5 morning beauty mistakes - WNKY.com | SoKY Community, Events, Weather

By Elena Donovan Mauer
From Completely You

So you've resisted the urge to hit snooze and you're up (yay!). But some things you're doing in the morning are making you look like you belong back under the covers. These common beauty mistakes are huge no-no's.

1. Skipping SPF.

OK, so sun damage might not affect you today or tomorrow. But years from now, you don't want to be mourning your formerly lovely skin.

We all know that sun damage can happen from spending time in the sun, but plenty of people only use SPF when they're going to spend a day at the beach or the park. But since damage can be cumulative, you should be wearing SPF 30 or higher every day.

Look for a sunscreen that's made with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, since those are less likely to irritate your skin.

2. Applying pink or purple eye shadow.

These hues seem like they'll brighten up your look, but their pink cast can actually bring out any redness in your eyes and make you look a little ill.

3. Overdoing the coffee.

Sure, you want to feel awake. But coffee is also dehydrating in high doses, and if you're dried out, it will really show in your skin. A huge jolt of caffeine will also wear off quickly, leaving you sluggish in the morning.

So, if you really need a caffeine boost, stick to a small amount of coffee -- just a cup. Or better yet, sip some green tea!

4. Not hydrating.

Did you have your morning glass of water? Me neither! But I should have since there's no better way to boost your skin's tone, texture and general dewiness than by hydrating with some H2O. Squeeze in some lemon for collagen-building vitamin C.


5. Skipping breakfast -- or having the wrong one.

Running out the door without eating is bad for your energy level and your metabolism. If you're tired and sluggish, there's no amount of mascara that's going to make you look good!

You also don't want to eat those sugary cereals, since sugar can inflame the skin and may even cause wrinkles! So be sure to eat something healthy -- plenty of fiber and protein, like yogurt with fruit and granola -- before you get going.