Top tips for minimising breakouts

There’s very little that can annoy you more than waking up to a giant red spot on your chin. Or one on your cheek. Or a whole cluster on your forehead. In fact, I can tell you that an out-of-nowhere breakout has singe-handedly ruined my day on more than one occasion.

And while we’re all well versed in the art of cleansing, toning, and moisturising, it’s not necessarily enough to keep those breakouts at bay. See, there are certain things you may (or may not) be doing that are actually contributing to those pesky pimples. So here are five easy things you can do to ensure that you minimise the chance of another unwanted blemish:

Minimise your breakouts by: changing your sheets regularly

Well, changing your pillowcase to be more specific. That soft-as-a-baby’s-butt pillowcase may feel like heaven on your skin, but over time it actually accumulates quite a bit of oil and bacteria. Pore-clogging, pimple-causing oil and bacteria. Bet you never thought of that when you decided you could put off changing your sheets for another week. So the lesson here? Even if you can’t be bothered to change all of your sheets, change your pillowcases every week.

Minimise your breakouts by: cleaning your phone

Just like your pillowcase, your phone can accumulate dirt and bacteria, too. And if you think about how often you use your phone during the day…well…that’s a lot of bacteria you’re letting sit on your skin. Make sure you wipe down your phone after every call and use loudspeaker when you can. Oh, and just to be extra safe, use an alcohol wipe every week to really clean the surface.

Minimise your breakouts by: removing ALL of your make-up

It should be an achievement in itself when you make the effort to cleanse your skin after a big night out. But sometimes it’s not enough and that quick cleanse hasn’t removed all of your foundation, bronzer, and mascara, leaving it to clog your pores as you sleep. To remove every trace of your make-up, make sure that you a) spend enough time cleansing your face and neck (a minimum of 30 seconds is recommended) and b) use a deep-cleansing face wash. Clearasil Daily Clear Vitamins & Extracts Daily Wash, while gentle enough for daily use, has been formulated to delve deep into your pores to remove all the dirt and make-up on your face. For an extra deep clean, use the Clearasil Daily Clear Vitamins & Extracts Scrub once or twice a week.

Minimise your breakouts by: taking the right supplements

Certain supplements and nutrients – like vitamins A, C and E – can help prevent your skin from breaking out by keeping your immune system healthy. You can find vitamin A in foods like carrots and pumpkin, vitamin C in oranges, lemons, and pomegranate, and vitamin E in avocados, grains, and eggs.

Minimise your breakouts by: washing your hair regularly

You scalp, just like the skin on your face, releases oil. And while this oil can keep your hair healthy and strong, if there’s too much oil in and around your scalp, it can mean breakouts galore for your forehead. So if you’re prone to an oily scalp and oily hair, you’ll want to make sure that you’re washing your hair every two or three days.

For more on how you can beautify from the inside:
•    Four ingredients for flawless skin
•    Easy recipes for beautiful skin
•    How much water do we really need to drink?
•    Vitamins and extracts you never knew you needed
•    Food for healthy hair

Do you suffer from occasional breakouts? Do you have any different tips for keeping breakouts at bay?