Keep Things Moving
I wrote about this earlier, but I am of the belief that the trapped hormones in your stool can wreak havoc on your body-and in this important case, take part in your skin, too. Pooping is an incredibly crucial way for your body to get rid of hormones from it. Backed up and not regularly eliminating, the fluctuating hormones in your stool are going to recirculate into your body and bloodstream and could potentially cause you to break out with hormonal acne.
If you've got acne in your 30s-hormonal acne on your chin, for example-you're really going to want to look into getting your gut health in check, making sure you're going number two at least once a day.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Constipation
Bellway Sugar-Free Psyllium Husk Fiber Supplement Powder
I enjoy this fiber powder every morning mixed in with the INNATE GI Response Powder below. Take one scoop of each into a glass then hit the frother to mix the two together. You will want to chug this mixture immediately after mixing- the psyllium husk gets gross and gelatinous pretty fast, which isn't particularly tasty to me. While I try to keep my fibre intake whole foods during the day, this powder just adds that extra support I need.
Dr. Christopher's Original Formulas Lower Bowel Formula Capsules
I like to take these especially when I'm traveling or having a really rough week getting things moving. I found them after
watching a video from Organic Olivia and I notice that they help me immensely.
INNATE GI Response
A functional dietitian I worked with a few years ago suggested that I start taking this powder in the morning. It's got five grams of l-glutamine, which supports optimal permeability of the intestinal barrier; that is, it would help fix any leaky gut. Honestly, I have no idea if this powder makes any difference whatsoever for me, but at the very least it hasn't harmed me-or my skin-so there's that.
Beans
I don't actually follow the Bean Protocol too carefully, but I do attempt to include beans and legumes in my meals where possible.
I discovered lentils last year, and it's unbelievable how they've changed my bowel movements; I'm so sad I didn't find them sooner. If you aren't used to eating a lot of beans-particularly if you never really make dishes with them-add some to a salad or in a soup, or maybe just put a small side dish of them alongside one or two meals a day. How to Deal with Acne Problems at 30
Hydrate Your Skin
It is my feeling that there are, at its core, two modes of skincare treatment: dry the shit out of your acne, courtesy of the
American Academy of Dermatology or otherwise, or hydrate it. I'm in the latter camp, and I like to add as much hydration to my acne as possible. I don't want my skin thinking it's dry and producing even more oil to further clog my pores.
Not only that, I also find that my makeup looks terrible if I dry out my acne and then put foundation over it. For this reason, I make sure hydration is at the top of my priority list, over all of my other acne treatments. I love really thick cream for my dry skin; you just really need to test it out to make sure it doesn't clog your pores and create more damage. I also generally avoid facial oils, as a rule, since oil always seems to promote blemishes in my skin. I have tried so many facial oils that are labeled for "acne" and find they make me break out worse.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Hydrating moisturizers
Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream
I did a write-up on my love for Avène previously, and this pick is no different. It's not too thick but not too watery either, and won't cause any breakouts. If my skin is extra dry, I'll use this as a serum and then apply a thicker moisturizer on top. This helps skin cells be hydrated, which in turn makes your skin look plump.
Doctor Rogers Natural Restore Face Cream
This product is among the best reams to treat adult onset acne. That said, it is hella thick-so, if you really aren't into thick moisturizers, I'd say skip this. I'm absolutely obsessed with the rich, luxe texture. Also, I love that it's fragrance-free and doesn't irritate my skin.
Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Face Cream
I found this Godsend late into the game, but man am I glad I did. This texture is unreal; it's just so thick and creamy and looks so good underneath makeup. Definitely noticed my skin barrier improving on this cream. That being said, it's not formulated for acne-prone skin, so you got to be careful using it over breakouts.
CV Skinlabs Soothing Emollience for Face, Neck & Scalp
I just finished another tube of this stuff, and I've really been enjoying how light and sparse it is. It's a little light and has a very mild, non-irritating scent. Skin feels very hydrated without further breakage. Usually, I apply my Vanicream Lotion below as my serum and then the CV Skinlabs on top for extra hydration.
Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion
This is a super simple, oil-free moisturizing lotion that I like to use as a hydrating serum. Vanicream has formulated their products for highly sensitive skin, so I know that when I'm using anything from this line, it won't break me out. Call it an effective treatment, if you will.
OK, I might get some flak for this, but I don't really believe in acne-fighting cleansers. I mean, I do believe they work; I also know that they dry the heck out of your skin, and that's just not something I try to do. I just don't think this is the best way to address adult acne breakouts.
You would just rather not use cleansers containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide on your face, washing your face with super gentle cleansers-especially if you're washing your face twice a day. You'll then go in with acne-targeting spot treatments later in your skin-care routine. All that being said, I do like to use active acne-fighting ingredient cleansers on my chest and back when I need it, but not on my sensitive face.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Gentle Cleansers
Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
This cleanser from Vanicream does a good job of cleansing my skin as well as removing makeup and hair products on my hairline without drying everything out. If I'm feeling extra dry or have a lot of makeup on, I will double cleanse with an oil cleanser, and then use this afterward.
Trilogy Rosehip Cream Cleanser
I was introduced to this pick a couple of years ago and I adore just how nourishing it feels on the skin. It's most definitely not designed for makeup removal, and I prefer to only use this in the winter time on days I am not wearing makeup and need some extra TLC.
Doctor Rogers RESTORE Face Wash
I'm having a blast with this jelly consistency, and it does one of the best makeup removal jobs. It's fragrance-free, doesn't cause irritation on my skin, and doesn't feel drying upon rinse, either.
Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil
I used to use this pick for years before I started using the Vanicream Cleanser. I want to note that this pick is an oil, so that is pretty important if you are super sensitive to oils. That being said, I just never really noticed this cleansing oil irritated my skin or broke me out. It does a fab job of removing all makeup, dirt, and debris while leaving the skin feeling super soft, too.
Wear Non-Irritating Makeup
Finding makeup that won't worsen your acne is just as important as using non-irritating skin-care products. Unfortunately, I have found VERY few foundation products that don't somehow irritate my skin. This Alima Pure foundation has been the one I go to for years. But when I am going out to a cocktail party or simply want to feel super glam, I reach for my Armani foundation and hope I do not wake up the morning after with some big pimple on my face. When seeking makeup that will not irritate skin, look for minerals as an ingredient since mineral makeup is the least irritating of them all.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Makeup
Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation
I mentioned a number of my favorite makeup products in
this post, but the one foundation that I consistently wear when I go anywhere-even just to run errands across town-is the Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation. It never lets me down-never breaks me out, always covers my adult acne beautifully and doesn't feel too cakey or heavy.
ILLUMINARÉ Concealing Mineral Foundation
Another foundation that I have which is said not to irritate acne.
I'm going to say this now, I really don't use this one much, and it cakes, in my opinion, pretty easily. You know what? You need to try it on your skin. You got to see if you like the feel and the finish. You never know, because everyone is so different, something that might look really drying on me might look like grease on you! You just don't know until you try it.
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil
I just found this pick this past year and I find that it does a great job of covering my acne while not breaking me out, either. It's light to medium coverage and is buildable if you want heavier coverage. I despise that this doesn't come in more shades. I have to mix two shades together to get my perfect match.
Get on Birth Control Pills or Spironolactone
Ugh, I'm sad this one is on my list, but if your acne has become debilitating, consider getting on birth control pills or spironolactone. I was on birth control pills for five years and it cleared up my hormonal acne-but had some nasty side effects I didn't love. Once I got off it some two years ago, my acne returned—I have since then been on a journey to clear it up naturally. This month, I relented and went on the lowest dose of spironolactone to balance out my hormone levels. I'm finally allowing myself to acknowledge that my acne-prone skin needs the extra help-I'm still going to be concentrating on eating a ton of fiber and doing everything I can to keep my period regular, but my breakouts have become debilitating, and it's time I treat acne with medication.
