How to prevent breakouts. I’m sure we’ve all had those days when you wake up in the morning, only to find trouble brewing under your skin. Of course, it’s always when you have an important meeting, interview or a special event. I rarely breakout any more, but the morning we were leaving for Paris there was a red spot on my chin screaming, “don’t leave without me!”. Urgh. While we can’t completely rid ourselves of the occasional breakout, there’s a lot we can do to keep our skin looking great and to keep those breakouts so minimal that we barely notice them.

HOW TO PREVENT BREAKOUTS

Wash your face. This is something that we should all be doing anyway, but when you are prone to breakouts take extra care. Stay away from scented and harsh products and ensure that you are properly drying your face with a clean towel or wash cloth. When my skin is particularly sensitive, I opt for a paper towel so as not to spread bacteria.

Use the right products. While fighting acne, watch out for drying ingredients that the products usually contain. It’s vital that you keep your skin moisturized and balanced. This is not the time to try new products, so stick with the ones you already know and trust.

Apply face masks. 1-2 times a week, apply a soothing, nourishing face mask. I like to apply this rule, very strictly, starting about a month before an important event.

Avoid makeup. I’d love to say “don’t wear any makeup” when in the middle of a breakout, but that’s not realistic. It is, however, when you want to use makeup sparingly. Use a higher end foundation or, at the very least, look for products that are hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic (think oil free). Not every product will work for everyone, but looking for lighter formulations is a good idea.

Watch your hair products. We don’t often consider our hair products when we are trying to protect our skin, but it can play a huge role in your complexion. If you use oil in your hair, make sure that you are applying it sparingly to just the ends and watch that they don’t land on your face. Also, take a moment to look at the ingredient list and see if there is anything that might be irritating to your skin and causing breakouts.

Protect your skin. It probably feels counter intuitive to pile on more products, but using an SPF is essential. A lot of acne medications make your skin extra sensitive, so make sure that you are applying an SPF of 30 or higher at least 20 minutes before going out.

Eat well. I think that by now we know that eating chocolate or chips won’t cause acne directly, but common sense tells us that eating healthy and putting fresh ingredients in your body will be all around better for your skin.

Exercise. Working out on a regular basis is good for you, period. Your whole body will benefit and you’ll have an easier time releasing toxins and de-stressing (more on that in a second). Just make sure that you are washing your face and body thoroughly after every workout.

Relax. You know when you have that crazy few weeks and suddenly you look in the mirror and wonder what happened, because your complexion is looking less than stellar? Well, acne flare ups are often associated with stress, good or bad. So take some time for yourself, take a yoga class, go for a run and read that book that’s been lying on your nightstand.

Most of us will go through a time in our lives when we are suffering from breakouts and I’m not sure that you can completely avoid them, but if you plan ahead and take care not to aggravate your skin, you should be able to keep them to a minimum.

What are your tips on preventing breakouts?

For more don’t forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST

If you enjoyed this article please share it and subscribe for regular updates:

first two images courtesy of Dollar Photo Club