In regards to ance, it is usually deemed as breakouts of spots that are hard to get rid of and can be painful to touch. But it is so much more than that, when I was 13/14 I had the worst acne of my life. I was so frustrated trying these products that were pushed to teens that were the same age as me but cost a fortune and didn’t work. In the end I had to go to the Dr to get some proper prescribed cream to clear it. Now I am in my twenties, I still suffer with the odd bout of spots and skin issues. So in this post I want to show you how to care for acne prone skin.
It is important to still follow the standard skincare routines so cleanse, moisturise, exfoliate and wear SPF, but when your skin is spot prone you have to do these things a little differently. Always pay attention to your skin and how it reacts to certain products too. As this will obviously be the indicator of what needs to be removed or replaced in your routine.
Cleansing
You should alway start off daily skincare by cleansing. With cleansers they take away makeup residue, remove toxins and get rid of the build up of oil. Of course with oil and makeup residue, when they sit on the skin they clog the pores or even make your pores larger in size. I like using foaming cleaners personally but here a list for you to take a look which one you may prefer! Remember it’s all about looking at what works for you. Another favourite cleanser of mine is a balm cleanser I use for double cleansing and that is Clean It Zero Balm.
Moisturising
You need to moisturise obviously so your skin doesn’t dry out or become flaky. The best route to go down with moisturisers is to go for ones that are non-comedogenic (won’t sink into pores) and are oil free. One I would heavily recommend is Cetaphil Daily Defence with SPF. It’s a two in one product, you can get this product without SPF too. I have used both and recommend them.
Exfoliating
This step IS NOT one that should be done daily, roughly 2-3 times a week works perfectly when it comes to exfoliation. Overdoing it will cause your skin to be stripped of it’s oils, it also becomes dehydrated and causes more acne. Aim to use one with salicylic acid as that ingredient is one used to treat breakouts. The one I recommend is Paula’s Choice Liquid Exfoliator or The Ordinary Peeling Solution.
Sunscreen
Sun protection is essential. Sun damage is no joke and causes a matter of issues from collagen damage (you’ll age harsher and quicker), dark spots and rough patches. When out in the sun you need to wear SPF and even SPF on the lips is advised. You can pick up cheap lip balms that will protect you in the sunshine. In regards to sunscreen, with acne prone skin it’s advised to go for creams that again are non-comedogenic. Cerave has a cream that is fragrance free and also oil free. This can be bought under £10 from superdrug!
One word of warning with SPF, do NOT wear it if you are going to be doing any flash photography, you’ll look like Casper in the photos. Obviously sun creams are designed to reflect light away so of course you will get flashback in photos. It would be best to use a foundation with an SPF in. The one I use is the Maybelline Urban Cover.
Other causes of acne
If you have a period then you’ll 100% experience an increase in spots. Because of the hormones, your glands produce more oil which causes clogging of pores and getting breakouts. Also, for teens it’s hormonal too. Once again their glands produce excess oil also.
Diet is also a contributor, personally if I eat rubbish, which I have been doing during lockdown, my breakouts are more frequent. Chocolate is a curse for my skin, but I do love to eat it. Make sure you’re staying hydrated, we all hear about how water clears up your skin but the reason behind it is because when our skin is dehydrated it will overproduce oils. Water helps with the build up of oil and gets rid of old skin cells.
If it ever becomes unmanageable, feel free to see your Dr and see what they say. But firstly try to make changes where you can and see what happens. Perfect skin doesn’t happen overnight!
Thank you to Hannah for allowing me to guest post on her blog! If you would like to check me out, here are my links:
themakeupbybeth x
Hannah's Little Corner 