Having clear skin is the most important part of beauty.  It isn't the make-up or what brand you use - it's what's underneath that makes you look gorgeous.  I've struggled with acne for a while and after much trial and error, I now know the rules to keeping my skin blemish free.  I wrote this guide with people who have sensitive, acne-prone skin in mind.  More after the jump!

Wash face only TWICE daily.

Many people make the mistake of washing their face more than twice daily. Some, especially those with severe acne problems, think that cleansing their face 3 to 4 times a day with a product targeted for the elimination of acne will hurry up the "clearing" process. However, washing the face excessively can result in dryness of the skin and even more breakouts. You're scrubbing the skin too much, which can cause irritation no matter how gentle you are. You're cleansing the skin to the point that the natural oil (sebum) it produces to keep it balanced is almost completely extracted from it. And when the balance is gone, drying occurs causing the skin to flake, crack and feel itchy. Limit yourself to washing your face once in the morning, and once at night with a cleanser that works for your skin.

Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!

Although you should try to be as gentle as possible with your skin, it is highly recommended to exfoliate atleast once a week. Washing the face twice daily is just as important as exfoliating once a week in order to maintain the overall health of your facial skin. I'll explain why: your skin is always changing. It sheds itself periodically to get rid of dead skin cells that are replaced with younger cells. This is commonly referred to as "cell turnover". So what can you do to help your skin with this process? Exfoliate. When you exfoliate, you are helping your skin resurface itself and possibly reveal a more clarified, even toned complexion. I'd also like to add that you must NOT abuse the use of an exfoliator. Unless it is written on the label, DO NOT exfoliate more than once a week. Just like over-washing, exfoliating too much can result in dryness, irritation, redness and more breakouts.

Use a special face towel.

I don't really know how common this is, but many people use the same towel for their face that they use to dry their body. Big no-no. Get yourself a small towel for drying your face and only PAT it dry. Do not use it the same way you use your regular towel to dry up your body. Let's always keep in mind that the face is SENSITIVE.

Moisture = balance!

Okay, so you washed your face, you exfoliated and now you must moisturize to complete the 3 basic steps to healthy skin. After washing off impurities we must try to restore the balance to the skin and the only way to do that is by hydrating it properly and lightly. It is very important that you find a moisturizer that works with your skin type. There's dry, normal, oily and combination. Dry skin? Make sure the label says something about helping with dryness. Oily? Make sure the label says oil-free and so on.

If it's itchy, get it off!

I don't care if it's make-up, a cream, a cleanser or a mask. If almost immediately after putting it on your face you start to feel an itching sensation, rinse it off! Itching can never be good. Itch = irritation. I remember when using the Murad Acne Kit, I would put on the exfoliating gel and my face would itch so badly. But I figured that was happening because it was "working". Then putting on the perfecting lotion....woooooo, child! That felt like a thousand needles on my face. And no joke: I would be fanning my face for atleast 15 minutes after that. Really, I thought it was working. But my skin's reaction after a few days told me that it wasn't. I broke out worse than I was before and my naturally oily skin became dry and flakey. So, plain and simple: if it's right for you, whatever you put on your face should not itch or cause you pain.

Keep your hair out of your face.

Especially when you go to bed! Either wrap your hair with a scarf or tie it up into a pony tail. When you fall asleep, hair can stick to your face and transfer bacteria. Dirt, oil, dandruff and sometimes even the product you put in your hair can all cause you to break out. Allowing your skin to breathe at night is very important, so don't let your hair get in the way of that!

Stop touching your face!

The worst thing you can do is touch or pick at your face. I know it's hard, but try your best not to rest your chin or cheeks in your hands. And when you see a big, fat, juicy pimple LEAVE IT ALONE! It has been proven (and trust me, I am a victim of this myself) that picking at pimples WILL leave scars behind and cause dents in your skin. Sometimes these scars can be permanent and the ones that aren't take a looooong time to disappear. And as for dents, it's hard to restore your skin back to its natural smoothness once this happens. Some people even have to go through laser resurfacing of the skin which can cost thousands of dollars and even then the skin will never go back to its naturally smooth appearance. Let's not forget to mention that hands carry bacteria and germs too and when you're picking at your face or simply touching it, these things can easily seep into your skin and make your condition worse!

