Is Your Pillowcase Causing Your Breakouts? 4 Hidden Things Sabotaging Your Skin

You're diligent with your skincare. You cleanse, you treat, you moisturize, but you're still waking up with unexplained blemishes. It can be incredibly frustrating, leaving you wondering what you're doing wrong. The truth is, the source of your breakouts might not be in your skincare cabinet at all.

Our daily environments are filled with hidden skin saboteurs that can transfer oil, dirt, and bacteria to our faces, undoing all the hard work of our routines. Here are four of the most common culprits and how to fight back.

1. Your Pillowcase

This is the big one. Every night, your pillowcase collects dead skin cells, natural oils from your skin and hair, and residual product. This creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. When you press your face against that pillow for eight hours, you're transferring all of that grime right back into your pores.
The Fix: Wash your pillowcase at least once a week. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, try for every three to four days. Consider switching to a silk or satin pillowcase, which is less absorbent than cotton and gentler on the skin.

2. Your Cell Phone

Think about every surface your phone touches in a day, and then remember that you press it directly against your cheek. Studies have found that cell phones are often teeming with more bacteria than a toilet seat. Every time you take a call, you're giving that bacteria a direct path to your pores, leading to breakouts on one side of your face.
The Fix: Wipe your phone down daily with an antibacterial wipe. Try to use speakerphone or headphones for calls when possible to minimize contact with your face.

3. Your Makeup Brushes

Your makeup brushes are another magnet for dead skin cells, oil, and bacteria. Swirling a dirty brush over your face every morning can spread bacteria, clog pores, and cause breakouts and irritation.
The Fix: Aim to deep-clean your foundation and concealer brushes at least once a week, and other brushes every two weeks. A simple mix of gentle soap and lukewarm water works perfectly.

4. Your Own Hands

We all do it unconsciously, like resting our chin in our hand or touching our forehead. According to studies, we touch our faces hundreds of times a day, transferring oils, dirt, and bacteria from our hands directly to our skin.
The Fix: This one is the hardest habit to break, but try to be mindful of face-touching. Most importantly, make sure your evening cleanse is thorough enough to wash away all the accumulated grime of the day.

Looking for more surprising sources of breakouts? Read our post on 5 Unexpected Things You Are Doing That Cause Acne.