Before you result to harsh chemicals to clear your acne, try implementing these very quick and easy things into your face care routine to see if they can help improve your complexion.
Change your pillowcases. Oil and bacteria collect on the surface of your pillowcases, and pressing your face into the same surface night after night results in bacteria transfer. Us collegiates are not the cleanest bunch, but if you can dedicate the time to make sure you have fresh bedding, your skin will thank you. By changing your pillowcases after a night or two of sleeping on them, this transfer of bacteria will dramatically decrease. If you suffer from body acne, you may also want to be changing your sheets often.
Try using a simple, nice-to-your-skin cleanser. After years of battling with horrible, painful acne, I scratched all the complicated and medicated products I was using and swapped them for gentler products. Many of us have sensitive skin and when are not aware of it, using products that treat acne can have a reverse effect by irritating the skin and causing more breakouts. I’ve enjoyed results from brands like Cetaphil, Skyn Iceland, Simple, and Lush, which are all advertised as gentle and moisturizing, and I make sure to use a lotion-based cleanser to avoid stripping my face of its natural oils.
Never touch your face. Never pick at your face. It can be such a comfort to mindlessly rest your head on your hands during a boring lecture, but you should keep in mind that your hands have touched things that your face shouldn’t. The skin on your hands and the skin on your face are different and react accordingly. Picking at my face is my greatest downfall when it comes to skincare. It’s satisfying and I feel like I’m aiding my skin by extracting the bad stuff, but the opposite is true; picking at your skin can cause enlarged pores, acne scarring, the spread of acne across the face, and inflammation. Gorgeous supermodel Kendall Jenner said that this was the number one beauty tip her sister Kim imparted to her.
Limit processed foods and dairy. If you haven’t played around with your diet, you may not know what foods trigger acne. It is recommended to stay away from all processed foods for general health, but many have found that the eating of processed food is directly linked to sallow skin and breakouts. Dairy contains growth hormones that we are not supposed to have in our bodies, so it may also be the cause your acne. Try reducing sodium, sugars, fats, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, soy, gluten, cocoa, and whey (one at a time to determine what agitates your skin). Everyone’s body metabolizes food differently, so this is not to say that this will work for you, just that eliminating certain foods has produced improved results for a lot of people.
De-stress. College students are the most stressed population in America, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. We have very dynamic lives, a huge workload, and a lot of external pressure. All this stress absolutely has a negative effect on your skin. Dedicating time to your mental well-being can clear your mind and your acne. Skin gets stressed out, too!
Drink lots of water. Drinking your weight in ounces of water is said to improve the suppleness of your skin and flush toxins out of your system. Water is beneficial to all elements of your being, and the fact is, most of us do not get enough water. Switch out all other drinks with water and watch your skin and mood improve.
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