Still getting breakouts and acne? 5 daily habits that are giving you spots!
5 daily habits that are giving you spots!
Your hormones aren’t just to blame for your breakouts and acne – turns out your unconscious everyday habits could be ruining your skin……
MAKEUP
Makeup is one of the biggest causes of breakouts and acne. It is laden full of preservatives, chemicals, artificial colourings, perfume and oils. These are all irritants to your skin causing imbalance to your skin’s natural Ph. The excessive oils in your makeup also block the pores, causing rough open pores, blackheads and acne!
Advice:
Wear a high quality natural mineral makeup – without perfume, oils, additives or colourings. Some high street makeup claims to be “natural” but this is just nifty marketing – your foundation may be composed of just 5% of natural mineral to claim this!
The leading clinical makeup that the world’s top dermatologists recommend is JANE IREDALE MINERAL COSMETICS, sold exclusively in top skin clinics. This truly is ALL natural, without any additives. It is composed of zinc oxide, which is a miraculous anti-inflammatory mineral that protects against UV damage and reduces breakouts. This makeup is actually good for your skin and is applied in clinics for post treatment healing! There is no added oil so perfect for keeping your skin shine-free and spot free!
MOISTURISERS
Everyone loves a little bit of moisturiser slathered on to the face at night. However, the moisturiser you’re so addicted too is a likely breakout culprit. Mineral oils, perfume and artificial colourings all contribute to blocking your pores and irritating the skin, causing inflammation and acne. Lanolin is also a major player in contributing to breakouts that is used widely by moisturiser manufacturers – it is in fact the oil from sheep’s wool – so that’s just weird! It is a greasy irritant, causing inflammation and is a common cause of allergic skin reactions, eczema, and yes you know it, acne!
Advice:
Avoid moisturisers containing excessive oils, lanolin, perfume and artificial colourings.
ALOE VERA gel is possibly the most miraculous product. It contains no oils, yet still hydrates the skin, tightens the pores, reduces wrinkles, soothes irritation and inflammation. Its miraculous healing and anti-bacterial properties means that it fights acne bacteria and heals your breakouts fast!
RETINOL is also a gold standard product to replace your moisturiser. It promotes skin cell turnover, tightening the skin, closing the pores and reducing breakouts. Yet it also maintains skin hydration by promoting collagen and elastin production deep within the dermis, which is great for wrinkles and skin firmness! View our recommended Retinol here
PICKING!
Picking is one of the biggest contributors to breakouts and acne! I’m sure you often blame your ‘oily skin type’ for causing your annoying breakouts……right? Well in fact most of your spots are caused by your innocent little fingers spreading the infection. One little spot that you picked in the mirror can lead to a breakout of acne overnight. Picking and squeezing opens the skin, causing redness, inflammation, scarring and the rapid spread of acne bacteria. Then it’s the downward breakout spiral…..
Advice:
Avoid illuminated magnifying mirrors! Seriously……for some reason we are addicted to finding things to pick on our skin, and a magnified mirror will facilitate this.
After you have cleansed your face immediately apply a luxury or clinical skin treatment. This will stop your picking urge if you have a healing barrier on your skin. You can view a variety of moisturisers in the shop here.
SUN CREAMS
Many sun creams are laden full of skin irritants including preservatives, chemicals, perfumes and oils. These lead to clogged pores, over-production of sebum, inflammation, hyper-pigmentation and acne.
Advice:
Use a PHYSICAL SUN CREAM and not a chemical sun cream. It will be stated clearly on the packaging whether it is physical. I advise using the OBAGI MEDICAL NUDERM SUNSHIELD MATTE SPF 50. It contains no oils, perfume or chemical UV light absorbers. It is also full of the magical mineral zinc oxide which reduces inflammation and acne.
STRESS
Anxiety and stress causes your body to secrete excessive amounts of adrenaline and cortisol in to your bloodstream. In large doses these hormones cause havoc on the body, manifesting all kinds of diseases including digestive problems, heart disease, inflammation and skin problems. Inflammation and imbalanced hormone levels hugely contribute to your breakouts.
Advice:
Try to remain as calm as possible in stressful situations. Practising stress-relieving activities will reduce stress hormone levels rapidly. Recommended activities:
– Meditation
– Yoga (Kundalini yoga is even better!)
– Deep breathing
– Massage
– Facials
– Hypnotherapy
– Sound therapy and gong baths
– Physical exercise
– Mini breaks and spa holidays
These are all great ways to realign your physical and mental wellbeing and your skin will thank you for it.
Now try to implement the above advice and see your skin magically transform from blemished to crystal clear!
Love & Light
Daniella x
View our full list of treatments here