Treating acne prone skin can be a tedious job. It starts with mind-boggling questions like, “what kind of acne skin care products do I need?” or “which is the one product for acne prone skin?” So before you jump into your shopping cart and indulge yourself in the varieties with tempting packages and attractive taglines luring you to buy them, identify what your skin really needs. When you have oily skin, for example, the routines for protecting and treating it are different than when you have dry skin. It is a common myth that oily skin does not need hydrating acne skin care products, because it can be dehydrated as well, which is a skin condition. And it’s important to understand acne in order to prevent it. Acne comes in various types. So when you are facing breakouts such as whiteheads and blackheads, their symptoms are not the same. When you recognize the skin problems you are dealing with, you will find the solution in the ingredients you have to look for and the routines you must follow. We will help you with that second part. As it can be a tedious job, this article will hopefully save your time and energy and direct you to proper skin care products and routines if you have acne prone skin.
For those with oily and acne prone skin, here’s how it works:
Acne comes in two types, inflammatory and non-inflammatory.
Non-inflammatory acne is of two types - whiteheads and blackheads. Blackheads occur when the pore of your skin gets clogged with dirt, dead skin cells, oil, etc. In the case of whiteheads, they occur when dirt, dead skin cells, and oil get stuck in closed pores. Regular exfoliation is one of the effective skin care methods to battle them. But there are acne problems beyond them.
Have you experienced or noticed sore red bumps on your skin, especially the face, shoulders, and back? Those are inflammatory acne - the ones everyone refers to as pimples. Their types include pustules, nodules, cysts, etc. They generally occur when The other kind (non-inflammatory acne) grows and breaches the walls of pores on your skin, this leads to your skin becoming a fertile ground for pustules and other pimples.
How to take care of acne-prone oily skin?
The key to beating acne is in the simpler things, like drinking lots of water and exercising regularly. It keeps your body temperature warm and balanced and hydrates your skin from the inside. But it is important to take care of your skin daily in order to prevent acne and reduce it. For acne prone skin, use a skin care regime suitable for your skin type and current skin issues.
- Cleanse: Use a gentle face wash that is oil-free, so that it clears your pores and does not diminish the natural oils that are present in the skin. Choosing a suitable face wash is the key to preventing acne
- Micellar Water: Micellar water is a hydrating and nourishing multi-purpose skin care product that can be used as a make-up remover, face cleanser and as a toner. It helps in maintaining skin’s pH balance and clearing out the pores, revitalising the skin. Toners for oily skin can also be found in your kitchen, such as rose water and aloe vera toners.
- Serums: The next step of your skincare routine should be an application of an acne serum. Serums formulated for acne prone skin or acne are lightweight and concentrated liquids that work by penetrating deep within the skin. Acne serums help minimise and protect the appearance of acne and also prevents dryness of skin, hyperpigmentation while managing sebum production.
Acne serums—not to be confused with, you know, regular serums—are lightweight formulas packed with potent active ingredients (the things in skincare products that actually get shit done) that help treat breakouts fast. And not only do these serums help destroy your zits and stop new ones from showing up, but they can also target dryness, oily skin, and even hyperpigmentation.
SkinQ’s Acne & Oil Control Serum is formulated with active ingredients of salicylic acid that helps manage sebum production while the richness of niacinamide and azelaic acid protects the skin against acne causing bacteria. Niacinamide also helps calm inflammation of the skin.
- Moisturize: Moisturise your skin after toning. Use water or gel-based, oil-free moisturizer with a lighter consistency. This kind of moisturizer hydrates the skin, making for healthy-looking, soft, and supple skin. Using moisturizing products for acne prone skin that come with heavy consistency can increase the chances of acne. You can also use vitamin C serums which can work wonders for your skin. Vitamin C comes with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce excess sebum produced in the pores and clear out dead skin, which revitalises your skin.
SkinQ’s Moisture Balm with the added benefits of niacinamide repairs the skin barrier and prevents Trans Epidermal Water loss or simply dehydration of the skin. Formulated with the richness of ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, etc. the Moisture Balm minimises dryness, dehydration and sensitivity of the skin. With religious use, it results in bright, well-nourished, soft and smooth skin.
- Sunscreen: We cannot stress this enough - sunscreens are essential. Go for a mattifying sunscreen with a minimum of SPF35 and a UVA rating of PA++++. Sunscreen protects your skin from harmful UV rays emitted by the sun.
Most skin care products for acne prone skin tend to consist of retinol as an ingredient. Retinol can make the skin sensitive to the sun and those with acne may experience post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. When exposed to sun rays for a long duration, the hyperpigmentation may worsen and last for a much longer duration. An application of sunscreen protects the skin from the harsh UV rays and prevents hyperpigmentation of the skin.
- Exfoliate: Maintain a routine of exfoliating two to three times a week. It helps the skin against whiteheads and blackheads, as well as clears out the debris from your skin pores.
Skipping regular exfoliation may worsen acne and promote ageing of the skin. Without exfoliation, dirt, sebum and dead skin cells may clog-up skin pores leading to the appearance of blackheads. Moreover, it is also important to exfoliate as it unclogs pores that helps better penetration of other skin care products like serums, moisturisers, etc.
For those with acne prone skin, it is recommended to exfoliate once or twice a week. You can opt for facial masks to exfoliate.
SkinQ’s Acne Control Mask is formulated with active ingredients like salicylic acid helps unclog the skin pores while zinc PCA helps in prevention of acne breakouts. With the richness of niacinamide, SkinQ’s Acne Control Mask also rejuvenates your skin and protects your skin from free radicals.
Ingredients to Look Out For:
- Hyaluronic Acid: It is one of the important ingredients to battle acne prone skin. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that restores skin’s moisture when you lose it via activity. So when you look for acne prone skin care products, keep this one on your checklist
- Salicylic Acid: A beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid is an exfoliant that helps unclog skin pores of impurities such as dirt, dead skin cells, make-up residues, etc. It is widely used in skin care products for acne.
- Azelaic Acid: Azelaic acid consists of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help fight off acne causing bacteria and calm inflammation of the skin.
- Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil is a powerful anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredient that helps calm acne.
- Vitamin C: Similar to azelaic acid and tea tree oil, vitamin C consists of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help calm inflammation of skin and acne. A favourite of skin experts and dermatologists, it reduces redness and swelling of acne prone skin.
Conclusion
When it comes to active skincare for oily skin, these tips among other routines have proven to be essential. Take off your make-up at the end of the day. If you let it sit on your face overnight, it is a breeding ground for acne and other skin problems such as fungal infections. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water and avoid squeezing your pimples physically as it can lead to scarring and skin damage.