Acne or pimples form when the opening of a sebaceous gland becomes clogged with sebum and dead skin cells along with bacteria. The sebaceous gland becomes inflamed and pimples develop.
That's why it's extra important to:
keep the skin clean from bacteria and dirt.
wash away excess sebum so that no more hair follicles become clogged.
exfoliate away dead skin cells that clog the skin.
keep the skin moisturized to reduce the formation of sebum and dry skin cells.
Avoid this if you have acne
There are things that can worsen your acne. Make sure to avoid these pitfalls, especially if you have stubborn recurring acne that you can't get rid of.
1. Drying out the skin
What you want to avoid at all costs is drying out the skin. Sebum plays an important role in a healthy skin barrier. When the skin is dry, it is stimulated to produce more sebum which can contribute to more acne. In cleansers and toners, it is primarily soap substances and alcohol that dry out the skin.
Therefore, choose cleansing products that:
are gentle and don't foam much (or foam at all).
are moisturizing.
don't smell of alcohol, are alcohol-free or have a small amount of alcohol.
After cleansing, the skin should feel clean, comfortable and smooth. If the skin feels irritated, dry, tight or greasy, you need to change your cleanser.
2. Wrong pH value on the skin
The skin and the natural sebum it produces have a slightly acidic pH value around 5. Soaps and everything that foams have a higher pH value and are usually alkaline. Since bacteria thrive best in alkaline environments above pH 7, it's important to consider the skin's pH value.
Create an unfavorable environment for bacteria by lowering the skin's pH value.
Choose a gentle and moisturizing facial cleanser.
Use toner, especially after showering or face washing. Its main purpose is to balance pH.
Use a pure herbal water or hydrolat as toner. They have a pH value around 4-6.
3. Squeezing or picking at acne
Not even freshly washed hands are completely bacteria-free. Fingers and nails only make acne worse. Don't touch or feel the acne. Squeezing, picking or tearing is the worst thing you can do. Fingers introduce more bacteria to the skin and worsen inflammation.
This can cause:
acne to burst. Sebum and bacteria spread across the skin, leading to more pimples, blackheads and blemishes.
bacteria and dirt to be pushed deeper into pores and hair follicles.
damaged skin to form scars.
cell walls to be damaged. Pores become larger the more they are squeezed and picked at.
4. Dirty makeup brushes
No skin becomes beautiful from dirty makeup brushes. Grease, dirt and bacteria sooner or later lead to acne, blemishes and blackheads. Wash the brushes as often as you can. If you don't have time in the morning, set them aside and wash them in the evening.
5. Exfoliating the wrong way
Acne can tighten the skin and in some cases cause pain. A good way to reduce pressure, dead skin cells, dry skin and calm inflammation in the pores is precisely to exfoliate. However, it's easy for exfoliation to become too aggressive, doing more harm than good.
Therefore, remember to:
avoid pressing too hard, especially if you use peels with coarse scrubbing particles which can tear up the acne.
exfoliate with enzymes or acids.
avoid combining products containing different acids, vitamins and bioactive substances. This is to avoid severe skin irritation.
exfoliate in moderation. Follow the instructions without extending the treatment time or peeling more often than recommended.
6. Mineral oils and silicones
Beware of mineral oils and silicones in your creams and makeup.
They form a film on the skin like a barrier that:
blocks the absorption of moisture and other nutrients in your skincare products. The skin becomes dry and lifeless.
can encapsulate bacteria, dirt and sebum and contribute to acne breakouts, (black) blackheads and impure skin.
causes dead skin cells to remain on the skin longer.
is difficult to wash off. It requires strongly foaming cleansing products and multi-step cleansing which can irritate and create unbalanced skin.
Read the ingredient list and avoid silicone, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, paraffin and anything ending in -cone, -conol, -silane, -siloxane. New names and variants of silicones constantly appear that can be difficult to keep track of.
Our tip is to choose organically certified or natural products – a simple way to avoid silicones on skin and hair. Everything you find here at Glimja belongs to these categories.
7. Fear of vegetable oils
There is a general fear of oils. Remember that there is a multitude of pure vegetable oils that all have different properties. Heavy oils can work wonders on dry skin, while they can clog pores on oilier skin types.
Avoid heavy oils such as coconut oil, cocoa butter, waxes and palm oil. Use light oils instead.
Keep in mind that oil blends behave differently on the skin. For example, coconut oil (which has antibacterial properties) can have a positive effect on oily and acne-prone skin when combined with other oils.
The advantage of using pure cold-pressed oils is that they are usually:
without fragrances and additives.
incredibly economical and therefore cheaper than creams.
multi-purpose products that can be used on body, face and hair.
If you have sensitive skin or tend to react to different products, oils are the best choice. They are without additives and it becomes easier to keep track of what you can (and cannot) tolerate compared to a cream that usually has a long ingredient list.
8. Feeding inflammation
Remember that the skin is the body's largest organ. What you eat affects the skin's overall health. Support the skin by drinking water, eating healthy fats, vegetables and fruits. Keep in mind that these foods feed inflammation in the body:
refined sugar.
hydrogenated fats.
refined carbohydrates.
