I’m not sure what your skin type is, but mine is definitely prone to random breakouts that have a tendency to stay for far too long. Especially during my first trimester of pregnancy…I had intense breakouts around my chin / jawline out of no where. I shared a little bit about this on IG stories and had so many requests from you guys to do a post on how to battle breakouts. So, today I’m going to share with y’all what I do when my skin freaks out, to get it back on track ASAP!
There are a lot of things you can do / products you can use to prevent breakouts, obviously. But today I specifically want to talk about once the breakout is already there…how do you get rid of it. (I might do another post sometime soon on how to prevent breakouts from happening!). So, when my skin freaks out for whatever reason…the first thing I look at is my diet. Am I drinking enough water? Have I been having chocolate 10x a day? What does my sugar intake look like? For me personally…when I am eating a lot of junk food, drinking too much red wine (prior to pregnancy obviously), it definitely takes a toll on my skin. Obviously I love dessert and have a major sweet tooth, but it’s all about moderation, right? So, if you are currently battling a bad breakout…try to increase your water intake and maybe cut back on sugar and see if that helps. Drinking tons of water everyday will seriously do wonders for your skin.
Now, let’s talk about products to help with breakouts. I will be sharing both the products I use now that I’m pregnant, and products that I used before pregnancy that help battle breakouts.
So, salicylic acid will do wonders for acne. I’m personally avoiding it in high percentages while I’m pregnant, which is partially why my skin freaked out I’m sure. But, this Drunk Elephant babyfacial mask has a very high percentage of salicylic acid and will tremendously help with current breakouts, as well as prevent them from happening. Use it 1-2x a week, leave it on for 20 mins, and then rinse. You will be amazed. Yes, this mask is not cheap. But it is a professional quality AHA/BHA mask that works as a “facial” to reveal greater clarity, improved skin texture and tone, and a more youthful-looking radiance.
I’ve loved Sunday Riley good genes for a really long time now. I used to use it every single night until I switched my skincare routine over to Drunk Elephant. But, I still use Good Genes probably 1-2x a week, and definitely if I’m experiencing a breakout. I use it now as a mask. Apply and let it sit for 15mins, then rinse. It’s a lactic acid treatment so it will help unclog your pores and get rid of dead skin cells. This is definitely one of my favorite products to use all the time but especially if I am battling a breakout!
Something else that will help battle breakouts: make sure you are really taking your makeup off every single night. I typically double cleanse at night, meaning I use this cleansing balm first to dissolve all of my makeup, and then I use my normal cleanser. This isn’t always 100% necessary, but IMO it’s necessary if you have a substantial amount of makeup on that day. Double cleansing will ensure your makeup is not staying on at night, clogging up your pores, making the breakout worse.
I shared on IG stories yesterday – I just bought this Eminence probiotic mask after hearing amazing reviews about it from so many people. This mask gives your skin a dose of highly nourishing and cleansing ingredients to soothe inflamed skin and clear breakouts. The lactic acid in this exfoliates and moisturizes, as cucumber rejuvenates and tones the skin. Shea butter aids in healing, as marigold gently soothes, cleans and reduces irritations. Clay penetrates pores to eliminate dirt and impurities! Like, does this not sound like magic in a mask?! I cannot wait to use it!
Another tip I’ve found helpful when trying to get rid of a breakout: do your best to leave your skin alone. It can be so tempting to pick or mess with your skin thinking you’re making it better. You’re not! When you touch your face you’re only adding more bacteria to the area, and when you pick, you might be causing scarring. So, do your best to leave your hands off of your face as much as possible!
I think exfoliation is also really important – all the time, but also when you are more broken out than usual. You need to unclog those pores and get the dead skin cells off! I love this exfoliating bar by drunk elephant and use it two mornings a week. I also love this charcoal mask for exfoliation and unclogging pores. I also use this about two times a week (depending on when and if I used Good Genes above).
If you have one REALLY big blemish you need to get rid of ASAP for an event that night or something…this drying lotion will be your best friend. It’s a spot treatment, so you don’t really apply it to your whole face. Just apply it directly do your zit and it can honestly heal it overnight sometimes. Pretty amazing for under $20!
Acne can be caused by SO many different factors. So, what helps me might not help you but I think these rules are typically true across the board. Again, don’t underestimate how much good sleep, water, and healthy eating effect your skin!
*Just to clarify, I currently use all of these products except for Babyfacial while I’m pregnant. But, if you are unsure about using a certain product or ingredient while pregnant, check with your doctor to find out what he or she recommends for you!*
So this is a TON of information on how to battle breakouts haha. Basically just remember these things: drink a ton of water, try to cut back on sugar, and lactic acid (found in this probioitc mask or sunday riley good genes) and salicylic acid (found in this babyfacial mask) will do wonders for your skin. Exfoliation is also very important! If you have any other questions about my regular skincare routine, make sure you check out this blog post!
Do you have any go-to hacks for how to battle breakouts? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below! Thanks for reading!
xo Lauren
