Six Tips to Combat Acne Breakouts

When you're faced with a breakout, we bet you’d put pretty much anything on your face just to make the acne go away as quickly as possible. However, anti-acne products can be way too harsh for your skin. In fact, many dermatologists recommend limiting the use of anti-acne products to a bare minimum. You should instead make a few lifestyle changes and look for gentle cosmetics that won’t dry out your skin in the long run.

Here are the six most important things to keep in mind when dealing with an acne breakout:

WASH YOUR FACE TWO TIMES PER DAY

No less and no more. No less, because you need to remove all the bacteria and excess sebum clogging your pores and causing acne. No more, because extensive cleansing can have a counterproductive effect, causing your skin to produce even more sebum.

SKIP THE SCRUB

Scrub is a very important part of a skincare routine and even acne prone skin needs regular exfoliation. However, it is not the best idea to use anything harsh on your face in the middle of a breakout. You will only further irritate skin that is already inflamed. It is better to wait until the condition calms down, and then keep using a gentle face scrub once a week.

USE A DETOXIFYING FACE MASK

Clay masks are perfect for when you need to deep-cleanse and detoxify your skin. Clay’s fine particles collect excess oil, purify your skin, soothe it and make it soft and smooth. You can use any clay, but kaolin clay might be the best choice, since it is very gentle on the skin.

FOLLOW WITH A NOURISHING FACE MASK

So, clay masks are great in detoxifying your skin, and they leave your skin completely clean… and completely dry! Some girls are trying to deal with this by adding moisturizing ingredients to their clay masks, but it is much more effective to simply apply a moisturizing face mask right after you wash off the clay mask.

You can even make a replenishing face mask at home by simply mixing 1 tablespoon of mashed banana, 1 teaspoon of honey and a small squeeze of lemon juice.

KEEP MOISTURIZING!

When your face gets all oily and covered in acne, it may seem logical to skip your face cream. However, this can cause your skin to produce even more oil. That is why you need to keep regularly hydrating your skin and use a moisturizer that is lightweight and non-comedogenic.

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT!

There has been much debate on whether certain food can cause acne. And the general conclusion is – no, it cannot. However, if you already have acne-prone skin, it can make the condition much worse. If you are dealing with acne, it is very important to limit, and during the breakouts to completely cut out sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol and soda, as well as any spicy, fried or junk food.