I would suggest that if you are like me and have low self-esteem due to hormonal acne, you should speak with your dermatologist about the different forms of treatments available for your condition, whether topical and/or oral. It is definitely one of the finest ways to handle hormonal changes.
Try LED Light Therapy
I was literally floored by the difference it made to my visible acne the first time I ever used the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, below. The red light therapy took out so much of the redness from my acne, rosacea, and dermatitis; I've since been a huge believer in LED light therapy.
Personally, I prefer using the red light over the blue light-even though the blue light is supposed to be targeting adult acne. I find that the red light does a better job in minimizing the redness from my acne. I sometimes will use both the red light and the blue light on my face to fight off both bacteria causing acne, as well as redness and irritation.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – LED Light Therapy
Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
I really first noticed the transformative powers of LED light therapy the first time I used this device. This pick comes with three options- red, blue, and red+blue-and does a great job of covering my entire face. I look like a freak when I wear this around the apartment, but I love how my skin looks afterward.
TheraFace PRO
This is one of my new toys, gifted from Therabody, and I am loving it. The device does four things in one—LED light therapy being one of them. This pick has red, blue and red+infrared light and works to help clear acne and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
SolaWave 4-in-1 Facial Wand
Small but mighty, this little guy does a great job of spot-treating problem areas. I like to glide this pick along my chin and jaw while I watch my favorite Bravo TV shows at night. It's affordable and super easy to use. My one caveat: It doesn't cover your entire face all at once, so you do have to do a little extra work moving it across your skin.
Experiment With Sulfur Soap
Sulfur has some antibacterial and antifungal properties, and it may help unblock the oil glands. I sometimes use sulfur soap on my skin when it really needs that extra bit of help. Sulfur soap really reeks, but I would do anything in the world to get rid of my acne, so the smell really isn't that bad.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Sulfur Soap
Thylox Acne Treatment Soap with Sulfur by Grandpa
A dermatologist recommended this product to me many years ago. Not only does it work great for adult acne, but I also find it very helpful for when my perioral dermatitis acts up. It stops oil from building up in the hair follicles of your face and causing you to breakout. The sulfur soap can get quite drying, so I really only like to use it a few times a week if I'm having a flare-up. Be sure to moisturize right after use.
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I had to ice my acne after getting an esthetician at Skin Salvation in San Francisco. This is my favorite
explanation of why icing your acne is paramount—it decreases inflammation and halts it, encourages micro fissures in the skin to facilitate for enhanced product penetration, and occupies the hands, thereby preventing picking.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Icing
6-Piece Popsicle Molds
Sometimes I prefer to have several of them in my freezer and fill it up with ice. Then I spread a towel on my chest and proceed to ice my skin as I enjoy watching TV. As for the focussed icing I’d typically ice for roughly 10 minutes, add more liquid into the popsicle stick and put it back into the freezer.
Try Pimple Patches
I seriously am just so sad that I didn't find out about this magic of pimple patches a lot earlier. They really do such an amazing job of just sucking out all of the junk in a whitehead, which makes the bump way smaller by morning. I apply pimple patches either at night or during the day, if I work from home. I also like using them under my mask when I've got a really long flight and just want an extra little bit of help with my skin.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Pimple Patches
Florence by mills Spot a Spot Acne Patches
These do a great job of sucking out all the junk and getting your pimples flat. Plus, they have cute shapes, and I like that the patches are a bit larger than average.
Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Original
These have been my favorite thus far—mostly because they're transparent and I can really see how much fluid was absorbed after wearing one or two during the night. There's something so grossly gratifying about it!
Avarelle Pimple Patches
This brand sent me a bunch of their patches in all shapes and sizes to try, and I have been loving them. I like that they're super affordable, coming in small dots or massive squares for larger surface areas.
