How to Treat and Prevent Acne

I'm one of those lucky people who didn't get acne during my teenage years, just to get acne once I reached adulthood.  Awesome, right?  But that means that I've identified a few tips and tricks to treat and prevent acne.{image via intothegloss}

Wash everything

Yes, we wash our face daily, but what about the other surfaces that touch our skin?  Whenever I notice that my skin is misbehaving, I change my pillowcases and washcloths immediately.  It's also a good idea to wash your phone case and the phone at work if you use it frequently.

Also, make sure your face is getting fully clean.  I like to use a cleansing oil to remove makeup (like the DHC one mentioned here) followed by a traditional cleanser.  One of my favorite cleansers is the Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser, that's actually perfect for day or night (full review here).

Use acne-fighting ingredients

salicylic acid

Salicylic acid is widely used to treat acne because it exfoliates skin, clears pores and fights bacteria - all things that help treat and prevent acne.  It is also popular because it comes in so many different products, like cleansers, moisturizers and stand alone acne treatments.  I am a huge fan of products that include salicylic acid, like Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash and MAC Prep + Prime Blemish Control Gel (full review here).

benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is another very common anti-acne ingredient that is used for its antibacterial properties. I find it quite drying, but it works.  It's found in this Clinique All-Over Clearing Treatment.

tea tree oil

This is an all natural approach that I personally find works better to prevent acne rather than to treat pimples.  Tea tree oil is more gentle, so it's a great thing to add to your every day skincare routine without worrying that it will dry out or irritate your skin.  I absolutely love the Lush Tea Tree Water (reviewed in more detail here) and use this almost daily after washing my face.  I've found that it's definitely reduced the frequency of my breakouts.

retinol

Retinol is another product that's great for preventing acne.  It's available in both prescription and over-the-counter options.  In general, you will find more gentle versions in over-the-counter skincare products.  I have more information on this ingredient in this post - Secret Ingredient: Retinol.

Be gentle

If you're adding something to treat acne, it's a good idea to lay off of other active skincare ingredients.  I think sometimes we get so focused on trying to combat acne, that we forget to still baby our skin.  So, it's good to use more gentle and basic skincare products elsewhere so that there aren't any product interactions or reactions.  One of my favorite hydrating and simple moisturizers is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel.

Don't pick

This should go without saying, but resist all temptations to pick at or pop any acne breakouts. Leave the extractions to the professionals!

Put on some red lipstick

Speaking of resisting temptation, don't feel like you have to hide just because you're skin is misbehaving.  Usually these things are way more visible to ourselves than they are to others. So, put on some lipstick and win the day.

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