Did You Know That These Can Ruin Your Skin?

Before you start slapping yourself on the back for always wearing sunscreen when you go out or sunbathe, think again. You should wear it even when indoors. UVA rays can penetrate glass; some modern windows block the rays, but if yours don't you can buy a film to block them. Otherwise you should be using sunscreen even when indoors.

Do you wear glasses or sunglasses? Clean them regularly (and not just the lenses). Dirt quickly builds up on the frames and nose piece as well, and this will then transfer to your skin. So if you're getting breakouts around your nose, this could be the culprit.

Here's another culprit that transfers dirt onto your face and could be causing breakouts on your cheek and jawline. You're holding your phone to your face and constantly touching the screen, so it's not going to be very clean. Use wipes to keep the screen - and your face - clean.

Do you wash and change your pillowcases frequently? Dead cells and dirt wind up on our pillowcases as we sleep, which means they also get bacteria on them. If you're sleeping on that for days on end, you're going to transfer that dirt back onto your face. Cue yet another breakout … so swap that cover for a clean one regularly.

I'll admit to being far too fond of sugary things (a girl's gotta have one vice!). But sugar is bad, bad, bad for your skin. It messes with the collagen that keeps your skin looking smooth, and the sugar spikes from refined food is bad news for your skin as well. So if you're a bit too keen on sweet treats, that could be damaging your skin.

Air conditioning may be a godsend if you live in a hot climate, but it comes with a hidden cost: your skin. AC takes the moisture out of the air, and that means that your skin will get dry. Central heating can have the same effect, so turn them down a few degrees (that will reduce your electricity bills as well), or place bowls of water nearby.

When you have a desk-bound job, as many of us do, you tend not to get much exercise in the course of your work. So you need to go to the gym or an exercise class. But if you're feeling lazy about this, consider that exercise is good for your skin. It gets rid of toxins and dead skin. That's a great incentive to go for a brisk walk or cycle ride!

So if you're suffering from breakouts, dry skin, or another skin problem, look at your lifestyle and environmental factors that could be affecting it. There are a surprising number of factors that could be making your skin look less that its best. Do you have any tips for brightening up your skin?