Skincare Week : Acne Don'ts

As a long-term sufferer of the turmoil that accompanies a relationship with acne, this is part two of my top tips for handling a breakout. Before you read, be sure to check out my Acne Dos so that you can become your own expert on acne relationship etiquette.

1. Don't Stress

Whilst I know it is significantly harder to do than say, try not stress about your spots. The stress hormone cortisol worsens acne and so you will find yourself trapped in the vicious cycle of worrying about a breakout, which will in turn cause ten more to appear for you to stress over (see where I'm going here?). Try to relax when you can and don't allow your acne to fill up every free corner of your mind.

2. Don't Use Too Many Products

Try to find and stick to a simple skin care regime that works for you. Trialling every drugstore offering that hails to be the latest revolution for magically clearing your complexion is not going to help. Using too many products will confuse your skin and it will react by breaking out further. To find out the cleansing routine that my skin is currently loving then see the first instalment of my Skincare Week series.

A regime should consist of three to six products, which you use once in the morning and again at night. Find a cleanser, toner and moisturiser that you like and use them consistently. To this you can add a heavier, night time moisturiser and a face mask to use 2-3 times a week that will draw out impurities. You can also use an exfoliator 1-2 times a week, find one that is gentle on the skin but avoid using it when you are having a particularly bad breakout.

3. Don't Touch

This is perhaps the simplest yet hardest of all my do's and don'ts and one that I commonly fail to follow. It is the mere rule that when a spot appears, don't touch it! By constantly touching your skin you are inviting your acne to stay for longer and any bacteria that is on your fingers will worsen the situation. Always avoid the worryingly addictive past time of popping your spots (we've all been there). This causes the bacteria inside to go onto other areas of your skin and therefore the breakout spreads. The broken skin will then heal a lot slower and a scar will be left in its place; a fact my collection of permanent red marks can attest to.

4. Don't Compare Yourself To Others

Above all, it is important to understand that everyone's skin is different. You may never have the air brushed complexion of a supermodel but that's okay! Learn what counts as a good skin day for you and enjoy it. Wear less makeup on the days when your acne isn't as angry and feel confident in doing so.

I hope that these tips will help you in your battle with blemishes.  Be sure to check out tomorrow's post for the right approach to concealing acne with makeup. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Devon

xoxo

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