As many of you know, I have struggled with adult onset acne for a few years now. I never understood how my face was so clear during my teen years because I never did any kind of skin regiment, apart from just washing my makeup off at night. Around the time I started losing weight, my skin decided to go ape sh--
Excuse me, let's keep this post PG.
I looked up all sorts of things to see why my face was breaking out. Was it the makeup I was wearing? Was it my healthy diet? Did I catch leprosy? Honestly, I don't know what triggered my skin to completely change when I was 22. I even studied Chinese face mapping a little bit to see what my body was trying to tell me and still got no answers. I finally just gave up and accepted that this is the skin I have, so I may as well work it (hair flip). Over several years, I have discovered a few tips that have helped my face clear up immensely. I hope that these tips help anyone who is like me and just wants to not look like a 15 year old pubescent twit.
1.) Wash your darn makeup brushes
I have always been super clean with my makeup brushes, both because I am a germaphob and because I often do other people's makeup, so I have to keep everything sanitary. If you don't wash your makeup brushes often, especially if you use a sponge, like a Beauty Blender, to apply your makeup, then you are creating an ideal environment for a population explosion of bacteria. Bacteria on your face is never a good thing. To keep my skin clear, I wash my brushes about once a week, and I microwave my damp Beauty Blender a few times a week for 60 seconds. This step did clear up my face somewhat, but not completely. Which leads me to the next time.
2.) Use a darn face mask
I don't think it really matters what face mask you use, just as long as you are consistent with it. I like the Queen Helene Mint Face Mask that I bought at the Family Dollar for 3 bucks. I also like the Freeman Oatmeal and Clay mask as well. Anything that hardens when dry and purges pores is ideal for acne prone skin. The mint mask actually makes my skin feel tighter, plus the mint in it is so refreshing. Every time I use this mask, I have a good skin day. I usually do my mask on Sunday nights, but do it how ever many times a week you like. Just remember to be consistent with it or you won't see continual effects.
3.) Disinfect your darn pillows
It's not realistic to wash your pillow cases every night. Think about all of the oil, hair products, dead skin cells, and even sweat that accumulates on your pillow night after night. All of nasties just lay and wait to clog your pores up when you get into bed. Instead of washing your pillowcases every night, you can use tea tree oil to disinfect them. All you need to do is buy some tea tree oil, which is in the vitamins section at Wal-Mart for $7, and a 3 oz spray bottle. I put about 7 or 8 drops of tea tree oil into the spray bottle and fill it up with water, then I use it to mist on my pillow. You can also use this spray on your makeup brushes between cleaning. I spray this mist directly on my face after I wash it in the morning just in case there is any bacteria left on there, as well as at night before I get into bed. When you first start using this mist, you may notice that you get a few dry patches on your face. If you keep consistent with using the mist, these will go away as your skin will get use to the presence of the tea tree oil. If you are prone to acne on your back or other unmentionable places, use this mist on those areas as well. Fun fact: Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo to help combat dandruff. If you have a kid in school, tea tree oil also helps repel lice. Too bad it doesn't help repel children-- I would keep a bottle in my purse at all times if that were the case.
4.) Wash your darn hands
Are you eating fried chicken and then applying moisturizer to your face with your greasy paws? Never touch your face unless you have thoroughly washed your hands. I even keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in my makeup bag and in my free lance kit so that I know my hands are never going to transfer bacteria to my face or someone else's. Be conscious of when you are touching your face. This is disgusting so let me share-- One day in my office I accidentally knocked my phone off of my desk. When I saw the receiver, I wanted to hurl. There was like a quarter of an inch of foundation stuck to the receiver! Needless to say, I now wipe that bish down with a Clorox wipe on the daily. I also have a bad habit of resting my chin on my hand when I am working up cases that I was not aware of until I caught myself doing it. I was shaking people's hands at work and then touching my chin. The hand germs of a stranger were growing on my face. If that doesn't make you want to take an acid bath, nothing will.
5.) Invest some darn money in a quality product
After spending hundred of dollars on products that never worked, I finally bit the bullet and purchased a Clarisonic Mia. Everyone I knew had tried to convince me that my breakouts were hormonal and a Clarisonic would not help. I knew that my breakouts were not hormonal, but rather from some unsanitary practice that I was unconsciously performing. I can tell the difference in a cystic pimple that is infected and incredibly painful, versus a red bump that may appear every 28 days. Since I purchased my Mia, I have not had one cystic pimple. My makeup goes on so much smoother, I have very few black heads, and my skin is so freaking soft. I know that this piece of equipment is very expensive at right near $100, but it really is worth the investment. If I had back all the money I had spent at on knock off products like the ones that both Neutrogena and L'Oreal have on the market, I could have probably bought five Clarisonics. You get what you pay for, and if you desire clear skin, you need this device. As a bonus, in addition to the 90 day window that you have in which you can return it to the store you purchased it at, Clarisonic also gives you a year warranty. If at anytime this product is not living up to your expectations, then you can send it back. That shows how the company stands behind their product, which is something very admirable.
Bonus Tip-- When McDonald's had their iced coffees on sale for $1 a couple of months ago, I was getting one almost every day and my acne was getting bad again and I couldn't figure out why. I finally put two and two together and figured out that the milk in the iced coffee was giving me acne. I cut out my iced coffee and all dairy except for cheese, and I have not had a breakout since. If you're struggling, try cutting out dairy and see what happens for you!
I hope that you found these tips helpful and that you will be able to get your skin problems under control. Remember to follow me on Twitter @Butterybiscuit7, on Instagram @Bridgetb2011, like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BeautyOnABudgetBlog, and follow me on BlogLovin. Thanks for reading!
Xoxo,
Bridget
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