My Best Skin Ever
Acne anxiety is a real thing. It’s not a real diagnosis, but being self conscious about your appearance can lead to anxiety. I struggled with this especially during my high school and college years. Every morning I would run to the mirror to assess the situation on my skin. And usually, would be disappointed with what I saw.
I tried endless cleansers, makeup that was created for “acne prone skin,” and every lifestyle trick I could find on the internet. Nothing worked, in fact it probably made matters worse. It wasn’t until my early 20’s & out of college that my skin finally got under control. It wasn’t completely perfect, but it was an improvement.
So, I wanted to share changes that I made that helped me clear up my skin for good.
How I Cleared Up My Skin
Magic Products: Vitamins
The best and biggest change I made was taking a vitamin that targets skin health. I purchase mine with a monthly subscription from Halo Beauty. This company was founded by Tati Westbrook, also known as Glam Life Guru. She started the company with a Hair, Skin, Nails supplement, and then extended her line to Kiwi Seed Booster. The Kiwi Seed Booster is the supplement made primarily for skin, and it has changed my life.
I notice when I’ve missed a couple days, for example if I was traveling. But after getting back to the routine of taking them every day, it only takes a couple days for my skin to get back to normal. Honestly, there’s an odd aroma and aftertaste with these vitamins, but I just drink a lot of water immediately after taking the capsule and barely notice it.
Magic Products: Skincare
I’ve also found some great products that work well with my skin and don’t cause breakouts. I have combination skin. My T zone can be oily, but around my nose & eyes tend to be dry. For the longest time when I was in high school, I thought that moisturizing would break me out, and I used countless pimple creams that dried out my skin. My skin was so dehydrated and it still broke out.
Cleansers are one of the biggest things that break me out. I switched to Honest Beauty’s gel cleanser at the beginning of 2020 and I will never use anything else. It’s a drugstore brand and you can snag the cleanser for $12. It cleans the skin without stripping it of moisture. I also use multiple moisturizers in my skincare routine. My favorite ingredient is Hyaluronic Acid which attracts moisture to the skin. I use a moisturizer that has this ingredient in it, as well as a Hyaluronic Acid serum. Another ingredient I’ve been loving recently is Squalane. This is a plant based ingredient that is super hydrating.
Lifestyle Changes
Another way I keep my skin hydrated and happy is drinking lots of water, and eating clean. Diet plays a big factor in skin health. In high school, specifically senior year, I was eating at fast food restaurants every day for lunch. And in college I was drinking quite a bit and eating tacos at 2 AM. I notice when I eat a lot of dairy then my skin acts up. I do not cut this ingredient out of my diet completely (I love cheese too much), but I limit how much I eat.
Laundry is another factor that some people might not correlate with breakouts. I find that refreshing my towels and sheets (especially pillowcases) every two weeks keeps big breakouts at bay. Maskne is a new trigger we have to worry about, but keeping your masks clean will help with that. Maskne may be annoying, but it’s not an excuse not to wear a mask. 🙂 If you suffer from acne on other areas of your body, make sure to wear clean clothes. It sounds weird, but in quarantine I find myself wearing the same sweatshirt multiple days in a row. Specifically make sure you’re wearing clean workout clothes. Bacteria from sweating can get trapped in your leggings and sport bras, causing acne on chest or other areas.
Perhaps the “chore” that I hate most is cleaning my makeup tools. I have a lot of brushes, and I use a lot of them when filming IGTV tutorials. The chore isn’t hard, but it takes me a lot of time. BUT, getting in the habit of doing this every couple weeks has changed my skin. Brushes and sponges that come in contact with liquid products build bacteria faster than powder products, and it’s the liquid products that go ALL OVER your face. I found a great tool called a Brush Cleaner Palette at TJ Maxx for cleaning my brushes, & just use some baby shampoo to lather them up.
In Conclusion…
Everyone’s skin is different, so these tips and tricks might not work for everyone. The advice that will work for everyone, every time, is keeping track of what comes in contact with your skin: makeup, skincare, laundry detergent, and food. If you keep a record of these things you’ll be able to tell when something doesn’t work, or even better when it does. It won’t happen overnight, and there are tons of products out there for you to try.
I still get small breakouts due to hormones, but now I know how to control it. Stressing about it will only make matters worse. The bottom line is this: acne doesn’t define you. You are beautiful whether you have a good or bad skin day.
