5 Ways to Deal with a Bad Skin Day
The ins-and-outs of my skincare and makeup routine when I'm breaking out.
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I've been breaking out lately. After a horrific few years of adult acne thanks to a little thing I like to call contraception, this year it has really calmed down and I've enjoyed having blemish-free skin for the most part. Words cannot describe the relief and newfound confidence I've felt, which I'm sure many of you can understand. Of course, I still have the occasional hormonal breakout despite my best efforts. I also like chocolate. Go figure.
As I was halfway through my AM skincare routine the other day, I realised that I naturally alter what I put on my face when a few zits pop up. After all, the last thing I want to do it aggravate my sensitive skin further by layering on a zillion different products. My aim when I breakout is to stop breaking out (funny that) and reduce any scarring as much as possible, whilst also making them invisible to the naked eye. Nothing to see here, folks.
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So, without further ado, here is how I deal with a bad skin day:
1. Gentle cleansing. My cleansing routine doesn't change, as I always use a gentle creamy cleanser like my personal favourites, the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser or Lush 9 to 5 Cleanser. I cleanse after my workout in the morning and again before bed at nighttime, using a very light hand so as not to aggravate any blemishes. By putting any pressure on spots, you can make them a lot worse, so make sure you're delicate in those areas (or avoid touching them all together!).
2. Hydrate and moisturise. One of the best things you can do is to drink loads of water because chances are your skin is dehydrated as it battles the nasty zits. I also make sure I moisturise with the Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Dry twice a day to help balance oil levels and keep my skin glowing. Trust me when I say, moisturising does not cause pimples.
3. Antioxidants. Another skincare routine regular that stays put no matter how my skin is behaving is the Grown Alchemist Detox Serum Antioxidant +3. It not only protects your skin from anti ageing and environmental conditions, but also dietary factors that may be causing you to breakout. Oh, and you can do no wrong by adding berries, grapes, broccoli and green tea to the menu, all of which are rich in antioxidants. Hello glowing, youthful skin!
4. Masks and treatments. Once a breakout, I will do either a mask or spot treatment, being careful not to overdo it. My favourite is my twice weekly Alpha H Liquid Gold, which removes dead skin cells and thus is not only anti-ageing, but also helps to prevent pores clogging up and, you guessed it, blemishes. During a breakout, if I need to draw out a zit, I'll use a charcoal mask as a spot treatment like the Sanctuary 5-Minute Thermal Detox Mask or the new Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque. Post breakout, when my skin has finally calmed down and I want to diminish any remaining spots and scars, I use the Frank Body Coffee Scrub as a mask. Afterwards, your skin will not only feel super soft, but also beautifully nourished.
5. Correct skin tone. Finally, if I have to look somewhat presentable, then I'll distract you with bright eyes by using the Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream (cheeky, yet very smart). Then I mix the new Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Calming Skin Primer with a BB or CC cream, like my current go-to, the Dr. Jart+ Radiance BB Beauty Balm. While the coverage is very natural, the Primer and Beauty Balm corrects uneven skin tone and helps to hide any blemishes. And if that still isn't enough then I will very lightly dab on the IT Cosmetics CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder to my t-zone and affected areas (usually my chin, let's be honest). Just remember, your blemishes are far more noticeable to yourself, so the less makeup, the better.
PS. You can read about my usual AM skincare and PM skincare regimes here and here.
As I was halfway through my AM skincare routine the other day, I realised that I naturally alter what I put on my face when a few zits pop up. After all, the last thing I want to do it aggravate my sensitive skin further by layering on a zillion different products. My aim when I breakout is to stop breaking out (funny that) and reduce any scarring as much as possible, whilst also making them invisible to the naked eye. Nothing to see here, folks.
________
So, without further ado, here is how I deal with a bad skin day:
1. Gentle cleansing. My cleansing routine doesn't change, as I always use a gentle creamy cleanser like my personal favourites, the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser or Lush 9 to 5 Cleanser. I cleanse after my workout in the morning and again before bed at nighttime, using a very light hand so as not to aggravate any blemishes. By putting any pressure on spots, you can make them a lot worse, so make sure you're delicate in those areas (or avoid touching them all together!).
2. Hydrate and moisturise. One of the best things you can do is to drink loads of water because chances are your skin is dehydrated as it battles the nasty zits. I also make sure I moisturise with the Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Dry twice a day to help balance oil levels and keep my skin glowing. Trust me when I say, moisturising does not cause pimples.
3. Antioxidants. Another skincare routine regular that stays put no matter how my skin is behaving is the Grown Alchemist Detox Serum Antioxidant +3. It not only protects your skin from anti ageing and environmental conditions, but also dietary factors that may be causing you to breakout. Oh, and you can do no wrong by adding berries, grapes, broccoli and green tea to the menu, all of which are rich in antioxidants. Hello glowing, youthful skin!
4. Masks and treatments. Once a breakout, I will do either a mask or spot treatment, being careful not to overdo it. My favourite is my twice weekly Alpha H Liquid Gold, which removes dead skin cells and thus is not only anti-ageing, but also helps to prevent pores clogging up and, you guessed it, blemishes. During a breakout, if I need to draw out a zit, I'll use a charcoal mask as a spot treatment like the Sanctuary 5-Minute Thermal Detox Mask or the new Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque. Post breakout, when my skin has finally calmed down and I want to diminish any remaining spots and scars, I use the Frank Body Coffee Scrub as a mask. Afterwards, your skin will not only feel super soft, but also beautifully nourished.
5. Correct skin tone. Finally, if I have to look somewhat presentable, then I'll distract you with bright eyes by using the Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream (cheeky, yet very smart). Then I mix the new Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Calming Skin Primer with a BB or CC cream, like my current go-to, the Dr. Jart+ Radiance BB Beauty Balm. While the coverage is very natural, the Primer and Beauty Balm corrects uneven skin tone and helps to hide any blemishes. And if that still isn't enough then I will very lightly dab on the IT Cosmetics CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder to my t-zone and affected areas (usually my chin, let's be honest). Just remember, your blemishes are far more noticeable to yourself, so the less makeup, the better.
PS. You can read about my usual AM skincare and PM skincare regimes here and here.
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