1. Mitigate Stress
Stressful situations happen and at times it can be overwhelming. But we need to get our bodies to calm down because if our bodies are stressed for too long, and chronically, it can affect our hormones as well as different systems in our bodies.
I try these things:
Meditating – quieting my mind
Breath work – breathing techniques
Earthing – connecting with nature (bare feet to the earth, touching/sitting near a tree or plants) and animals
2. Regular Exercise
Get those natural endorphins and your get your body moving! When you sweat you naturally release toxins in the skin!
3. Drink water – HYDRATE!
We all know it is super important to keep hydrated. So many cellular processes within our bodies need it, so do your self a big favor and drink some water!
4. Eat for Wellness
I try to eat healthy and at bare minimum, I eat natural or organic when possible. Mitigate processed foods. Your skin will thank you for it!
5. Keeping Aware of food allergies or food sensitivities
A few years ago, I read an article about a woman who had severe acne and someone suggested she take a food allergy test. She found that she had a dairy allergy, then cut all dairy out, and her face cleared! Ever since reading that article, I keep aware of how all foods make me feel. I discovered over the years, that although I don’t have a reaction to gluten, I noticed that when I cut it out, my skin improved among other noticeable benefits. Also, I developed a nut allergy as an adult – uh! I’m not sure how that happens over time. Maybe I have always been allergic and now the reaction is more noticeable. Either way, I found that peanuts and pistachios make my eyes red and itchy within an hour after eating them. I should probably add other foods on here to avoid (dairy, sugar, caffeine, eggs) I’m not ready to give them up quite yet!
6. I am aware of my skin type
I have combo-skin. My cheeks are fine, but the T-zone is a mess. It is oily, has large pores, and that is where I have my cystic breakouts especially hormonally. Yet, I also have sensitive skin that gets dry! Yes, you can have oily skin and still be thirsty and dry! What does that look like? It looks flaky, oily, and a little raisin like. For years my skin looked this way, and I had no idea that oily skin could be thirsty for external moisturizing and internal hydration!
7. Take Vitamins and Supplements
Take your multivitamin and do some collagen supplements. All good for your body and skin! Also, your cells need these nutrients for those critical cellular processes. If you aren’t eating nutrient dense foods, you definitely should take vitamins!! DO NOT DEPRIVE YOUR CELLS of NUTRIENTS!!
8. Get Good Sleep
You know you need good sleep. During sleep your body repairs, detox, heals, resets your brain and body. If you don’t get quality sleep you could be causing a host of issues which could include hormone imbalances causing stress and breakouts!
9. Staying in the Shade or Wearing a Hat (even on cloudy days)
The sun is good for you but for a small amount of time on a daily basis. If you are outside for more than an hour it is best to cover up, stay in the shade, and or wear sunscreen!
10. Wash your face Twice a day
Use a gel or moisturizing face wash. Drying your skin out with certain cleansers will irritate your skin causing inflammation and then breakouts! So, if your skin feels tight after cleansing, it is the wrong facial cleanser for you!
I switch around with these products:
11. Tone your face
Using a toner is that extra cleanse that you need for your face to prepare for other steps. Be gentle when wiping and swiping. Your toner should be moisturizing as well. So, if again your face feels tight after using toner it is wrong for you and will cause irritation, inflammation, and then a breakout!
I use this:
12. Essences
I LOVE ESSENCES! It feels so luxurious to use and it the next step in getting your skin ready for other products. Essences are usually thin and water like and help rebalance the moisture in your skin. Plus, a lot of essences on the market have extra extracts and vitamins to really boost radiance and lock in moisture!
I LOVE this:
13. Serums
Serums are literally like vitamins and nutrients for the face. I AM IN LOVE WITH SERUMS! I feel like this is the star of the skin routine. Serums are usually packed with tons of anti-wrinkle, anti-aging, and free-radical busting powerhouse!! They seem more concentrated and effective than wrinkle creams for my skin type.
I use these serums:
Caudalie can be expensive, below are budget friendly serums I have used and liked:
DERMA-E, watch out a little for this, for some people it can cause a stingy feeling especially after you exfoliate. May not be for you. I still like it for the peptides and collagen!
14. Retinol/Acne MEDS
When doing a skin care routine, it is wise to go from the thinner to thicker serums and then heavier creams. So, since all the serums and essences are very thin, I apply the retinol/acne meds after. NOTE: Allow some time for the products to soak into the skin before going to the next step/product. Also NEVER mix retinol and benzyl peroxide together – they cancel each out. And if you use retinol during daylight hours make sure you wear sunscreen over it. Sunlight cancels the effects of retinol! It is recommended to use retinol more at night. Also, retinol and acne meds can BE IRRITATING to your skin. Be aware and know how it affects your skin. For instance, I learned that I was very sensitive to retinol. I started out using very little on just my t-zone and eventually that area of my face got used to it; it seems effective for me. ALSO CONSULT WITH A PROFESSIONAL DERMATOLAGIST for HELP.
