i know it's horrible to get acne.

LOL, some way to start a post
anyway, today's post will be for one of my friend's sister, basically i'll talk on tips on how to treat and prevent acne, so if you're not interested, just click the cross on your window and i won't be unhappy about anything LOL. oh and i think for people who haven't experienced it yet (if you haven't then bless you you're lucky!), this post may be a bit disgusting so i suggest you better skip and read my next post or close the window or whatever.
 
PS: all these are tips based on my own experience, so they may not always be correct. if your situation still persists if you've tried everything, i seriously urge you to seek treatment from a dermatologist asap.

okay, let's start..

i really don't know what to start with, LOL okay so i'll start with my own experience first.

starting from secondary two when i was 14, something began to change on my face. major changes.
it started out mild, with just one and two tiny spots and then like a volcanic eruption, my face started to grow red and itchy. of course, at first i didn't think of it much. when my mum saw it she just bought cleansers for me to use, and i started using. and somehow that's when everything went wrong.

my situation first: because i had fringe, my forehead began the first "victim" of acne. i had pimples all over my forehead, and i just went to school with fringe and when i went home i didn't bother to clip up because then i didn't know anything about how to treat acne.
eventually, my situation got worse and i tried everything, really everything (urm, everything me with what my weekly allowance would allow me to buy><) and the problem just escalated. at that time, my temper really skyrocketed out of control; i would get depressed while walking home and someone was staring at me; i would get irritated by my family when they started commenting if i washed my face (i did, just not properly); i just thought i was alone in the world and no one wanted to help me.
naive, i know, now that i think back about it...
at that time, i didn't have the courage to face anyone, let alone be in the prescence of the public eye. i kinda became a hikkikomori,and i just stayed at home all day even though i don't really have a very active social life now LOL

...

okay, shall stop ranting and start giving some tips of my own.


you know when girls start to become ai swee? hahaha, that's when i started reading fashion/girl magazines and learnt all about how to properly treat my skin, though now i'm still in the process of treating it though lol

my favourite magazine is probably seventeen, they have lots of tips even though some i don't think works

okay, tips:

firstly, how pimples emerge. Dead skin cells,surface dirt and makeup can cause zits- they clog pores, trap excess oil and create the perfect breeding ground for acne causing bacteria.

1. for any skin type (if i'm not wrong), the max you can wash your face is twice per day.
- no more, no less. be hardworking! if you don't do it no one can help you. and mind you, don't think because your skin's oily then you wash a few times a day, it does NOT help at all. instead, washing too many times can strip your skin of it's natural moisture and your skin will react by producing much more oil to replace the lost moisture. so wash twice, and only twice!

2. when washing, do not overwash or scrub your skin too hard.
-okay, the overwashing part is maybe the same as the first point LOL but whatever. just don't wash too much. and don't scrub your skin too hard! you may treat acne like enemies and want to get rid of it, but it's your skin you're hurting you know. overscrubbing can cause your skin to become too sensitive and then lead to more pimple outbreaks.

3. get a good cleanser.
- i recommend you to start by using a cleanser that helps to treat acne, usually you can see from the packaging.
- oh, there's no such thing as "only expensive ones are good", it's about how your skin reacts to the treatment. so don't expect too much when you use something and there's no results. when that happens, then it's time to change your cleanser. i change everytime i finish my cleanser (unless it really works for me). for me, i'm very paranoid when it comes to using skincare ranges. when i change i must change the whole series, because in my head i somehow think if i use product A and something else from product B, some chemical reaction will happen and ruin my face. don't know if that's right, but... i'm paranoid><

how to wash your face properly: (this is how i wash my face, if there's anything wrong please correct me)

•  splash face with water, then wash hands with soap (because i think my hands are oily and full of bacteria)
• squirt a suitable amount on palm, sprinkle with a bit of water and start to create foams.

-make lots and lots of foam! because i read in a taiwan magazine ( coco borrowed from library, it's a fashion mag but there's tips too) that said if you don't make enough foams, your hands will be like kinda in contact with your face, so you may scrub too hard and cause your skin to be sensitive.

- if you can't make anymore foams with what you have, then sprinkle more water and try again. it works!

-orrrr, you can buy a loofah (looks like this) to help you make foams! simply put the cleanser on the loofah, add some water and just keep rolling(?) until you make foams.

• put suitable amounts on different parts of the face, then start scrubbing gently.

-my friend weiqi (thanks to her i've learnt a lot too~) told me that somehow our pores open 'downwards' (uhhhh, i'm no pro so i really don't know how to explain) so to 'close' it we have to wash our face the other way. what i do is i start scrubbing my face from my chin all the way up to my forehead in circular motions, it really helps to close your pores~

- found this from one of seventeen's mag: Pores are openings in your skin that secrete natural oils to keep skin supple. If pores appear larger, it may be due to a build-up of dead skin cells and excess oil within. Cleansing and exfoliating eliminates skin congestion, returning your pores to their normal size.

