Acne Tips and Tricks

We all get the odd blemish now and again but full blown acne is a whole world of it's own, I suffered (and still suffer) with acne quite badly so I'm sharing these tips in the hopes they might help even one person.

The first real tip I can give to anyone suffering with acne is to give up dairy products, why are you eating/drinking the breast milk of another species anyway; just try giving up dairy for one month and I promise you will notice a difference. I first heard of this whilst working on my final year project at university, my project was on the use of essential oils to treat acne and part of that was to research into the cause of acne which led me to the best piece of knowledge I've come across.

The other magical tip I have is the double cleanse, if you're willing to lather rinse repeat with your hair then why not for your face? I like going in with a cleansing oil and then following with a creamy cleanser, I think that using an oil is also vital for breaking up and removing make up. A lot of people with acne think that an oil cleanser will make things worse but it's quite the opposite, the oil really helps to keep the skin clean without stripping it.


Supplements are also key to keeping the skin acne free, Omega oils are probably the most important as skin often produces more oil when it is lacking.Other supplements I'd suggest are selenium, folic acid and vitamin E. Taking these regularly help a lot with the skin and they're not too expensive if you shop around.



The one big thing I would say is to speak to your GP about it and see when they can do to help, taking a topical prescription treatment can really bring the big guns to the game. Other "drugstore" topical treatments that I've found to help are Soap & Glory - Dr Spot and La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo +. Some spot treatments can leave the skin dry and dehydrated so keeping it moisturised is important, dry skin can also lead to spots so it's vital to find the balance.


Making sure you steer clear of any junk food and keep to  healthy diet is also important as it helps rid toxins from the body, ensuring you get enough water is critical as well. Drinking lots of water is excellent for the suppleness of the skin and also ensures that the skin is regularly hydrated.

The big advice you get given but can never stick to; don't pick! If you do need to pick at a spot I'd suggest using an extractor, these can be picked up on eBay and  because they apply even pressure to the skin they reduce scarring.

The next tip I shall bestow upon you is facial masks, they don't need to be applied all over the skin and can instead just be applied to the areas that require a little maintenance. I like to have a variety of masks and I find clay masks to be my favourite. They really help to dry out any under the skin cysts that tend to creep up on you, we all hate those little blighters. Some of my favourite masks are Soap & Glory "The Fab Pore", The Body Shop "Blue Corn Mask" and the Kaeso Deep Cleansing Mask.

Another helpful thing to do is to wash your make up brushes and pillowcases regularly, also try to keep your phone clean (I use hand sanitizer spray for this), as bacteria on surfaces can be spread to the skin and cause problems. This also counts for your hands; keep them clean and try not to touch your face too much.