Tackling Breakouts
Up until May I was dealing with breakouts on a weekly basis, its taken me years to really understand my skin and what was causing the spots I was getting. Luckily I'm not an acne sufferer anymore, I don't like throwing around the term acne because it is a serious skin condition that really affect peoples lives. I've learnt that tackling breakouts and keeping your skin clear isn't just about what skincare products you use it involves many aspects of your life.
Lifestyle:
I never really thought that my lifestyle would play such a large part in the condition of my skin. One of the main issues for me is my hormones, more importantly is what form of contraception I use. Some people might not care to hear this but it is one of the reasons that my skin is now completely clear. I had the contraceptive implant put in a couple of years ago and not only did it not agree with my body it completely ravaged my skin. No matter what I did my skin and chin in particular was constantly covered in nasty cystic spots and we're so angry and painful. Although my chin has always been a real problem area for me these spots were just something else and made me completely miserable. I suffered a year with that implant and it is one of the worst things I've ever had to endure and finally had it removed after much protest from the dr's and went back to the pill. My skin calmed down within a couple of months I was dealing with much more 'normal' spots that we're much easier to deal with.
Diet:
Over the past year I've really changed my diet to something that is a lot more suitable for me, my stomach is the main thing that pushed me to do this but it has recently improved the condition of my skin too. I've cut down on the amount of sugar that I'm eating and keep treats to a minimum and really upped my fruit and veg intake which has really helped with congestion in my skin. Something else I've done is completely cut out squash & fizzy drinks and only drink water throughout the day and it helps my skin look a lot brighter too. Whilst at university and I was going on nights out I noticed my skin didn't really like alcohol all too much so now I don't drink at all anymore and there are a lot of reasons for this as I found my body just didn't like it and it really showed in my skin.
Skincare:
Finding a skincare routine that works for you is important, it is easy enough to get sucked into hype of what is working for other people but ultimately you will quickly find out what works for you and what doesn't. These are the products that are helping my skin remain blemish free as well as maintaining a happy complexion.
- Cleansing: If I'm really struggling with a breakout I really like to reach for a gel cleanser, a lot of curse them as being harsh and stripping but they work beautifully on my skin. My favourite at the moment is the Claudia Louch Chamomile Face Wash*, it is so gentle to the skin.
- Toning: Adding into a chemical exfoliant into my skincare routine was a big turning point for me, it helps to completely refresh and revive the skin without the need for a harsh scrub. Some of my favourites are the Pixi Glow Tonic, Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Toner and the La Roche Posay Effaclar Cleansing Lotion.
- Treatments: I used to pile on the treatments and oils but now I've really cut back and there is only a couple that I use on a daily basis. The La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo + keeps my skin in check and not only helps with breakouts it also helps with scarring too. If a couple of whiteheads have popped up then I always reach for the Origins Super Spot Remover, this works perfectly at them eliminating quickly.
- Masks: Lately I think that I have really got into the habit of using a clarifying mask, my skin has been a little congested since going to the gym every morning so help keep everything clear I've been using the Aesop Parsley Seed Maque. If I do have any breakouts I like to pin point them and use the Origins Out of Trouble mask, it helps calm any breakouts I might be having without drying them out. When the spots are nearly healed and are pretty much gone I like to use the Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator*, I've spoken about this so much but it works perfectly on my skin.
How do you tackle breakouts and keep your skin clear?
