From an early age we quickly get into a groove when it comes to daily grooming routines.
But sometimes a little re-jigging might be needed as we realise what we're doing could be all the wrong way around.
For instance, research suggests it's actually more effective to apply deodorant the night before you have a dashing date or board meeting rather than in the morning.
And going against the age-old myth, brushing your hair 100 times in front of the mirror could leave your tresses with permanent damage instead of a 'Duchess of Cambridge shine'.
Here FEMAIL looks at other simple tasks that are commonly tackled incorrectly, with advice on how to get them right...
PUTTING ON DEODORANT
MISTAKE: Applying it the morning
While most people roll or spray on deodorant after a morning shower, some experts suggest it's better applying it before bedtime.
This is because antiperspirant works by clogging sweat ducts and preventing moisture from escaping.
Therefore by applying deodorant at night, the lotion has time to soak in and clog the sweat ducts.
However, if it is applied in the morning the wearer is already likely to be sweating, making it almost impossible for the deodorant to do its job effectively.
'For your antiperspirant to work, it has to get into the sweat glands and block them,' David Bank, a New York-based dermatologist explained to Fitness Magazine.
'Overnight, you're calm and cool and your skin is completely dry, so a much higher percentage is going to be absorbed.'
BRUSHING YOUR HAIR
MISTAKE: Brushing too much
According to age-old myth and fairy tales, brushing your hair 100 times a day will make it shine.
However, experts say this is excessive and over-brushing can cause more damage to your tresses.
Common symptoms include split ends and breakages, which could in turn lead to hair loss. The best thing to do is to stop once the knots have been eliminated and the desired style has been achieved.
Flo Bellas, the creative director of Clo & Flo salon in London, revealed to FEMAIL her top tips for hair brushing.
'Start by detangling the bottom ends of the hair which is where the knots tend to form, then work your way up and finish off by brushing right the way through from top to bottom,' she said.
'Tangle Teezers are great for all hair types, particularly for fine hair.
'For thicker hair, I would suggest using a paddle brush. Stay away from combs as they are not effective in brushing and can cause breakage along the strands.'
APPLYING SUNSCREEN
MISTAKE: Washing hands after application
After applying sticky, strongly-scented sun lotion, the first thing many people do is wash their hands.
But dermatologists warn that this is a major faux pas as it leaves the skin's surface exposed to harmful UV rays. Over time, this leads to accelerated ageing on the hands.
It's advised that people apply the same amount of sun lotion to their hands as they would when applying moisturiser.
And to save on sunscreen, it's best to rub in excess product instead of washing it off.
TAKING A SHOWER
MISTAKE: Taking daily showers
Hopping in the shower before starting the day often helps clear the cobwebs away.
But dermatologists suggest that taking daily washes could leave the skin dried out with over-scrubbing removing essential oils and lipids.
Dr. Casey Carlos, assistant professor of medicine in the division of dermatology at the University of California, told Today.com: 'People don’t realise the skin does a pretty good job of cleaning itself.'
He suggests using lukewarm water and keep showers as short as possible.
Then, after a wash, experts recommends gently blotting the body dry with a soft towel and applying moisturiser.
FLOSSING YOUR TEETH
MISTAKE: Flossing before brushing your teeth
Most assume - me included - that flossing helps dislodge remnants of food which brushing then helps clear away.
But some dentists suggest that it's better to floss after doing an initial brush.
This is so the flossing can catch plaque from the areas between your teeth where the toothbrush couldn’t reach.
Manhattan dentist, Jennifer Jablow, told Men's Health: 'Flossing is better able to remove the microscopic debris between your teeth after you've brushed off larger particles that were in the way.'
She recommends doing a final rinse after flossing for an extra fresh feeling.
DRYING YOUR HANDS
MISTAKE: Using electric hand dryers
They might seem more environmentally friendly than paper towels, but traditional hand dryers could be less sanitary.
A study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that a traditional drying unit could increase the number of bacteria on the surface of your skin by up to 45 per cent.
This is because wet hands are better at passing on germs than dry ones, biomedical scientist Cunrui Huang said.
His review of 12 studies found that, overall, paper towels were ‘superior’.
One study found they leave hands 96 per cent dry after just ten seconds. After 15 seconds, the hands are 99 per cent dry.
By contrast, a drier takes at least 45 seconds. The amount of time is important because most people spend only a few seconds on drying their hands.
One study found men spend 17 seconds using hot-air driers and women 13.3 seconds – a fraction of the time needed.
Paper towels also scored higher because the rubbing motion may physically remove germs. By contrast, air driers may blow them on to the body - a concern in public toilets, where regular flushing of cisterns disperses germs in the air.
'This can increase the number of germs by an astonishing 255 per cent,' said Keith Redway, senior academic in Microbiology and Molecular Biology at Westminster University.
Bacteria are then blown on to the hands of users and into the atmosphere. This leads to the potential for the spread of organisms such as salmonella and E coli, as people often dry their hands before cleaning them properly.
SQUEEZING YOUR TOOTHPASTE
MISTAKE: Using your hands to use every last drop
Many of us use all the strength in our fingers to squeeze toothpaste tubes flat. But those in the know prefer to use a bobby pin to get those last drops of paste.
Simply slide the hair pin over the end of the tube and squeeze it tight before pulling it forward towards the mouth. And voila - a few more brushes left yet!
BRUSHING YOUR TEETH
MISTAKE: Brushing before breakfast
Fight the urge to clean your teeth straight after eating breakfast and do it before instead.
Dr Phil Stemmer, from The Fresh Breath Centre in London, says: ‘Wait at least half an hour because the food acids and sugars temporarily weaken the protective enamel on the teeth.
'If you clean your teeth too soon, you are actually brushing away at the enamel before it hardens again.
'The best routine is to brush your teeth before meals, and then freshen up after eating using an alcohol-free mouthwash.'
According to the Mayo Clinic, if you've consumed anything acidic, you should avoid brushing your teeth for at least 30 minutes.
Foods containing citric acid, like oranges, grapefruits and lemons, weaken tooth enamel and brushing too soon after eating them can damage the coating.
SLEEPING
MISTAKE: Resting for eight hours a day
The notion of getting eight hours of solid sleep each night is a 'modern convention' that could leave you feeling more tired, says Professor Jim Horne, of Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre.
'We’ve evolved to have very flexible sleep patterns and fragmented sleep - including daytime napping - can be of real benefit,' he says.
'A short four to 15-minute “power nap” can be as effective as an extra hour at night.'
He explains that hundreds of years ago, dividing up daily sleep was commonplace.
'People would have what they called a "fyrste sleepe" of around two hours in the early evening, followed by supper and lively interactions with their family and friends, followed by bedtime around midnight, then three to four hours of uninterrupted sleep, before prayers and rekindling the fire, then another couple of hours sleep until dawn, making a total of around seven hours of daily sleep.'
He adds: 'This modern notion that waking in the middle of the night is a bad thing can actually be destructive to the quality of our sleep.
'For instance we wake at 3am and lie there becoming anxious about not sleeping, whereas we should simply get up and occupy our minds with something distracting but relaxing - such as doing a jigsaw or reading a book - until our bodies tell us we’re ready to sleep again.
'If cavemen had slept through the entire night they’d have been eaten alive.'
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