Use a Spot Treatment
I like to use spot treatments from time to time. I've tried many in my career as a beauty editor, and some do more harm than good. I don't like to dry out my acne too much, but the following have done a great job of treating my acne without destroying the surrounding skin barrier. When using an acne spot treatment I recommend applying it on clean and dry skin at night, waiting about 10 minutes then applying moisturizer on top to help avoid dryness the following day.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Spot Treatments
Paula's Choice CLEAR Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment
I think this is probably one of the best topical creams for acne that I've tried.
The active ingredient is 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, which always works much better on my acne than salicylic acid-the other popular acne-fighting ingredient. I like to put it on at night before bed and then seal it in with my moisturizer. BP is notorious for staining fabrics, so you may have to be careful with your clothes and pillowcases!
Avène Cleanance Concentrate Blemish Control Serum
I appreciate that this serum is really gentle, while still being good at making the appearance of blemishes dwindle. It doesn't rely on benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to work its magic, instead it uses a different ingredient to kill the blemish at the root.
De La Cruz 10% Sulfur Ointment Acne Treatment
This is a great spot treatment if you are getting fungal acne. It really helps clear the bacteria on your skin and dries out acne or eczema. I like using this more like a mask, and I just rinse it off after about 20 minutes.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum
I have adult acne, and this serum does a great job toning down any irritation or redness I might get. It's like a gel, dries down nice, and is hella cheap, too.
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
It's like a holy grail to a lot of people. Honestly, I don't use it too much anymore, but I remember that when I did, it became obsessive. I like just putting this on my chin and nose, basically where I break out the most.
Test Out Supplements
But, yes, supplements, basically, are just great ways to complement your regimen, adding extra support to your acne-clearing. The thing is, taking the wrong supplements will definitely wreak havoc on your skin. I have played around with various supplements in the past, and some are beneficial, but others gave me the worst breakout of my life. Please, for the love of God, always consult your doctor before taking anything.
Best Skin Care Products For Acne – Supplements
Klaire Labs Ther-Biotic Complete Probiotics
I'm skeptical as to if probiotics really do anything for your skin. But I do think they help your gut and I'm a fan of gut health = skin health. I also don't know why, but I have more trust in refrigerated probiotics versus non-refrigerated ones.
Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance
Zinc is such a great anti-inflammatory, but internally and externally. I like this pick because it has the addition of copper, which can become imbalanced if you are supplementing too much zinc.
Gaia Herbs Saw Palmetto
So, there isn't much research behind how saw palmetto might help improve hormonal acne, but I do think there is research proving that saw palmetto might reduce androgens in the body which lead to acne on the chin and neck.
Nature Made Ashwagandha Capsules
There's a growing body of research about how stress affects skin. Ashwagandha is a natural adaptogen that helps calm you down. I like to take this at night, a few hours before bed-it's an incredible sleep aid for me.
It cuts out the main cause of acne.
Ugh, I know you don't wanna hear it, but I gotta tell you! Really struggling to find the root of your adult acne, try avoiding dairy, gluten, coffee, and sugar for at least two months, and then reintroduce one by one into your system so you can see if it affects your acne or not.
Reduce Stress
As I said above, stress can be a major player in the production of acne. Be sure to exercise regularly to release stress and tension-I really love The Class Digital Studio-and consider implementing meditation and/or breathwork into your day.
See a Board-Certified Dermatologist
As a last resort, go see a dermatologist. A dermatologist will know the best course of action to get you clear in the shortest amount of time. That said, make sure you take advice from a dermatologist who takes the time to get to know you and your acne struggles. I once went to a dermatologist on Park Avenue who didn't even give me the time of day, sending me home with a very heavy dose of antibiotics for my acne, which she had spent 1 minute analyzing. About six months later, I ended up with the worst bout of acne post-treatment.
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