BEAUTY TIPS

By Hannah Do

6 Surprising Ways To Get Clear Skin

Photo courtesy of V Well Health

Getting clear and beautiful skin can get really expensive, especially if you frequently rely on high-end brands and products to solve your skin issues. Fortunately, this doesn’t always have to be the case.

With the right tips and hacks, you can get fairer skin at little to no cost. This list can show you exactly how.

1. Sleep on your back

When it comes to breakouts, lack of sleep isn’t the only culprit. You can also get acne from the way you sleep.

Being a side sleeper, for example, allows the oils from your hair to get in contact with your face. The oils, dirt, bacteria and sweat that have accumulated in your hair throughout the day can get pushed into your pores and acne happens. In addition to pimples, sleeping on your sides as well as your stomach can also put too much pressure on your skin. This can lead to swelling and the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

To avoid all these things from happening and make sure you don’t wake up with acne, make it a habit to sleep on your back. It can also help if you can tie your hair into a top knot before getting to bed.

Changing your bed sheets and pillow cases frequently can make a difference in your skin, too.

Sleep on your back! (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)

2. Use a different cleanser before your period

If you’ve been closely observing your skin, you’ve probably already noticed the increase in bumps and oil every time your period gets near. Along with your hormones, your skin also undergoes several changes throughout your cycle.

During your ovulation, the increase in estrogen levels causes another hormone to increase as well. This is called the Luteinizing hormone and it’s responsible for increasing your skin’s oil production. As your period draws near, your body experiences an increase in progesterone and testosterone. Similar to Luteinizing hormone, these two contributes to increased sebum production, too.

While you can’t really do anything about your hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle, you can choose to use a different cleanser to avoid the bad breakouts. Use cleansers that are salicylic acid-based to thoroughly cleanse your pores. It can also help if you can switch to oil-free products during those times. One good example is to find and invest in the best moisturizer for acne.

Exfoliating and using products that contain retinol can help, too. They can hasten your skin’s cellular turnover rate to keep your skin clear and fair.

3. Ditch the late night snacks

Eating sweets and drinking carbonated drinks during the evening can cause your sugar level to spike. This can result in inflammation inside your body which, as a result, can make your acne a lot worse.

In addition to that, eating past your bedtime can also cause you to sleep later. Lack of sleep has been known to increase the levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the steroid glucocorticoid. These two can send your skin into overdrive. Once not addressed, you’ll have a hard time hiding your acne and acne scars.

If you really can’t resist the urge to eat, stick with snacks that aren’t loaded with sugar. You should refrain from eating dairy products, too.

Ditch the late night snacks! (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)

4. Sleep in a cold room

Apparently, sleeping in a cold room isn’t only helpful in making sure you get a good night’s rest. When you are in a cold room, it causes your pores to shrink and constrict. By constricting, your pores are able to prevent dirt and excess oil from clogging them. You are less likely to sweat, too, which can cause your skin to be less favorable for bacterial buildup.

A cold room, however, isn’t always a good thing. If you have really dry skin, a temperature that’s too low can cause irritation, itching and cracking. These things aren’t only uncomfortable; they can also affect the way your skin look. In severe cases, it can make you too conscious about your skin.

As a reminder, make sure that your room’s temperature isn’t too low. You should also consider investing in a humidifier to put more moisture in the air, especially when you sleep.

Don’t skip your moisturizers as well as they can keep your skin extra hydrated.

5. Give your face a massage

Contrary to what most people believe in, it’s not only medications and solutions that can eliminate acne. A facial massage, for example, can help clear your acne at virtually no cost.

A face massage, when done properly, can stimulate better blood circulation and reduce the inflammation on your skin. It can even reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the long run.

For it to be effective, you have to make sure you only touch your face with clean hands. Do not massage your face when you have long nails as they can cause scratches and minute tears. Use your finger pads when massaging as they are gentler. 

Remember to massage in an upward motion, too. This can prevent your skin from sagging and losing its tone.

Photo courtesy of Reflexion of the Soul

6. Use salt for spot treatment

If you’re preparing for a big event and an acne started to pop out of nowhere, using a spot treatment is one of the best ways to solve the issue. For an effective yet cheap option, you can try sea salt.

It is loaded with antibacterial properties and has the ability to draw out excess oil from your pores. You just need a teaspoon of the salt and add water to it until the mixture turns into a paste. Apply it on your acne and allow it to dry for about 10 minutes to an hour. Once it has dried up, you can rinse it off with water.

If you are struggling with frequent breakouts and irritations, you can also use sea salt to soothe your skin. Mix it with honey and use the mixture as a mask.

You can also use sea salt as a toner, body scrub and as an ingredient in your salt bath.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hannah Do is the founder of Thank Your Skin, a beauty blog dedicated to provide honest skin care advice and information. She aspires to help her readers achieve their most beautiful skin by sharing personal tips learned through both years of experience and thorough research.

Check out ThankYourSkin.com to learn more about her work. You can find her on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

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