Skip semi-processed and fully processed foods, fast food, processed food and fried food. The list of inflammatory foods is long. Focus on eating varied, fresh food, preferably plant-based, and get all the colors of the rainbow on your plate with lots of vegetables.
Eating healthily is important for the skin's wellbeing.
Products for you with acne
If you have acne or pimples, it's important to have the right kind of skincare products. This in combination with a good skincare routine can soothe, prevent acne and drastically reduce acne breakouts. How many products are needed in your routine is highly individual.
Generally, this applies:
If you have sensitive skin or don't usually use skincare products, start with a minimalist routine consisting of cleansing, spot treatment (mask/peeling/serum) and face cream or face oil.
Prioritize cleansing products if you have a tight budget.
Add more products afterwards for faster and more effective results.
Cleansing
Your cleanser should be able to remove dirt and excess sebum without washing away the natural sebum needed in the skin. It should preferably be moisturizing, soothing, antibacterial and antiseptic.
Odylique Lemon Tea Tree Facial Wash meets all criteria for a really good cleanser for acne-prone skin.
It is also:
gentle – beneficial for sensitive skin types and teenage skin.
moisturizing – good for both dry and oily skin.
easy to rinse off with water – perfect for those with painful acne.
Other good facial cleansers for acne-prone skin:
Eco Cosmetics – good budget choice, suitable for normal-oily skin.
Evolve Daily Detox Facial Wash detoxifies and rebalances the skin, suitable for normal-oily skin.
Toner
Your toner should balance the skin's pH value. For acne-prone skin, it should preferably also be moisturizing, soothing, antiseptic, sebum-balancing, gently exfoliating and provide good bacteria.
Good toners for acne-prone skin:
Akamuti Tea Tree Water – good and gentle hydrolat for acne-prone skin.
Evolve Daily Defence Moisture Mist with Prebiotic – toner with prebiotics that feeds the skin's good bacteria and strengthens the skin's microbiome.
Gentle exfoliating toner with AHA fruit acids.
Evolve Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner – with a blend of AHA and BHA acids that help increase exfoliation.
Tip! If you use makeup or have impure skin, it's best to sweep your toner with a cleansing pad to catch the last dirt. Use gentle strokes if you have touch-sensitive skin.
Exfoliation
Your peeling should help dead skin cells come loose. It should preferably also be anti-inflammatory, cleanse pores and have a balancing effect.
Good exfoliation for acne-prone skin:
Evolve Miracle Mask is a peeling mask with AHA acids.
Evolve SOS Balance Mask is specially developed for impure acne-prone skin. It reduces clogged pores, exfoliates the skin and makes the skin clearer. Suitable for oily skin and combination skin as well as skin with a tendency to acne. Suitable for large pores.
Super Acai Exfoliator is a mask that removes toxins and makes the skin clearer.
Mask
Your face mask should provide deep cleansing. It should preferably also have antibacterial and balancing effects as well as soothe the skin.
Good face masks for acne-prone skin:
Sheet Mask Anti-acne
Dr Sannas Detox Face Mask
Eco by Sonya Face Compost Purple Power
Face masks offer many benefits for skincare routines.
Serum
Have a serum in your skincare routine for best effect. Choose one that is anti-inflammatory, preferably moisturizing, soothing and balancing.
Odylique Spot On Serum is a wonderful serum specially developed for impure acne-prone skin. The serum is also gentle on the skin and therefore also suitable for sensitive skin.
Other good serums for acne-prone skin:
Evolve Rainforest Rescue Blemish Serum – soothes inflamed skin.
Spot treatment:
SOS from Weleda – counteracts blemishes on specific spots. It is designed to counteract pimples and blackheads.
Zippity Dew cleanses specific spots and reduces blemishes and stubborn pimples that just won't give up.
i+m Naturkosmetik Anti-Pimple SOS Treatment – cleanses specific spots and reduces blemishes.
Face cream
A face cream with high antibacterial action can easily become too strong and irritating on the skin. Focus instead on ensuring your face cream keeps the skin calm, balanced and moisturized.
Good face creams for acne-prone skin:
Refining Facial Lotion from Weleda helps combination skin and oily skin come into balance.
Balancing Cream Clay Aloe Vera – balances the skin, mattifying and protects against blue light (from e.g. computer screens)
Evolve True Balance Gel Cream balances sebum production, reduces pores, moisturizes and protects against pollution.
Face oil
Your face oil should be light. It should preferably balance the skin, be rich in vitamins and fatty acids that benefit inflamed and acne-prone skin.
Good oils for acne-prone skin:
Fushi Camellia oil, a fine oil with many benefits. Jojoba oil
SPF sunscreen
If you have acne, you need to use sunscreen to reduce scarring. Sunscreen is also a must if you use acid peels.
Good sunscreens for acne-prone skin:
Biosolis Sun Spray SPF50
Odylique Sun Screen SPF 30.