It's 6:30 AM. Monday morning. You roll out of bed, trying to open your eyes, contemplating what you will wear on the first day of school. Then crap, it hits you. It's the first day of school. You stumble into the bathroom, begin to brush your teeth and crap again; you have a wonderful bright red pimple on your forehead. Right smack in the middle of your T-Zone for all to see. So what do you do? Scour your makeup for any green concealer (yes, green. It off sets the red), apply foundation, blend, and then apply powder. Day-of zits are very difficult to deal with, especially on your first day! Here are some quick tips to keep your skin, like Clean and Clear's slogan, "clean, clear and under control" so massive zits like this don't happen again.
Being a teen seems easy but actually there is quite a lot going on in your life. School, Sports, Homework, Social life, Friends, Events, Fashion, and Beauty all take up your time so it's hard to fit in a simple skincare routine and find the time to know what is best for your skin. Did you know that water is the most simple and significant thing you can do to keep your skin clear and healthy? Yep! Well read on for some more great simple tips that won't affect your lifestyle.
Drink up!
Like I previously mentioned, water is actually a clear skin secret that will certainly work for everyone. The recommended amount is 8 or more glasses a day to get your full take. Water flushes out all the toxins and helps maintain skin's hydration level from within giving you clear glowing skin.
Bacteria
This is also another very important tip. Stop fussing with your face! You've touched a million things just this morning from that croissant you had for breakfast to when you went to the bathroom. I use my hands and fingers for everything and the toughest part was NOT using my fingers to apply my concealer! This is very important as the bacteria and oils from when you had that croissant are now all over your face. We all know how oil and sweat build up produces acne; well this is exactly what I'm talking about. Another place that harbors bacteria is your makeup brush. Brushes are better than me using my fingers but they also MUST be washed at least once every two weeks. Bacteria breeds on moist areas making make-up brushes a breeding ground for bacteria. Brushes used less frequently or used for dry make-up powders and products can be cleansed every 2 weeks. This is very easy to do, wash with regular shampoo and conditioner then leave them to dry over-night, done! So A. wash your hands, B. Don't touch your face, and C. Wash your brushes!
No, you can't eat pizza and fries only..
Eat a balanced diet. I know very well during lunch schools serve foods such as pizza and breadsticks (I used to eat pizza every day at lunch, let me tell you) but eating this on a daily basis is not good for your skin. The oils, fats, and sugars are absorbed by your body and delivered to your skin. Not having a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables along with your pizza can result in very very frustrating breakouts.
BE CLEAN!
You might have thought this should have been the first step. Maybe so, however, if you are not drinking enough water, eating a balanced diet, or staying clear of bacteria, no amount of facial cleaning you do will stop your body from producing acne not just on your face but everywhere. Once you have those three steps down, then clean! Cleansing is very important, it removes the sweat and oil buildup that occurred during the day and overnight making it important to clean not only at night but also in the morning. You do not want to over-cleanse your skin, however. Being too much of a clean freak will strip your skin of the essential natural oils and the sebaceous glands that produce your natural oils will go into over-load, resulting in excess oil on the skin because it senses you need it from over washing. Use a mild, soap-free, oil-free cleanser for your skin type and do not wash more than twice a day, morning and night. It is also very important to shower immediately after physical activity. Sports after school are fun and they keep your skin and body healthy but the sweat and dirt produced can linger on your skin causing acne breakouts if not cleansed immediately. Because you sweat not only on your face, the sweat on your back will also cause breakouts there too. Gross!
De-Stress Always
Stress is often a huge factor, especially when it comes time to be searching and applying for college. This is where the infamous Freshman Fifteen comes to play. This term has been used for decades describing the amount of pounds freshman put on when going into university but what is not known is that the "Freshman Fifteen" is not just the result of weight gain. The Freshman Fifteen begins because of the stress freshman deal with coming into an entirely new environment. This stress causes bad diet choices and leads to an increase in breakouts. Eliminate as much stress as you can to avoid bad diets, weight gain, and acne breakouts. If you're having trouble with stress there are many things you can do to de-stress, just find what works for you. Walking, talking, running and meditating are all types of things that help people de-stress.
Remove your makeup at night
This can also fall into the "Be Clean" category but deserves a section of its own. I am all kinds of lazy and sometimes at night I just want to roll into bed without washing my face. This is why I keep facial cleansing wipes by my nightstand. If you don't wash you face at night the least you should do is remove your makeup and cleanse your face with simple facial cleansing wipes. Just as dirt clogs your pores causing breakouts, so does makeup and especially foundation.
NO Smoking
This should be a given, smoking is already known for all its harmful effects on the body. If you didn't know, smoking causes premature aging of the skin, worsens sun damage, increases wrinkling, adds a yellowish discoloration to your skin, and increases skin cancers. Smoking is one of the hardest bad skin habits to break but it will be worth your age and your life.
As you can see there are many different bad habits when it comes to skin care and it may seem time consuming but these tips are all things you should be doing on a daily basis anyway. Wash you face in the morning, go to school don't touch your face or eat crazy unhealthy and greasy foods, come home relax, wash your face or remove makeup, go to bed. This is as simple as your routine should be and as simple as it can be! Your face will be glowing clean and clear just by following these few simple tips!
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