So excited to finally write about this topic because I love skin care! That may sound weird, but I think it’s so much fun.

*Disclaimer: I am in no way a doctor or dermatologist or any of that jazz. But I am a teenage girl battling hormonal acne and scarring and I’ve done a lot of research on this stuff so I know a little about it. This is also based on my results obviously and just some general advice 🙂 don’t come after me pls, thanks

First and foremost – wash your face twice a day, morning and night. I feel like this should be common knowledge honestly. I always feel so much more awake and clean after I wash my face in the morning. And then so clean when I go to bed because I wash all the nasties that accumulated on my face from that day. Washing your face also rids all the excess oils and dirt (which cause pimples, errrrybody). Do not use harsh soaps! This will strip your skin, leaving it dehydrated, dull, and probably with more acne. When you strip your skin, your body thinks “Oh wow Mack’s face is super dry- let’s produce some more oil to lube that puppy up!” NOT GOOD. Also, use soaps that are intended for your skin type. Meaning don’t use super drying soaps if you’re prone to dry and flaky skin! With all of this being said, it really boils down to what works for your skin, something I’ll probably be saying a lot in this post. I have a friend who does not wash her face unless in the shower, and if she does-she doesn’t use soap. And guess what- her skin is beautiful! Not a zit in site. If two washes a day leaves your skin super dry, try switching to a more gentle cleanser or wash once a day. Experiment and discover what works for you. I recommend Cetaphil as a face wash because it is so gentle and works for about all skin types.

Adding onto that last point, when I say experiment I don’t mean switch your products every week. It usually takes 3-4 weeks for your skin to adjust to a new product and for you to determine whether your skin is improving or looks plain awful because of it. Switching products allll the time will freak your skin out and leave it irritated.

Now, let’s get into a routine. 1. wash (we already talked about this, I know I KNOW!)

2. toner. What the heck is a toner, you ask? Only my favorite step of skincare. So a toner balances your skin’s pH levels because certain products can leave it too far on one end of the spectrum, causing acne. Toner evens pH out and thus evens out skin tone. I’ve been using witch hazel for years, and it has been my saving grace. Seriously, I had severe backne when I was in elementary school. Poured some witch hazel on a cotton pad, swiped it all over, and boom – improvements. And yes, I could definitely tell the difference when I didn’t use it. Witch hazel rids the skin of oils and dirt leftover after washing, and it makes your skin feel so clean! After my 9+ hour day of traveling, my face felt so greasy. After swiping on some witch hazel, I felt ready-to-go! My favorite right now is Thayer’s witch hazel because it’s completely natural with no alcohol and it’s cruelty-free and vegan! It also comes in scents like cucumber and rose petal or something like that. I use cucumber and unscented and they are great!

3. Moisturize. I cannot stress this enough. Moisturize even if you have super oily skin! It will not hurt your oily skin or make your acne worse, if anything it will help. Your skin needs moisture, and you won’t look like a fresh-faced baby without it. Dry skin is more prone to wrinkles as you age, and ladies hate wrinkles am I right? Want that dewy, Instagram-model skin? Moisturize!!! Restore the skin barrier!!! CeraVe PM moisturizer is great and is non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores.

4. SPF. So. important. The sun is bad, regardless of what you think or just choose to ignore. Use SPF every day because even on an overcast day, UV rays still poke through (this goes for all you spring-breakers, especially right now.) In addition, the lights in buildings are not good for your skin. If you’re lazy like me, find a moisturizer with SPF in it. I use Juice Beauty’s SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer and I am obsessed. I think it’s designed for acne prone skin because it says clears while hydrates. How about that for multitasking? It also has a bunch of antioxidants and it’s organic!! Protect your skin, no one wants skin cancer or wrinkles so deep it looks like the Grand Canyon just because you’re frying your face.

Other routine inclusions involve exfoliating, serums, and masks. Exfoliating gets rid of all the dead skin and exposes the new skin underneath. Excess dead skin cells can build up and clog pore=acne :(. Exfoliating also helps your skin look fresh and can reduce the appearance of scars. Serums can help plump up your skin and give it a little extra moisture. I use the Athara Pure Neem Healing Oil and I love it! Neem is known to be very good for acne, and it makes your skin look so glowy! Now, face masks are great and everything, but not so much if you have sensitive skin like me. I have to be cautious about what face masks I use because a lot of the ingredients are harsh and burn my skin. Look for all-natural masks. Clay masks are great for acne seeing as they pull out all the toxins, but they can be drying so use them sparingly about once a week. The Indian Healing Clay is great and cheap too! It’s pure clay and you can get a 1 lb jar off Amazon for like $8. Mix it up with ACV and you are good to go.

Let me talk about Athara Pure real quick. If you didn’t already know and you probably didn’t, I am a huge advocate for natural products. Athara makes vegan skincare products with all-natural ingredients! I love them so much, they’re products are incredible. Usually, products such as these are crazy expensive, and I thought Athara was expensive until I compared it to other brands. For a moisturizer, you may spend $100 for a product comparable to Athara’s $30. Now, that seems like a lot for a 2 oz bottle, but I’ve barely made a dent in any of my products. I have the Moroccan coffee eye cream, the neem healing oil, and the charcoal cleansing bar. Ive had these for about three months and have used maybe an eighth of them? Probably one fourth of the cleansing bar because I use that as my face wash. It can be a little drying, and leaves your skin dry and tight, but if you dilute it with water its great. I am definitely going to use these products in the future (far into the future probably). I think they have definitely helped my skin and my acne.

Okay I think this post is over for now, but expect more to follow on this little skincare series! And even though I still have acne, my skin’s quality has improved overall from following these tips. I think people of all ages, any gender can benefit from this. Buh-bye now!

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