We all know that one girl with seemingly flawless skin. Her face is smooth and almost poreless, she barely has any wrinkles, and there isn’t a single blemish in sight to mar the beauty of her complexion. While she looks radiant, for you each day can be a struggle because you’re constantly self-conscious about your face. Acne and other facial flaws aren’t exactly a ticket to empowered confidence, and they can seriously impact our life and make us feel bad about our appearance. So, how can we change that?
How can we be that carefree gal who has beautiful skin even without a trace of makeup on it? Well, it’s all about creating a good nightly routine and making a few lifestyle changes.
Always cleanse
While cleansing is a great way to help skin with acne problems, you have to do it the right way to avoid making the problem worse. Washing your face twice a day (in the morning and in the evening) is recommended because it will remove dirt and sebum from your face, and if you use makeup, you can double cleanse. Use some jojoba oil on a cotton pad to remove everything without damaging your skin, and then wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
Exfoliate the right way
Exfoliation is great because it scrubs away dead skin and makes it easier for products to penetrate, but you shouldn’t scrub your skin raw every night – that will only damage it and make it more prone to inflammations. Exfoliate 1-2 times a week with a sugar scrub, and if you like, you can also use a chemical exfoliator like glycolic acid once a week (AHA and BHA products are generally pretty good for acne). Since exfoliation makes our skin sensitive and more prone to sun damage, only do this in the evening.
Careful with new makeup
Especially makeup that contains strong fragrances. When trying out a new product, unless it’s something specifically made to target blemishes, make sure to only introduce one into your routine. Don’t ever try out several new things at once because if you do react to it badly, you won’t be sure which of the new products was the culprit.
Use skincare specific to your problem
This is very important if you deal with acne, hyperpigmentation, or have sensitive skin in any way. The best way to treat a skin blemish is to use quality products aimed at helping you with the problem. From cleansers to serums, to hydrating creams, we recommend that you invest in one line and stick with it religiously. The moisturizer is especially important because you absolutely need to hydrate your skin, regardless of how oily it is. If you strip it from all its moisture and never replenish it, it will start overproducing sebum and clogging your pores even more. Even when your problem starts clearing up, stick with your skincare routine for a few more months just to make sure it doesn’t come back.
Check your hormones
Contrary to popular belief, skin problems aren’t a consequence of bad hygiene in most cases. Our lifestyle, our genes, and our hormones play a huge role, and if you have a lot of pimples on your chin and jaw area, it’s a pretty good indicator that your acne could be hormonal. Similarly, if you have a lot of premature wrinkles and dry, patchy skin, you could be dealing with some internal issue that should definitely be checked out by a doctor. You might need an antibiotic prescription if you have those painful pimples that are underneath the surface of your skin, or your doctor might recommend things like benzoyl peroxide or retinol to help you deal with it.
Spot treat surface blemishes
Don’t pop your pimples! It might make your blemish heal faster, but it will heal with a dark scar that you won’t be able to get rid of so easily, and it also spreads the bacteria around and makes more zits appear. Instead, spot treat with zinc oxide cream, salicylic acid gel, or pimple patches that you can all get at the drugstore.
Change your pillowcases and towels more often
Pillowcases, especially cotton ones, can trap dirt and bacteria in the fabric if you don’t change them often enough, and the same goes for your towels. Change your bedding and your towels at least once a week to avoid this.
Cut out sugar and dairy
Of course, skin problems can’t only be tackled on the outside. A lifestyle change can be of great help in dealing with both blemishes and wrinkles, and the thing you want to pay most attention to is your diet. Sugar and dairy can raise inflammation levels in our body and make our complexion significantly worse, so cut them out or at least reduce their intake. Turn to leafy green veggies, fatty fish, lean chicken, nuts, and fruit. Your skin will thank you.
And remember – it’s all about a good routine. Consistency is the key to success here, so care for your skin every evening and you’ll wake up with a beautifully clear, glowy complexion.
