Your esthetician is rooting for your best skin ever—but let’s be real: there are a few things you might be doing at home that are quietly undoing all the progress made during your facials.
From over-exfoliating to skipping SPF, some habits are more harmful than helpful (even if they feel productive). If your esthetician could pull you aside for a little heart-to-heart, here are five things they’d gently but firmly ask you to stop doing.
1. Picking At Your Skin
We get it—there’s something weirdly satisfying about squeezing that blemish. But picking at your face can push bacteria deeper into the skin, cause inflammation, and lead to scarring that takes far longer to fade than the original breakout. Your esthetician has the right tools and training to extract safely and hygienically—so leave it to the pros, and keep those fingers off your face.
2. Using Too Many Active Ingredients At Once
More isn’t always more. Combining too many strong ingredients—like retinol, AHAs, BHAs, and vitamin C—can leave your skin irritated, inflamed, and confused. Your esthetician wants you to give your skin time to adjust and to stick to a routine that focuses on balance. A simplified regimen with thoughtful layering will get you far better results than an aggressive chemical cocktail.
3. Skipping Sunscreen
No matter how many fancy serums or high-tech facials you invest in, none of it matters if you’re not protecting your skin from UV damage. Skipping SPF is like throwing your skincare investment out the window. Your esthetician knows that sun exposure is the number one cause of premature aging, so consider daily sunscreen (rain or shine) your most important anti-aging product.
4. Expecting Overnight Results
It’s totally normal to want fast results—but skin takes time to heal, rebuild, and transform. Your esthetician wants you to know that consistency and patience are key. Trust the process, stick to your routine, and remember that small, gradual improvements are a sign that real, lasting changes are happening beneath the surface.
5. Not Communicating Skin Changes Or Reactions
If you’re breaking out more, suddenly experiencing dryness, or reacting to a new product—tell your esthetician! They’re not just there for your monthly facial; they’re your skincare partner. Being open about what’s happening between appointments helps them adjust your treatments and home routine to better suit your evolving skin needs. They can’t help with what they don’t know!
Your esthetician wants your skin to thrive—but they need your help to get there. By ditching a few bad habits and focusing on gentle, consistent care, you’ll not only make your treatments more effective, but you’ll also set your skin up for long-term success. So next time you’re tempted to pick, skip sunscreen, or go rogue with your skincare routine—just imagine your esthetician raising an eyebrow. You’ll thank yourself later.
