I think I gave you the wrong impression. I’m a skincare geek with a beauty blog. That sort of means I try every lotion and potion under the sun, have a 10 step skincare routine, and go for facials every other week. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
I’m very selective of the skincare products I use. My skincare routine rarely features more than 4 steps. And facials are a rare treat before a special occasion. Because, as much as I love skincare, I think we’re overdoing it. Skin needs tender loving care. The more stuff you do to it, the higher the chance you’ll upset it.
Sure, there are times when you need to bring in the big guns. But I see so many women with great skin who go to extreme lengths to prevent sun damage when simply wearing sunscreen would do. Or women who are OCD with cleansing and then complain their skin is dry as sandpaper. The truth is, even the best skincare treatments can ruin your skin if you abuse them. Here are the worst culprits:
1. Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are exfoliating treatments on steroids. They use acids, like glycolic and lactic, to remove the top layers of your skin, which are tarnished by dark spots, wrinkles and other imperfections. Without them, skin looks more even-toned, smoother and brighter.
Not all peels are created equal. There are superficial peels (like 20% glycolic), medium-depth peels (like TCA 25%), and deep peels (phenol). The stronger the peel, the more dramatic the results, but also the higher the risks.
A superficial peel can refresh your complexion with minimal downtime, while a deep peel can literally leave you peeling for weeks. Most dermatologists won’t even do deep peels anymore because laser resurfacing is safer and easier to control. So if you’re curious, know where the line is between a mild refresh and a medical-grade treatment.
Peels are great every now and then. If dark spots are starting to make an unsightly appearance on your face, I’d go as far as to say they are a must. Under medical supervision. Don’t even try to buy one of those 50% glycolic acid peels you can find on Amazon or Ebay. Those are dangerous and the people selling them completely irresponsible.
Beware of facials, too. These days, chemical peels are often parts of facials. Before a big occasion, that’s cool. But if you go for a facial every few weeks, you’ll soon find yourself with paper-thin skin. Let me explain.
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THE DANGERS OF ABUSING CHEMICAL PEELS
One myth floating around is that “the more it burns, the better it works.” Totally false. That burning sensation isn’t proof that the peel is effective. It’s proof your skin is in distress. Pain is not progress. A well-done peel tingles or stings lightly, but should never feel like your face is on fire. If it does, that’s not beauty. It’s damage.
Here’s the deal. Those dead cells on the surface of your skin are there for a reason. Their job is to protect the new and raw skin underneath that’s not ready to come to the surface yet. Remove one layer too many and your skin will become all red and inflamed. It’ll hurt like hell, too. For weeks, if not months. This kind of damage heals SLOWLY.
But you don’t need to go that far deep to do some serious damage. If you go for a peel every month, you never give your skin the time it needs to heal itself and recompose those layers of dead skin. The result? Your skin becomes so thin, it’s practically transparent. You can actually see what’s under it.
There’s worse. Your skin is your first barrier against the outside world. Against bad weather, germs and all that stuff that can hurt you. When skin is so thin, you’re practically left unprotected. And don’t get me started on sun damage. It’s no secret peels increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun. When your skin is that thin, sun damage is a done deal. And then, you’ll have to have more peels to get rid of the dark spots and wrinkles that causes. It’s a vicious circle.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
You can still have a peel done every now and then. I have a mild glycolic acid peel done two or three times a year. If I had dark spots, I may have them done a bit more often, if my doctor agreed that’s a good idea. My point is, don’t have chemical peels done for the sake of it. If you want to prevent premature aging, there are better ways to do it.
Related: TCA Peel VS Glycolic Peel: Which One Is Better For You?
