Acne breakouts can really be a cost to your financial wellness – not to mention your self-confidence. However, you can protect your emotional wellbeing against future breakouts without spending a penny. According to anti-ageing wellness expert Angela Ayles, ‘Acne breakouts often occur because of changes you’ve made to your daily routine. Maybe you’ve started using a different laundry detergent, shampoo, face cream or soap. These are often the biggest culprits of an acne breakout.’ As well as identifying the reason behind your acne – and eliminating the culprit – here are seven things you can do to prevent breakouts.
1. Choose Acne-Friendly Makeup: Ayles explains, ‘The makeup you use (and how much you use) has a big impact on the health of your skin. If you’re prone to breakouts, look for products that say “non-comedogenic” on the label. This means that the product is specifically designed not to clog your pores. Clogged pores are one of the leading causes of breakouts.’
2. Change Your Pillow Case Every Week: ‘Forget the $50 bottle of acne cream you’ve been purchasing every month,’ Ayles enthuses. ‘Changing your pillow case is a proven method for preventing breakouts. All of the sweat, dirt and makeup from your face is seeping into your pillow every night. If you don’t wash your pillow cases regularly you’re basically planting your face on a pillow of sweat and dirt for eight hours. Washing your cases will give your face the fresh rest it needs at the end of the day.’
3. Moisturise: Ayles notes, ‘If you’ve turned to acne products to control your outbreaks (which most of you probably have), the importance of moisturising becomes a key component in keeping your breakouts at bay. Most acne products contain ingredients that dry out the skin, thus, moisturising immediately after is critical. Make sure you hydrate your skin with water before applying the moisturiser.’
4. Review Your Shampoo: ‘Have you noticed that you’ve been breaking out a lot more than usual lately?’ Ayles asks. ‘You might want to check your shampoo. Shampoos and conditioners with a lot fragrance and chemicals can irritate skin and cause breakouts on your forehead, jaw, neck and back. Considering using non-fragrance products (or all-natural products) and always make sure you rinse the shampoo out of your hair completely before washing your face in the shower.’
5. Stop Touching Your Face: ‘This might seem like common sense but keeping your hands away from your face is harder than you think,’ says Ayles. ‘If you’re sitting in class or at work, chances are your head is resting on your hands and your fingers are running up your cheeks. These movements can cause irritation and spark a breakout. Keeping your hands and fingers off your face will keep it clean and healthy and help eliminate future breakouts.’
6. Check Your Laundry Detergent: Ayles points out, ‘Much like shampoos, laundry detergents can be a huge culprit when it comes to breakouts. If you’re experiencing more breakouts than normal it could very well have to do with the ingredients in your detergent. Many soaps contain harsh chemicals and fragrances that can irritate skin (especially when you use towels to dry your face). Try switching to a non-fragrance detergent or one with more natural ingredients and see if you’re breakouts start to fade.’
7. Go Easy on the Makeup: Ayles advises, ‘This may be hard for some girls (especially those in high school) but lightening up on the makeup will almost certainly help control your breakouts. Not only are the ingredients in most makeup products bad for your skin but applying makeup means touching your face, which can lead to a breakout. If you must wear makeup, try adding a dab of liquid foundation to an all-natural moisturiser which will help hydrate the skin instead of drying it out.’