Our skin is only as beautiful as the effort we put forth to make it so, unfortunately some of us have extra obstacles like having oily, acne prone, or sensitive skin. Here are some simple tips to help you achieve glowing, supple skin.
1. Switch to liquid baby detergent
Traditional laundry detergent may be the culprit of some of your breakouts due to soap residue contact with washcloths, pillowcases, or clothes. Using a gentle liquid laundry detergent in place of a standard powder detergent reduces the chances of your skin becoming clogged with harsh chemicals from traditional laundry solutions. Skin of babies are more sensitive than most, so it may be a logical decision to use a laundry detergent made with a baby’s skin in mind.
2. Wash your sheets as often as possible
Doing laundry consistently may seem like a no brainer but sometimes the little things that are forgotten when it comes to improving skin. Washing bed sheets and pillowcases should occur week to week, if this proves to be too time consuming consider buying another set of linen so that you can rotate the different sets. Another important factor is washing and/or replacing your pillows accordingly. Think about all the germs from our hair and dead skin that collects on pillows, it’s a lot! Pillows should be washed at least twice a year and should be replaced every 2-3 years.
3. Drink more water
Make sure your body is getting enough water. For someone with oily skin drinking ample amounts of water will reduce overproduction of oil due to your body being hydrated. While many go the extra mile to drink a full gallon a day the recommended intake should be more personalized. A general recommendation is to drink half of your bodyweight in ounces. For example, if a person weighs 100 lbs, half of that is 50 so they should drink 50 ounces of water per day.
4. Wear sunscreen
Consistently wearing sunscreen is one of the easiest ways to combat hyperpigmentation and maintain a toned complexion. Wearing sunscreen is especially needed for those with sensitive and acne prone skin because breakouts will quickly turn to blemishes with too much sun exposure. Be sure to look for lightweight moisturizing sunscreens as those can be worn without makeup.
5. Use a gentle moisturizer
Moisturizing while having oily and acne ridden skin can prove to be difficult at times. Having to put product on top of breakouts may feel counter productive but moisturizing helps to balance the skin and help maintain a youthful glow.
6. Use natural remedies and alcohol free options
There are a plethora of natural products that are great for the skin like marine algae, bentonite clay, jojoba oil, etc., it is becoming more of a mainstream practice for companies to use these ingredient varieties . When evaluating alcohols be sure to avoid products with ingredients like ethanol, denatured alcohol and isopropyl. Many alcohols strip the skin of moisture causing dryness which leads to irritation and more breakouts.
7. Evaluate foods that may be affecting digestive health
This may be one of the toughest things to be honest with yourself about. Many foods can affect your digestive health in ways that trigger breakouts on your skin; spicy foods, dairy, and sugar are just a few. If you believe certain food items may be affecting your skin try, keeping a journal to log what you eat and how your skin looks as a result to potentially gauge what may be the cause.
8. Manage stress
Make sure you are taking care of your body from the inside out. Many psychological factors like stress can cause breakouts. Try exercising , taking a yoga class, or whatever self-care means to you. If you do choose working out you’ll want to add a deep cleansing method into your skincare routine to remove excess dirt caused by sweat out of your pores.
9. Diversify your skin care regimen
There are so many different steps that can be added to a skincare routine from toning, deep cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, treating breakouts, brightening, and the list can go on. Not every step needs to be done every single day but rotating different treatments, masks or scrubs 1-2 per week will help you achieve results in different problem areas.
All in all taking care of your sensitive skin is something that can only be evaluated on a case by case basis. What works for one person may not work for another, but it is important to explore and find out what does work for you. Listen to your skin, learn it’s trigger and treat it accordingly.