Acne is a problem that affects people of all ages, not just teenagers. There is no guarantee that you won't wake up one morning with a big red zit on your nose or a few whiteheads on your cheeks- no matter how long it's been since you were in high school.

During pregnancy, or even after menopause, women still have to fight with blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and cystic acne. However, achieving healthier skin is possible, especially when using a skincare routine that is designed for acne-prone skin and works for your unique skin care needs. 

What Is Acne - And What Causes it?

Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it affects more than 50 million Americans yearly, but most of us don't understand what acne is or how to properly treat it.

Acne includes everything from whiteheads and blackheads to deeper blemishes and painful cysts.

The skin has microscopic openings called pores that can become clogged with dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria. If this happens, you might get a pimple, sometimes called a zit or acne.

What skincare routine is recommended for acne-prone skin?

Acne and breakouts in adults and teens are very common. Instead of avoiding products or using the wrong products for your skin, you should find out what products work for your skin type.

For the best results, we highly recommend getting the Clear Skin Combo, which includes six products (Collagen Boosting Toner/Mist, Tea Tree Daily Face Wash, Serum, Sugar Scrub, Face Mask,1 Applicator Brush). Here are four easy steps to use as a daily skincare routine:

Step 1: Use A Cleanser To Get Rid Of Dirt And Any Impurities (Morning And Night)

Even if you're tired, we highly recommend washing your face before bed, especially if you've been wearing makeup. Face wipes and micellar water may not be enough when properly treating acne prone skin. Using a face wash like our Tea Tree Daily Face Wash will gently get rid of excess oil and buildup on the surface of your skin. It also helps to heal and prevent blemishes while making the skin clean and healthy. The right face wash can leave your skin feeling icy clean, penetrating deep into your pores to remove dirt and bacteria, reducing the likelihood of an acne breakout.

We highly recommend spending two to three minutes massaging it all over your face, and then use warm water and a clean washcloth to remove it.

Step 2 – Spray Toner (Morning And Night)

After using a Face Wash, we highly recommend using a toner to open your pores. Toners help prepare your skin for the next step to absorb all the products. Toners like our Collagen Boosting Toner contain natural ingredients like Burdock Root, Rose Water, Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Lemon Balm, Echinacea, Lavender which help eliminate extra oil, fight spots and blackheads, and keep your skin hydrated. You can also use a toner to set your makeup. 

We suggest spraying our Collagen Boosting Toner over your face and neck, avoiding the eye area.

Step 3 – Apply Moisturizer/ Face Serum (Morning And Night)

All skin types, including acne-prone skin, need to be hydrated daily.  Without a moisturizer, your skin glands begin to work too hard to make up for the lack of moisture and make too much oil, leading to clogged pores and shiny skin.

A moisturizer like our face serum can promote healing with blackheads, acne scars, and acne. Natural ingredients like Organic Shea Butter, Aloe, Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E, Lavender oil, Pure Honey, Turmeric, Olive Oil reduce the size of large pores, spots, and uneven skin tone, giving your skin intense hydration and making your melanin glow.

Step 4 – Add The Dark Spot Corrector Oil (Night Only)

After applying a serum for moisture, allow the face to dry and then apply the dark spot corrector oil to the face before you go to bed. Our organic dark spot corrector makes acne scars and sun spots less noticeable while promoting even skin tones. The Pretty Melanin Organic Dark Spot Corrector also helps increase the number of new cells your skin creates and eliminates discoloration by attacking skin cells that are too dark or damaged. 

SCRUB/EXFOLIATE

Adding a sugar scrub to your skin care routine can prepare your skin for serums and moisturizers. Sugar scrubs like our Pretty Melanin Face Scrub helps remove debris and dead skin cells, allowing the ingredients in serums and moisturizers to work their magic. We designed our sugar scrub with natural ingredients like Organic Brown Sugar, Vitamin E, Olive Oil, Organic Vanilla extract, Lavender oil, Peppermint, and Natural African soap which help remove dead skin cells, brighten your complexion, open your pores, and get a deep clean. You'll also notice a smoother, plumper, and more hydrated appearance on your skin. We recommend applying our Sugar Scrub by scrubbing it on your face in circular motions once a week or as needed and then letting the scrub sit on your face for as long as desired. After your desired amount of time, we recommend rinsing off your face with warm water. 

