How to FINALLY get Clear Skin in 2022
Another year has come and gone and you’re still struggling with the same issue: acne. If you aren’t a teenager, it might feel like you’re the only one experiencing this issue but believe me: you’re not. I’m 22 and I still get breakouts all over my face that sometimes last months. However, I’ve fought it before and I will do it again - with you. The following 5 steps are my tried and true habits to breaking out of the acne cycle and finally getting clear skin (I just stopped practicing them due to laziness).
Give your skin a break
I know it may sound counter-intuitive, but giving your skin a break from all the products you usually use is the first step to getting clear skin. This break can look differently depending on your preference: you can simply stop using active ingredients (exfoliating acids, retinols, vitamin c, etc), or you can go back to basics and do a simple routine of cleanser, moisturiser, SPF. Regardless of what way you choose, do this for at least one week to reset your skin and stop irritating it.
Figure out your skin type
When you’re done with your reset, your skin should be calmer and less irritated. Now is the best time to really figure out what your skin type is. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser - or simply with water. Pat it dry and then - leave it alone. Don’t apply any toners, serums or creams and simply wait for 30 min. When the time is over, go and look at your skin in the mirror. If your skin is matte all over, you see fine lines or dry patches, and your face feels uncomfortably tight, you probably have dry skin. If your T-zone is shiny but your cheek area is dry and matte, you probably have combination skin. If your face is shiny all over and does not feel tight, you probably have oily skin. If your face is shiny but feels dry “deep-down”, you probably have dehydrated skin and should first focus on hydrating your skin and repairing your skin barrier before doing this test again in a couple of weeks.
Find out what your skin type needs
For this I recommend going online and doing some research on your skin type. Some websites like Wishtrend (international) or Niasha (Switzerland) let you filter their products according to your skin type, which can be very helpful in finding product recommendations. You can also head over to my Instagram, where I post product reviews.
Build up your skin barrier
The single most important thing I’ve learnt about skin care is this: a healthy skin barrier is everything. No matter what problem you are facing - acne, dehydration, irritation - focusing on barrier health will help you. Ingredients to look out for are centella asiatica (cica), ceramides, mugwort, and honey. All of these are great for barrier health. Other than that, go by the following guidelines: focus on hydration (toners, essences, serums), avoid exfoliation (chemical and physical) for a while, don’t pick at and touch your skin (popping pimples and picking off scabs is especially harmful), and use a good moisturiser for your skin type (it helps your skin keep in the good stuff from your skin care products and keep out the bad stuff like bacteria and environmental pollutants).
Use active ingredients wisely
Once your skin barrier is nice and strong again, you should start to experience less active breakouts and irritation. Your skin should start to calm down and you should have less redness. However, depending on your skin type, you might have bumps and congestion underneath your skin, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or scars and wish to get rid of them. This is the time to start SLOWLY introducing actives again. Take it easy at first and let your skin gradually get used to these again. I recommend AHA for dull skin and small bumps, BHA for congested skin, and Vitamin C for hyperpigmentation (the dark kind).
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your skin type in the comments and leave any questions you have as well - I would love to hear from you!
Love,
Monique
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