work for you and certain that don't and this applies for everyone. I mean, everyone. There will always be a general guideline or rule of thumb as to what products are best for what, but these don't necessarily dictate that these products are definitely going to work well. It may do, but would it work as well for you compared to your friend who has recommended it? We also get stuck in a routine sometimes and forget that our skin changes through the year, through age and through state of mind, diet...etc., and we wonder why the usual stuff isn't working lately. If it isn't working, you should take some care to explore what didn't work, what the reaction is, and observe your skin for a while to try and figure it out.
Rectification: My skin makes it really easy for me to know what doesn't work, but I now make the extra effort in observing what other feelings I have on my skin. Is it particularly oily, why, what has changed, what I've added in my diet that's caused me to break out (usually deep fried foods and junk food!). And I acknowledge that this problem is unlikely to be a one-day thing, so whatever I do to try to combat it, I will have to make the effort in doing it for a few days consecutively at the very least, and then see if the situation improves.

4. Not having a routine

I know, hard to imagine, but it took me a while to realise that I really have to take care of my skin. They say that your skin stays at the age you start taking care of it and I see so many young girls these days who don't take care of their skin properly, e.g. removing makeup with only makeup wipes, that, by the way, don't remove all the makeup!
Rectification: have a routine. There are so much I want to do with my skin - anti-aging, hydrating, whitening/brightening...etc. It's not possible nor effective to fit products that do everything in to one routine though, so I separate them and know what products are for what functions (especially for serums) and use those products when I decide on a routine that day.

5. Not regularly cleaning makeup tools

It's easy to neglect this when your schedule is hectic. There are many models who I know own brushes that look like they haven't been cleaned in months! You should be cleaning brushes and sponges after every use, but it's hard to do that when you have a day job and need to get up early in the morning, tired by the evening, then have to cook and etc. But this is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, so the longer you leave it on the brush  (which is now mixed with makeup and facial oils/skin), the dirtier your brush is, and that's just really, really, terrible for your skin. You might as well dip your face in a dirty puddle.
Rectification: wash. your. tools. If you don't have time, brush cleaner and isopropsyl alcohol 99% are your best friends. Get rid of the builk, and then work on the details and deep clean later. This should be a no brainer, really, but after witnessing these models' tools, I genuinely did not want to touch their faces!

That is all folks, hope you had an amazing weekend! What mistakes have you made and what have you learnt from them?