*this post has been extensively updated on 16-June-2020
Hey guys & girls!
So, you’re eating right, exercising, getting enough rest AND you’ve got a great skincare routine down. But still, these pesky breakouts keep popping up every once in a while. Is it because you were having a tough few weeks at work? Is it hormonal imbalance?
There can be 101 reasons why your skin is breaking out and this can be quite frustrating if you have a trip or event coming up.
We feel you! Here’s a list we made of practical quick fixes to get you clearer skin in no time:
- Wash your face with the right skin cleanser
- Help your skin out with a great toner
- Hydrate your skin
- Apply a gel or cream formulated with benzoyl peroxide
- Apply a pimple patch
- Change your pillow cases
- Clean your makeup brushes
- Most importantly, DON'T TOUCH IT.
Wash your face with the right skin cleanser
Sometimes all it takes is the right skin cleansing routine. Sure, nothing’s more obvious than keeping your skin clean. But your facial cleansing products may be doing more damage than good.
Our skin has its own natural protective barriers. In order to keep it at its healthiest, it’s best to use a cleanser that matches the skin’s ph level. A gentle cleanser with a ph level of 5.5 is the safest choice to avoid further skin irritation as it keeps the protective mantle of the skin intact. This mantle keeps bacteria and viruses from causing inflammations, acne, and other diseases to our skin.
Also, watch out for skin cleansers and toners with alcohol. Remove all the dirt and sweat accumulated on your skin to avoid a breakout by using a gentle cleanser or toner without alcohol. Alcohol does cleanse your skin but it also strips away the protective barriers on the surface of the skin.
It may seem great at first glance since alcohol gives an instant matte finish. After a while, though, you’ll notice your skin becoming greasier and oilier as your skin reacts and increases its production of oil and sebum to mimic the initial layers of protection on the skin’s surface.
Help your skin out with a great toner
Earlier, we mentioned using a good toner along with the right cleanser but what really is a toner? Toners help the skin out by removing excess dirt and oil left out after washing. This is especially helpful if you have oily skin and clogged pores as it helps lift all the debris left by dirt and make up. A toner also preps the skin to better absorb moisturizers and serums that may be applied afterwards.
Aside from avoiding harsh toners with alcohols, a probiotic toner can also be a great choice to keep acne at bay. A breakthrough in skincare products is the ingredient bifida ferment lysate. It is a probiotic that helps your skin maintain its protective film. It strengthens the skin’s immunity against harmful elements and lowers the risk of skin damage cause by UV light. Plus, it furthers skin hydration, too! Use a probiotic toner with a probiotic serum or moisturizer to keep the benefits of its ingredients.
Hydrate your skin
Face masks and serums are great to give your skin the full hydration it needs to avoid further breakouts. Dryness is your skin’s enemy if you have acne-prone and oily skin. Yes, it may sound odd but your skin will thank you so much more if you keep it hydrated.
See, dry skin will only cause your skin to overcompensate for the lack of protection it’s been getting. Dry skin will also cause your skin to get flaky. Combine that with all the oil and sebum and you end up with clogged pores!
To keep your skin hydrated, you can use face masks or serums that have helpful ingredients in them. You can even create your own face mask by applying your favorite serums to a blank face sheet.
Apply a gel or cream formulated with benzoyl peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide may be your best friend if you want to fade out annoying breakouts. Benzoyl peroxide is an antiseptic that targets bacteria that’s associated with acne.
Apply a gel or cream that has benzoyl peroxide in it before you sleep. Be mindful of the amount you apply, though. Benzoyl peroxide often comes in different strengths as it can be quite drying on the skin.
It’s best to use the milder formulations first so you can see how your skin reacts to the ingredient. You can also use Q-tips to avoid contamination and to keep your fingers from drying out as well. Use hydrating serums and moisturizers during daytime, too, so your skin won’t become too dry after using benzoyl peroxide.
Apply a pimple patch
A pimple patch can help you get rid of breakouts in two ways. Number one, pimple patches are formulated with antiseptics and serums on the inside of the patches. This formulation helps your skin manage inflammation and bacterial infection better.
Number two, the patch protects the area from further contamination from outside elements. This way, your skin can rejuvenate at peace as it fights breakouts.
Change your pillow cases
This one’s not very obvious. But think about it. You bury your face into your pillow for hours as you sleep! It’s the last thing that touches your face at night and the first thing that greets your face as you wake up. As you sleep, your face doesn’t stop from producing sweat and oil and these build up within the fibers of your pillow cases. Other elements like dust, dry skin and bacteria can also end up on your pillow cases. To lessen the chances of contamination, change your pillow cases regularly to keep pimples away!
Clean your makeup brushes
Yes, cleaning your makeup brushes is a necessity. I know it’s easy to feel lazy about cleaning your brushes regularly but think about what gets into your brushes whenever you use them. All the oils, dust, and particles get stuck in between those bristles. When these get in contact with your skin, you can just imagine the amount of contamination you’re bringing to your face.
So, please clean your brushes! It’s a worthwhile task your skin will love you for.
Most importantly, DON'T TOUCH IT.
Your hands get the most adventure out of all your body parts. Every little thing your hands get into contact with brings some form of contamination. Touching your face will transfer all these components to your skin, good and bad.
Plus, pimples are a form of skin irritation. Touching the affected area causes some form of pressure to it and this can further irritate the skin.
If touching your pimples is bad, popping them is even worse! This does not help your skin in any way. It can even clog your skin more as the pressure pushes bacteria and sebum deeper into your skin. The only thing this does is create scarring on your skin. Popping your pimples is a big no-no when it comes to breakouts.
How about you? What are your tips and tricks for clearer skin?
XOXO