How To: Clear Skin.
As an eighteen year old, I have definitely had my fair share of irritating, problematic skin. Even throughout elementary school I would find myself waking up with completely different skin than the night before, but at the time, I was extremely hopeless in what steps to take in order to prevent these breakouts from occurring. While hormones may (and do) play a large role in how your skin behaves during your teenage years to early twenties, it is important to recognize that a simple, quality skin care routine can change your skin overnight. Okay- maybe not overnight- but within no time you will find your "holy grail" products that you will not want to let go of. Here are a few of my ~holy grail products~ I discovered recently that I can't believe I went eighteen years without. These products have certainly worked wonders for me. I hope you have the chance to try them out!
(For reference: I have combination to oily skin)
For removing your makeup: After long days at school or work, the first thing I like to do when I get home is remove the makeup I applied likely 8 or more hours ago. For me, makeup wipes have always been my go to. (TIP: store your makeup wipes right side down in order to always have extremely damp, easy-to-use makeup wipes that will not tug on your skin). I do recommend that you keep your makeup wipes simple. Sure, it may smell nice to have scented wipes or it may make you feel like you are combating your acne even more if you grab the wipes with salicylic acid in them, but keeping it simple is key. My favorite makeup wipes come from Costco- yeah you heard that right- Costco. I mean 150 wipes for about $10 is such a steal, and these makeup wipes are by far the best ones I have ever used. They are hypoallergenic, ultra mild, and paraben free. These seriously glide across your face so effortlessly and will remove ALL your makeup with the ease of a single wipe, and they are great for anyone with any skin type. Give them a try! You will not be disappointed.
For washing your face: For washing my face, I use a very simple bar soap that is super effective and versatile- you can use it for your face and/or body! For just around $3.99 at Walmart or Ulta, you can get ahold of the African Black Soap: Acne Prone Face & Body Bar a.k.a. the most life changing product ever. This bar soap is said to "cleanse, hydrate and calm problem skin, helping to balance oily skin for a clearer complexion," and this statement is totally true! However, with that being said, if you are someone with extremely dry skin, I may refrain from using this product as it is more directed towards those with oily skin and can be a bit drying at times. For those who do decide to purchase any product from this post, this cleansing bar would be the one. For the price, it is hard to beat such an effective, quality made product. Within no time, you will wake up and notice just how much clearer your skin is looking- 10/10 would recommend.
For toning your skin: Toner is a part of many people's skin care routines that is often over looked but can be very helpful to combating those annoying breakouts that seem to never want to go away. The toner I use, Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner, can be found at stores, such as Walgreens or Tom Thumb, for the low price of $3.99. This product is a 100% natural formula that will further cleanse and condition your skin without drying it out. I will typically moisten a cotton pad and apply this product onto my face and neck. For such an easy-to-use and inexpensive product, toner should not be left out of your skin care routine. Soon enough, you will be waking up with soft and beautiful skin and can further attribute that back to this great product (TIP: ~or something to remember~ the smell of this specific toner is a bit strong and is something to get acquired to, but fight through! The results are worth the scent that lingers for about 10 seconds).
For moisturizing your skin: Moisturizer is an essential part of one's skin care routine. Even for someone with oily skin, I can assure you that moisturizing will not make your skin more oily. In fact, when those with oily skin try to combat it by using drying product, after drying product, after drying product- your skin will get so dry that your oil glands will CRAVE letting oil out; therefore, resulting in even more oily skin than before. In order to prevent this from occurring, I recommend investing in a good moisturizer that will leave your skin feeling hydrated and smooth. For me, such a product is my Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture Cream. Unfortunately this product is a bit on the pricey side; however, Murad is always offering a 20% off discount code, along with many samples to compliment your order. This cream is said to be a "luxurious, yet lightweight cream that provides 24-hour hydration to restore suppleness and visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," (SIDE NOTE: it is never too early to begin reducing fine lines and wrinkles.) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate- your skin is so sensitive and should never be cracking or peeling- moisturizers are literally HOLY GRAIL products when it comes to achieving glowy, healthy skin. (TIP: don't just moisturize to hydrate your skin, but make sure to drink lots of water too! I cannot stress it to you enough how much water affects your skin- it is so crazy! Drink up, you'll notice a world of a difference). For a similar product that is MUCH cheaper, give the Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 a try! It achieves very similar results for a fraction of the price as the Murad cream.
Finally, for spot treatments: If after all of this, you still find yourself getting a little breakout here and there- don't worry about it because my ~homie~ tea tree oil will be your savior. I use The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil which targets blemishes and remove impurities. Implemented into my skin care routine in order to combat blemishes that seem to pop up no matter what, this $10 oil does a fantastic job at minimizing the irritated appearance of my acne. At night, I will dab this product onto my problem areas with a q-tip, and by the morning, I can already see a dramatic difference in the texture, size, and redness of those spots. Get your hands on this product, either at Ulta or online, because it truly is an "overnight sensation" that will be a life savior during those times when you need to get rid of a zit A.S.A.P.
So, there you have it. My skin care routine in a nutshell (quite the long one...sorry. Yo girl can write). Enjoy and happy 2017! NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, NEW SKIN CARE.
Thanks for reading,
Brooke XO