• like i said before, don't overscrub. which also means don't scrub for too long. do it about 2-3 minutes, then start washing your face.

-in the morning i don't have time to bath (yuck, i know but no choice especially if you live in a house with 9 people) so i wash at the basin. i just splash water on my face and try to gently scrub away the cleanser. make sure there's none left. because you don't want any dirt or remaining bacteria left to give any chance for pimples to come out (lack of words sorry). hmmmm, and like i said, don't overwash. i read somewhere that it's enough to just make about ten splashes... if you get what i mean? :O
 

• pat your face dry. you don't want to be rough to your skin, for obvious reasons i don't have to repeat.
• put(seriously lack of words, i apologise :/) toner on a cotton pad/cotton ball, then like how you wash your face start putting it from the bottom to the top.
-according to juicystar07 ( i think) toner is essential for your face to regulate or... something. like i said i'm no expert, but just know that it's good for your skin

• before your toner dries, use a moisturiser and put suitable amounts on your face.

-according to bubzbeauty, she says she does this so it better locks the moisture in your skin, i trust her (she's my fav youtube beauty guru!) so i just do it (LOL, no pun intended).

• after about 30mins, put pimple cream but don't overmedicate. sometimes a little goes a long way.
-once i asked weiqi, and she told me after putting on all the other stuff put your pimple cream after a while. i don't know why. or was it wrong? correct me if i'm wrong okay! and seriously, don't overmedicate. i once put too many and instead of treating it, my skin became resistant to it. i'm serious!





    

somehow there's a huge blank i don't know why sorry ><"

but anyway i just wanted to say for the pimple cream thingy, in the morning i don't have time so after i put moisturiser i just use the pimple cream.


now, looking for a good cleanser and skincare range is important.
you cannot be too impatient, nor can you keep using one product if it doesn't help improve your skin condition.
i read before in a mag that for something to work you have to wait a while, etc 2-3 weeks before you see the results. so the moral of the story is just be patient!
also, using something that doesn't work even after you passed the 2/3 week mark isn't good for you too! no matter how expensive the product is, just put it aside and use another range. it's better to be safe than sorry right? *and being the cheapo that i am, i'll either give it to a friend who could probably use it or i'll just save it for later and see how...*

seventeen has a lot of skincare articles, one of them is finding a good moisturiser. because it is important, because your skin naturally secretes oil to give you moisture. oversecretion occurs because of puberty, stress, blah and blah. will talk about that later.
sooooooo, i read for oily/acne-prone skin, it's good to use a gel-based moisturiser. reason? i forgot will look through and update later, gomen found it! Gel/gel-cream moisturisers won't clog your pores. it has a light texture and even a cooling effect~!

a good skincare range. i've used many, and the most effective one so far (and i'm up to my second bottle of cleanser!) is neutrogena. i can't even begin how much i love this series!
but i prewarn you: what works on me may not work on you. so it's better to try out different ones(f course, you have to be patient!) and see which one suits you best. but michelle phan once said that she changes every few months though, but do what suits you best.

where to get the items?
people who know me well know that watsons, guardians and sasa are my favourite places~~
but, if i do find out that somewhere else sells similar products i will go there and buy instead ,being the cheapo i am ^^
it's advisable not to spend too much though, like i said it's not true that expensive products are always good. different skins have different needs!


okay, some ingredients that will help treat/prevent/fight acne is benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. products that have them are better to treat than those who claim to treat acne but don't have these ingredients! (try saying this thrice continuously hahaha) Cleansers formulated with salicylic acid helps to unclog pores and kill acne-causing bacteria, preventing blackheads and pimples out of the way!
if you want more info you can check the internet, but i can 100% assure you it's good for your skin.
oh, and while looking for skincare products try not to use products that contain alcohol because it will strip your skin of it's natural oil.
next, look for products that are non-comedogenic(you can find these on the product packaging if it's non-comedogenic), or in other words, products that don't clog up your pores. because.... okay i'm typing this without referring to anything so i promise i'll check it out and type out the reason okay.

other than that, it's also important to change your lifestyle. you cannot only count on the products alone to improve your situation.
the most important thing is to drink lots of water everyday.
water is really,really important. bubzbeauty and juicystar07 once talked about it, so do check out their videos!
Drink water when you're thirsty, because it does help to cleanse and hydrate your system, though the results vary...

