Lifestyle – noun
The typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture.
Lifestyle – adjective
Associated with, reflecting, or promoting an enhanced or more desirable lifestyle.
Before we talk about acne prevention – let’s talk about lifestyle. When you consistently make good choices to influence positive change, you are striving towards a better you.
Start by making a daily habit tracker.
Those daily habits turn into a routine.
You now have a lifestyle dedicated to skincare.
These are the lifestyle changes you need to adopt if you want to take control of your acne:
DISINFECT YOUR PHONE DAILY
Quantify how many things you touch daily, then think about how many people probably touched those same things. Those germs are now on your phone. Oops – touched my face. Oops – answered my phone and touched my face again! Bottom line – your phone is gross! All of those germs and oils from your hands are transferring directly to your face.
Here’s what you should do: Make your own disinfectant wipes! I pour isopropyl alcohol on R+F’s gauze pads (link here) and store them in a glass container at two locations – my front door and bedside table so I remember to use them. Walk in the door after work? Boom – wipe down your phone. Have constant foot-traffic in your household? Use one again before bed!
WASH PILLOW CASES ONCE PER WEEK
Your face has more contact with your pillowcase than any other fabric. Washing your pillow cases regularly prevents oils and bacteria from building up. I also recommend investing in several silk (not satin) pillow cases (link here). These significantly help your skin retain moisture. Silk is naturally hypoallergenic so it is resistant to fungus and mold growth.
Bonus tip: Silk is also fantastic for your hair and can help prevent split ends!
HAVE A DEDICATED TOWEL FOR YOUR FACE
Don’t use the same towel you are wiping your hands with on your face. The towels will pick up some of the oils from your hands, germs, and other things that can cause a breakout.
I LOVE my microfiber towels (link here) that I exclusively use on my face. Change them out twice per week.
BE CAUTIOUS WITH HAIR PRODUCTS
As you’re spraying hairspray and dry shampoo on your hair, small particles are falling on your face. This can clog pores and increase breakouts. Make sure you are shielding your face when you spray these.
CUT DOWN ON DAIRY, HIGH GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS
These are the only scientifically proven diet related causes of increases in breakouts. The study with dairy actually found that skim milk caused more breakouts than whole milk.
DECREASE USE OF PHYSICAL EXFOLIATORS
If you are acne prone, throw out the facial brushes and scrubs. Physical exfoliators can cause microscopic cuts that are prone to bacteria. I’m currently working on an entire post related to this, but for now, stick to the chemical exfoliators.
ONLY USE NON-COMEDOGENIC MAKEUP PRODUCTS
Even if you have a killer skincare routine but continue putting junk on your face you will continue having breakouts.
Non-comedogenic basically means “no comedones”. Comedones are the scientific term for whiteheads and blackheads. It’s basically a clogged skin pore. I am obsessed with R+F’s Radiant Defense dermacosmetic (link here). I wear it every single day (including my wedding day.) A dermacosmetic is basically where cosmetics and dermatology meet. It looks like makeup but acts like skincare.
My days in the ER are 16-17 hour days total and I never have to worry about a breakout from wearing it too long. It is non-comedogenic and provides three types of defense. It helps to repair your moisture barrier, has SPF 30 to prevent UV damage, and has red algae antioxidants. I also use lighter and darker colors to highlight and contour when I want a more “made up” look.
CHANNEL THE CHANGE – NOT YOUR SIXTEEN YEAR-OLD SELF
There are days I wake up where I feel like I channeled my sixteen year-old self and my skin looks like it had a meltdown.
Adopting these lifestyle changes will make an enormous difference in your skin – I’ve invested the time and effort figuring out what works to prevent acne. Start doing yourself a favor and slowly working these habits into your daily routine.
I’m here to help if you have any questions. Use the contact form here so I can assist you in looking your best self! Thanks for stopping by!
