Acne: the most talked about topic in the skincare world. It may be that you’re currently trying to combat blemishes, or perhaps you simply want to avoid an outbreak. (No pun intended!!) With such a hot topic comes endless articles of advice – from questionable dietary changes to strong topical treatments. Often, it reads more like a guide book on miserable living. What’s more, much of the advice points you towards harsh chemicals and dubious ethics, to say the least.

Do acne tips really need to be so fear-inducing? Do they need to have us sacrificing our values for our visage?

We answer with a resounding no! Here we share our top tips to get rid of acne, keep it at bay, and ensure it never gets a foothold at all, without any self-flagellation or nasties.

Acne tips for those who actually like themselves

Self-care can be this amazing life-affirming set of rituals that make you feel good. We think that should be the basis of any skincare regime, even if you’re fighting an enemy like acne.

The basic tips for acne free skin match those of good old-fashioned self-care skincare routines.

Start and finish the day with a dose of looking after your skin, simply by washing it. If you do nothing else to keep acne at bay, research shows you want to wash your face. Yes, it really is that simple.

So this begs the question – if you’ve got acne, or want to prevent it, what should you wash your face with?

Face washing for acne prone skin

Well, at the risk of sounding like your great-grandmother: soap and water. But, and this is the caveat, you want that soap to be mild and acne-friendly, like our Chocolate Charcoal Chai Soap Bar. It’s a mild soap that’s kind to the planet and your ethics, but it’s also kind to your skin.

We really can’t state this enough: avoid complicated cleansers and soaps. If the list of ingredients reads more like a science student’s dissertation, then your skin isn’t going to thank you. Simple is best.

So wash your face twice a day, pat dry with a clean towel, and know you’ve done the right thing.

A is for Acne, E is for Exfoliation

We know acne can be painful. And we know the last thing you want to do is exacerbate redness. So, bear with us here.

Unless you have inflammatory acne which is actively made worse through exfoliation, then exfoliation should also become part of your self-care skincare regime.

Exfoliation – done gently and with a kind product – will help to remove the build-up of dead skin cells. Left to their own devices, these dead skin cells can be part of the reason for your clogged pores. You want to wash them away, and exfoliation is the way to do that.

Don’t exfoliate every day, as that is both unnecessary and a route to redness, but aim for twice a week. Try exfoliating with our Coffee Face Scrub Herbal Blend for an acne-friendly exfoliator. The added benefit is that we’ve snuck in some rosemary oil and thyme which bring a powerful antibacterial, antiseptic and antimicrobial cocktail to the party.

Moisturiser matters

In our experience, those with oily or acne-prone skin feel an urge to avoid moisturiser. But it’s not the baddie you fear. We get it – it is a natural assumption that adding moisture to oil-addled skin seems like a recipe for disaster.

However, moisturiser matters. One of the reasons your skin may be over-eager in the oiliness department is that it’s trying to combat dryness. If you help it out, by locking in some moisture through moisturiser, then it can go back to a more chilled out approach.

This is particularly important if you’ve turned to medical acne-treatments. Many prescribed creams are drying. You’ll want to use a moisturiser too.

Treating yourself and treating your skin

While on the subject of your skincare regime, we’re going to sound like your great-grandmother again: no picking! Picking and popping introduces more bacteria and bam, you’ve just spread the outbreak. It’s also going to up your chances of acne-scarring. 

Resist the urge to pick by taking a different approach. Instead, apply a detoxifying face mask. Our Face Mask is perfect for this. Made from discarded olive stones combined with white# kaolin clay, coconut powder and baobab oil, it’s acne-friendly and anti-inflammatory. Beat the urge to pick, by being kind to your skin instead.

Beyond the bathroom

There are plenty of tips to get rid of acne which don’t revolve around your bathroom.

To quote Hippocrates – and add a bit of historical panache to our advice – “Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food.” We know that diet matters to health. And that applies to combating acne too. The basic tenets of an acne-friendly diet are to reduce sugar and cut down on dairy. So those on a vegan diet are getting an excellent head start. Plus, drink lots of water to help hydrate your skin.

But it’s more than diet alone that will help your skin.

Getting a good night’s sleep is another biggie. In fact, one study found that a whopping 65% of those who were tired had acne. So after your last face wash of the day, snuggle down for a good night’s sleep following our sleep guide.

What’s more, don’t leave relaxation just to your night-time hours. Try to build relaxation into your day. Stress and acne are best buddies, so you need to stop them getting together. Whether yoga, mindfulness, exercise, journaling or any other stress-reliever rocks your boat, make sure you build it into your routine if you want to give acne the boot.

Say ‘hello’ to radiating softness and ‘goodbye’ to acne

We know acne isn’t a barrel of laughs. These acne tips should help to wave goodbye to acne in a natural self-caring planet-loving way. Tips to clear up acne needn’t be harsh to yourself or the environment. 

Are you ready to really get started with the kinder way to acne-free skin? Treat yourself to the Acne Attacker Bundle..