This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MNSU chapter.

Using conditioner on your scalp

Conditioner is meant for repairing your damaged hair and protecting the healthy strands which is why it should only be applied to the strands of your hair, not on your scalp. Using conditioner on your scalp can and will clog your hair follicles in the end causing your hair to produce more oil and slowing hair growth. Now, if your scalp is dry and flaking, applying conditioner maybe once every other week isn’t a bad idea, but definitely should not be used every time you shower.

Washing your hair everyday

Washing your hair everyday strips your scalp of essential natural oils that can then lead to premature breakage and dryness. Washing your hair everyday also results in the color fading faster than normal, whether you dye your hair or it’s all natural, the color will end up looking dull and faded. Now, if you are anything like me, greasy roots are a major problem and the only way to rid the grease is to wash, right? Wrong. Washing your hair everyday actually causes excess grease and not washing your hair everyday will result in a less-greasy scalp because there is no excess oil being produced to make up for the stripping of said oils from yesterday’s wash. It may take a bit, but your hair will produce less oils resulting in less oily hair. If it does persist and you can’t stand the look of it, dry shampoo is your best friend, darling.

Shaving against the grain

No matter where you do or don’t shave, shaving against the grain is always a bad idea. Shaving against the grain means you are shaving in the opposite direction of where your hair is growing. So, if you are shaving up on your legs, start shaving down. While this way may take longer, your skin will be free of irritating bumps and razor burns as well as staying smoother longer. Side note: apply moisturizer

Popping pimples

You have probably heard this one over and over and when people say “don’t pop your pimples!” They may get the information wrong and say you shouldn’t pop any pimples. The ones with the white head poking above the skin? Go ahead and pop those, but try not to apply too much pressure and pinch too hard that will cause redness and inflammation on your skin. If you have to press hard enough that the area around your pimple looks like a strawberry, then it’s not ready to be popped and should be left alone. Saying this, there is also no reason to dig out a pimple, either. Doing this will cause further inflammation which will lead to further breakouts.

Speaking of skin, stop using pore strips

Before you close this down because you love the satisfying peeling of the pore strip off your nose and seeing all of your “blackheads”, hear me out. The lifted oils you see when you peel off a pore strip are usually not blackheads and insead sebaceous sebum (natural oils) just under the surface of your nose. They do not actually prevent blackheads and do not actually work at removing them. In addition, pore strips are not effective enough to rid your face of blackheads, but instead they strip your skin of essential oils needed to protect your pores from bacteria. Most of the times, the filaments can look like blackheads, but they are not and squeezing or harshly pulling them out can cause long-term damage such as scarring and discoloration. Instead, determine that the little black dots you see are really blackheads and give your face a good, gentle wash repeatedly. Blackheads are usually caused by improper cleaning so take that extra minute and give your face the care it needs.

Not moisturizing or cleaning your face

Whether you use makeup or not, moisturizing and cleansing your face is a must and it’s not just a necessity for women. Over the course of a day, your face comes into contact with a lot of stuff, and I mean a lot. Dirt and grime can and does build up throughout the day, so when it’s time to wind down and start your nightly routine add in the extra step of cleansing and moisturizing your face before you do so. This will help with excess oil, buildup, breakouts, and much more. Using a gentle cleaner and moisturizer with non harmful chemicals (it’s hard to find one, but not hard enough where you can’t do it) will make your face look clearer, brighter, and essentially refreshed every time.

Using bath bombs

While bath bombs smell great and are satisfyingly fizzy, they might not be healthy for your vagina. If your bath bombs have crazy names such as ‘Unicorn Fizz’ or ‘Mermaid Fantasy’ then they are probably not the best to use. Many ingredients in these “popular” bath bombs are using harmful ingredients that can and will cause irritation for your vagina. If you can’t read the ingredients or have to question what an ingredient is, then it probably isn’t safe to soak your delicates in. Be informed on what you are soaking or putting in your body. Most of the time, the best “bath bombs” which are more like bath soaks are the ones that use natural ingredients such as milk, oats, and honey.

Feminine Hygiene Products

Your vagina cleans herself and using products infused with lavender or floral whatever is not going to help the process. Instead, it can cause irritation and making you more prone to yeast infections. While it may smell “nice” it isn’t particularly healthy for your coochie. This is the same from using bar soap down there or any other product that uses harsh chemicals. Do your honey pot and yourself a favor, stay clear of putting any products on your sensitive bits to avoid irritation and complications, you’ll thank yourself later.

Going to bed with makeup on

This kind of goes hand in hand with cleansing and moisturizing your face before bed, but it still needs to be put out there. Make can cause breakouts, irritation, and clogged pores when worn for too long. After a 12-hour day, your face needs a rest and taking proper care of your skin is vital to feeling and looking healthy. Picking out the perfect facial cleanser can be difficult, but reading ingredients and reviews will help you in the long run. Just because a brand is popular, does not mean it is effective or safe for your skin. If you sleep with makeup on, the dirt, grime, and chemicals from the makeup soak into your pillow case. If you sleep with a fresh face on said pillow case, all of that nastiness is soaking back into your skin. You also wake up feeling groggy and gross if you sleep with makeup on so it’s going to make your mornings even harder. PSA: wash your pillowcase way more often than you do because even though you may cleanse your face, oils and dirt still find their way out here which can cause breakouts and blemishes. Better to be safe than sorry, darlings.

Not trimming your hair

I get it, you want to grow out your hair and that may make you think that you should never get your hair trimmed, but that is not the case. In fact, it’s the exact opposite of what you should do. Unless you have a short, stylized cut that require specific trims, then getting your hair trimmed every three months is in your best interest for best results to actually grow your hair. The ends of your hair are the most damaged and mostly lightly split or dead. Split ends doesn’t actually stop at the ends, but can travel up the healthy strand of hair and all the way to the root. This does not help hair growth. Trimming your hair every three months results in a full head of healthy hair and none of the bad, damaged ends. While cutting your hair doesn’t necessarily promote hair growth, it does prevent stunting of hair growth.

Remember, self-care is a vital part of anyone’s daily life, but it is important to practice self-care in the healthiest, safest way possible. These are some helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of your care routine and none of the bad. Take care of yourself, darlings.

10 Things You May Want to Reconsider Doing to Your Body

We wanna slide into your DMs