Seventh and eighth grade I was a royal mess. I was too pubescent to know how to properly take care of my skin and I was significantly more oily and acne prone than my baby-faced peers. This resulted in many embarrassing photos to look back on with a shiver. My problem was, I had no idea what to do with this new active skin. I had to teach myself how to take care of it, and it didn’t help that I was so dang lazy.
Ever since those days, my face has dramatically cleared up. I still have large pores around my nose, but some these are just genetic’s fault. Of course, I still get some zits, but that is just a part of having naturally oily skin. Along the way of my revelation, I have curated a strict skin care regime that has gotten me where I am today. Here is how I battle my oily skin:
Wash your face Twice a day. Morning and night. With cold water.
I prefer the aloe kind. You can buy it online or at Ulta Beauty.
Stick to a routine
Having a consistent routine can get you into a good habit. Hint: wash your face before you get tired at night.
Don’t touch your face unless you are washing it
No matter how often you wash your hands, they are always going to be covered in dirt and oil. Whenever you rest your face on your hands or rub your eyes, that dirt and oil transfer onto your face. Try to keep it a habit not to touch your face.
Wash your pillowcase If you think about it, your pillowcase gets the full brunt of all the oil and dirt that you carry throughout the day and night, even if you wash your face before you go to bed. Make it a habit to wash your pillowcase every single time that you do the rest of your laundry.
Use a mattifying moisturizer
To keep the shine down in around your cheeks and forehead, use a mattifying face lotion as the last step of your face routine. Hint: tea tree is great essential oil for acne as long as you use it in moderation.
Know the ingredients before you buy it
Ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are great zit zappers. However, a lot of products try to skimp out on the amount that is actually in the bottle. For salicylic acid, look for about a 1.5 or 2% and for benzoyl peroxide, look for about a 10%.
Exfoliate weekly What better way to get all that dead skin and blackheads that sit on the surface of your skin than to scrub them off? There are tons of options for facial exfoliant but if you want, you can make your own with either coffee grounds or sugar.
Invest in quality face masks A lot of the cheap face masks that you see at Walmart or drug stores don’t do a whole lot for your skin. When buying face masks, look at the ingredients and make sure that they contain something that will benefit your skin.
Yes queen, drink your water. Your skin cannot properly hydrate and heal itself if the only thing you’re giving it to work with is iced coffees.
I feel like I could add a lot more to this because it feels like I put so much energy and time into my face care routine, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t worth it. Having clear skin has improved my self-confidence greatly, giving me the boost that I need when I leave my apartment each morning. If you feel like you aren’t you aren’t giving your skin the attention it deserves, try starting with a solid routine, and go from there. At the very least, wash it twice a day. The rest will follow.