No matter what our age, I’m pretty sure most of us ladies get unwelcome pimples every once in a while, if not more. So annoying, right?
Before you get ready to aggressively exfoliate your face or give those blemishes a pop, take a moment to consider what could be causing them.
As someone who’s super in tune with her body and how everything affects it, I always take inventory of what has changed in my life when I notice any kind of inflammation on my face, especially a zit. Like most women, having beautiful, glowing skin is all I want. But instead of getting upset and hating on my skin, I get curious and go through my “Breakout Checklist” to get to the root cause.
It’s done wonders to help me identify things I’ve been doing, eating, or feeling that 100% contributed to the breakout–I know they’ll be super helpful for you too!
1. When’s the last time I cleaned my makeup brushes? This is usually the number one cause of my breakouts. Makeup brushes hold on to lots of oil, dirt, and old makeup, so it’s no wonder they clog up our pores! The good news? Cleaning your brushes is simple. Just take some warm water with a small amount of natural soap or shampoo; soak them and swirl them around in a glass of water; keep emptying out the glass, and refilling it until the water is clear. Then lay them on a paper towel to dry either over night or for about an hour.
2. Am I about to get my period? This is a super common reason for breakouts, especially around the jawline. Since our hormone levels are fluctuating leading up to our periods, certain things can be thrown off, like the production of oil in our pores. When there is an overproduction, our pores more easily clog, hence the pimples. If this is the reason for your breakout, try to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Stress throws our hormones out of whack too!
3. What have I been eating? Any inflammation that happens on my face is usually caused by my diet. Over the years, I’ve become acutely aware that dairy and sugar make me breakout the most. So ask yourself if there is anything you’ve been eating more of lately and try cutting it out.
Getting some clarity will empower you to make the changes necessary to approach your breakouts with compassion and prevent them in the future.
Now I’d love to hear from you! What have you noticed that causes your breakouts? Do you have any tricks to help prevent them? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.