Hey guys! Today I'm gonna show you guys some tips to cure/fight against the annoying acne during the summer! As you guys all know, it's really hot outside in Boston right now so my skin tends to get oily during the day, this is why pimples started to form on my skin's surface recently. I used to have really bad acne condition when I was younger but I have successfully cured it myself. Whenever I find myself having a breakout or a new pimple, I would immediately feel insecure (who wouldn't, right?) because I'm afraid that the same thing in the past would happen to me again... So if you're having a bad acne condition or just a few pimples that you need to get rid of, keep on reading and I'll show you a lot of useful acne fighting tips! :)
Acne Causes
External Causes: 
Hot weather will easily lead to the openings of hair follicles which will allow bacteria to enter our bodies. Bacteria grow in these clogged follicles and causes blackheads/whiteheads on the skin's surface. Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. When your body produces an excess amount of sebum (oily substance) and dead skin cells, it can create a perfect environment for the bacteria to thrive. Moreover, hot weather also makes you sweat more and makes your skin produces more oil than it normally does, which also known as overproduction of oil; this is the main cause of acne during the summer.
Weather-changing is also a cause of acne. Changes in environment - humidity or weather can trigger breakouts easily. Especially when you're traveling, changes in atmosphere can really worsen your acne. But there's actually nothing you can you about it because it's nature! So just keep yourself hydrated.
A lot of people think that Dirty Skin is the main reason of causing acne. Partially, yes but not always. People tend to scrub their skins harder and cleanse their skins more regularly when they have acne but it actually doesn't help! Scrubbing or over-cleansing the skin with strong chemicals or soaps would only irritate the skin and can worsen acne. In fact, a little bit oil is required because it would maintain the skin's texture and smoothness.
Internal Causes:
Your diet plan and body dehydration! You are either lacking of one of the essential nutrients or your body is not hydrated enough. Those are usually the main reasons to acne. Moreover, if you're a fan of fast food or fried/oily/greasy products, I have a bad news for you: You need to get rid of these food immediately. I know they are yummy but they would worsen your acne condition because they are extremely bad for your skin; they will give you uneven complexion, blemishes and breakouts easily.
There are three main types of food that cause acne: Dairy, Sodium and Sugar.
1. Dairy: Milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, basically any type of cream.
2. Sodium: Salt products such as Chips, French fries, nuts, etc.
3. Sugar: Soda, Chocolate, Juice, Candy, etc. However, Sugar is not as big a factor as Sodium and Dairy so you can still consume some Sugar.
*Also avoid eating chili peppers, hot sauce or spicy food because it will stimulate the growth of acne, especially during the summer time*
Acne Fighting Tips
1/ Separate the acne zone and non-acne zone
Acne is infectious so you need to separate acne and non-acne zones. When applying toner, use 2 different cotton pads, 1 for the acne zone and 1 for the non-acne zone. Even if you have acne almost everywhere on your face, please still use this tip because it'd spread out easily to the non-acne zone. I used to have a lot of acne on my forehead but non on the rest of my face; this trick worked well for me.
2/ Don't touch your face regularly
Yes, this might sound a bit ridiculous but every single thing, even your own hands are full of bacteria and dirts.
Please avoid touching your face at all costs because it can inflame the skin and increase the oil production. Especially, don't pop your pimples! I know that your skin feels lighter after popping pimples but please don't do it ever again because it'd worsen the acne condition and leave acne scars afterwards. I used to pop my own pimples and let other people pop my pimples when I was younger but I realized that it was absolutely not a good idea. To be honest, I think it's nasty and hurtful. Your skin will be irritated and inflamed after popping. Even though the pimples seem to fade away after a few days, more pimples are on their way.
*And, don't sit down on a wet bathing suit during the summertime, because it would increase the chance of developing butt acne!*
3/ Clean makeup equipment/tools after using
Please clean your makeup brushes and sponges after every single usage with brush cleanser. Makeup brushes are constantly collecting leftover makeup and gathering bacteria, which can lead to acne. If you don't have time, clean it once a week. But if you have a bad acne condition and you need to put on makeup every day, clean your makeup tools right after to keep them bacteria-free.
4/ Clean your cellphones with Alcohol/Clorox wipes
5/ Clean your Workout Gear + Yoga Mats regularly
When you're going to Yoga class where you have to use communal yoga mats, consider all the people who have came before you! You're using a mat that other people have been on and imagine the sweat and everything... urgh. And it's yoga, you will be dripping with sweat and oil and rubbing your face against the bacteria on the mat, this will definitely lead to breakout. So, place a clean towel on the end of the mat where your head and face will be, even if you're using your own yoga mat.
Workout gear/clothing will also cause frictional acne as it constantly rubs against your body making you sweat. However, your skin ends up being irritate and eventually develop tiny little red bumps which are actually body acne. I don't know about you but I actually prefer working out in loose athletic clothing!
