Beware: Fall is Breakout Season

Did you know that Fall is the most prevalent time of year for breakouts? Why is this? Because the oil flow from the summer months is still occurring, yet the cooler air creates layers of dead skin cell build-up. The result = trapped oil and bacteria underneath the surface of the skin, which results in increased breakout activity.

Here are some tips to prevent fall breakouts before they occur:

Avoid harsh cleansers. Most store bought cleansers have high pH balances with harsh ingredients that strip the water out of the skin. If you wash with a cleanser or soap that is too drying, it pulls all the water out of the skin and creates dead, dry skin cell build up. In particular, avoid the harsh ingredient Sodium Laureth Sulfate in your cleanser (note – this is a very common ingredient in most store bought cleansers) and instead choose sulfate-free cleansers like our Olive Oil Cleanser or Foaming Cleanser that won’t over dry the skin.

Sleep on a Beauty Pillow. For problem skin, bacteria and oil can build up on your pillowcase and be reintroduced to your skin the following night. Invest in a Beauty Pillow that will keep your face off of the pillow, thus preventing bacteria buildup (and also sleep wrinkles!). If you don’t have a Beauty Pillow, another option is to sleep on your back.

Avoid using toners that contain SD Alcohol 40. Many people like the ‘clean’ and ‘tight’ feeling associated with using alcohol on the skin, but this ingredient will strip the skin of water, which results in dead cell build up. Trying to dry up oily skin can backfire, as stripped cell buildup traps oil and leads to break outs. Toners without alcohol, on the other hand, are very important for keeping the skin cells moist with water.

Use both a chemical and a physical exfoliant to remove dry skin cells and unclog trapped pores. Chemical exfoliants, like our Reveal 10, are enzymes or acids, such as Glycolic Acid that are applied to the skin and dissolve and digest dead skin cell build up while they are on the skin. Typically they are left on overnight.  Physical exfoliants are facial scrubs. These contain a bead or a grain to physically polish away the dead skin cells. So you’ll get the best benefit for reducing clogged pores and breakouts when you use a combination of the both in your skin care routine.

Avoid dairy and sugar. Dairy and sugar are proven to aggravate acne, so if you are acne prone you will especially want to avoid these two guilty pleasures in the Fall when the skin is most prone to break outs.

Get the pores cleaned out regularly. To reduce clogged pores, blackheads and break outs, regular monthly deep pore cleansing facials are a must. A deep pore cleansing facial combined with a skin peel is a great way to keep your skin soft, clear and smooth.