How To Get Clear Skin With These Modern Skincare Tips
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I know you are here because you desperately want clear skin, alright! You said it, here it is, but wait, what is clear skin? A skin with no marks, no acne, nothing, probably? Wait, we’ll figure it out!
Sometimes life feels so unfair that all people get beautiful flattering skin, but you don’t, this is me for the whole fuck’in 5 years of my teenage.
When we are child our skin is baby skin and it is clear, but when we start getting older, our skin doesn’t retain to be the old one. There are causes behind this also, such as some hormonal issues, and they tend to be the cause of a lot of problems on our face, like acne, pigmentation, blackheads and whatnot.
I know, I know, you’re probably afraid of doing 10 step skin routine and they are kinda expensive, but to get clear skin, you don’t always need many products, even 2-3 right products are a lot more than enough!
And more than skincare, you have to know the tips that you have to take care of them, so that you can achieve your dreamy clear skin.
So why wait? Let’s decode some real no-fluff tips that I genuinely recommend you and you can fully trust me on this because these tips really help me get my dream skin
So, hi that’s me for the last 6 years, I have been struggling with comedonal acne despite visiting the city’s best dermatologists.
Here Are 20 Epic Clear Skin Tips That I Adore And They Really Work!
1. Double Cleanse At Night
I haven’t heard enough people saying it, but double cleansing can actually pull out all the grime stuck on your face, which most expensive face wash cannot do. We probably put a lot of makeup and sunscreen on our face and by the time when we reach home, there is already the whole world’s dust, pollution, dirt on our face.
And your gentle single cleanse with face wash is generally not putting that all off, and you should be serious about this now.
You need a double cleanse, which basically starts from an oil cleansing or micellar water that pulls off all the dirt from your pores and makes your skin happy and fresh again.
Based on your skin type, you can choose to go for either oil cleansers or micellar water. Dry skin people can go for oil cleansers, and oily, acne-prone, sensitive skin people can go for micellar water. That is the basic rule. Then follow with a basic, gentle face wash afterwards for your skin.
You can literally use any oil, either coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil. And for oily skin, go for lightweight oils so it won’t trigger your acne.
WHAT I ACTUALLY USE
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water is for my first cleanse. It is so gentle and effective at the same time. It removes everything from my face without irritating my skin at all. Then CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is my second cleanse. It is a very good non-stripping, my all time favourite cleanser and the best part? It has 0 fragrance. These both products are my genuinely staples I have repurchased it so many times.
2. SPF Is Not Optional Anymore
Don’t tell me you are skipping sunscreen most of the time, even in this generation. You are probably making blunders for your skin. Sunscreen, even if it is raining outside, is very important.
UV damage is no.1 cause of premature aging, dark spots and uneven skin tone. You need a minimum of SPF 50, and you need to apply it as the last step of your morning routine. It also helps in clearing out and fast healing of active acne and dark spots.
In the market, a lot of ranges of SPF is available. Find one that fits in your budget and suits your skin type and start using it consistently from now. Your skin will probably thank you 10 years from now. Okay, thank me later pls!
MY FAVOURITE
Hand down to this Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF 50+, the hype internet gaves this sunscreeen is 100% worth it, I mean the formulation, the consistency how everything sets to be the perfect? Without any question, go for it.
3. Your Pillowcase Is Dirtier Than You Think
We probably forget to take an eye on our precious pillowcases, but the truth is they are filled with full of dirt, oils, your hair products or even skincare and you are digging your face into that every night. If you get pimples every time on one side of your face, the most probable answer will be this.
Change your pillowcases after every 3 days, as your pillow covers might be the reason for your new acne triggers. FYI, switch to a silk pillowcase! Silk is much gentler to your skin than cotton.
Swap your pillowcases now, and you will actually feel a lot of difference in your skin, I bet.
WHAT I RECOMMEND
Slip Silk Pillowcase, They are expensive, I know, actually too much expensive. But for more budget friendly Alaska Bear Natural Silk Pillowcase is a great and little affordable alternative. Both are real silk and both make a real difference. Don’t blink on fake silk pillowcases, pls!
4. Stop Touching Your Face
Most people, including me touches their face dozens of times a day, and to be honest, it is kinda satisfying too, but you don’t even realise that this tiny habit is blocking your clear skin.
Your hands are probably not clean all the time, they have bacteria in them that may be transferred from your phone, door handle, or money, who knows. So stop touching your face unnecessarily, as it doesn’t give any favours to your skin.
5. Niacinamide Should Be In Your Routine
If you are not using niacinamide yet, add it now to your routine, like today. If there is one ingredient I have chosen to do my skincare for my whole life, my priority should be niacinamide because it literally goes to any skin type and to any skin concern.
It reduces the appearance of pores, controls excess oil production, and I’m telling you, without enough researching, go for it now. In the market, there are different concentrations available. Go for 5% if you are a beginner and then slowly shift to 10% according to your skin behaviour. And you will actually see the difference within a few weeks.