6/ Use anti-residue shampoo once a week
Forehead acne is usually caused by bangs. Yes, they might be stylish but they're also acne-prone skin's enemy. Even styling products or dandruff can all trigger acne along the hairline and on the forehead. So use an anti-reside shampoo once a week (it's really strong so it will really dry out your hair, so use it only once a week). It will remove buildup, sweat and excess sebum that regular shampoo won't. Some recommended products are: Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo and Bumble & Bumble Sunday Shampoo. And most importantly, please pin your bangs up whenever possible!
7/ Use your own facial towel!
If you're sharing the bathroom with another person, use a separate towel of your own. Acne is infectious, if you have pimples, it's likely that your housemate/roommate will get them too if you guys are sharing the same towel. Moreover, if you're in the process of curing acne, it's highly recommended to use your own CLEAN towel. Never use a strong soap/shampoo to wash your towel, use a gentle skin cleanser product such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser instead!
8/ Drink a lot of water & Supply Vitamin C to your body
Acne is caused by both external and internal forces so you need to hydrate your whole body during the summer to accelerate the acne curing process. Drink at least 1-2 liters of water per day. You will feel like you wanna pee every 15 minutes but that's actually good because your body is removing all the bad things out. Drinking a lot of water will also help you lose weight easily! You should also supply Vitamin C to your body regularly such as drinking more orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice or taking Vitamin C supplement tablets. Meanwhile, minimize the consumption of oily/greasy food and dairy products. Your skin will thank you later on!
OILY SKIN vs. DRY SKIN Acne Skincare
This is based on my personal experience. I used to have oily skin when I was younger but my skin eventually changed to dry skin ever since I moved to the United States.According to my experience, oil skin's acne is more intense and harder to cure. However, dry skin's pimples tend to be bigger and more hurtful.
Oily Skin:
For people who have oily skin, you guys can use almost any acne fighting products such as Proactiv, Clinque Acne Solutions, Dermalogica MediBac, Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, etc. because these products are made for oily skin, they will reduce the excess oil, making your skin appears to have better texture.
Exfoliation doesn't help oily skin at all! It actually stimulates the skin to produce more oil, making it worse for your acne condition.
You guys should also find suitable skincare products for oily skin, especially oil-free products. From what I know, Kiehl's provides a whole oil-free skincare collection: oil-free toner, oil-free moisturizer, oil-free gel cream, oil-free lotion, oil-free BB Cream, etc. I've used some products from the regular collection of Kiehl's and I absolutely love it! I'm actually using Kiehl's facial cleanser for all skin types and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. They are very light-weighted and gentle. I will do a review about Kiehl's products soon!
Plus, if you really need to put on makeup, apply a layer of oil-free moisturizer or any acne-fighting product on before putting on makeup to protect the skin from dirt/chemicals. One more small tip is to carry oil-blotting papers around because oily skin will constantly produce oil so it will definitely be really useful! :)
Dry Skin:
For people who have dry skin, I do not recommend you guys to use these acne-fighting products because they would make your skin very very dry. They will remove the oil on your skin. But your skin is already dry so it will end up irritating your skin and worsen the acne condition. Remember, regularly exfoliating is not good for both dry skin and oily skin! Use it only twice or four times a month, don't overuse it because it would irritate and break down the collagen in the skin - making your skin aging faster.
Moreover, pimples on dry skin tend to be red, so I recommend you guys to use Etude House Aloe Moistfull Soothing Gel. This gel contains enriched Baobab Tree extracts and Organic Aloe which will supply moisture to the skin; you should apply it when you feel extreme dryness or right after washing your wash (pimples tend to be really red after cleansing). Moreover, I also recommend using Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX because it's extremely lightweight, refreshing and hydrated. It's a gel-textured overnight mask with Beta-glucan & Snow Water to deeply hydrate, restore clarity and vitality to fatigued and dry skin (1-2 times/week).
According to my own experience, if you have dry skin and a bad acne condition, don't put on heavy-weighted foundation or loose powder because it will only make your acne more visible. Instead of putting on thick makeup, try a light-weighted tinted foundation or BB Cream! It will make your face look more natural and partially cover your pimples.
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| Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15 - a perfect tinted foundation for bad acne condition skin |
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| Clarins UV Plus HP - Tinted Foundation & Sunscreen. Light-weighted and easily blended. Highly recommend for dry skin, but not for oily skin. Because this product contains sunscreen and high SPF, it tends to get really oily during the day. |
One more product that I would recommend for both skin types is the Clarisonic Mia2 Skin Cleasing System with Acne Cleansing Brush Head. It will keep your pores clean and fresh, reducing the chance of getting pimples during the summer. If you don't have this machine, it's still okay! Just remember to wash your face in circular motions and do not scrub because it will only spread the infection around the face and cause more irritation.
Pheww...!
Such a long post today. I hope you guys enjoy and good luck keep your skin healthy during the summer time.
Cher Vo
July 6, 2013
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