Is your skin prone to breakouts or irritation? Luckily,
your skin can begin looking its best with a few
simple tricks. Follow along after the jump to learn
how to get the clear, smooth skin you've always
wanted.
Steps
1
Start a daily face-washing routine, in the
morning and at night. Consistency is an
important part of maintaining a healthy
complexion, so make sure you're doing these
things every morning and night:
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
Avoid scrubbing too hard or using rough
washcloths or loofahs. These may irritate
your skin and cause blemishes to stay on
your face longer. If you want to exfoliate,
use a soap that is made to do so instead.
Use a toner (optional). If your skin is dry,
not combination or oily, you can skip this
step. Always get an alcohol-free toner, and
get a toner that fits your skin type. Toner
helps firm and tighten your skin as it wipes
away dirt in your pores.
Moisturize. If you tend to have oily skin,
save the heavy moisturizer for nighttime and
use a light or gel formula in the morning.
Moisturize every time you wash your face,
shave, or simply need the extra moisture.
Remove your makeup every night. It can be
hard to do this if you're very tired, but it
pays off. Pick up makeup removal wipes at
the drug store and rely on them when you're
too exhausted to do the whole routine.
2
Treat acne . Try some of these remedies to free
your skin from acne. Consider:
Salicylic acid gel or toner. Salicylic acid
causes the skin to naturally exfoliate its
layers quicker, thus helping acne go away,
and also prevents new acne from forming.
Use daily.
Benzoyl peroxide lotion or spot treatment. If
your acne is moderate or severe, you can
find lotion products containing benzoyl
peroxide that you apply evenly over your
face, usually at nighttime. You can also find
benzoyl peroxide in spot treatment formulas.
Seeing a dermatologist. High-caliber acne
treatments (like Accutane and Retin-A) do
exist, but they must be used under the
supervision of a doctor, which means you
cannot get them without a prescription. If
you're really at wit's end, make an
appointment to see a specialist.
Try face masks or pore cleaners. This is
called exfoliation, and it washes away dead
skin on the surface of your face. In the case
of face masks, use only once a week. Buy
an exfoliant at your local drugstore, or make
one at home.
3
Don't pick (or pop) your pimples. It's usually not
a good idea to pick your pimples. It may be
tempting if that blackhead has staring you in the
face for a day or two, but it's really not worth it.
Picking your pimples can have adverse effects.
Picked zits cause blemishes . Blemishes are
inflammations in the epidermis and dermis,
the outer and inner layers of your skin. It
takes longer for the blemishes to heal when
they are popped, so stay brave and resist
the urge!
Picked pimples could leave a scar behind.
Pimples are temporary, but scars are
forever. If you want smooth skin, don't
make it harder on yourself by picking
pimples.
Don't touch your face. The oils and dirt from
your hands will transfer to your face and can
easily clog pores. Keeping your hands from
your face will also help you break the habit
of picking pimples.
4
Only use fresh makeup and brushes. Makeup,
like food, gathers bacteria and will eventually go
bad. If you've been using the same powders,
blush, eyeshadow and mascara for over 6
months, it's probably time to throw everything
out and start over. Your skin will thank you for it!
The only exception to this is brushes—these
can be cleaned, not thrown away. Pick up an
antibacterial makeup brush cleaning formula
at the drugstore and, once a month or so,
spritz everything down right after you finish
your morning routine. Leave the brushes out
to air dry throughout the day and overnight.
5
Drink plenty of water. Aim to put down 6 to 8 full
glasses of water a day, and you'll notice a
difference in your skin. The extra fluid makes it
easier for you to flush out toxins and waste.
Girls: aim to drink at least 2.2 liters (0.6 US
gal), or nine cups of water a day. [1] If you're
having trouble drinking that much, cut out all
sugary drinks from your diet entirely.
Actually, you should try to cut out sugary
drinks from your diet for your own health's
sake.
Guys: aim to drink at least three liters, or 13
cups, of water a day.
The lighter color your pee, the less water
you need to drink. When your pee is clear,
you're in the clear. When your pee is yellow,
it's time to drink more water.
6
Sleep smart. You might be getting dirt and oil on
your face while you're sleeping without even
realizing it. Try these tricks to minimize your
risk:
Change out your pillowcase at least once a
week. Your pillowcase collects dust, saliva,
and other grime, which make it onto your
face every time you sleep. Put your
pillowcases through the wash or change
them out regularly for best results.
Pull your hair back. Braid back long hair, and
keep bangs or fly-aways out of your face
with a headband. This way your hair won't
irritate your face while you sleep.
Get your beauty rest! Sleep deprivation and
stress can manifest as bad skin, so make
sure you're getting 7 to 8 hours of quality
rest every night.
7
Maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine. A
diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
will help your body and skin stay healthy.
Exercising is a fantastic way to get rid of stress,
to keep blood-flow pumping, and to ensure a
good night's rest.
Try to eat foods that give you the right kind
of energy . Diets rich in sugar and refined (or
"white) carbohydrates have been linked to
more pimple breakouts than diets rich in
protein, vegetables, and grains[2] , although
the scientific community isn't in total
agreement. What is clear is that eating
vegetables (beets, tomatoes, broccoli),
protein (white meat, fish, nuts), and grains
(quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat) are
healthier for you. And what's healthy for you
is probably better for your skin.
Diets that are high in fat and filled with
hormones may worsen skin conditions.
Cows, for example, may be pumped full of
hormones in order to produce more milk.
That doesn't mean that you have to cut milk
entirely out of your diet. Just be informed
about what's going into your body, and don't
make dairy a big part of your diet.
Run, walk, swim! . Do whatever exercise
makes you feel good. Walking just 15
minutes a day is a great improvement over
standing still. Exercise in general will help
reduce the amount of stress your body
generates over the course of the day. And
stress will cause pimples. So in order to get
that clear, smooth skin your body deserves,
hit the gym, fire up the treadmill, or slice
through the water. Your body will thank you.
8
Drink green tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants
and nutrients that can help your body fight acne
and also aids digestion (which is thought to be
linked to acne). Aim to drink 2 to 3 glasses of
green tea a day for optimum results.[b]