10 TIPS TO HELP PREVENT ACNE AND BREAKS OUT!
- Poppy Jane Jarratt
- Jul 17, 2017
- 4 min read
Acne is an embarrassing problem but very common for most people, hitting them in their teens and early twenties. Most individuals have acne at one point in their life. For me, I had the odd spot or two on my face but my problem area was my back! Yes my BACK! There can be a number of causes of acne, such a puberty, diet, stress and contraception.
My spots weren’t overly bad, but for me it’s embarrassing and could also restrict what I would wear. I came up with a few steps in my routine that seemed to help reduce the number of breaks out I would have and also in time benefited my face too!
These steps helped me, unfortunately not everyone’s breakouts can be controlled like mine. I would definitely recommend going to your doctor and seeing what they say, as I did. I have never been prescribed any medication for my breakouts that might indicate the level of my breakouts and acne compared to other individuals. These steps may help minimise breakouts and help you feel better about your skin!
STEP 1.
Diet is a very key factor or can be in acne and spot prevention. Eating a good varied diet really helps, eating lots of fruit and veg and drinking plenty of water. Spinach and kale are well known to be great spot fighting veg, so try adding them in your diet twice a day. A great way to cover the taste of the spinach and kale if you’re not a massive fan would be in a shake. You can pile in the fruit and even some flavoured good quality protein power in to mask the greenies. Your “recommended” to drink a million litres of water a day, but let’s be honest most people don’t. I generally try to drink 1 to 2 litres a day! Adding a lemon or some other fruits make it easy to go down.
STEP 2.
May sound common sense and hygienic, but ladies wash your bras after every wear or two if your lazy. Dirty fabric rubbing against your skin will result in breakouts, especially if you are a gym goer.
STEP 3.
Changing your bed sheets every week in the summer and every two weeks in the winter. We all sweat during our sleep and keeping our bed sheets as clean as possible will be minimize breakouts.
STEP 4.
ALWAYS TAKE YOUR MAKE UP OFF. Always removing your make up needs to be solid in your routine, when you are warm your pores absorb your make up and oils on your skin, this can lead to blocked pores and breakouts. Using a face wash and a break out preventing cream is always key to fully removing all makeup and oils after a long day. I used to use face wipes, but not realising this was making me break out more as I wasn’t fully removing my makeup and leaving it on my skin overnight. I now use Body Shop’s Tea Tree foaming cleanser which has really helped reduce my breakouts.
STEP 5.
Finding a spot fighting gel which works for you to battle them annoying break outs! Whenever I feel a sore angry spot raising its ugly head I roll on a bit of Simple’s Spotless Rapid Action Spot Zapper. For me this really works and isn’t drying on my skin, great for sensitive skin and it’s not too harsh on the purse!
STEP 6.
I found this step the most effective at helping reducing breakouts. Hair conditioner is great for helping you look after you’re beautiful locks, but bad for your skin! Conditioner is a thick consistency and can remain on the skin even after washing your skin. As much as I hate going through the process of washing, blow drying and straightening my hair, I now have a few extra steps to help keep them angry spots at bay. I start the usual hair washing process, but I now before stepping in the shower or bath wash my hair over the side of the bath so the conditioner doesn’t touch my skin. I normally leave the conditioner in my hair and leave in using a shower cap and then step out the shower and lean over the shower to wash out the conditioner. Sounds massive ball ache, but it has been worth it to not have as many or no breakouts on my back for days or weeks at a time! Also another tip I recently read, was to wash your body with shower gel after washing your hair to remove all the conditioner.
STEP 7.
Invest In a back brush. Your back is the hardest place to wash if you’re not Mr Tickle from Mr Men. Using your same facial wash on your back help minimise break outs too!
MY FAV SPOT REDUCING PRODUCTS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR ME:
The Body Shop’s Full Tea Tree range Inc. Mask, Foaming Cleanser, Night Lotion and Mattifying Lotion. See my review of the range here
Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2in1 Wash Mask
Simple’s Spotless Rapid Action Spot Zapper
St Ives Sensitive Facial Scrub
The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Liquid Peel (great for reducing acne scaring)
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Facial Clay Face Mask Cleansing
STEP 8.
For me, near the beginning of my period I always have a little break out or a bit red angry spot that just wouldn’t go away! Now I plan when I am due with an app on my phone so I can eat slightly cleaner to help reduce my breakouts!
STEP 9.
Try and get as much sun light to your bare skin as possible, the sun dries out the excess oils in your skin which cause break outs. My savior is wearing a strapless dress, this massively helps!
STEP 10.
Try and minimise wearing make up or try and find an oil free make up. Certain brands of foundation cause me to breakout and increase my blocked pores. Reach for a BB Cream or a CC Cream before a heavy full coverage foundation!
They are just a number that have worked for me and continue to be in my daily or weekly routine to help banish the breakouts!
For full details on the causes and help if you do suffer from acne, click here to be directed to the British Skin Foundation website!
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