The causes of acne often seem like a mystery, but I’ve found some surprising and helpful tips on improving acne to try! I think having pimples is one of the many skin care issues that we can all relate to, but finding ways to treat acne varies by the individual. What works for some might not work for others so it can be a very frustrating process! But don’t give up hope! Try out some of these tips on improving acne to help fight acne today!
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1. Check Your Hair Care Products
One of the surprising tips on improving acne is to check out your hair care products. There are some ingredients in common hair styling products that are oil-based that can trigger a breakout. Even if you keep your hair out of your face during the day, your strands can end up on your face or rubbing your face while you sleep, and clog pores.
2. Take a Hands-off Approach
As much as I try to keep my hands off and away from my face, I still find myself resting my chin or the side of my face in my hand. I find that I do it mostly while I’m online or sitting down reading something. If you try your best to keep your hands off your face but still see acne in certain areas, make sure you’re not unknowingly resting your face in unclean hands!
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3. Keep Your Phone Clean
If you talk on your phone a lot (and who doesn’t?), make sure you’re taking the time to clean it. One of the sure ways of improving acne is to keep any objects that could contain bacteria or prevent your pores from breathing far away from your face! Your phone screen probably has oil, old makeup, bacteria and dirt on it, but it’s so easy to forget! Try not to hold the phone against your face when you talk, or clean your phone regularly with a cleaning solution.
4. Examine Your Hair Removal Products
A significant part of grooming and looking our best involves facial hair removal, and while there are many products that help with removing hair, they can sometimes be detrimental to our skin! Not all facial hair removers can cause a reaction in our skin, but if you notice some pimples popping in specific places or your skin gets irritated after hair removal, it might be time for a change. Make sure your hair removal products are noncomedogenic and make it a habit to thoroughly clean the area of hair removal before you wax, tweeze, shave or use a depilatory.
5. Inspect Your Partner
Think your partner has nothing to do with your skin care? Think again! If your boo thang wears hair styling or skin care products that rub your skin the wrong way, it can very well cause a reaction. Whether you’re nuzzling up to them for a kiss or you’re sharing a pillow, it can rub off on your skin and trigger a breakout. Change pillow covers often and perhaps suggest a different hair or skin care product for them that you both can agree on!
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6. De-stress with Exercise
You might not think that exercise and skin care go hand in hand, but they kinda do! Exercise is excellent for good physical, emotional and mental health, and it notably helps reduce stress. Being stressed out can cause numerous skin care issues, such as rashes or acne, and exacerbate conditions like rosacea or eczema. Do your skin and yourself some good by engaging in regular exercise a few times a week. Working out helps balance fluctuating hormones levels and helps clear out your pores!
7. Avoid Constant Contact
So now that I’ve encouraged you to exercise, I must remind you to keep any exercise clothes or gear loose when you work out. When your skin is in constant contact with workout clothes, headbands, wristbands or any type of equipment or gear, it can cause acne. Keep things clear by wearing looser clothing and regularly cleaning any equipment that you use when you work out.
8. Assess Your Skin Care Products
We’d like to think that the skin care products we use are improving acne but if we’re not careful, they could be making things worse. If you’re like many women out there who love to try out new makeup and skin care products, the process might be fun, but it could be doing a number on your skin. According to dermatologist Paul Jarrod Frank, M.D., when we switch products or add new ones to our skin care routine before they get a chance to work, it tasks your skin with new preservatives and ingredients, which in turn can irritate skin or cause breakouts. Give products about 4-6 weeks to do their thing before you move on to something new. This will save you money and your skin will thank you!
9. Shake up Your Makeup
Makeup is something we use to enhance our features, hide blemishes or just change the way we look. But did you know that our makeup could be the culprit behind our breakouts?! Skin experts say that makeup isn’t the direct cause of acne but it can make things worse. If you notice an increase in breakouts or your skin is acting up, it could be due to the beauty brand or line you’re using. Try using oil-free, noncomedogenic products and make sure your makeup isn’t past its prime!
10. Be Mindful when Cleansing
Another surefire way of improving acne is to gently yet thoroughly cleanse your skin. Dirt, oil, bacteria and makeup can build up on your face throughout the day, so rushing through makeup removal is a bad idea. Take time to properly remove eye and face makeup so there’s nothing left over. Leftover makeup, dirt and oil can clog pores and trap bacteria, which is the ideal scenario for breakouts.
11. Be Picky with Toothpaste
You should also be picky when it comes to toothpaste. I know it might sound odd to think your toothpaste could be linked to acne, but it can! If you experience breakouts around your lips or mouth, it could be due to the ingredients in your toothpaste. Some skin types react to fluoride or sodium laurel sulphate (SLS) found in toothpaste. SLS is what gives your toothpaste the bubbly, foaming effect and is also a common ingredient in hair care products. If you suspect that your toothpaste could be irritating your skin, try switching to an all-natural toothpaste.
12. Clean Your Makeup Tools
We always end up putting off cleaning our makeup brushes due to our forgetfulness, but the longer we wait to clean them, the more danger we put our skin in. Studies have shown that more than 72% of women choose to never wash their makeup brushes! This trend has to stop. Dirty brushes carry dirt and bacteria, which can cause tremendous breakouts. So try to clean your most used brushes every week and others every two to three weeks.
13. Clean up Your Diet
Your diet regime and your daily food choices have a great effect on the appearance of your skin. Believe it or not, dairy products and foods high in fats and carbohydrates can contribute wrinkles and acne to your skin, which is why it is important to consume lean protein, vegetables and fruits. Healthy foods will provide your body with the needed nutrients and minerals to make your skin glow!
14. Get Your Beauty Sleep
It is called beauty sleep for a reason! You might notice that not getting enough sleep results in your skin appearing pale and washed out. That is because sleep deprivation can negatively impact your skin since your body's cellular renewal team spends the night equipping it with nutrients and hydrating ingredients. Lack of this rejuvenating time can make your skin more prone to acne, which is something that could be easily avoided with sleep.
15. Drink Water
Consumption of large amounts of water has infinite benefits for your health, body and skin. Water aids in cleaning the toxins that often cause blemishes and inflammation, and transporting oxygen to your skin cells. Even without knowing the specific facts on how water hydration can help your skin, you may notice firmer and clearer skin after drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water daily. It's one of those simple tricks that are inexpensive, easy and effective.
16. Moisturize
Even if you have really oily skin, it's crucial to moisturize it everyday. Often times, if your skin is devoid of moisture, your body will excrete even more oil to maintain hydration, and you will end up with even oilier skin. Therefore, hydrating your skin everyday when it is damp allows you to lock moisture in your skin cells, making your face appear healthier and smoother. They key to acne-free skin is healthy skin altogether.
17. Remove Your Makeup before Sleep
Getting home after a long day can be exhausting, which is why you often choose to skip taking off your makeup and hit the bed early instead. Although it will probably make your night easier, your skin will suffer in the end. Leaving makeup on overnight doesn't just clog your pores, it also dehydrates your skin and causes rashes. That is not how you want your skin to be when you wake up the next morning. So put in more effort at night with makeup removing solutions and wipes, and put your skin problems to rest once and for all.
Improving acne can be quite a challenge, but it can be done. Try out some of these tips and see if the cause of breakouts is as simple as switching some products! Do you have any tips on improving acne? What works for you?
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