I like to think I have accomplished the art of having acne-free skin. Do I still get acne? Yes, occasionally, because my body hates me. Do I have blemishes reminding me of the horrible time I had active acne for most of my teenage years which led to me socially isolating myself and having no friends? Also yes. But at least now I have learnt to be okay with it (kind of), and my skin is starting to heal. I have been able to clear most of it and I can keep it at bay by applying the products mentioned below.
So sit back and follow these steps to clear acne and maintain acne-free skin.
Disclaimer
Note that this article contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase any of these products I get a small commission, but doing so doesn’t charge you anything extra. Also, note that these are all products I have personally used and benefited from. They have worked on my mostly-oily-combination-skin and target all skin types with blemishes, acne, and acne-related skin issues. However, what may be working for me and my skin-type may not work for you. This is just for you to get started on a skin-care routine, it obviously cannot be a substitute for professional treatments and directions. The products mentioned below range anywhere from INR 150 to 1800. Some of these are homemade recipes so there is something for every budget.
So.
The Regimen + Products Used
1. Wake up and drink about 1-litre water before doing anything else.
This will release toxins from your body, which is usually the reason for acne. Keeping hydrated is the simplest and cheapest solution. Before eating anything add 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in one glass of water and drink it, or apply diluted ACV on your face as a toner to restore the balance of your skin’s pH.
2. Wash your face with a mild, natural, all organic face wash if your skin is super sensitive.
I like to use Forest Essentials Mashobra Honey, Lemon and Rosewater Face wash. You can also use The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Wash for Blemished Skin. If you have oily skin with frequent breakouts, whiteheads and blackheads, use a scrub designed for blemished skin and cleaning dead skin cells off your face like The Body Shop Tea Tree 3-IN-1 Wash.Scrub.Mask. This is mild enough that it can be used every day and effective enough that it does what it claims. Alternatively, you can make your own face washes using ingredients you can easily find at home– besan/multani mitti, and mix it with milk powder, dried neem, aloe vera or rose powder to make a paste and keep on your face for about 10 minutes before washing it off.
3. Apply any organic, chemical-free face pack that is clay-based to get rid off active acne and breakouts.
For this, you can use Biotique’s Bio Mud Face Pack and Bio Clove Face Pack, and/or The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. While Biotique products are natural, affordable, and effective, you can alternatively make your face pack by following this recipe — multani mitti (100gm); pudina powder (50gm); and powdered cloves (3 tsp).
4. Rid your skin of old scars and blemishes.
For this, you can use Biotique’s Bio Fruit Face Pack, and/or Milk Protein Face Pack. You can of course use other brands that you’re loyal to, as long as you are not putting harsh chemicals in your skin. Always read the labels of the products you are using and make sure they are free of parabens and other harmful chemicals.
5. Tone and moisturise to get supple skin.
Follow it up by applying toner (like Forest Essentials Rose Water, or Kaya Purifying Toner or Biotique’s Honey Water Toner) and moisturiser or natural oils like cold-pressed coconut oil, or bio-oil (which are effectively the same if not better than moisturising). Now you may wonder why we are applying more oil to an already genetically oily face, right? That makes sense, except your body doesn’t know you to be someone with oily skin. If you keep your skin away from moisturisers and oils, it will think it’s dry and hence produce more oil. So slap that cream on yo face.
Other Products to Use
After washing your face, you can apply a light gel-based cream if you are not a fan of heavy cream-based moisturisers. You can try-
- TBS Seaweed Gel Cream
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Real, natural aloe vera plant’s gel (get aloe vera plant, cut a small piece, open from centre and apply straight to your face)
- Chlorophyll gel
- Essential oils like Lavender and Tea tree when mixed with a carrier oil like Almond oil or Coconut oil can reduce blemishes to a great extent
Things to Keep in Mind
- Always clean your face in upwards direction
- Always, always cleanse your face with a cleanser (different from face wash) at the end of the day irrespective of whether or not you applied makeup. It will rid your skin of impurities that settle in your skin the minute you step out of the house. Do this before you start your face wash regimen. You can use Khadi’s Cucumber and Aloe Vera Cleansing Milk, or cold-pressed coconut oil or almond oil.
- Do not vigorously scrub your face with a towel, dab it dry with a cotton towel instead
- Make sure you keep a separate cotton towel for your face and throw it in the wash every two days
Other Remedies
1. Eat Clean
I learnt that I had acne, not because I wasn’t washing my face enough (although washing it at least twice a day keeps it clean and less prone to breakouts) but because I wasn’t eating enough healthy meals. I needed to fix what was showing up on my face by fixing what was happening inside – inflammation. Moral: Keep your gut happy to see happier skin.
2. Minimise Dairy
I also saw a difference in my skin when I cut out dairy from the foods I consumed. While milk powder may be good to lighten red and blotchy skin, dairy which is full of hormones can throw off the balance of one’s body’s hormones and trigger acne. Try instead drinking non-dairy substitutes like unsweetened almond milk (Raw Pressery or any other brand of your choice) or coconut milk. Not only do they taste good, they also do not make you feel heavy or bloated like traditional dairy does.
3. Minimise Sugar
Sugar (and not fat and oils, from what I have learnt) is the reason why your skin flares up and becomes more red and painful. You’d be surprised how much sugar we consume without even realising it. Sugar is in almost everything, not just your artificial granulated sugar, but even things that do not need sugar, for example, mayonnaise, cornflakes, ketchup, and sadly also McDonald’s fries. A good way of steering clear of unnecessary sugar is to read the labels of everything you purchase and making sure it does not contain any more than the dietary requirements of sugar. Often artificial sugar is confused with sugar that is naturally found in fruits. We need to stay away from packaged juices, not fruits themselves unless you have been medically directed to do so. That said, too much of sugar in any form cannot be healthy, so consume everything in moderation.