MY TRIED AND TESTED PICKS
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is genuienly the best without any hesitation. I have been using it for past 6 months and I liked it so much.
6. Choose Your Cleanser Wisely
Why am I saying this? Isn’t every cleanser’s task to wash the face properly and remove all the dirt from it? Yes, maybe you’re right, but all cleansers are not the same, and maybe some are not even designed for your skin type. Heck shocked? I’m too.
One of the worst things you can do for your skin is to find a cleanser that doesn’t even suit you. Bad cleansers strip away all essential natural oils from your face. At first, you might see squeaky clean, good feeling, but in the long term, it is preparing you for the worst skin nightmare.
So, how to choose the right cleansers? A dozen of good, gentle cleansers are available in the market, and my two recommendations are from Cetaphil or Cerave, both of which are very good, very gentle and leave my skin hydrated afterwards, and I can’t express my love for these ones. They’re awesomely good.
Fix your cleanser now, this one thing can make a huge, drastic impact on your skin and help you to achieve clear skin.
7. Get Plenty Of Sleep
Most of people still treat sleep as an option, but it hugely impacts how your skin looks and behaves. Sleep time is the only time when your growth hormones are actively working and your skin is repairing on its own. But by sleeping too late or not getting enough sleep, you are breaking this schedule.
Sleep plays a huge role in clearing skin, you may not understand it now, but once you start implementing it, you will gotta see a much difference.
So don’t ever compromise with your sleep because no one looks good in hollowing dark circles under the eyes all day and still figuring out you are doing skincare right lol!
Get a good 8-9 hours of sleep and don’t miss the chance to glow by the god’s sake.
8. Retinol Is The Ingredient Worth The Patience
We all know retinol, as it is such a trending skin care ingredient nowadays on social media, and we can’t judge it because the results are super amazing. Always start only 2-3 times a week, please don’t go for daily use if you are a beginner.
A pea-sized amount is more than enough for a full face! Moisturise afterwards and sunscreen the next morning and please don’t skip these two steps if you are using retinol.
What does it do? It helps unclog pores, helps with acne, smoothens skin texture, fades dark spots and acne marks and boost collegen in all skin types. It is worth starting to use retinol from now, but in the right way and using it only at night is the best way.
WHERE TO START
CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum is a great start for beginners, It is gentle and effective for any skin type. Don’t go hype on higher concentration retinol. Always start with the gentle one.
9. Eat Clean & Skip Sugar
My mom always used to tell me that your skin health depends upon your inside health, if you are clean from the inside, it actually shows on your skin too. So eating healthy and mindfully is so, so necessary. A load of plate with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, and antioxidant foods like pumpkin seeds, lentils, blueberries, etc.
What to skip? Dairy. Dairy products have a bad relationship with acne, and studies show that people who cut out dairy products see a lot of change in their skin appearance. Also, avoid sugary foods like refined sugar, processed foods and soft drinks, as they spike sugar in your body, which is responsible for acne (coming on the way).
10. Use Hydrocolloid Patches
Pimple patch are now existing from a long time, but still people are using them less and considering them less for their pimple healing, Idk why! These patches work best if you want to get out of a new showing pimple very fast.
What they do is they pull out all the pus from your pimple and reduce redness and flatten the pimple faster than any other topical treatment. Since they are not for long-term skincare use, but they can roll down active pimples and help reduce their appearance, they work best for quick solutions.
MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE
COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch is the ridiculous winner in giving outstanding results overnight. And it is widely available in US.
11. Sweat It Out
I personally am definitely not a workout person, I just can’t. But I have found the most insanely easy way around it, typical me! A ten-minute dance workout. Because small steps are way more important than big ones like buying gym subscriptions that you never actually use, lol.
Workout is great for heart health, muscles, and overall well-being, now including your skin too. Ever noticed who go to the gym daily have very little or almost no breakouts on their skin? Because every sweat you are running off goes through your pores and cleans them nicely. And over time, naturally, your skin looks more radiant, healthier and glowing.
If you don’t know where to start, YouTube can be a lot of help for you. Go and search for either dance workouts or heavy workout whatever you prefer.
12. Use Fragrance-Free Skin Products
Fragrance in skincare might smell nice to you, but it does nothing for your skin and often does more harm than good. Fragrance in any skincare product, whether it is sunscreen or moisturiser, can irritate your skin very badly and weaken your skin barrier over time.
Always see the ingredient list before buying any face product, and if it mentions fragrance, parfum, or hidden as essential oils, place it right where you have picked it. Often non-fragrance products work better and actually gave benefit to your skin.
Face the worst nightmare, it can trigger your skin very harshly, so you will be regretting using that product your whole life, and yes, if you want cleaner, calmer skin, going for fragrance-free products is one of the simplest upgrades you can make in your routine.
13. Your Scalp Should Be Clean Everytime
Nobody generally targets scalp health in skincare, but I have to because the scalp plays a huge role in what’s going on in your skin. This is for people who only wash their hair once a week. Once a week is not enough, as our hairs are a powerhouse of buildups, dead skin and bacteria, and there is a high chance they transfer to your face. If you are facing acne on your forehead, the only cause is your scalp.
