You don’t have to spend a ton of money on celebrity-endorsed products and facials to get rid of acne. Odds are, you can fight acne yourself — without breaking the bank. Here are 10 acne-fighting tips people usually forget about that will help clear your skin:
Be Gentle
It might sound simple but not a lot of people follow this very effective rule of thumb — be gentle. Don’t scrub off your cleanser with a washcloth, sponge, or facial brush. Instead, use your hands (just make sure they’re clean.)
Acne prone skin is sensitive and can be easily irritated by scrubbing; even with something as simple as a washcloth.
Look For Keywords
There are certain ingredients you should have in your skincare products. Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide are the main ones.
These ingredients work to specifically kill acne-causing bacteria and decrease inflammation on the skin. Which is something you desperately need when you’re trying to clear your skin!
Watch What You Eat
Avoiding high-carb and sugary foods aren’t going to just help maintain your weight. It’ll also help clear your acne. Typically, acne-prone skin is caused by an internal issue. (Aka your digestive system isn’t the best!) Do you consume a great deal of dairy? Lactose can really do a number on your skin! How? Well, cow’s are given certain hormones to help them produce milk.
Those artificial hormones alter our own hormones and trigger/cause acne. Do your skin a favor and reduce your dairy intake or cut it out entirely.
Don’t Go Overboard
Even though it’s a good idea to have acne-fighting ingredients in your skincare products, you don’t want to go overboard. Too many chemicals can actually hurt your skin and cause it to become excessively dry; especially if your skin is sensitive.
Having a good acne-fighting cleanser and toner is great but that doesn’t mean you also need a benzoyl peroxide face mask, exfoliator, face wipes, and moisturize. That might be a little too much!
Pay Attention To Hair Products
Your hair touches your face all the time! Have you ever considered that your hair products might be causing some of your blemishes? Look at the ingredients in your hair products and google them. You’ll probably find that some of them cause facial irritation. Thankfully, this is an easy fix. Opt for natural shampoos and conditioners with fewer chemicals. Your hair and your skin will thank you!
Shop Non-Comedogenic
Whether you’re buying makeup or moisturizer, try to make sure the words “non-comedogenic” are visible. This means the product won’t clog your pores and cause pimples. If there’s a product you really want to use but it’s comedogenic, do a little bit of research on it beforehand. Or, apply a very thin layer to the affected area and see if anything happens.
Not every comedogenic product is going to ruin your skin, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Try to steer clear from thick, oil-based products!
Be Simple
The best way to take care of your acne-prone skin is to be as simple as possible. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to experiment with products to see which ones work best for your specific skin type.
You don’t want to be using 5-10 products every single day! Not only is that a waste of time, but it’s also a waste of money.
Avoid Makeup
I know this one might be tricky, especially if the only way you feel confident is when you hide your acne with makeup. But the oil from makeup can cause problems for acne-prone skin. You don’t want that! When you’re having a flare up, do your best to avoid wearing makeup all day every single day. And when you do put it on, make sure your skin is perfectly clean beforehand.
Applying makeup on dirty, oily skin is an absolute no-no!
Don’t Buy For The Heck Of It
Skincare is huge right now. People are obsessed with buying and trying products for the heck of it! There are even subscription boxes that send consumers monthly skincare products. And while you might be tempted to jump on this bandwagon, please don’t.
Unless you’ve done extensive research, don’t just spend money on clay masks and sheet masks because everyone’s doing it. Acne-prone skin needs routine and acne-fighting ingredients — anything else will most likely cause problems.
Moisturize
One of the biggest problems with acne products is that they can be very drying. Luckily, this can be treated with moisturizer. Make sure you have a hydrating moisturizer with you at all times. Moisturize in the morning, the afternoon, and even in the evening to make sure your skin never feels dull.
Of course, to do this, you’re going to have to find a moisturizer that compliments your skin. You don’t want to be applying a moisturizer that’s causing your acne!
The key to treating acne is to really pay attention to your skin and what products hurt and help you. It’s going to take time and a lot of experimenting but it’ll get better. Your skin will clear up. Don’t ever lose hope!