(Mostly) free ways to help clear up your skin

Skin is tricky. It's very temperamental....but the only way it knows how to speak to you is to throw a fit in the form of blemishes. Seriously skin, grow up already! Here I will share some mostly free ways to maybe help clear your skin up a bit. I'm not a doctor, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. :)

1. Change your pillowcase. Your face is in contact with your pillowcase for at least 8 hours a night (right? Right?!). Hopefully your're washing your face before bed so your pillow shouldn't be TO badly soiled but there are oils and dirt from your hair that can reside there. Ideally, you should change your pillowcase every other day but once a week is usually easier for people.

2. Wash your face twice a day! I cannot tell you how many friends have asked me how to get rid of acne and when asked if they wash their face twice a day, they look at me like I asked them if they eat spinach for desert. A dirty face will not heal. You need to remove the dirt and extra oil from your face so your skin can breathe.

3. Don't overload on products. Piling on products to combat acne will only aggravate your skin and make it angry (remember those fits?). I recommend you use  a gentle face wash, like Cetaphil, followed by a toner if you think you need one. A spot treatment that contains salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can help control acne and then follow with a simple moisturizer. I find a good rule of thumb is to use products formulated for sensitive skin, since they have the least amount of chance to cause a reaction. And don't forget the SPF during the day!

4. Be careful where you put hair products. A lot of people break out on their forehead and wonder why, never thinking that their hair products could be the cause. Hairsprays, mousses, gels, etc. can run down onto your forehead and clog pores. When using products, don't apply them right up to the hairline. And if you work out and have hair product in, use a wipe to clean your face so nothing clogs your pores.

5. Watch your diet. Believe it or not, food has a big part to play in the way your skin looks. For example, to much diary can actually make you break out. Milk has extra hormones in it (even organic or raw milk) and it floods your system with hormones that can break you out. I've heard of wheat, gluten, diary and even to much red meat can be responsible for breakouts. If you can, try tweaking your diet and seeing if there's an improvement. And remembers to drink lots of water!

So there's my tips on hopefully helping to clear your skin. Try them out, let me know if they work for you!

-AmieeJoy<3