Skin sins, we all make them. Skincare is a learning process. We all have to start from somewhere, with some products, as through trial and error we will find what works for us. I am no different. I have committed my fair share of skin sins, but I’ve learned valuable lessons along the way. Let’s go on a trip down memory lane and air out my dirty laundry. Today I’m sharing 6 Skincare Mistakes I Did In My Teens.

1. I killed my natural oils with acne wash even with no pimples.

I’ve always said that during my teenage years I was one of the lucky ones that never really got intense acne. The most I had was a few blackheads on my cheeks and maybe on my nose. Now I did not know I was supposed to unclog them myself at the time or that BHAs would get rid of them so I just left them on my face thinking they would just go away… They didn’t, but eventually I found out why.

I also mentioned in my All About My Skin post, that I started doing a skin routine at a very early stage before my acne even began so I was already ahead of the game. I can truly attribute my lack of acne in my early years to starting a regimen early as a preventative measure. However, I was using all the wrong products. I heavily coated my skin with every single acne product you could find. Because why not treat the acne before it even appears right? For years my skin routine tricked me into thinking that I had very dry skin not knowing that the acidity of my skin care routine was stripping my skin of moisture. I had a “for acne” face wash, astringent/toner, a facial scrub and moisturizer that I applied every-morning and every night. For some this may not seem like much especially those who subscribe to the 10 Step Korean Skin Routine, but back in 2005 that was the golden ticket for great skin. I didn’t get pimples, but my skin wasn’t moisturized either.

You do not need a full blown acne routine if you have 3 pimples on your face. It just doesn’t make any sense. Even if you are having a bad reaction or going through hormonal acne, you do not need a skin routine that consists of acne products in every step. Less is more, and it is very true when it comes to acne. So if you’re going through something like this, get a gentle skin routine, and try one acne product at a time. The great thing about a go-to-gentle-skin-routine is that you can switch out your base for another product at any time. This way you’ll know what is working and what may be giving you a bad reaction.

See What To Do When Your Skin Reacts To A New Product

2. I never did a mask, when I did I left mask on for 1 hour

Face masks, a blessing and a curse. Use them properly and they’ll give you just about anything you want. But use them wrong and you’ll end up with a recipe for disaster. I never did a mask when I was in my teens. I suppose that wasn’t necessarily too bad since I had pretty great skin in my teens but when I did decide to leave a mask on, I thought that the longer you leave it on the better. I have been known to walk around with a clay mask on my face for 2 hours! Talk about sucking the life out of my already astringent soaked dry skin.

My face used to feel a bit itchy after I took off my mask. But I never thought much of it because “beauty is pain” right? Wrong! Beauty is supposed to be relaxing, rejuvenating and fun. At least that’s what I think of it now (besides waxing of course, there is simply no other way to get to naked-mole-rat status in true Rufus Stoppable fashion without a bit of waxing pain).

However, where masks are involved, you should truly follow the directions on the product. For most clay masks 10-15 minutes should do, for mud masks give it 15-20 minutes, and for anything hydrating, give it 30 minutes to work its magic. For most masks, the rule of thumb is, to wash it off when it starts to dry.

3. I over exfoliated with scrub and spin brushes

I am a big fan of exfoliation. Nothing gives you smooth, Nubian baby skin like a good skin polishing. Be it chemical, scrub, or brushes; exfoliation is a must to keep skin healthy and hydrated. But when you over exfoliate it can give you endless possibilities of skin woes. I used to exfoliate my skin so much I barely had any pores. I did mention my skin type was dry for the better half of my teen years and this was a huge contributing factor. My face wash that I used morning and night had micro-exfoliating beads. Every 2000s kids dream. (2005 to about 2013 was a really rough time for skincare).

I used my micro exfoliating cleanser/scrub with salicylic acid, with my manual facial brush, with my salicylic acid toner and my salicylic acid face cream. That’s a hefty load of exfoliation. Instead, choose one of the three methods of exfoliation and use it 2-3 times a week. Not in every step of your skincare routine, and not everyday.

4. I was the mixing queen

I’ve talked a lot about how I had a skincare routine which is an amazing feat for a 12 year old. But it gets better. My skin routine was an ever evolving one. I never used a product long enough for it to actually do anything for my skin. I switched products like I changed clothes (which was at least 5 times every morning before going to catch the school bus). I never had a stable routine. I figured if something was not working in one day, then it wouldn’t work for me. I clearly had no understanding of how skincare actually worked.

To be honest, I don’t even remember if what I used actually went together at all since I was never concerned about ingredients. Looking back, I half expected my skin to be red and severely damaged, and I am actually surprised that my skin turned out decently well with all the products I was using.

Rule of thumb if this sounds like you, use one new product at a time. To truly see if a product works for you, you need to use it consistently. This means, using this new product for at least 30 days to 3 months to see a difference in your skin. In addition, do some research before you pick up a new product. What are the ingredients, and how would they fit in with your existing routine?

5. I never unclogged my pores. Blackheads? What are those?

I mentioned before that I did not really break out in my teens but I did suffer from a lot of blackheads especially on my cheeks. But did I unclog them? Hell no! I did not know how to tell the difference between a blackhead, a white head and a full blown pimple. I figured, it would just go away - it didn’t. I decided to leave my skin alone and let it work its magic.

I suppose this was partially a good thing because it meant I never picked at my skin. But it really didn’t help my current problem either. I mean this philosophy really lasted a long time. I remember well into my first year of University I was still following this backwards way of thinking. The key here is knowing the different types of pimples and how to treat them. Then actually treating them.

6. I never wore sunscreen.

I have a very deep skin completion. I grew up in a time period of a lot of misconceptions about skincare, SPF - the whole works. Melanin is a natural pigment found all over the body; your eyes, your hair, your internal organs, you name it. Most notably it is what gives the skin its colour. The more melanin you have, the better protected your skin is against the sun rays, naturally. says Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH in an Ask The Expert interview with Skincancer.org. That being said, melanin only provides about SPF 14 so its not a large amount.

As we know now, its not just about skin burning. We wear SPF to fight against, aging, burning, and the break down of the skin cells. Dark skin people are at a benefit since they have some aid in that department, but that doesn’t mean we are exempt from sun damage. Actually, dark skin people are more likely to suffer from Skin Cancer, perhaps due to this erroneous tendency not to wear SPF on a daily basis. And because our skin does not show a sunburn, these type of skin conditions can go unnoticed and we are less likely to ask our doctor about a freckle or mole that appears on our skin.

Now a days, I am pretty crazy when it comes to my SPF. I wear SPF every single day, on my face, neck, ears, lips, hands, and any other area of skin that is exposed during peak hours. I have become the mommy of my friend circle, timing when to reapply, and supplying my friends with SPF when we’re out. But it is important. Our dark skin has given us some great genes, but its up to what what we do with them to help our black, not crack.

Did any of these surprise you? What skin sins did you commit in your youth? Sound off in the comments below so we can stay clean, clear and under control.