1. Contrary to popular belief - a rigorous cleansing regime will not improve the condition of your skin, in fact it can actually have the reverse effect.

2. Avoid using soap as it leaves a waxy residue on the surface of the skin which can both upset the ph balance of your skin and block your pores.

3. Even if your skin is oily, cleansing once a day before bedtime, with a mild additive free, creamy cleanser is much kinder to your skin than over cleansing with harsh products. In the morning simply splash your face with cold water to close your pores & freshen up.  If you have oily skin you can use cosmetic blotting sheets to absorb excess oil during the daytime.  Blotters are a skin-friendly and highly effective solution to maintaining a matt appearance.  Simply press them into your oily zones and.... hey presto! 

4. Men should avoid shaving whenever possible. Give your skin a rest as often as possible. A close trim as opposed to a close shave is a much friendlier option and helps cut down the risk of  developing a shaving rash - which is caused by the new hair growth struggling to break through the surface of the skin, which has become dried out through daily shaving.

5. If you must shave daily, always follow up with a good moisturiser.  Keeping the surface of your skin soft, will prevent the irritable rash that re-emerging hairs can cause.

6. Always use a sunscreen.  If you develop a suntan whilst your skin is healing, the suns rays will cause darkening of the pigment in the new tissue, which is the main contributer to the long term blotches that are associated with acne.  If you are going through a bad outbreak of acne or healing over from a bad bout, avoid the sun as much as you are able.

7. Avoid foods that have high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats such as milk and dairy products and processed foods.

8. Drink plenty of fresh water and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Always rinse fruit and vegetables thoroughly to get rid of any trace toxins from pesticides and fertilizers.

11. Get in the habit of checking the ingredients in your food and skin products. Choose products that have natural ingredients, they work with our biology in a much more synergetic fashion than synthetic products.

12. Never steam your face, it can enlarge your pores and damage your delicate skin without providing any real benefits at all.

13. Whilst enduring an outbreak of acne never use home micro-dermabrasion kits and exfoliation creams.

14. Always perform a small skin patch test on an unaffected area before applying new products all over.

15. Keep a diary of your daily diet and your skin condition. You may discover a pattern that indicates an allergy or reaction to a certain food or drink that sparks off a bad outbreak of acne and the uncomfortable inflammation associated with it. 

16.  Always use pure cotton or linen bedding,  especially pillow cases.  If you can afford to buy organic or unbleached fabrics ... your skin will love you for it.   Synthetic fabrics can irritate highly sensitive skin.

17. Get plenty of good exercise, lots of fresh air and most importantly of all ... tons of good quality sleep !


Article contributed 6th February 2007
by Mandy Slater ~ Holistic Therapist - Aromatherapist

More acne prone skin care information.....

For a much more comprehensive guide and some inspiring insight into caring for the health of your skin,  a visit to The House of Strauss article on "Traditional, Alternative, & Complementary Skin Care for Acne"  is an absolute must read!

Here's a small introduction to the House of Strauss:

Richard and Rachelle Strauss are freelance writers and both trained alternative therapists and counsellors. Their passion is to provide an alternative health and lifestyle resource through their website http://houseofstrauss.co.uk The site is an ever growing popular portal, serving several thousand indexed pages of well researched alternative health and holistic lifestyle articles, news and information on topics covering health, home, nutrition, psychology, ecology and spiritual subjects. In addition, HouseofStrauss serves alternative health and lifestyle newsfeeds from around the world, an alternative products shopping directory for the United Kingdom and readers FAQ section.