Blemishes, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, acne, breakouts…whatever you choose to call them, they’re a skincare issue that we all want to avoid. And unfortunately, acne isn’t just for teens; adult breakouts commonly occur thanks to hormonal changes, medication, diet, stress, and even genetics. But gone are the days where you have to cancel your plans and don a paper bag – there are skincare solutions that can help you calm and heal your skin and get your social diary up and running again.

Hydrate, and then hydrate some more

This one is a bit harder for oily and acne-prone skin types to wrap their heads around, but hydration is a major factor when it comes to reducing most breakouts. Your skin is constantly undergoing an osmosis process, with nutrients entering in, and ideally, toxins exiting out. Your skin’s cells need to be hydrated for metabolism to occur, and if your poor old cell walls are dry or dehydrated, there’s no process for elements to exit or enter that cell membrane and do their job.

We’re not recommending you reach for the richest cream you can find, however, but rather a moisturising solution specially created with your skin type in mind. A great pick is Trilogy’s Mattifying Moisturising Lotion, which is a light, hydrating lotion that helps reduce shine and balances combination skin types. Certified natural and vegan-friendly, the clever formula balances water and oil to mattify the skin. Formulated with omega-rich rosehip, jojoba, and grape seed oils to soften and hydrate, lemon myrtle to help reduce shine, and salicylic acid to mildly exfoliate dull and rough-looking skin for a clearer complexion, it is gentle but super effective.

Do exfoliate… but with care

When it comes to exfoliation, many acne sufferers are either overdoing it or skipping it altogether. It’s important to remember that acne isn’t caused by “dirty” skin, and over-cleansing and over-exfoliating can actually increase breakouts. This is because it will trigger your skin to produce more oil in order to hydrate the surface and replenish the microbiome. If you are too harsh with a physical exfoliant and are literally scrubbing your skin away, you can cause inflammation and even trigger a breakout.

This is where a gentle, multi-purpose exfoliant like Tailor Skincare Polish is a great option.

The New Zealand brand with a cult following calls it “your secret weapon to banish breakouts, unclog pores, soothe and smooth for baby soft, glowing skin,” and the formula uses ingredients like bentonite clay and coconut glycerin to deeply cleanse without drying.

It also includes wintergreen extract and pumice powder to gently breakdown congestion and buffs away dead skin cells, and it can be used as a mask, scrub, and spot treatment. We love that!

If you like the idea of a mask, Alder New York’s Clarifying Mask is a deep cleaning mud formula that exfoliates and refreshes as well as reducing inflammation and calming the skin. Its ingredient deck includes oil-controlling zinc oxide and sulfur mud to calm skin, and it can be used weekly or as a spot treatment as needed.

Keep it toned

When you find the right formula for you, a toner can work wonders when it comes to soothing and controlling breakouts. Trilogy Purifying Cleansing Toner is a non-drying second-step cleansing toner that helps clarify, reduce shine, and remove impurities without stripping the skin of the good stuff.  Formulated with Australian lemon myrtle to help reduce excess sebum and shine, witch hazel to tone and refresh, and salicylic acid from willow bark to lightly exfoliate dull and rough-looking skin, it can be used all over or just on the T-zone depending on your needs.

Keep pillowcases and skincare tools clean

Habits like forgetting to swap out your pillowcases, repeatedly using the same face cloth, or not properly cleaning your skincare tools, might be playing a major role in sudden and lingering breakouts. It makes sense –  you spend time cleansing and treating your face, only to put it on the same pillowcase and contaminating everything all over again. Get into the habit of using a clean pillowcase every other night, and carefully cleaning and sanitising the tools and surfaces that you use, like your cell phone screen.