Especially in the winter, our skin requires more moisture to keep it looking smooth and supple. Like most people who live in cold climates with a heater on in the house or office, you’re having to slather on a rich moisturizer to your face, hands, and body to compensate for the lack of humidity in the air. While this is essential for keeping your skin feeling moist, did you know that your hand cream might be the culprit if you’re experiencing clogged pores on your face? Let me explain.
When I was in my mid twenties and had outgrown most of my teenage breakouts, I started getting these little bumps on the right side of my face. They weren’t active blemishes, but rather what is known as closed comedones, which are small little bumps that just sit there and would rarely come to the surface. What was strange is that this bumpy texture was only on one side of my face. I hadn’t been using any new products, I washed my blush brushes regularly, and anything I had been using was applied to both sides of my face. So why was I getting these bumps?
Playing detective by paying close attention to my lifestyle, I discovered that I slept on my right side with my hands laying flat on my right cheek. The greasy hand cream I used was being transferred to my face for hours at a time during the night, resulting in clogged pores and bumps. I stopped using the hand cream and within three weeks, the bumps completely disappeared. So the next time your head hits the pillow, pay attention to see if your hands make their way up to your face. If so, consider wearing cotton gloves at night or simply use hand cream only during the day.
It’s important to know that the cause of acne, bumps, cysts and blemishes, can differ for everyone so this is just an example of how it’s important to pay close attention to your own lifestyle and daily habits to find your personal culprits. One of the many ways to do this is to keep track of your daily life with a calendar and see what it reveals.
Which skin care products are best for you? See our nine skin types or take the Skin Type Quiz and get products recommended.
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Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real-world solution — products that are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”
