Winning the war on acne is more than just using the right products. Read on to find out
simple tips and habits that will help you get rid of stubborn blemishes.
1. Reading product ingredients
Ingredients tell you what was used to create your acne medications. The ingredients are listed in descending order. In other words, the ingredient that is used the most is listed first, while the smallest portion is listed last.
It’s also very important to know what items to look for and what to avoid. Menthol is a tingling ingredient that gives the clean feeling when used. Many acne treatment products add that ingredient to trick consumers into thinking that their products are treating acne. Ingredients such as Sodium Laureth is a lathering ingredient that can irritate your skin and prevent it from clearing up. On the other hand, ingredients like Salicylic Acid & Benzoyl Peroxide are what’s proven to treat acne.
2. Drinking Adequate Water
Our bodies are 55% to 70% water, which is determined by our body size. Water makes up 75% of our muscles, 90% of our brains, 22% of our bones, and 83% of our blood. Your skin is the largest body organ and it requires adequate hydration. A lack of proper hydration can result in dehydrated cells, partially skin cells which may die and become clogged in pores leading to acne formation. Drinking water hydrates the skin, helps replenish skin tissues, prevents dark eye circles, and increases its elasticity. Drinking water helps transports nutrients and oxygen into cells as well as flushes out garbage by detoxifying. An ideal indicator of how much water you consume a day is the color of your urine. Clear urine indicates that your body is properly hydrated. If it has a yellow tint or has a deep yellow color, this indicates that your body requires more hydration.
3. Having Proper Skin Hygiene
Being consistent with proper skin hygiene is key! The only way you can achieve success is consistency. You must properly cleanse your face every morning; no matter how you feel or how late you might be running. This washes off excess oil from the night before and you’ll then start your day off on a clean slate.
You must cleanse your face every night, regardless of how tired you may be. We come in contact with endless bacteria during the day, and not cleansing them off is very unhealthy. Our body temperature naturally increases while we sleep, therefore any oil and bacteria that isn’t washed off before rest heats up and clogs your pores. No one likes waking up to a fresh new batch of acne.
While cleansing is very important, it isn’t effective without your acne medication and an acne-safe moisturizer. Cleanser alone will dry out your face which will cause more acne (The lack of hydration is explained in step 2). In other words, forgetting to moisturize is like shampooing your hair and leaving out the conditioner. You are stripping away oils with the cleanser, but replacing it with hydration from the moisturizer is a must.
4. Ladies: Makeup is not an acne cemetery.
I love makeup! I’ve been wearing foundation since my early teens. My original purpose of foundation was to bury my flaws; unfortunately foundation isn’t an acne cemetery. Burying your flaws with makeup doesn’t make it go away, it only makes it worse. The process goes like this:
You get a pimple. You cover it with makeup, which clogs your pores and causes more pimples. You then cover it up with more makeup, which….well…you get the point.
Your main focus should be on skin care. Your makeup looks only as good as the skin that’s under it. Purchase only non- comedogenic makeup (makeup that doesn’t clog pores) and make sure you wash it all off before going to bed (as stated in step 3).
5. Hold Your Cell Phones Away From Your Face.
Do NOT let your cell phone touch your face while talking. One reason: it’s filthy! Ask yourself, how often do you clean your phone? Your phone comes in contact with different germs on a daily basis. Some people get more facial acne on the side that they usually hold up their phones. If you cringe at the thought of licking your phone, then it definitely shouldn’t touch your face. Make it a habit of putting the phone to your ears and tilting it away from your face. A headset is another great alternative.
6. Ladies: Wash Your Makeup Brushes
Makeup brushes can store dead skin cells, old makeup, and bacteria. Washing your makeup brushes at least once a week keeps them clean and safe to use on your face. The easiest way to wash your brushes is to use your favorite hair shampoo. Keep applying and the shampoo and continue to rinse until no color runs from the brush. Place the brush to air dry and it will be as good as new.
7. Eat Healthy
This is the most important step! Junk food can be the reason why your face is breaking out as well. As for me, I break out every time I drink soda. With that said, I stay away from all carbonated drinks. Test yourself; cut certain junk food out of your diet for one week and you’ll notice the difference. Snack on raw fruits and vegetables instead. Your skin will thank you and reward you with a healthy glow.
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