8 Tips for Clear Skin

January 6, 2015

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Acne is a battle. Whether you are struggling with mild breakouts or severe acne, what your skin looks like affects the way you feel. I tried so many strategies and products to clear my skin, and I finally feel that I got a handle on fighting breakouts! Here are 8 tips I learned in all my research and many months of trial and error!

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1. Cleanser: I am guilty of trying every face wash under the sun that has claimed to “cure my acne.” Again and again, I was disappointed with the loss of money and the lack of results in these products. My husband used to say to me, “Are you sure you should be putting that many different products on your face?” And I would almost laugh at him saying,”No, this is suppose to do wonders!” Well I hate to say it, but hubby was right! In the last few months, I stopped using harsh face washes and switched to Cetaphil, which is a gentle cleanser for all skin types. I noticed MAJOR results just by switching to a gentle cleanser that simply cleaned my face.

2. Toner: I used to think that toners were a joke. Just another product that the industry created for us beauty junkies to waste our money on. So, I went years without adding it into my skin care routine. A couple months ago, I was on the blog Beauty and Basketball Wife, and the author Kayla discussed her struggles with acne and she named a few products that really kick started her journey to clear skin. One of those products was Clean and Clear Deep Cleaning Toner. I remember throwing it in my cart one day at Target thinking to myself, “Well, I doubt this will do much for only $4 but I will give it a whirl!” How wrong I was! I truly think this toner has made a serious difference in my skin because of the .5% salicylic acid that is contains.

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3. Vitamins: Because of diet, lack of exercise, and even sleep depravation, our body has a more difficult time gaining the nutrients it needs to function properly. Unless you have an excellent diet filled with nutrient filled foods, you are probably deficient in vitamins and minerals that would really help combat acne.

Here are some vitamins I started taking that I think really helped clear my skin:

* Zinc – This mineral helps heal the skin and helps with preventing scaring that can develop from acne.

* Milk Thistle- This works to clean the liver and remove toxins from your body as well as work to create a hormonal balance.

* Turmeric Spice- This is the “cure all” acne pill. It can help reduce acne redness, inflammation, skin discoloration, and more!

* Biotin- This creates fatty acids, which help nourish the skin. This will also help nail and hair growth as well!

* Vitamins   A (cellular Turnover and clear pores)          C (Cellular repair)       E (Antioxidants- which fight free radicals)

* Green Tea- See bellow.

4. Green Tea: The word antioxidant and green tea are almost always used in the same sentence. But there is a good reason for that! Antioxidants combat free radicals, which work to attack your skin cells. Think of green tea as an army to defend your skin from the harsh environment. You can either take capsules or drink 1-2 cups a day!

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5. Steam Room/ Sauna: The main benefit to these heat rooms is that both facilities open up your pores and increase blood flow. The steam room especially is excellent for skin detoxification because it helps clear out impurities. When you sweat, it removes toxins and cleanses the body. Acne is often causes by congested pores. When you expose your skin to steam and high temperatures, it has the chance to decongest itself by sweating.

 6. Bye Bye Bateria: Germs are everywhere! On our phones, where you sleep, in your bathroom… it is hard to escape them. But you can try to eliminate your breakouts by consistently cleaning those objects that are always coming in contact with your face!

*Pillow Cases- Think about it… Your face touches that pillow every single night. How often do you wash it? I would suggest washing or exchanging your pillow cases either once a week, or max every other week.

*Phone- This one is a little gross if you think about it. Your phone is everywhere and touches EVERYTHING! I like to carry Wet Ones with me so that I can constantly sanitize my phone and prevent bacteria from spreading from the environment to my face, which would in tern causes a breakout.

*Makeup brushes- If you have moderate or mild acne, you can get away with cleaning your makeup brushes once a week. But if you are constantly struggling with breakouts, than I would highly suggest cleaning your makeup brush every night to prevent bacteria from growing and then transferring onto your face! I just wash my brushes with baby shampoo. 

7. Greek Yogurt Mask- Using face masks on the regular is another great way to detox your skin. Here is a DIY face mask I love to do once a week:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, 1 Tbsp Organic Honey, 1/2 Lemon squeezed

Mix all the ingredients together and apply to your face with either your fingers or a spoon.

Let dry on the face for 10-15 minutes.

Remove with warm water and pat your face dry.

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8. Deal with Stress: When I am stressed, it shows up on my face. This year, there was a point where I was very anxious. And that is when my breakouts were the worst. Although we cannot always change the circumstances we are in, we can control how we deal with it.

*Exercise- Studies show that exercise can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. I love to go for runs or head to the gym when I am feeling overwhelmed.

*Journaling- Sometimes thoughts can cloud are mind and make us feel like the world is closing in on us. When I have a difficult time sleeping because there is so much on my mind, I like to take a journal and write down all the things I need to do or what is bothering me. This makes me feel like I have a better grip on my daily task.

I hope you found some tips and tricks to clear your skin!

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