ACNE SERIES: PART ONE

Hi everyone! As my acne has somewhat cleared up, I thought I'd share with you all my top tips to banishing blemishes. This will be a three-part series, and today we're discussing the dreaded reasons behind your acne/ spots. I can't guarantee my advice will work (and hey, nothing will ever stop spots from arising now and then), but as I've battled with acne for over 3 years, I hope I can at least help a few of you...

Why are you getting acne/ spots/ blemishes?
There are so many reasons as to why you get spots. It can depend on just about everything, which is the rather annoying part. And of course, determining what is causing you spots is equally difficult.

• Inside = outside - Unfortunately what goes on in the inside of your body, shows up on the outside - hence why teens with raging hormones often have acne. Likewise, people who are stressed or living an unhealthy lifestyle will notice spots too. Read here for more info.
• Got milk? - Often people who have severe/ cystic acne, typically on their cheeks, may be lactose intolerant, or cannot digest a lot of dairy. You must consult your doctor if you notice after consuming a lot of dairy, your spots get worse.
• Makeup or Break up - Let's get one thing straight, makeup does not cause you acne (unless there's a particular ingredient your skin is allergic to). Makeup only makes you break out when you don't remove it properly. I always make sure to begin taking off my makeup with a cleansing wipe, then a micellar water (I use Bioderma, the best), before finally cleansing my skin. This is a great routine that I highly recommend. 
• You're hooked - Smoking, drugs and alcohol are obviously all bad for the skin and body so I won't delve into it too much. But in a nutshell, either stop or consume less; you will notice a huge difference.

#acnepartone - tweet me your thoughts or questions with this hashtag!

Thanks for reading! I hope these steps help you to find out why you're getting your acne. But take note: time and patience is all it takes!  Part two will be up Friday!