Avoid sleeping with make-up on.

One of the biggest mistakes I've made is sleeping with make-up on. When you do that, you're not allowing your skin to breathe. Your skin absorbs about 60% of whatever you put on it and night time is crucial to your skins self-renewing process... so imagine having a bunch of dried up foundation, dirt from the street, mascara, setting powder...the works! Your skin will not be able to try to renew itself because you are clogging your pores with all this junk and leaving it on! OK, so maybe one night you're so beat that you just fall into bed and forget to take off your makeup. Fine. But don't make it a habit. Try to wash that face morning and night - always.

Use satin or silk pillow cases.

Silky or satin pillow cases can definitely help with breakouts and the overall appearance of your face. Have you noticed that after falling asleep on a regular pillow case, you wake up and you can see the indentations of the fabric all over your cheeks? This can contribute to faster wrinkles and irritate existing acne. Buy yourself a satin or silk pillow case, it doesn't have to be expensive - any will do the trick - and begin to experience the difference!

Give products a 60 day trial.

OK, so you've been using a new system for about a week and your face doesn't seem to have gotten any better. You decide you're through with the product and you toss it for a new one. What's wrong with this? One, you didn't give your skin the chance to take in the product you were using. Two, you may be making things worse by switching to a totally different product. Your skin needs time to adjust to new treatments and show you proper results. Give everything atleast two months before you dismiss it. Just because you don't see immediate change it does not mean it's not working.

Research for your skin.

Not every acne product or solution out on the market is for you. Everyone has a different type of skin. What works for me may not work for you. So keeping that in mind, you should try your best to get familiar with common ingredients so that you may later on identify them and know whether they will work in your favor or not. For instance, I realized my skin does not have a positive reaction to Benzoyl Peroxide after using the Peter Thomas Roth 10% BPO Acne Wash. Many people out there find that their blemishes start to clear with the use of products that contain BP, but not me. So now when I go out to buy a cleanser, I know to stay clear of ones that contain BP. If you are experiencing problem skin as we speak, the only way you will find your solution is through trial and error. Maintaining clear skin is easier than getting rid of acne, believe it or not. So get ready to get personal with your skin in order to know what keeps it clear and beautiful.

Hygiene is key!

Washing your face alone may not be enough. You must also take care of the things you use that somehow come in contact with your face. Wash your pillow cases atleast once a week. Like we said before, hair collects dirt, oils and dandruff which all transfer onto your pillow case. Use a detergent formulated for sensitive skin (fragrance-free). Same goes for your face towel, hair scarfs or bath hair bands. Try to avoid using cosmetic sponges for the application of make-up and if you do, get the disposable ones and toss them as soon as you're done. I would recommend using brushes for your make-up and washing them with a gentle soap (like baby shampoo) every 2 weeks, depending on how often you use them.

Relax.

Stress is one of the biggest causes of premature aging. It can cause you to break out, lose or gain appetite to an extreme and to your disadvantage, and you may even experience insomnia because of it. Relax. Laugh at yourself, laugh at your problems. Don't take the world too seriously. When we feel happy, our body is able to show it through radiant, glowing skin. So try your best to be joyful and avoid situations of discomfort. We can all agree that a good, positive attitude can bring success to many different areas of our lives. Our physical appearance is one of them : )

Comments

lasdre  - great tips!   |Registered |2008-02-18 10:26:29 you sound alot like me when it comes to your acne! my skin acts the same way! although i knew some of the advice you offered, i did not know everything! thanks so much for the tips! i will et you know if i see an improvement! by the way, i have been using Clinique's new 3 step acne line! it isnt terribly drying like some others and it has worked well for me for the past 4 months! thank you again!

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