Adult Acne Sucks!

ACNE  - ugh. Could there be anything worse than suffering from acne? Except perhaps suffering from acne as an adult… the worse! I suffered from adult acne from when I stopped taking the oral contraceptive pill until I was 37 years old. All of the medical specialists kept telling me that it would clear up when my hormones returned to their natural balance but when I was still experiencing significant breakouts over 5 years later I decided to take my skin health into my own hands. 

Why am I getting acne? 

After lots of research, trial and error I discovered that my acne was really exacerbated by two things: my skin hygiene and the skin care products I was using. Not only was I introducing a whole host of disgusting acne-causing bacteria to my face by consistently touching, picking & squeezing my skin but I was allowing this bacteria to fester by having an inconsistent skin care routine. When I did cleanse, tone and moisturise my skin I was using supermarket products that would first strip my skin of its natural oils, thus creating a paradoxical effect where my skin would overproduce oil in compensation, and then I would use a moisturiser that was basically full of silicones and surfactants that further clogged my pores. 

Here’s the thing, our skin is a living breathing organ and when you wash it with chemicals it is not going to react well. Our skin needs to be cared for with products that won’t strip the skin of its natural oils, that will allow our skin to turn over skin cells and thus reducing congestion and blocked pores. 

What is the best thing to use on my acne? 

When it comes to acne there is clean skin care and there is Clean Skin Care. Having experienced acne first hand I can confidently recommend the Sans [ceuticals] Goji Cleansing Oil which attracts and pulls oils and impurities from deep in the pores, without stripping the skin of its natural oils. I recommend this along with the Sans Activator 7 Oil which is high in Vitamin A and speeds up cellular turnover and repair. I also make sure I exfoliate using the Bio Active Exfoliant every 3-5 days to assist with the skins metabolic function and reducing congestion buildup.  

What other natural products are great for acne? 

If you are too scared to try oil based products then I can also recommend:

+ Nourished Daily Acne Cleanse Bar - when we started working on our Nourished Daily brand, I really wanted to make sure we included great skincare products for acne skin as well as other skin types. I fell in love with the Acne Cleanse Bar for so many reason but mostly because it is soooo good for my acne! Formulated with Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary it combat acnes causing bacteria and Oat Oil to calms inflamed & irritated skin. We also included Green Clay because it works hard to deeply cleanse congested pores and moderate oil production. 

+ I really love Wildcrafted Organics Wildberry Honey Cleanse Mask for gentle AHA exfoliation and to draw out dirt, congestion & toxins and brighten the skin. 

+ The revolutionary Biology Bc Refresh Cleanser and Biologi Serums! For more info on finding your Biologi Serum perfect match you can read our article ‘How To Use Biologi; A Comprehensive Guide To The Revolutionary Serums’  

+ Eco Sonya Skin Compost 3-Step Skincare Collection    

My further tips:

+ Stop touching your face!

+ Change your pillow slip

 
+ Use your headphones whenever speaking on your phone. Never place your phone to your face. 

+ Exfoliate every 3-7 days to assist with clearing pores and improving skin regeneration. 

+ Introduce a morning and night skincare ritual with clean skin care and be consistent with it! 

+ Use only clean & green beauty and makeup products on your face. Your skin can’t be healthier with more chemicals.  

+ Always ensure you apply your makeup using clean brushes. Read our article on ‘How To Clean Your Makeup Brushes At Home’ 

+ Don’t worry, be happy! Stress can significantly aggravate acne. 

+ Get your gut checked. There is a direct link between gut, hormonal & immune system health. 

Explore the Acne Skin collection at Nourished.  

Want to know more? Check out our articles ‘Combat Adult Acne Naturally’  &  ‘Combat Adult Acne Naturally - Part 2’