How to Keep Acne Under Control in Stressful Conditions
Hello!
I hope you are all doing well! Today, I wanted to share how I have been keeping my skin clear from any clogged pores or breakouts. Now that I work in a big city, I come across a great deal of pollution and irritants in the air. Between the cigarette smoke, the exhaust from trucks and passing cars, and the general thick, gross, air of the city, I was starting to see my skin suffer. My face was starting to look dull, and I was getting more breakouts, so I had to act fast. Additionally, since work in of itself is stressful, I find that I tend to breakout a bit more. My body responds to my environment in the worst way.
Over the past few weeks, I have nailed down a new skincare regime that has been keeping my skin the clearest it has ever been. This regime helps to combat the pollution and stress that I face on my daily commute and at work, all while keeping my skin hydrated as well as looking and feeling fantastic. Of course, this regime is just in addition to my usual skincare routine for fair, dry skin.
The products that I am going to be talking about today are ones that I have noticed make a significant difference in my skincare, so I hope that if you too suffer against pollution and stress, you will go and give them a try, too!
Differin Gel
BEST ACNE TREATMENT EVER! I have tried almost every single acne treatment on the market, and this one is the first one to make a long-term difference! I kept hearing about this product all over the internet, but I was unsure if it would work, especially with my dry skin. They say on the packaging that this takes a full three months for it to fully work, and that is true. I have officially gone through the first three months, and my skin is currently completely clear and smooth!
I started to see my skin clear up after a week, but it did cause me to have some dry patches and additional breakouts. The instructions do warn that your skin could get worse before it gets better, and while I did get some breakouts, I wouldn't say my skin was terrible during the beginning of the process. Luckily, I made sure to keep up with the hydration so that my skin wouldn't dry out, so the dryness did not last and as long as I keep a good moisturizer close at hand; I no longer have issues with dry patches! I think my skin has become quite used to this product.
It says to keep using this product even if your skin is clear, so I am going to keep using this stuff for the rest of my life if that's what it takes. Makeup goes on so much better, and even if my skin gets stressed out, I know this stuff will help take care of those breakouts in no time!
Differin Gel can be found at your local drugstores and supermarkets for roughly $11.
Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly
I haven't used a Clinique product in years, but I have to say, their moisturizers have always been one of my very favorites. I picked up this one in particular because it is anti-pollution, but also very hydrating. It is super light-weight and I have noticed a significant difference in my skin since using it. I don't find my pores being as clogged as they were before, and my makeup doesn't sink into my skin as badly. It helps to keep my skin feeling healthy, looking brighter, and not feeling heavy or weighted down.
I also find that it sits super well underneath makeup. Since it is super thin and lightweight, it sinks into the skin in seconds and doesn't leave behind any residue or make my makeup pill up. It is the perfect moisturizer for day-time use, and it will especially come in handy if you face a lot of irritants in your day-to-day life.
The Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly retails for $28 and can be found at Sephora, Ulta, and at your favorite Clinque counters.
bareMinerals Blemish Rescue Skin-Clearing Anti-Redness Mattifying Primer + Blemish Rescue Skin-Clearing Foundation
Makeup that actually helps to keep skin clear - what a concept! As soon as I saw these two products come out, I knew I had to give them a try. I rarely get primers and foundations that are meant to go together because I often mix and match brands, but these two do work very well together and provide better results.
The primer claims to treat redness, acne, and to mattify the skin without drying out the skin. To be honest, it doesn't mattify the skin the best, but it does help to keep my skin hydrated and dry patch free. It doesn't color correct the best, but I have noticed a significant difference in how my skin feels and looks at the end of the day in terms of how clear my pores are. I no longer notice a ton of clogged pores at the end of the day, which is something I used to struggle with quite often. It forms a sort of layer over the skin to help keep things from sinking in, which helps to keep my face nice and healthy.
The foundation is also pretty great if you like more natural makeup. I have the lightest shade "fair," which is sadly not fair skin friendly, so I lighten it with some setting powder to make it work for me. It does have some pretty nice coverage for a powder foundation. It provides high medium coverage with only one layer, and it smooths over the skin like a dream. It covers imperfections and gives the skin an airbrushed finish by blurring pores and all texture on the skin. I especially love how it doesn't dry out my skin as well as how it both treats breakouts while preventing new ones from forming. Like the primer, it doesn't really mattify the skin, so this is probably best for those with combo/normal/dry skin, but it does help maintain a healthy moisture balance in the skin, which further helps to keep the skin nice and healthy. I think it is totally worth a try if you have stressed out skin!
The bareMinerals Blemish Rescue Skin-Clearing Anti-Redness Mattifying Primer retails for $26 and the Blemish Rescue Skin-Clearing Foundation retails for $ 29. Both can be found at Sephora and Ulta.
L'Oreal Pure-Clay Clear and Comfort Mask
I have already gone through almost an entire jar of this stuff! It is truly the best of both worlds if you have breakouts and dryness. This mask helps to clear out my pores without drying out my face. I notice a significant difference while using this as it leaves my skin noticeably brighter, clearer, and plumper immediately after using it. While it is a tad difficult to scrub off, it is totally worth the extra effort. I have tried all of the other L'Oreal face masks, this one is my very favorite. And, since it is from the drugstore, it is super affordable and totally worth a try.
The L'Oreal Pure-Clay Clear and Comfort Mask retails for $12.99 and can be found at Ulta and your local drugstores and supermarkets.
So these were the products that help keep my skin happy and healthy under stressful conditions. What products do you turn to when your skin is suffering?
Thanks for reading!
Stina :)