Acne can be a terrible pain to deal with, from causing self-consciousness to putting a pretty reasonable dent in wallets trying to find the right products to fight it. But what if we started combating pesky pimples before they even start to form? There are so many easy, cheap, and chemical free ways to keep skin clean and happy, and most of them can be added in to your day-to-day routine.

Cleanse

While this may seem obvious, it’s important to remember that clean skin = happy skin! Throughout the day, our skin is constantly subjected to dirt, natural oils, and other harmful things in our environment. These toxins can find their way into pores, and clog them, which in turn causes acne, so it is very important to rid our skin of as much of this dirt as we can. Cleansing twice a day with a product that is right for your skin type tremendously helps reduce and prevent acne. Our Lavender Skin Cleanser is perfect for oily/problem skin. It is an anti-septic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, gentle cleanser that soothes raw tissue and heals wounds - perfect for combating acne.

Exfoliate

We talk about exfoliating almost every week, and that’s because it is one of the best ways to keep our skin happy; it removes the build-up of dead skin cells and any excess of natural oils that may typically clog pores. Regular exfoliation (2-3 times per week) can help prevent acne breakouts and any inflammation or skin irritation, but the wrong exfoliant may further irritate already inflamed skin. If you are currently experiencing a breakout, I recommend our Reclaim Cleansing Scrub; it is a soothing cleanser that helps remove dirt and build up, fight acne, and still provides a very gentle exfoliation. For a slightly more intense exfoliation, Almond Facial Scrub is a wonderful anti-inflammatory and antiseptic facial scrub that helps keep skin clean and prevent clogged pores.

Don’t Touch your Face

Acne is caused by three factors: excess oil, excess skin shedding, and bacteria. Oil and skin shedding are both things that healthy skin does, but when overdone it can cause clogged pores which lead to pimples. When you touch your face, you are allowing the dirt and bacteria that is on your hands to transfer to the skin on your face, making it easier for the bacteria to find its way in to the pores. While this is not the main cause of acne, and touching your face occasionally will not automatically cause breakouts, if you put greasy, dirty fingers on already congested skin, it will plug your skin follicles and increase chances of pimples.

Don’t Over Clean by Stripping Oils

While cleansing is an essential part of preventing acne, too much cleansing can cause breakouts too. The most important thing to remember is that our skin is an organ, and it has all of its own defense mechanisms when it comes to staying healthy, and it acts as a barrier to keep free radicals and other bacteria out. The skin naturally produces sebum, the oil found on our faces, and knows how much it needs to produce in order to stay healthy. When you over cleanse your face or use a harsh, chemical containing cleanser, it strips the natural oils from your face and can then cause your skin to over produce sebum, which can eventually clog pores because of the oil build up. Limit yourself to washing your face twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, and be sure to use natural, non-foaming cleansers.

Spot Treatments

For traditional, on-the-surface pimples, spot treatments can be very effective in clearing out follicles without irritating the surrounding skin. Most spot treatments contain harmful chemicals that will leave you with dried out, flakey skin, so it is important to know what is in your skincare products before you buy them. Our Blemish Tincture is the best spot treatment I know of - it got me through high school! Wait a day or two before touching the pimple so you will have better luck dealing with it effectively. Wrap tissue around your fingers, and gently apply pressure until it pops, making sure not to be too rough as this may cause scarring. Then, cleanse your face and apply the tincture directly to the problem area with a q-tip.

Moisturize

Moisturizing is an extremely, if not the most, important part of skincare. Like I said before, our skin naturally produces oil that keeps our skin healthy and balanced, and cleansing can strip those oils. While choosing the right cleanser can help prevent this, moisturizing your skin after cleansing will tell your skin that it is healthy and can slow down the production of oil. It took me a long to be comfortable with moisturizing my face – it always made me feel like I looked greasy. Then I tried our Everyday Face Lotion and I couldn’t believe how light it felt! I definitely recommend that one to anyone who has trouble getting themselves to moisturize, it feels wonderful while also providing enough moisture for your skin.