June is Acne Awareness Month! Acne is the most common skin condition in the US and affects millions of people of all ages (early teens to even late adulthood like the 30s and 40s). There are many reasons why you may have acne. Your sebaceous glands may be producing too much oil, which leads to clogged pores and the inevitable breakout, your diet may be affecting the state of your skin, or your hormones may play a role in the way your skin appears. We know that breakouts are never fun so we have incorporated ingredients that are good for your skin that can help you fight acne! Keep reading to learn more about the ones we love and other helpful tips to prevent these common breakouts.
Jojoba Oil (aka Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)
Your Only Facial Cleanser + Be Kind Double Duty Mist
Jojoba Oil is a common and effective skincare ingredient that can help treat acne, dry skin, inflammatory skin conditions (such as eczema and psoriasis), and other skin issues that you may be dealing with. It is also a humectant so it attracts water to the top layer of your skin to help keep your skin hydrated all day long and to prevent harmful intruders from wreaking complete havoc on your skin. While it is recommended you steer clear of essential oils, jojoba oil is actually very soothing and has a very low chance of clogging your pores.
Peppermint Oil (aka Mentha Piperita)
Your Only Meditation Gel Cream
Peppermint essential oil helps to manage facial flushing and maintain skin's natural facial temperature for a moment of cooling relaxation. Peppermint oil also helps keep excess oil in check to lower the chances of acne making unwanted and unexpected appearances. It also has antibacterial properties and helps to minimize itching and inflammation.
Gromwell Root Oil (aka Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root)
Sweet Rescue Bubble Burst Serum
The Gromwell Root is said to contain antioxidant and skin-soothing properties so it’s only fitting that gromwell root oil does a lot of good for your skin! It helps speed up the skin’s healing and repairing process and reduces acne bacteria, redness, and inflammation. It even contains high levels of shikonin, which is a component known to boost skin cell turnover and protect skin from free radicals. This ingredient is especially great for women who may have hormone-related skin troubles (aka hormonal acne, which we are very familiar with) and are looking for a calming and effective treatment option. For further reading on hormonal acne please refer to our blog post on skin and the 3 M's.
Workout-related breakouts
Another time you might see breakouts appear is after you have worked out and pimples can unfortunately form wherever you sweat (your face, under your sports bra, on the body - particularly the back). This happens because sweat is a pore blocker and can mix with everything that is already on your skin like dirt, oils, and other impurities you may have picked up. Here are some recommendations to prevent workout-related breakouts:
- Remove makeup before working out. Makeup blocks your pores and will become trapped and cause breakouts.
- Wash your face with cleanser after you are finished exercising.
- Wear new workout clothes every time you exercise as bacteria can get trapped in the fabric and cause breakouts.
- Keep your hair out of your face so that any hair products don’t mix with your sweat. Wash your headbands after every use.
- Wipe sweat off with a towel during your workouts to keep skin dry and clean. Be sure to use a new one every time you exercise.
Here are some other helpful tips to keep in mind when dealing with acne:
- Always wear sunscreen! Some anti-acne products (especially prescription ones) can make you more sensitive to sunlight so it’s important to take extra caution to protect your skin.
- Be consistent and patient with your skincare routine! Finding a regimen that works for you may take some time, but don't feel discouraged. Once you find products that work for you then stick to them so you can continue to treat your skin with the TLC it deserves to look and feel its best.
- Less is truly more! It’s best to not have too many steps in your skincare routine as this could damage your skin’s natural barrier and may lead to clogged pores and even more breakouts.
We hope this deep-dive into acne and the ingredients we use to help prevent it serve as a helpful guide to better understand and treat acne-prone skin. If your acne becomes severe or unmanageable or is beginning to affect your mental health then please seek out a professional so you can properly and safely treat this skin condition. The most important part of all of this is that you always feel your best!