What kind of products should you use when you have acne or pimples?
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To answer this is actually not that simple. Here’s why. It is very difficult to diagnose the problem without physically seeing what the issue is. Suggestions based on photos and verbal description is just not accurate enough. I will need information including your age, your lifestyle, what do you eat, what do you on weekends, etc. Yes, that makes me sound like a total stalker, but I do need to know these before I can give you the best recommendation.
There are usually a collective of reasons why you have breakouts and quite often it comes from within. Therefore, that is usually the first thing I will talk about.
See how I got rid of my acne:
What you are putting into your body is a key factor, this includes your eating habits and whether you are drinking enough water. Whether you are sleeping well is also important. That’s not all. Your skin type and the region or climates you’re in can affect you as well.
Step 1: Cleanser
This is the most important thing when it comes to having oily skin! You need to make sure you wash your face AT LEAST 2 times a day! Once in the morning after you wake up and once at night before you go to bed. If your skin is super oily, you can also wash your face during the day.
Before you head to the gym, make sure you remove all your makeup and have a clean face. If you don’t clean your face, your skin will soal all that sweat from your workout along with all that makeup.
Let’s talk about the cleanser you should be looking for.
For your morning cleanser, look for something with AHA/BHA or glycolic acid. This will gently remove the dead skin cells and unblock pores to give you a clearer skin texture.
If you wear makeup, start with a makeup remover for your nighttime cleansing routine. Oil cleansers are the best since they can remove all the makeup in the pores and small crevasses of the face. Do not fear using oil-based products if you have oily skin, since you will be washing it off anyways. Look for a cleanser with antibacterial properties, preferably with no fragrance or nourishing properties. Double cleansing is not only popular but also important. After removing the makeup, you have to go back in and wash your face again with a cleanser. You can use the same cleanser you are using for daytime or opt for something with exfoliation.
Step 2: Toner
Using a toner will make sure every bit of impurities that is left on the skin is removed. Toners normally contain a certain percentage of alcohol, so watch out for that in the ingredients list and find one that does not contain alcohol. Alcohol is bad for your skin, especially if you have acne as it can irritate it and make it worse. Find a toner with anti-bacterial properties such as witch hazel, honey, tea tree, or AHA/BHA. Toning every time after you wash your face is recommended. Use a cotton pad and wipe it throughout the face. This will cover the entire face and what you see on the cotton pad, of leftover residues on your face, will surprise you!
Step 3: Treatment
Remember to consistently use a treatment product, such as a serum or mask. Once your skin is clean, it is like a sponge. It will be ready to absorb whatever it is that you are going to put on next. For daytime, you want to use something that is going to treat and protect your skin. Find products with acne-fighting ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and masks that contain natural clay. These are great for drawing the toxins and impurities out of the skin. It is recommended to use a clay product on your skin at least 1-2 times a week depending on the severity of your breakouts. Opt for clay cleanser products if you know you will be too lazy to use masks!
Water is SO important in your life, not only is it for survival. Many products you use are designed to dry out the face to make sure your skin is not oily for pimples to grow and strive. You need to drink water to hydrate from within. In addition to that, apply a hydrating moisturizer to put the moisture back into your skin. This will keep your skin balanced and prevent your skin from going crazy and thinking that it needs to produce more oil to compensate. Find products with simple ingredients, preferably no fragrance or parabens. Products with hyaluronic acid and humectants are great for oily skin; avoid oils, emollients, and preservatives.
Step 5: Protection
Spot treatments are great for those super-big and open cut pimples. Once the skin is broken it is prone to infection as it is exposed to the air, which is full of dust, dirt, and bacteria. Using spot treatment or acne patch is essential so you’re not rubbing your open wound all over your pillow or getting it in your hair. During the day, you will also want to protect it from the makeup and other stuff that you put on your face. A sun protectant is something that everyone should be using regardless of your skin type. Even if you have perfect skin with no breakouts, you should still put on SPF to protect your skin from the single more dangerous source of skin problems – sun rays. Sun rays penetrate deep into the skin and will cause problems that you may not be able to see with your naked eyes. The damage from the sun is somewhat irreversible, hence why prevention is always better than cure.