Your mother was right

1. “Stop eatting junk food.”

“A diet high in refined sugar or flour may be linked to acne,” says Katie Rodan, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine. A recent study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that people who replaced processed carbohydrates, such as white bread and sugary cereals, with foods high in protein and whole grains developed fewer breakouts. The reason? “High-glycemic foods cause your blood sugar to rise, triggering a surge of insulin. The insulin stimulates oil-producing hormones called androgens, leaving you with pimples,” says Leslie Baumann, professor and director of cosmetic dermatology at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine.

2. “Don’t smoke.”

Really, does anyone need to tell you that smoking is bad? But what you may not have considered is that besides the obvious health risks, smoking will make you look older. “Every time you take a puff, you’re inhaling toxins, which induce free-radical damage-that means wrinkles and sagging over time-and constricting blood flow, which makes skin sallow,” says Rodan.

3. “Get your hair out of your face!”

There’s a good reason to keep your hair from constantly hanging over your skin-it can carry oil from the scalp. Add styling products to the mix, and breakouts are more likely. If you wear bangs (which by the way, can also hide breakouts), shampoo them daily or every other day, and keep any styling products oil-and-silicone-free.

4. “Don’t bite your nails.”

Gnawing is not only unattractive: It also makes nails weak and prone to peeling and splitting; it can cause infection, since even a minor cut around the nail provides a gateway for bacteria; and it may lead to lasting injury. If you got a real addiction, consider hypnosis or even psychotherapy-compulsive nail biting could be a sign of chronic anxiety.

5. “Stop picking at your skin!”

“Squeezing moves the contents of the pimple laterally, which increases inflammation, redness, and swelling, and can cause scarring,” says Patricia Wexler, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Plus, once you start aggravating the area-and this is key-the zit will take longer to heal.

6. It’s past your bedtime!”

“Sleep deprivation causes stress, which can aggravate all skin conditions, including acne, eczema, and psoriasis,” says Karyn Grossman, a dermatologist in Santa Monica and New York City. “Sleep is also the time when your body repairs the damage from the day, and interrupting that process will slow down cell turnover.”

7. “Get off the phone!”

Resting your chin or cheek against a phone-cell or old-school-can lead to breakouts, whether or not the phone is clean and bacteria-free. “Just leaning your face against it can cause friction, occlusion, and heat, all of which can make you break out,” says Rodan. If your chatting habit is too ingrained to shake, consider a headset.

8. “Always wash your face before you go to bed.”

Letting skin marinate in makeup-not to mention a day’s worth of oil buildup-can lead to clogged pores and zits, especially if you’re prone to acne. At the very least, swipe your face with a premoistened cloth designed to take off makeup as well as dirt.

9. “Eat your vegetables!”

Replacing Cheetos with carrots can actually fight wrinkles. No, really. “Eating fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants can help protect the skin,” says Grossman. Scientists have found that an antioxidant-rich diet can enhance sun protection, thereby fighting wrinkles.

10. “Don’t rub your eyes.”

The skin around your eyes is among the most delicate anywhere. “The occasional gentle rub is probably fine,” says Grossman. But if it’s aggressive, it can be trouble. “You can irritate the skin, making it red and swollen, and break little blood vessels there, leaving you with red marks that could be permanent, and if so, would only be treatable with lasers,” says Grossman. ”If you do it all the time, you could possible even cause stretching and loose skin.” Besides kicking the habit, using a cream with a peptide and retinol could help.