My Mistake! Where I went wrong in my skincare routine!

So many of us make the same mistake as I did last month, I noticed my skin was on the verge on a breakout so I went to my default reaction “Let’s do everything and anything!” I had a treatment a week, used every Dermalogica product I could get my hands on as well as piling on the make up to cover up any congestion and breakouts. In short I simply over stimulated my skin which in turn only caused further breakouts and redness (which of course meant more make up which in turn leads to further breakouts)

While all of this was going on my skin was being bombarded with a cocktail of treatments, products and ingredients! Our skin is far more delicate than you give it credit for. If you think as the skin on your body as cardboard, the skin on your face is like paper and the skin around your eyes is like tissue paper. This is one of the reasons we should be more kind to our skin and rather than stimulate and sensitize it, opt for calming it instead.

Your skin is constantly working to clear your breakouts naturally, regardless of how many products or treatments you have. Both will help aid the recovery of the skin however when used correctly. Although we may not be able to see how our skin is working hard underneath this furrow of activity, doesn’t mean it is occurring.

So on to your first lesson in clear skin. Less is more. By having the most steps in your skin routine doesn’t mean by any stretch it is the best. The more complicate and complex your skin routine the more likely it is irritate and over stimulate your skin and cause further breakouts.

If breakouts occurs and you notice certain areas on stubborn acne are just not clearing then instead of adding another step to your skin regime then trying taking a step out. Keep the basics of course, cleansing, tone and moisturising however take note of the other steps, exfoliation, masque, topically treatments or overnight clearing treatments. Pay us a visit at Winslow Skincare and we will be able to tell what steps are causing more harm than good.

Your second lesson in clear skin is picking. Unfortunately I have to plead guilty to this particular crime, despite knowing the damage and trauma it causes to your skin. By picking your spots and breakouts you are not only spreading the bacteria causing further breakouts you are also breaking the skin which cause scaring and marks on the skin. So although I know from personal experience what a hard habit this is to break I can promise you it is worth it and your skin will thank you for it.
The fourth and final lesson in clear skin is the cycle of make up. This lesson is one I happen to know particularly well and as I am sure many of you do also…

1. Breakout
2. Apply foundation or concealer (often cheap brands with comedogenic ingredients in them)
3. Breakout worsen because of the cheap, comedogenic ingredients which leads to…
4. The application of more makeup to the area which leads to…
5. Returning to Step 1

You get the idea. I understand it’s a hard cycle to break but there are ways out. Dermalogica’s Concealing Spot Treatment contains breakout fighting ingredients in addition to being non comedogenic and acts as a double concealer and treatment and as grown to be one of my favorite products (along with the Dermalogica’s Sheer Tint foundation) Using products such as this that fight the cause of the breakouts as well as fight the symptom  are perfect for acne prone skin.
If you can try to go one day a week without makeup for at least try to have one day or two days a week when you wear less makeup, I promise you that your skin will thank you for it, I know that mine did.