Washing at least 3 times a week is necessary to chase a good, clear skin and washing in the right manner is more necessary. Massage your roots with fingertips for 2-3 minutes and rinse thoroughly to make sure there is no residue left. If your scalp is clean, your skin will be clearer too.
14. Never Skip Your Moisturiser
There is a big belief that oily skin does not need any moisturiser, but this is the most damaging part you are believing in. No matter what your skin type is, you always need a moisturiser and it really does great for your skin. It hydrates and make breakout less likely to appear and leaves your skin glowing and hydrated.
Here, I don’t recommend thick and heavy moisturizers they may feel kind of too heavy on the skin and may exacerbate your acne situation. A good lightweight consistency moisturiser always works the best.
And yes, weather also doesn’t matter, even if there are summers, never ever skip moisture, you will feel a lot of difference in your skin’s appearance and quality.
MY GO TO RECOMMENDATIONS
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is an iconic for good reason, It works brilliantly for oily and combination skin. CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 30 is amazing for mornings because it combines moisturiser and SPF in one step for which I love. For drier skin CeraVe Moisturising Cream is rich, nourishing, and absolutely worth every bit of its reputation.
15. Drink Water Like It’s Your Job
If you have read any of my skincare blogs, you for a fact know that if there’s one thing I swear by for my skin and health, it is water. Upping your water intake will help give you clear skin, get rid of bloatedness, increase energy levels, and, surprisingly, can also help in losing weight. And increasing it just for a week will also help in achieving all of this.
A few cheat ways to stay hydrated all day are,
- To go for fruit-infused water if you find plain water boring
- Keep a water bottle available to you 24*7 and in every room and workplace
- Eat water-rich fruits and veggies
- Adding a goal to it for motivation
I promise you, add just 2 litres of water a day for a week to achieve a clear skin and better health for yourself.
16. Use Chemical Exfoliants Instead Of Scrubbing
If you are still using harsh scrubs, face masks and think they will help you achieve clearer skin, then you are making a huge mistake ever. They do more harm to your skin than they do good. Physical scrubbing is good for use on your body only. Our facial skin is not the same as our body and physical scrubs can irritate your skin leave it dry and irritated.
Chemical exfoliants like AHAs or BHAs go inside the pores, clear them up and leave skin even and smooth without damaging the skin barrier.
They need time to work, but the results they gave are real and long-lasting. But it requires good aftercare, like moisturising often and using sunscreen to get better results.
WHAT I USE AND LOVE
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is a win win for AHA exfoliation at a genuinely unbeatable price.
17. Use Ceramide Toners
Toners are generally underestimated as most of poeple think they do nothing for your skin, yes kinds possible if there is an alcohol concentrate in your toner, they smell strong and they sting on your face too. But they are not toner meant to be.
Toners are meant for providing hydration, calming and hydrating skin and penetrating other skincare products onto your skin for better results. I love ceramide toners for a very good reason, they are so hydrating, won’t irritate your skin, a little and genuinely helps calming sensitive, irritated skin.
A ceramide based Toner should be your second step after cleansing your face. They help serums and moisturisers absorb better in the skin makes them work more better. In the market, especially in Korean skincare, this ingredient is doing all the talkings.
My love is for Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner. It has Rice Water, Niacinamide, Ceramides and all the skin-loving ingredients that your skin is gonna probably love.
18. Avoid DIY Skincare Ingredients
DIY skincare is honestly the worst scam you are doing for your face and it is not even a bit safer choice for your face. Common DIY ingredients that are trending all over the internet are lemon soda, baking soda and toothpaste. No one is telling the truth after using it, but it can seriously damage your skin. It is not designed to be used on the face and can worsen the present situation of your skin.
So leave all the experiments right there on your shelf, they are not going to work, build a good skincare routine and use it consistently.
19. Always Wash Face With Cold Water
You probably have noticed that in winter our skin looks brighter, more cleaner and even. There is a reason behind this, obviously, winter gave us cold water and we have to wash our face from it only so caps and cold water have properties to reduce puffiness, calm redness.
On the other hand, hot water creates a real problem, it strips away all the essential oils from the face, which can lead to even more oil production. Cold water also feels so refreshing and it will be a great start to your day.
20. Be Patient, Don’t Switch Products Every Week
One of the biggest skincare mistakes? Trying something new and expecting instant results. The truth is, skincare needs time to actually work. Actives like niacinamide and salicylic acid can take up to 2 weeks to show visible improvement, while some stronger ingredients like retinol take even more time.
When you keep switching products every week, none of the product got the chance to work and deliver good results. So other than this, stick to a simple routine and give at least 3-6 weeks and it’s all about consistency.
This is a very small part of how you can achieve a beautiful, radiant, clear skin. Consistency is the main thing, so start from whatever feels most doable, rather than sitting and scrolling and let the results manifest.
Go get that clear skin, babe! Follow these seriously, sugar!