I have been struggling with breakout-prone skin since I was a teenager. Now, almost 32 years old, I still have to fight with breakouts and blemished skin. It’s distressing and affecting me a lot.
I have to say that I have visited dermatologists, but the products they have prescribed are really harsh on my skin and the effect does not last long. So about a year ago or so I started reading more about skin problems and how to fight and cure them. And now I can say that I think I have found (at last) a solution for my problematic skin.
I’ll share some of the skin care tips that have helped me to achieve healthier-looking clear skin with you today.
Keep your skin clean
I find that this is the most important tip of all. When I was a teenager I thought that washing my face with water and a little bit of soap would do the trick. And I have to admit that even as an adult sometimes I just washed my face with water and that was it. Huge mistake, I know! It is well worth it to spend a little time determining the best face cleanser for your particular skin type. You will quickly find that some products work significantly better than others.
Until a year ago I didn’t pay too much attention to my skin and also did not have a proper skincare routine. Now having a good routine, I can say that it’s a must!
My morning routine:
- Wash my face with water
- Tone
- Spot treatment
- Eye cream
- Moisturizer with SPF
I’m not using any cleanser or facial wash in the morning as I haven’t felt a need for it. I think that my evening routine cleanses my skin really well, so in the morning I just need a toner.
My evening routine:
- Remove makeup
- Cleanse your face with face wash or cleanser with the help of a facial brush
- Tone
- Exfoliate (1-3x/week)
- Spot treatment
- Serum
- Eye cream
As you see I’m not using any moisturizer at night as I have found the serums I use to keep my face hydrated and so far I haven’t found a night cream that I and my skin. loves
Here you can find some of the products I’m using:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
Use the correct products for your skin type & ask for free samples
Now that you have established the desired routine to achieve clear skin, you should determine what kind of skin type you have. After that, start looking for products that might be working for your skin type and condition.
It took me ages to find the products that are good for my skin. I read about the products people with the same problems recommended and started to try them out. My mistake? Buying the normal-size products instead of asking for samples before buying.
I spent a lot of money and time on products that did not help with my skin problems, so I started to look for free samples for the products I wanted to try. Most brands offer free samples of their products and some brands also have the possibility to order free samples online.
Now I have a huge amount of samples for different products and whenever I need a change in my routine or new products, I can try out the samples before I buy a full-size product.
Think about using dietary supplements
It’s important to eat well and a variety of foods to have healthy skin. I really hoped that with the help of the paleo diet, my skin would improve a lot, as other people had noted, but sadly it did not work for me.
Even if we eat well, sometimes it’s impossible to get all the needed vitamins and minerals from the food, so supplements come in handy.
I have done a lot of reading about the benefits of dietary supplements for acne-prone skin and at the moment I’m taking 4 different supplements: Maca, Omega 3-6-9, Zinc, and Vitamin D3.
These supplements have helped a lot with my skin condition, especially Zinc and Vitamin D3. Read more about the supplements I’m taking and their benefits from these iHerb haul posts.
*Always consult with your doctor before taking any supplements.
Use the correct amount of skin care products
So when you have found the products that go well with your skin, remember to dose them correctly.
Acne can be spread because of dirty air and incorrect cleaning of the skin. All people should know their skin type and use proper cleaning cosmetics. Some people even may not know that their skin is oily and it needs everyday cleaning, of course, oily skin is prone to irritation. Irritations may bring to acne and delayed treatment of acne may cause spots on the skin.
I’m a huge fan of products that contain tea tree oil as they help to control my adult acne. There was a time when I was overdosing on the toner and the moisturizer I was using and instead of helping with acne, they created more breakouts than ever. Too much product clogs the pores, doesn’t matter how good the ingredients are. I learned my lesson there -“If a little is great, and a lot is better, then way too much is just about right!” is not always true! Size really matters!
How much product should I use? Caroline Hirons has a great article about this topic.
Keep your towels and pillowcases clean
After reading about the towels being one of the most germ-infested objects in our houses and that the pillowcases are as dirty as our toilets I really freaked out. When before I changed pillowcases once a week and face towels twice a week, then now I change the pillowcases every 2-3 days, depending on the weather and if I have used any hair treatment products.
I change face towels daily now and don’t share the towels with my family anymore. I really had no idea before that they could contain so many bacteria! I do find that the change has helped with my breakouts!
