It happens to the best of us—you’re having a great week, everything’s in your favor, until you feel something brewing on your chin. Your confidence takes a hit, and as you walk from the boardroom to your office (or from your class across the quad) you can’t help but be self-conscious of who will point out the boil growing near your mouth. Instead of being caught off-guard as a lovely blemish begins to grace your face, make sure to adapt these preventative measures to stop the pimples before they’re forming:
Wash your Pillowcase
When was the last time you changed your pillowcase? If you frequently fall asleep with your makeup on, use hair styling products (and don’t wash your hair every day), think of the gunk that you’re touching your face to. As you catch your Zzzz’s, make sure that you’re not smearing old oil, hairspray, and last night’s foundation into your facial pores. Aim to switch your pillowcase a minimum of every two weeks. Amp it up to once a week if you wash your hair more infrequently than most.
Clean off your “Day Face”
Wash off your makeup every day before bed. Don’t make exceptions, don’t just use Makeup Wipes, and don’t make excuses. As you slumber your day’s worth of makeup mixes in with oils and sweat in your pores to form blackheads, whiteheads, and sometimes even cystic acne. Think about the amount of products sitting on your face: moisturizer, primer, concealer, foundation, setting powder, bronzer…and that’s not even on your lids or lips. No one wants these products to clog their pores. Just remember: consistency is key. Go to bed with a clean face. Every. Night.
Refresh After A Workout
Many women suffer from facial and body acne as a result of working out. This type of acne can be prevented in many ways. At the very least you should rinse your face with warm water to remove surface sweat & grime before exiting your gym. Next is to make sure that you’re not sitting in your sweat-drenched workout gear for an extended period of time after you’ve completed your workout. Allowing your wet garbs to lay against your skin allows bacteria to spread and prevents pores from being able to breath.
Find your Routine…& Stick with it
As I mentioned before, Consistency is Key. Make sure you’re not changing your skincare routine too often. It takes about 6-8weeks for your body to get used to a regimen; if you’re prone to trying new products frequently resist the urge to try the “latest and greatest” upon new releases. Stick to even as simple a routine as a gentle cleanser and moisturizer everyday only at night, or twice a day morning + night.
Wash your Brushes
I know this may sound obvious, but really: When was the last time that you cleaned your makeup brushes? If you’ve been using the same foundation brush for weeks on end, or the same powder brush for all of your facial powders it’s time to stop now. Over time, your brushes have product buildup, oil buildup, and just don’t do the same quality job that they used to. I recommend cleaning your brushes once a week to keep your brushes in tip top shape. After all, if you’ve taken the time to invest in makeup brushes the least you should do is protect and maintain your investment.
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