So- you have a skincare routine that’s been recommended by a skincare professional, or a close friend, or that you’ve seen some success with but you’re still breaking out?  We might have the answer why…

From Allure.com, here are 7 common mistakes many of us make that may be making you break out- and some of them may surprise you:
1.    Phones, sunglasses, scarves, hats- basically anything that touches your face on a regular basis-all of these suckers can have oil, makeup residue and more on them that can cause your face to break out
2.    Checking your reflection- while looking in the mirror itself isn’t going to cause any problems, generally, looking too closely at your face will draw your attention to any blemishes, which will in turn lead you to touch, poke, or even try to pop what you find, which will only lead to more problems.
3.    Too much of a good thing- some exfoliation and strong skincare products are good- overusing them, on the other hand, is bad.  Doing so damages the top layer of skin that actually helps protects the deeper layers of your skin from the bacteria that can cause acne.
4.    Just a splash in the morning- you might assume that if you go to bed with a freshly washed face that you wake up with one, but there are many things that can clog your pores overnight, so you should wash your face in the morning as well- just remember to be gentle!
5.    Junk Food- sorry ladies, but those sweets and carbs might not just be wreaking havoc on your diet, they might be breaking out your face too!  Recent research suggests that foods that spike your blood sugar (mostly sweets and carb-rich items) might actually trigger acne inducing hormones too- so keep your face in mind next time you’re tempted to reach for a sweet snack…
6.    Sugary Drinks- just like the sugary foods, sweet drinks (especially alcohol mixers) can cause problems as well.
7.    Sweating without Showering- workouts are great for your health, but if you don’t clean up afterwards, they can be bad for your skin.  A shower is the best option, but if that’s not possible, at least use a cleansing wipe or cloth on the areas you sweat the most and are most prone to breaking out- you should also change into sweat-free clothes- your face and the people you run into will thank you :)

Are you victim of any of these secret sources of breakouts?  If so, here’s to your clearest face ever!

Photo Credit: CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK