My acne struggle began at a young age. As a preteen to a teenage girl, I was wildly insecure about it. I felt ugly, unhygienic, and weird. Mostly, I remember feeling jealous of everyone who had clear skin naturally. I found myself surrounded by my beautiful friends and family, and almost none of them had acne. I felt isolated.
However, no one told me that it’s completely normal and okay to have acne. It doesn’t mean you don’t try to take care of your skin or that you’re less than someone else. I felt constant sadness and frustration about having acne, and that’s okay. I know that it’s not an easy struggle, so here are a few things I’ve learned to stay clear of when it comes to my skincare:
- Don’t Sleep with Makeup
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This one might seem obvious, but honestly, I feel it should still be said. Falling asleep with makeup was the worst thing I ever did to my skin. Not only did it get everywhere on my sheets and pillows, but it destroyed my skin in the morning, leaving me with terrible breakouts. Removing my makeup and cleansing my face let my skin breathe. I know the idea of sleeping in last night’s glam might seem cool and “brat” or “Kesha-coded,” but for me, it wasn’t worth it.
- Don’t Forget to Moisturize
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I have combination skin, so some parts of my face are constantly oily, and some are always dry and flaky. I used to avoid moisturizing because my face felt oily enough already, and the idea of adding more moisture to my face was nauseating. However, adding moisturizer to my daily routine has left my face feeling hydrated and refreshed. Now, my face feels far less oily and flaky than it did before.
- Don’t Buy Unnecessary Products
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I used to think that having a 15-step process for my skincare routine would magically cure my acne, but newsflash: buying that many products for myself was beyond pointless. My skin didn’t need that many different moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, and my acne didn’t disappear. Keeping my routine simple has not only helped my skin, but also my bank account, too.
- Don’t Underestimate the Effects of Stress
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The more stressed out I am about an upcoming event or exam, the more I experience horrible breakouts. Yes, feeling stressed is unavoidable, but if I find myself breaking out more than usual, I try to cut myself some slack. Being 20 years old is stressful, so yeah, I’ll probably break out once in a while!
- Don’t Compare Skincare Journeys
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This is by far one of the easier things I’ve done. I used to compare my skin to others constantly. Occasionally, I still do. It’s easier said than done, I know, but as soon as I stopped fixating on other people’s skin, I realized we all struggle with something. Maybe they used to have acne. Maybe somebody with more acne wishes they had my skin. Sometimes, we just need to remember that comparison is the thief of joy.
If you need to test everything out like I did, then go for it. If you want to continue being consistent with your own routine, that’s perfectly fine too! Listen to your body and make the decision based on what’s best for you. I just hope everyone reading this will know that they’re not alone in their skin struggles.
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