Below is a product I use, it is on the pricey side. But I've used other retinols and this seems to be very effective in comparison. I do not use this all over my face. I use it more like a spot treatment for blemishes. Also, this is a potent product and if you have never used a potent retinol, it can be irritating. There is a learning curve on how much to use and knowing your personal tolerance. You need very little of this product, so although it is pricey, it will last a long time.
15. Moisturize!!
Use an oil free or non-comedogenic moisturizer. Slap that stuff on!
I'm loving on this lately:
16. SUNSCREEN
Are you going outside at all? Then use sunscreen after your skin routine! Also, IF YOU WANT TO PREVENT PREMATURE AGING – USE SUNSCREEN!!! That is me screaming. Seriously you have to use this stuff not only to protect yourself from ultraviolet damage but from premature aging.
Used this for years now, most people are worried about the white cast. This one isn't that noticeable.
TIP: If you ever had sunscreen burn your eyes, apply eye primer around your eyes after you have applied your sunscreen. WORKS EVERY TIME! Or you can get a different one that won't sting your eyes.
I have used this for years:
17. MASKS
Depending on your skin needs, find you a mask that works for you. It’s like that extraness you need to amp your skin care game. For instance, I use a clay mask to pull out that excess sebum and oil in my skin at least once a week. Then I'll use a moisturizing mask afterwards or sometimes just a good moisturizer. It makes my skin soft and supple!
Some say the clay mask is can be a little rough, but it seems to control excess sebum oil the best for my combo-skin. It is just calcium bentonite clay, and it draws out excess things in your pores. It is definitely helpful.
You will need to moisturize with facial lotion or a moisturizing mask, I honestly do both. Here is moisturizing mask I use. It is pricey, you can use anything you like to moisturize, I just loved this one right here:
18. Exfoliate your Face
I use at home acid peels which for the products I use it doesn’t really peel your skin off. At least you can’t see it. When you get these acid peels FOLLOW the DIRECTIONS PRECISELY. These are serious products that can do a number on your face if used improperly! The home acid peel takes off all the dead skin and reveals a more youthful skin after washing. Also, all your essences and serums go deeper into your skin making it more efficacious. I do this once every two to three weeks.
I use this, but you need to know what you are doing and do your research on facial acids. Some are too strong for your skin. KNOW YOUR SKIN! I've been doing this for awhile so I know this is ok for me:
19. Use gentler facial wash cloths
The reviews are awesome on these. I'm going to give them a try myself. I used a different brand before that isn't available on Amazon anymore. I'm ordering some today and will let everyone know how it went!
***UPDATE*** I have bought these bamboo face washcloths and I do recommend them! They are soft to the touch and exfoliates well. I've used these as a body washcloth too, skin is super soft and smooth, especially after applying moisturizer. However, using this on your face, BE CAREFUL, it is an exfoliating wash cloth! If you are too rough with it on your face, you will experience tenderness, redness, stinging and sensitive skin - meaning you have over exfoliated!
20. Jade Roll
Use that jade roller. Supposedly it helps push the products into your skin and boosts circulation. Shapes your face a bit and is relaxing. I use it, it seems nice. It is cool to the face and is a nice facial massage. Go for it! I do this a few times a week when I remember to.
21. Jojoba Oil
This oil is very close to skin oils and absorbs quickly into the skin. So good for you! It is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, has anti-wrinkle and acne fighting properties! I could go on and on. I use this sometimes as like the very last step in my night skin routine to seal it all up! I also apply it on my lips at night and use it as an oil cleanser to help clear out sebaceous filaments. I also use this for all my skin needs and to boost my body lotion.
I switch around on these a lot, but I totally heart this because the pump dispenser makes it cleaner and hygienic to use. The pump does make the product shoot out so you may want to hold your palm over the dispenser. Other products use a dropper to dispense, you might like that. I didn't because I would accidently touch my hand with the tip and I worried about keeping the product hygienic.
Well now you know some tricks that work for me. Everyone’s skin journey is different and ever changing. My skin is not perfect and I do get breakouts, but these things I do seem to help mitigate them and lessen duration of the breakout. However, I constantly try new products just to see how effective they are. When I find one I love, I love to let everyone know! What works for one may not work for someone else. I hope this blog sparks ideas for your skin journey. Cheers to your best face in 2021!
*Please note that this is not medical advice and that you should seek professional medical help as needed.
Sources for this blog:
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/jojoba-oil-for-face#takeaway
https://www.self.com/story/hormonal-acne
https://www.dermalinstitute.com/article/15/