I’ve been on my own beautiful (irritating) acne journey, and have spent many hours researching why my skin thinks it can grow its own miniature volcano. I’ve also paid lots of $$$ to doctors, so think it’s safe to say I’ve become a pretty nifty acne-avoider.

Here are seven of my top hacks to clear skin.

#1 Keep Your Skincare Routine Simple

Given today’s consumer-driven market, it’s easy to get carried away and buy 27 different products to complete your skincare routine. Excessive skincare routines are often a waste of money and using too many products can upset your skin’s pH levels.

Aside from any prescription skincare, you only need a decent makeup remover, cleanser and moisturiser. Your cleanser doesn’t need to be anything fancy; it doesn’t stay on your skin long enough to have any drastic effects. Avoid irritating ingredients like fragrance, silicones and SLS, and try not to gravitate towards anything with a two-metre-long ingredients label.

The kind of moisturiser you choose will depend on your skin type. My oily pals: take it from a member of the oily club – you still need to be moisturising. However, be sceptical of moisturisers aimed at oily skin types; some of these mattifying ingredients may result in your skin overcompensating for the lack of moisture on your skin’s surface, producing even more oil.

#2 Don’t Over-Wash Your Face

Contrary to popular belief, your skin does actually attempt to keep itself healthy and clear. Your skin works hard to ensure its pH is balanced, and we kinda crimp its style when we decide to wash our faces five times after an intense workout. Yes, it’s important to have a clean face. But just try to make sure you’re not washing it when you don’t need to.

#3 Exercise

OK you guys, time for a quick science lesson. Remember the lymphatic system? It’s what regenerates our tissues, filters our metabolic waste, and ultimately supports our immune system. Acne is often linked to poor stimulation of the lymphatic system, and therefore your body struggles to rid itself of toxins.

But, guess what? Exercise stimulates the lymphatic system! Whoop. Slap on those sexy yoga pants, go on that powerwalk, and get ready for glowing skin.

#4 Consider Food Sensitivities  

I’ve been on my own acne rollercoaster, so now know the types of foods my skin reacts badly to. I’ve noticed my skin reacts poorly to gluten and refined sugars.

Remember, acne is an inflammatory response, so anything that our bodies are struggling to process will inevitably show through our skin (yay). Try keeping a food diary and vary your diet each week. You may notice a pattern between your eating habits and acne.

#5 Vitamin D

OK, so, yes – sunscreen is important. But, we still need some Vitamin D to keep healthy. Recent studies have shown links between Vitamin D deficiencies and acne. The amount of sun you need will vary depending on your skin tone. If you’re pasty like me, you’ll only need a short time in the sun for its UV rays to penetrate through the miniscule amount of melanin we have.

#6 Wash Your Pillow Case 

Listen up: your pillowcase is disgusting! If you ever buy one of those cool microscope things, you’ll be horrified by the surface of your pillowcase. It collects drool, dirt and oil every night, and then you continue to rub your face all over that grotty piece of material for 6-9 hours each night. Wash it. Wash. Your. Pillowcase. (At least once a week.) Oh, and PSA: The same rule applies to your makeup brushes. 

#7 Drink Water 

I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard this one before. Water is magic. Water is life. Water will moisturise your skin and clean your cells of built-up waste. Even if you don’t struggle with acne, I guarantee that you’ll still notice a difference in how plump and glowing your skin looks.

(Lead image: Max Felner / Unsplash)