We’ve all been there. You wake up for class, previously going to bed with clear-ish skin, finally. And then, morning comes, and you look in your mirror and what do you see? That little, red-and-puffy, slightly painful devil. It isn’t shy, either. It decided to rear its ugly head right on your forehead, on your nose, or on your chin–somewhere not discreet.
Oh you’ve never experienced that?
Luckily, for those of you who have come to terms with your inevitable acne, here are some natural (and practical) remedies to take care of those pesky pimples.
1. First comes first, wash your face!
And not just once. Wash it in the morning, before bed, and in the shower. Find a cleanser that suits your skin-type (oily, dry, moderate), and soap up! Cleansing your pores daily is a huge part of combating acne.
2. Give your skin a break, will ya?
This is directed towards my ladies. A huge factor that plays into trouble acne is either not taking off your makeup for an extended period of time, or not cleansing your face properly. If you’re not a huge fan of washing your face at night because you’re lazy (like me, oops), make sure to invest in some makeup-remover wipes that also have a cleansing element. I’m currently using wipes from Neutrogena, and they are a godsend. Don’t sleep in your makeup, either. It’s important to give your skin some time to breath, and sleeping is a great time to do so.
3. Toothpaste isn’t just for brushing your teeth.
You must trust me, I did this almost three times a week in high school when my acne was at its worst. Get yourself some toothpaste, and make sure it’s a white-paste toothpaste, and not blue, transparent, or colored in any sort of way (I use Colgate Optic White toothpaste for my teeth AND face). Put a generous amount on your “problem pimples”, ones that are big, inflammed, hurt slightly, and let it stay there for 10 minutes, or however long you prefer (WARNING: toothpaste could dry out your skin a little bit, so make sure you don’t leave it on overnight). After your allotted time, wet a washcloth with hot water and dab, don’t rub, off the paste from your face. Swelling and redness should reduce afterwards!
4. Re-use your already-steeped green tea bags.
I’m a huge tea drinker, so this tip that I found was pleasant to hear. After making yourself some green tea (make sure it’s not infused with any other flavors), use that teabag on your face. Rub the bag on problem areas (for example, my problem areas are my chin and cheeks), and let it dry. The antioxidants from the teabag help to give your skin a healthy glow, and keeps your pores from being clogged (BONUS: it keeps your skin super soft and prevents wrinkles!) You can repeat this remedy as many times as you want, but be wary that after the first go-around, the bacteria from your face will stay on the teabag. Make yourself a new cup of tea and enjoy again! The tea shouldn’t dry out your face.
5. Your diet matters!
Yes, it all annoyingly circles back to what you’re putting into your body. Your physical appearance is a reflection of your diet. The more sugary, fatty foods you eat, the more likely you are to break out. Plain and simple.
6. Drink lots of water!
It’s true that you can dever drink enough water (except for the few people who have died from drinking too much water, which how does that even happen??). Getting your fill of H2O keeps your body clean, hydrates your skin and causes clean pores that are sure to cooperate!
The more you know.