8 Beauty Hacks to Reduce Acne

The desire for perfect skin is an understandable feeling. While taking off makeup nightly and keeping a clean face can prevent acne, there may be other benefactors causing breakouts. Here are eight makeup and beauty hacks that will help you achieve a flawless complexion: 

1. Clean your makeup brushes/sponge

Clean your makeup brushes and makeup sponges every time you put on makeup.  They tend to collect everything that is on your face — oil, dead skin cells, dust, and anything else that may be clinging on to your skin. Every time that you use a dirty brush, you are wiping a disgusting combination of bacteria all over your face, clogging your pores as a result.

2. Store your makeup sponge in an aerated container

After washing your Beautyblender, or any makeup sponge of your choice,  make sure to let the sponge fully dry before storing it away. A damp makeup sponge stuffed in a dark, enclosed makeup bag can cause bacterial growth and mold, which can lead to breakouts. Always store Beautyblenders in ventilated pouch instead of a makeup bag or plastic bag, so that the sponge can breathe.

3. Don’t share makeup tools with others

While it may sound rude, sharing makeup tools with your friends may not be the best idea. If you really think about it, you’re combining your face oils and bacteria and transferring them to someone else. Do yourself (and your skin) a favor by keeping your makeup tools to yourself.

4. Clean your phone daily 

When you’re constantly talking on the phone, you press your device up against your face and  therefore transferring the bacteria, oil, and dirt on your phone to your skin. Be sure to wipe an alcohol-based hand sanitizer over your screen once a day to help prevent further acne breakouts.

5. Use unscented products

Unless the label of your favorite skin regimen or makeup products says, “fragrance-free,” there’s a good chance it has some sort of synthetic scent mixed into it. Even the term “unscented” could be an unnatural scent. If you’re someone whose skin is sensitive to fragrances, these “unscented” products could be the very reason your skin is breaking out. So unless your preferred face products states that it’s fragrance-free, try to find another option.

6. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day

Drinking a sufficient amount of water benefits your body in many ways. While water is not the panacea to all of your acne problems, plenty of H20 will help your fight against breakouts. Hydrating helps your skin self-moisturize and helps cleanse your cells of built-up waste you don’t want clogging up your pores.

7. Clean you face only one to two times a day 

It is important to wash your face, but sometimes constant rinsing can lead to over-washing. When your face is constantly being cleansed, the chemicals inside your face products strip your skin of it’s natural and oils, causing your skin to reproduce and create an excess amount oil. This excessive amount of oils can cause skin to become greasy, which then creates breakouts.

8. Change/wash your pillowcase biweekly

Dirt, dust, oil, and maybe even drool can collect on your pillowcase while you sleep. Surprisingly, your pillowcase could be the main cause of your latest breakouts. Be sure to change your pillowcases at least once every other week. Another tip is to use a satin or a silk pillowcase rather than cotton one — this will help reduce chafing of your skin.