2. Overexfoliation
This is related to chemical peels, so I’ll be brief. Chemical peels are the quickest way to remove enough layers of dead cells to cause some serious damage. But, anything you use to exfoliate your skin can do the damage if used too often. That includes milder concentrations of lactic and glycolic acid, scrubs, sonic cleansers, microdermabrasion… In moderation, they give you brighter, smoother, even-toned skin. In excess…
THE DANGER OF OVEREXFOLIATION
Again, it exposes raw skin, which is ugly and painful. And it makes skin more prone to irritations and sun damage. If your skin feels tight and shiny, not smooth and soft, that’s a red flag. If moisturizer stings when you put it on, also a red flag. Breakouts that look more like tiny red bumps than clogged pores? Yep, overexfoliation. It’s easy to mistake this for “purging” but the reality is, your skin barrier is just pissed off.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Exfoliate in moderation. Some experts say you can exfoliate daily if you’re gentle enough but I’m not a big fan of that. What I recommend is between one and four times a week, depending on your skin type:
- Dry: Twice
- Oily/combo: Three or four
- Sensitive: Once
And don’t stack your actives. If you’re using a retinoid at night, maybe skip the acid that day. If you’ve had a peel in-clinic, lay off the scrubs and acids for at least a week. Your skin only has so much resilience, and the fastest way to wreck it is to pile on every shiny product trend at once.
Related: What’s The Best Exfoliator For Your Skin Type & How Often Should You Do It?
3. Scrubs
Ok, ok, you got that exfoliation can be dangerous business if done too often. But, scrubs do deserve a special mention. Because they’re bad. Period. So, what’s a scrub? Anything that uses small particles to exfoliate and manually remove dead cells from the surface of your skin. For example, apricot kernels or walnut shells.
Related: Physical Vs Chemical Exfoliation: Which One Is Right For You?
THE DANGER OF USING SCRUBS
The biggest marketing trick here is slapping the word “natural” on the label. Just because it’s made from apricot kernels doesn’t mean it’s gentle. Poison ivy is natural too, and you wouldn’t rub that on your face. Always remember: natural doesn’t equal safe.
Those little natural exfoliating particles (especially from apricot kernels) often have ragged and jarred edges that can scratch and tear the skin. That’s not good. Especially when germs and bacteria use them to find their way inside your body. Need I say more?
P.S. Have you heard? St Ives is being sued for its famous apricot scrub for this very reason!
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Use a gentler exfoliant. Acids may have their drawbacks, but they’re still safer than scrubs. Question is, which one should you use? That depends on your skin type, too:
- Dry skin: Glycolic acid. It exfoliates and hydrates skin at the same time.
- Oily skin: Salicylic acid. It unclogs pores and helps treat acne.
- Sensitive skin: Lactic acid or washcloth. They’re the gentlest alternatives in the exfoliating world.
Related: Glycolic VS Lactic VS Salicylic Acid: Which One Is Right For You?
4. Overcleansing
Ok, I’m done with overexfoliation. Promise. Now, let’s talk about overcleansing. We’ve become obsessed with cleansing. It’s not enough to cleanse once anymore. Now it’s all about double cleansing. Wait, that’s outdated, too. The latest Korean craze is triple cleansing. And, frankly, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard in a long while.
Triple cleansing starts with using a cleansing wipe to get rid of eye makeup. Because we all know how good those are at removing stubborn makeup… All that rubbing to remove next to nothing is oh so good for the delicate eye area… I’m being sarcastic, obvs.
I’m not saying cleansing is bad. Of course, you want to get rid of the dirt and makeup on your skin. And I do like double cleansing – when done right. But, it’s one thing to cleanse the skin. It’s another to make it squeaky clean.
Related: Triple Cleansing Is A Thing: Should You Do It?
THE DANGER OF OVERCLEANSING
You know sebum, that little thing we all love to hate? Turns out, it’s pretty useful. It’s your skin’s natural moisturizer. If your skin doesn’t make enough of it, it becomes dry. And when skin is dry, irritations are just around the corner.
When you overcleanse, you get rid of too much sebum. That leads to dryness, flakiness and irritations. But how do you know when you’ve gone too far? Your skin will tell you. You know that tight feeling you sometimes get after washing your face? That’s your skin’s way of telling you “Stop using that bloody cleanser so often. You’re stripping me naked and I don’t like it!”
And don’t get me started on the “If my skin is oily, I should cleanse more often” myth. Wrong. Overcleansing actually makes oily skin worse. When you strip too much oil, your skin panics and produces even more sebum to compensate. That’s why people who wash their face five times a day often end up shinier than ever. The fix isn’t more cleansing. It’s balance.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Use a gentler cleanser. If you have oily skin, go with a foaming cleanser. Everyone else, use something creamy or oil-based. Those cleansers replenish the moisture they strip away, keeping your skin happy and balanced. Doesn’t matter what skin type you have. Never cleanse more than twice a day. Never.