next, don't eat so many heaty/oily/deep-fried food. it's also good to reduce intake of potato chips. (reason inserted later) seventeen once said that chocolate doesn't really affect, but don't eat too much though! because (reason><)

exercise. acne can be caused by hormonal changes, stress and other factors. the most common one is due to hormonal changes and stress i think, so it's important to keep your stress levels in check. believe it or not, exercise really helps. though now i'm lazy and i don't exercise...(sigh) i'll get to that later :P

eat more fruits and veges. what your PE teacher says is actually true and good for you! no need to state the obvious reasons, i suppose? Eating fresh fruits and veges is good for your skin because they are rich in skin-beautifying nutrients and promotes a healtheir complexion.

you may think this is weird, but remember to clip up your fringe and keep out any hair out of your face when you're at home. i'm a teenager; i know everyone wants their hair to look great but if you don't allow your pores to 'breathe', your hair oils get to your face or your hair products get on your face. poof and you get another pimple. it's okay to be a nun at home rather than one outside, don't you think?

don't touch your face with your fingers. our hands contain bacteria! and remember to wash your hands regularly too~ but don't be so panicky and start becoming a clean freak,washing your hands every other 5 mintues.. i don't want to be the trigger for that (O_O)
also, don't pick/poke your  pimples. it may be tempting to squeeze that yellow pus out, but did you know that if you do pick at your pimple not only will you leave scars, but the bacteria from the pimple itself may spread to other parts of your face? which eventually leads to more pimples, so you know what to do.

esepcially for oily/acne-prone skin, our skin tends to get oily by mid-afternoon but we can't wash again because overwashing isn't good. also, teenage skin usually produce more oil than adult skin. Rising temperatures will lead to 10% increase in sebum production with 1 degree increase. so we use blot papers. BUT, don't blot excessively.  your skin does need oil to provide moisture, over-blotting can again cause over secretion of oil which = even more pimples eventually. i read in coco that it's advisable to blot only once per day. for me, when i get home from school i blot and then put on pimple cream again (but please follow the instructions on your pimple cream, mine is neutrogena and they advise to put on 2-3 times daily) , then at night when i bath i wash my face then.

once a week, exfoliate your skin to slough off dead skin cells. you could use a facescrub, what do you call it, uhhh it's like a facebrush? but take note: if you're using a facescrub, use one with small microbeads. one of my friends recommend St. Ives, the one formulated for acne breaking(i forgot the name sorry><). it has super tiny beads and it's kinda a good scrub i guess. i haven't tried it yet, but michelle phan says it's good! :) if you're using a facebrush(it's like a mini clothes washing brush but it's for the face, i bought mine at daiso. 2 bucks. super cheap! ), do remember to use it on your skin gently. 
why exfoliate? simple. exfoliating eliminates skin congestion, returning your pores to their normal size and hence help reduce clogged pores, which helps reduce pimples (if i'm not wrong). but for skin like us, we are quite sensitive so though some people may say they exfoliate twice or thrice per week, i recommend oily/acne-prone skin to exfoliate only once a week.

next, use a mask twice a week too! masks help to give more moisture, and some formulated to fight acne are good for your skin too. here's some simple steps(credits to seventeen magazine) on how to use a sheet mask :
-start with a clean face so active ingredients from the mask can be absorbed
-fit the mask over your face and smooth down so it sits flush against your skin
-remove mask after specified time and massage any leftover residue into your skin. Don't leave the mask past the recommended time- the reverse will occur and the mask will reabsorb moisture from the skin once it dries up, which beats the purpose of using the mask itself.



i think i've come to the end of my tips.. if i've got anymore i'll update again...

the bottom line is, you have to be patient and remember: don't overscrub, overwash and overmedicate.

i know how it feels to be looked down by people. i know how it feels to let acne shatter your confidence. but bubz once said that when we believe that our skin will be better evantually, it will. and i believe. let me tell you, you're still young and still have a long life ahead of you, so don't just go into depression or be rebellious or whatever just because of this little setback in your life.
confidence can be shattered easily, but it can also be built up. the thing is whether you believe that you can do it.

like i said before i became easily irritated at the start, but now i understand and i'm still trying to treat my acne. but like they say, prevention is better than cure!

someday i know i can definitely overcome this setback, so i know you can do it too.


okayyyyyyyy, long post, i'm sorry about that... have i ranted too much? sorry for the lengthy post,once again i stress i'm no pro; every comment is what i've learnt from my own experience. so if anything i've said or done wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me! i'm still learning, too

*for the explanations, most of them are from seventeen magazine.


best of luck!

-Li Hui


while bathing i realised i missed a lot of tips, but these are the basics so... if anyone wants me to talk about anything else i'll try to research about it and review again~

oh and last tip for this post! credits to love_kat_tun (or weiqi~~):
"Oh ! and 1 more thing ! if you have acne scars ... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember sunblock ! because UV rays darken the spots , if you protect yourself from the sun the spots will lighten and become almost invisible ~! Doctor say de hahaha "