5 Tips for Treating Acne

Hi everybody!

I've dealt with skin issues my entire life. Since I was little, I've had eczema on and off. In the past five years, I've also had acne on and off. This past year, my skin went bezerk and got pretty bad in March/ April. Since then, my skin has improved tremendously and I'd like to share the tips and tricks that really helped me.

I took photos when my skin was at its worst, so I could see the improvement as I made changes to my lifestyle. The photos on top are from the end of March, and the ones on the bottom are from today, nearly 7 months later:

1. Change your pillowcase. As you can see from the before pictures, I had a pretty bad breakout on my right cheek, but not on my left. That's because the acne there wasn't hormonal, it was from sleeping on dirty pillowcases. I wash my pillowcases once a week at the latest, and I have two that I can switch through during the week. If you talk frequently on the phone, clean that as well.

2. Consider removing dairy products from your diet. This made the biggest impact on the way my skin and body felt. The idea is that dairy products such as milk contain hormones that interfere with your own body's hormones. This isn't a bad thing when you're younger, as these hormones can often help you grow. But later in life, they can cause problems such as acne (WebMD has more info if you're interested.) Now, I either substitute dairy products or avoid them altogether.

3. Exercise regularly. You don't have to jump into a crazy regimen in order to reap the benefits of exercise, even short workouts help circulate the blood and help your skin. I enjoy running, which gets my heart pumping and the outdoor workouts ensure I get lots of vitamin D to my skin. Exercise also positively affects my mood and sleeping habits, in conjunction with helping my skin.

4. Drink water. This tip ties into the previous one nicely, because I find myself drinking lots of water on days that I exercise. Water helps flush your system and keep your skin hydrated from within. I've also noticed that if I eat food containing dairy products, by drinking lots of water afterwards, I can minimize the breakouts and itchiness that usually follow.

5. Use a moisturizer. The one mistake I see people doing all the time is skipping out on moisturizer. By skipping moisturizer, you're forcing your skin to create more oil in order to keep itself hydrated. I really like Boots Botanics Organic Facial Oil, because the product seeps into the skin quickly and I've never had problems with breakouts from it. The idea of using oil on the face sounds counterproductive for acne, but the oil actually prevents your face from producing its own oil, which is what causes acne. It's one of the best products I've ever used!

My skin is still far from perfect, but it feels and looks much better than it did half a year ago. I've noticed that a lot of the redness and irritation has died down, the texture is smoother, it's generally less oily, and breakouts are less frequent. On days that I choose to wear makeup, I use significantly less product and the overall application is smoother.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

Song of the Day: Cousins by Vampire Weekend

5 Tips for Clear Skin

Hi everybody! Over the past couple of years, I've struggled with acne and my skin in general. Some of it had to do with hormones and other uncontrollable factors, but some of it had to do with my skin care habits. I've compiled a list of tips that have improved my skin and made it more manageable. 

1. Drink Water. This is a very popular tip, and was one that I often overlooked. I heard it time and time again, but didn't really believe it until I tried it for myself. I started drinking more water this year, and when I first started, I noticed a difference within a few days. The texture of my skin was a lot smoother, and the inflammation around my nose and chin had gone down a bit. If you're having difficulty drinking water, try adding calorie-free flavor packets to add some pizzazz. 

2. Exfoliate. The exfoliation process helps remove dead skin cells and improve the overall texture of the skin. I use the Clairsonic Mia (shown below) to exfoliate every other day. It gently scrubs away all of the dead skin cells, and leaves my skin feeling clean. It helps any acne cream or other lotions work more effectively. Alternatively, a warm washcloth with your daily cleanser will also work. Just remember to go in small circles and avoid scrubbing too harshly. 

3. Wash your pillowcases often. This tip I totally didn't follow until I started breakout out on the right side of my face. I typically sleep on the right side, and I started getting small red bumps on my cheek and jawline, where I usually don't break out. The inflammation on that side of my face was also more aggravated compared to my left side. I recommend washing your pillowcases at least once a week, and alternating pillows every couple of days. 

 4. Cleanse your face twice a day. This is a part of my daily routine that I never, ever, ever skip out on! Even when I'm tired, there's always enough time to wash my face. Especially if you wear makeup, simply using a wipe isn't enough to get all of it off. Using a cleanser will not only remove makeup, it'll also lift off the day's dose of dirt, grime, oil, and other impurities. One that I enjoy is the Aveeno smart essentials cleanser shown below. It's got a lovely scent and is very gentle. 

5. Don't skip out on moisturizer. This tip follows the previous one, because a moisturizer should always follow cleanser. Even if you have oily skin, use a moisturizer! A moisturizer will hydrate your skin, and keep the texture smooth. Just because your skin is oily, doesn't mean it's hydrated. In fact, it can mean the exact opposite. If you're worried about becoming an oil slick, one great mattifying cream is one from the Body Shop shown below. 

If you're doing all of these things and still have stubborn acne, I would recommend seeing a dermatologist. Sometimes, the cause of acne or other skin issues has much more complicated underlying issues. I, for example, deal with both acne and eczema which means that my skin is so dry that certain parts of my face produce oil to compensate for it. The fact that I have eczema also means that my skin is super sensitive - no proactiv for me! So, my dermatologist prescribed me a cocktail of creams and lotions for both acne and eczema along with allergy medication, and my skin is miles better than I could have achieved on my own. 

I hope that these tips help those of you out there suffering from acne. Even if you don't have skin issues, I highly recommend following the tips, so that you're in the habit of having healthy skin. 
<3 Lucero 

Song of the Day: Strangers Like Me by Phil Collins