Related: How To Choose The Right Cleanser For Your Skin Type
5. DIY Skincare
I’m not saying DIY skincare is bad. A lot of it is pretty good. You just need to take the time to learn how to formulate products properly. Scouring the internet for random recipes may do you more harm than good.
Auntie Google is pretty crazy. She’ll rave about how good exfoliating with baking soda is, recommend you pop that pimple with toothpaste, and forget to warn you about the dangers of using honey in your DIY lotions and potions. All things that spell bad news for your skin.
THE DANGER OF DIY SKINCARE
Baking soda and toothpaste are really harsh on the skin. They could seriously irritate it. Burn it even. And, with all that sugar, honey can turn your cream into a playground for bacteria. And don’t get me started on DIY sunscreen. Without proper testing, how do you know it even works?
There was a viral TikTok trend where people applied lemon juice directly to their faces to “brighten” dark spots. Yes, lemon is acidic -but it’s also highly irritating and phototoxic. Many ended up with burns and worse hyperpigmentation than they started with. This is why dermatologists cringe at DIY hacks: one wrong step, and you’ve swapped a small problem for a much bigger one.
There’s a lot more to DIY skincare than mixing random stuff in a bowl. You need to know what pH an ingredient has, how it plays with other ingredients, how well it can penetrate your skin… Ignore even one of these things and you risk doing some serious damage to your skin.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
I’m not saying you should avoid DIY skincare. I know some of you love making your lotions and potions. But, please, take the time to learn how to do it properly. Get help from an expert, take a course, double check your sources, get the right equipment. Don’t simply trust everything Auntie Google tells you.
FAQs About Doing Too Much Skincare
Can I mix acids and retinoids?
Honestly? You can. Nobody’s gonna come to your house and arrest you. But your skin is probably gonna flip the fuck out. It’s like mixing vodka and whiskey. You think you’re handling it fine until you wake up wrecked. Acids already speed up cell turnover, retinoids already speed up cell turnover-putting them together is just asking for redness, stinging, peeling, the works. If you really want both, keep it simple: acids one night, retinoid the next. Trust me, you’re not missing out on anything magical by separating them. You’re just avoiding the part where your skin decides to hate you.
I think I trashed my skin barrier. Can I fix it or am I doomed?
You’re fine, but you gotta stop playing chemist. Put every serum back in the drawer. No exfoliants, no retinoids, no “brightening cocktail” of actives. You need the skincare equivalent of bread and water: gentle cleanser, boring-ass moisturizer, sunscreen. That’s it. Nothing sexy, nothing fun. And yeah, it’s boring as hell to do the same three steps every day, but give it time. A few weeks in, the redness, the stinging, the random breakouts. It all chills out. Your skin just wants a break. Think of it like putting your phone in airplane mode. It’s still alive, it’s just not taking any more crap for a while.
Do I really need all the fancy treatments or am I just wasting money?
Depends. If you’ve got acne scars, melasma, or wrinkles that go deep enough you can’t ignore them, yeah. Sometimes a pro treatment is worth it. Lasers, peels at the derm’s office, microneedling-all that stuff has its place. But if you’re just out here trying to get “glowy” skin and keep aging at bay, you don’t need half that shit. Basics do the heavy lifting. Sunscreen will keep you from frying, retinoids keep your skin ticking over, moisturizer keeps the barrier from breaking. Everything else is just extra toppings. You can do it, sure, but don’t trick yourself into thinking your skin needs it. Nine times out of ten, you’re just paying for the vibe.
The Bottom Line
Here’s the deal: your skin doesn’t need a full Sephora aisle to look good. It’s not a math equation you have to solve with ten serums and three cleansers. It’s more like your drunk friend at the end of the night. They don’t need five different drinks to feel better, they need water, a snack, and to go the fuck to bed. Same with skin. Cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen. That’s the foundation. Everything else is optional. Do too much and you’re not “leveling up”. You’re just making your skin mad.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
