An education in acne….
Hello my beauties! Acne! Arguably, the most evil entity in the world. The deck seems to be stacked against us because so far acne seems to be undefeated. According to recent statistics, 95% of people will have to deal with acne at some point in their lives, and 50 million Americans (that’s more than the amount of eczema, psoriasis and rosacea sufferers combined). As a matter of fact, we are all so desperate to combat acne, that we’re collectively spending 1.6 billion dollars a year on products and treatments! I know, insane! I asked some of my favorite beauty experts from Osea Malibu on your behalf and these are the treatments they recommended:
"Our pillowcases holds on to the bacteria that our skin is pushing out and every time we lay down, we reintroduce that bacteria back into our face."
1. Change your pillowcases often!
I read somewhere that someone cured their acne by simply washing their pillowcases every single night. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! I understand that this might sound ostentatious but what I did was go to the dollar store and purchased 30 pillowcases for 30 dollars and exchange them out every night. My skin cleared completely! Why does this work, you ask? Every single night, our skin goes through a recovery process, which includes pushing out all of the oil and bacteria out of our skin. Which means, whenever we lay on our pillowcase, our pillowcases holds on to the bacteria that our skin is pushing out and every time we lay down, we reintroduce those bacteria back into our face. Creating a vicious cycle. So, the fastest way to get rid of acne is to change out our pillowcases every single night.
2. Change from Liquid makeup to mineral makeup
Mineral makeup is pretty much grounded minerals into powder that you can then apply to the skin. Mineral makeup removes all the toxic ingredients and keeps the essentials for a healthier skin. Mineral makeup comes in different textures and different shades. In general, Look at non-comedogenic products for your sunscreens, concealers and moisturizers. They simply do not clog your pores. My favorite mineral foundation is the bare mineral matte foundation with SPF 15. The only downsize to mineral makeup is that they don’t last as long on the face as regular makeup.
3. Use Cleansers with salicylic acid
Most people with clogged pores think their face is dirty, so they try to over-cleanse it. Unfortunately, that isn’t the problem. The problem is people with acne-prone skin have sticky skin cells which in turn clogs your pores easily. So, really you have to do preventative care and maintenance to keep your pores from getting clogged. One of the best thing you can do is use a cleanser with salicylic acid everyday. Salicylic acid helps exfoliate the skin and encourages cell turnover. It helps destroy bacteria. A good and affordable one is the Bioré blemish-fighting cleanser.
4. Use Chemical Peels
Chemical peels can help with mild acne scars, reduce blackheads, and also rejuvenate the skin all while treating acne. I do understand they can be a bit pricey when getting them professionally done like I am doing here at OSEA using their willow bark natural alternative, but you can do this at home yourself. I use the MUAC 40% lactic acid peel once a week and I love it. I’m not going to lie to you, chemical peels burn and hurt but beauty hurts. You should always take caution and educate yourself before performing any chemical peels. It is always a good idea to start with lower % peels and work up to stronger ones if that is your desire. Also, I know you're tired of hearing this but with ANY chemical exfoliation you’ll always want to use sunscreen!
5. Light Treatment
LEDS in the red and blue spectrum kills bacteria and temporarily help reduce acne count without any real side effects. During your treatment, your dermatologist would use specialize lights to target the bacteria that are infecting those follicles. The lights used in the LED light essentially remodels the second layer of the skin without removing the first layer of the skin. You can come in to OSEA MALIBU for a treatment like this or you can buy a LED light over-the-counter. The one I’ve tried and absolutely swear by is the LightStim for Acne LED Light Therapy Device . It's a low level non-UV LED light therapy which means it does not cause any damage to your skin. Everyday, use an antiseptic or alcohol wipe to clean the LED of any bacteria and then simply plug it in and voila relax for 30 minutes or as directed by the brand.
"The best thing is that you can actually save yourself a trip to the dermatologist now and purchase retinol over-the-counter yourself."
6. Vitamin A/Retinol
Vitamin A is the king of skincare. It’s a perfect antioxidant and the holy grail ingredient in all skincare products. When applied it’s called Retinols! Retinols work in many ways to reduce acne counts. They are anti-bacterial, they help reduce inflammation and control oil production. It is the perfect ingredient for acne-prone skin! The best thing is that you can actually save yourself a trip to the dermatologist now and purchase retinol over-the-counter yourself. Use in the PM and USE SUNSCREEN WHEN USING RETINOL!!!!! You should certainly be using sunscreens anyway, but retinol increases your skin sensitivity to UV radiation, so please use sunscreen if you’re using retinol!
7. LET YOUR SKIN BREATHE!
Of course wearing makeup can make you feel more beautiful and feel more confident especially when battling acne. However, makeup is incredibly damaging to the skin. Sometimes, when you’ve tried it all, going makeup-free is the ONLY SOLUTION. Most makeup products are made using harmful toxins that can wreak havoc on our skin. You combine that with dirty brushes and sponges and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster. Makeup products on top of an active breakout is going to inflame your skin and alas, you are stuck in this vicious cycle. So, keep pores unclogged and let your skin breathe and I promise, you’ll start seeing noticeable difference in a short amount of time.
Thank you Osea Malibu for partnering with Specsandblazers on this article. If you are ever in Los Angeles, visit their spa on Abbot Kinney and use the code "SPECSANDBLAZERS" to get 20% off on your first facial with them. Have a great weekend everyone!
