Acne is a common skin condition that creates whiteheads, blackheads and of course pimples. There are many activities that cause acne. It could be your skin type (oily skin types, for example), or a buildup of bacteria. It can even be stress or your diet. We’re presenting five everyday activities that cause acne that you can easily prevent. You may not have known these actions cause acne, or how to correct it. With our advice and infographic below, you can make effective steps to maintain clear, healthy skin – acne free.
Your Pillowcase
That’s right – your pillowcase may be a cause of your acne. Pillowcases are one cause of acne mechanica (acne caused by an object that has touched your face). If you don’t wash your pillowcase regularly, bacteria, dirt, skin cells and more will inevitably build-up. Sounds pretty gross, doesn’t it? Some tips to keep your pillowcase from causing you acne:
- Wash your pillowcase frequently. This can be once every two days or once a week.
- Wash your face before you go to bed -if you’re a woman, use micellar water or makeup wipes and then wash the makeup off your face.
- Use pillowcases that are made out of natural fabrics, like satin, cotton or linen (most are made of unnatural fibers, like polyester, acrylic, nylon, etc.)
Your Cellphone
The fact that your cellphone is one of the activities that cause acne may not be surprising. We take our cellphones everywhere, exposing them to germs and bacteria on the daily. In one experiment in Baton Rouge, students at Our Lady of the Lake School swabbed several cellphones to test the amount of bacteria on them. The swabs were then incubated for three days. We’ll save you from their frightening description, but numerous kinds of bacteria were discovered.
Here’s a solution to this acne-potent dilemma.
- Use an earpiece instead of putting your phone directly to your face.
- If prefer not to use an earpiece, make sure to clean your phone regularly. Use screen cleansing towelettes.
- Use a screen protector and change it daily.
Your Makeup Brushes
It’s more difficult to think that makeup brushes/applicators can cause acne. We apply makeup on the brush (or chosen applicator) and then apply it to our clean face – or at least your face should be clean. Yet, makeup brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria. On your brush remains old makeup, skin oil, dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria among other things. Every time you use your makeup applicator to put makeup on, you’re transferring that grime onto your face. Hence the acne breakouts.
Most women do not clean their brushes as frequently as they should…or at all. Check out the infographic to see how often you should clean your makeup applicators. There are a few ways you can clean them, which include:
- Use water and a good facial soap. Massage. Squeeze out the dirt until the water runs clean. Rinse off. Let your brush air dry.
- Run your makeup applicator under lukewarm water and rinse your brush thoroughly. In a bowel of water, add clarifying shampoo. Dip the applicator in the water. Rinse the brush until the water is clear. Air dry your brush.
- Use a traditional makeup brush cleaner and follow the product instructions.
Your Makeup
Sometimes makeup can cause acne. It depends on what type of makeup you use and whether you wash it off at the end of the day. When it comes to makeup and acne, ingredients matter. Don’t buy comedogenic ingredients, as these will clog your pores. Ingredients to avoid include:
- Silicones
- Parabens
- Fragrances
- Alcohol
You should also switch your liquid foundations to mineral foundations. Make sure you buy non comedogenic makeup, as this will not clog pores.
Your Toners
As the infographic states, the drying effect of these ingredients can shift your skin into “defense mode” (a term I just made up for this problem) and create excess oil. As you may know, excess oil clogs pores. Oil, along with other factors, can eventually lead to pimples.
These are five activities that cause acne, but as you can see, the solutions are simple. Just stick with them and you’ll be fine.