MASK UP

Including a face mask into your weekly skincare routine comes with many benefits. Masks like our Clay Face Mask contain ingredients including Aloe gel, Turmeric Oil, Rosemary extract, Organic apple cider, Organic Vanilla extract, Organic grown cinnamon, Natural Bentonite clay. These ingredients work together to help decrease pore size, dry up excess sweat, remove dirt and support the removal of blackheads.

For maximum results, we recommend pairing our Clay Face Mask with our Turmeric Face Mask as well. Enriched with red sandalwood powder, honey, and fresh aloe, our Turmeric Face Mask is designed to even your skin tone, prevent acne, and improve the skin's texture. Our Turmeric Face Mask also naturally lightens dark spots and over-pigmentation. We highly recommend using an applicator brush to spread your face mask evenly over your face and neck. Let the face masks dry for no longer than thirty minutes and rinse with cool water and soap!

DO'S AND DON'TS FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN

An effective skin care routine is a great start to helping treat acne-prone skin. In addition, having the right knowledge about how to use the skincare products that you select is essential to achieving maximum results. Here are some important questions to ask yourself when learning how to properly treat acne-prone skin.

How Often Should I Wash My Face?

We highly recommend avoiding washing your face too often. When dealing with acne-prone skin, we suggest washing your face no more than twice a day. Even though over-cleansing won't make acne worse, it can dry out and inflame your skin, causing your skin to feel itchy and sore.

Does My Diet Impact My Skin Care Acne Results? 

Paying attention to what you eat and drink is one of the most important steps during your skincare journey. We highly suggest doubling the amount of water you’re drinking in order to flush out the toxins in your body and keep your skin as hydrated as possible. Also the less sugar the better. For example, sticking to one kind of sugar-free juice like sugar-free cranberry, sugar-free pomegranate or sugar-free carrot juice are the best). You can usually find these at Publix or the Whole Foods Market. Also, try adding hot green tea with ginger, lemon and honey (no sugar) to your morning routine as well.

Can I Pop My Acne & Pimples?

We highly recommend not picking, squeezing, popping, or doing anything else to acne and blemishes that appear on your skin. If you squeeze pimples or whiteheads, you could end up with an open wound that can easily get infected or leave acne scars. 

Are My Pillowcases and Sheets Clean?

People often overlook the dirt and bacteria that can be found on their pillowcases and sheets. Washing your sheets and pillowcases at least once a week is a great way to ensure that your dirt is not being transferred. Dirty sheets and pillowcases can cause dirt to transfer to your skin and potentially lead to breakouts of acne and blemishes. 

Do I Have To Take My Makeup Off Before Bed?

We highly recommend removing your makeup before bed. Makeup residue can clog your pores and stop your skin from generating new, healthier cells needed for healing and repairing. Leaving your makeup on can lead to impurities that may cause breakouts or worsen your skincare condition. We highly recommend using a gentle makeup remover paired with our Tea Tree Face Wash/Cleanser before bedtime.

Can Stress Impact My Acne?

Stress is known to be a major factor in acne and blemishes appearing. Stress can kill skin cells, which can make your skin oily and cause acne to appear. If you notice that your acne worsens when you're stressed, it’s very important to develop methods to ease your mind and alleviate your stress. Find ways to relax that work for you and use them. Some of our favorite options are yoga, working out, and reading or anything else that makes you feel better.

Can I Pair Other Acne Products With Medical Prescriptions?

We highly recommend avoiding pairing over the counter products with natural skin care products. The medicinal ingredients in prescription medicines may interfere with the effectiveness of the natural ingredients in organic skin care products. We also recommend giving your prescriptions time to work on their own to truly see if the medicine is effective with dealing with acne and blemishes. Some kinds of acne are more challenging to get rid of and need more potent medicines. 

Wrapping It Up

A good skincare routine can not only reduce the signs of acne but also prevent new acne and blemishes from appearing. With the right products and the right knowledge, we can progress quicker along our skincare journey, but always remember, there is no quick way to get rid of acne. It can take up to three months for a new product to make a difference in your skin. The key is to use patience and consistency!