The quest for natural, appealing beauty excises time and effort and – not least – finances. And yet, often our best intentions become invalidated by a string of inadvertent, routine mistakes. Here are six blunders to avoid in order to keep your skin fresh, supple and radiant.

1. Using a straw to drink
Straws are so ubiquitous that they might be hard to avoid. But you want to do just this, unless you are ok with fine lines rimming your mouth. When you sip through a straw, your mouth purses and the skin around it contracts. These motions foster the formation of wrinkles. So, ditch straws and drink directly from the bottle or glass.

2. Wrong or too little sunblock
The application of sunscreen should be an essential part of your daily beauty routine, regardless the season. Many women, however, are guilty of using rather inadequate sunblock. For optimum protection, choose sunscreen that wards off both UVA and UVB rays and has SPF factor of at least 30. And do not forget to slather it on several times a day in order to maintain the potion’s potency.

3. Soap
It is simple – do not wash your face with soap. It strips the essential oils off your skin, leaving it dry and flaky and prone to wrinkles. Instead, opt for mild soap-free cleansers and moisturizers that boost your skin’s elasticity.

4. Skipping eye cream
No matter how good your facial cream is, it does not nurture the thin fine skin around your eyes, which is quite prone to aging. To knock years off your look, choose eye creams that contain vitamins A and C as well as hyaluronic acid. These ingredients stimulate the formation of collagen and elastin, keeping the skin around your eyes tight and wrinkle-free.

5. Too much makeup
Makeup is supposed to enhance your natural beauty, not dull it. Instead of concealing wrinkles and blemishes, the wrong hues and formulas manifest them. Not only this, but excessive makeup irritates and clogs pores, triggering redness and breakouts. Select your makeup products in accordance to your skin type and use them with moderation.

6. Cotton pillowcase
Cotton tends to trap oil, dirt, dead skin and hair – a concoction that harms the skin, causing it to tear or break out. To prevent skin damage during sleep, replace your cotton pillowcases with silk or satin ones. For best results, try to Zzz on your back instead of on one side, which smushes the skin and causes creases.