Those of you who have been reading my articles know that I first decided to learn more about skincare to remedy my own personal case of acne. A few years back, I tried everything from prescribed topical medications to oral medications and I used them multiple times per day in an effort to “treat” my acne. Unfortunately, these medications and other numerous over the counter products did little to reduce my acne and often made my skin very dry. I would still continue to have breakouts with or without the medications and they were just as bad when they happened. I found myself in an inescapable loop where I had acne (for whatever reason) and tried to cover it up with makeup, but found that the makeup clogged my pores and suffocated my skin. This in turn worsened my breakouts and made my problem worse. What was I supposed to do? Walk around with terrible breakouts and no makeup, showing off my acne to the world? No! There had to be a better answer …
I’ll tell you right now if you are looking for the holy grail of acne skincare, the one-size-fits-all answer to acne, you are not going to find it. Not here, not anywhere! Why? Because that one answer does not exist. Just as everyone has different personalities, talents, strengths, and weaknesses; everyone has different skin types, different genes, and different reasons for their acne. There are, however, a few hard and fast rules for acne skincare as well as steps you can take to improve your skin.
First, determine your skin type. Depending on your skin type, your method of treating acne will be different. Is it dry and dull, greasy from sunrise to sunset, itchy and sensitive, or just plain unpredictable? Next, take a good look at the products you are currently using. Carefully read the ingredients and directions. Are you using them correctly? Are they the right product for your skin type? Do they seem to worsen your skin condition? You will know if a product is wrong for your skin type if it causes dry patches, redness, makes you itchy, or dries out your skin within two weeks for common use.
If you decide to try something new, remember to write down what your current product does to your skin and how you often you have been using it (be honest). To find new acne skincare products, look for products specifically meant for your skin type or speak to others with similar skin type. A better approach would be to find a brand with an acne skincare regimen for your skin type or a company willing to customized products for specifically for you. Try the new selected product and take notes every few days for the first eight weeks or so. These notes will help you compare the products and track your progress. Again, if the any product irritates your skin within the first two weeks, stop using it immediately and try something else. If however, the product does not irritate your skin, you should continue eight full weeks before making judgment. Keep in mind that your skin will take time to adjust to new product before it can start working properly.
Now on to acne skincare regimen …
Since people have different types of acne, caused by different factors with different reactions to certain products, it is difficult to give an exact regimen, which is guaranteed to work. With that said, there are some things that are fairly consistent with all skin types. For example, you will definitely need to begin by exfoliating. What type of exfoliant you use, though, will depend on your skin type. I recommend a natural sugar or salt-based scrub specifically labeled for your skin type. Next, you will need to wash you face, but make sure to pick a natural soap that is not too drying. You may want to dry up a pimple, but you will not want to dry up your entire face! Anyway, you need to clean your skin and possibly do a little treating, nothing drastic. I always tell people to start out with a Tea Tree Oil Soap Bar, Sea Mud Soap Bar, or French Green Clay Soap Bar. If none of these appeal to you or work for you, then get one made custom! After washing, you must moisturize! Your skin needs to stay hydrated at all times because your skin will produce extra oil when dry to compensate and extra oil will likely mean pimples.
