Banish Every Blemish
Feb 01 '01
The Bottom Line Rinse your face, treat pimples like the Queen, follow a consistent skin regimen, keep oily things away from face, keep the body healthy, and avoid strange treatments.
Sure, we all wish we had magic wands that could instantly zap every skin impurity and send it off to never-never land. Unfortunately, we don't have these wands...so what are we to do?
Choose the right skin products, that's what. If you really want to banish bad skin, you have to vow to keep it scrupulously clean. No skimping. Even skipping one daily lather can trigger pimples and spark blackheads.
But there's more to caring for your skin than just scrubbing away. Everything counts.
1) Oil is nasty. It keeps coming back at you.
Stem this problem by rinsing your face at least five times a day. You don't have to use any cleanser or soap -- simply splash your skin with ice cold water, gently blot with a clean towel or napkin, and get back to your business. Even these small splashes can make the biggest difference.
2) Treat your pimples like you'd treat the Queen.
You wouldn't squish, crush, squeeze, or pick on the Queen, would you? Don't do it to the pimples, either. There's nothing worse than a red inflamed pimple - it's like a stop sign in the middle of your face, much worse than an untouched one. Really, keep your hands off. Fingertips can spread more dirt, oil, and bacteria than almost anything else.
3) The Cleansing, Toning, Exfoliating, Moisturizing, and Masque routine.
Perfect skin doesn't come with a few doses of skimpy and sporadic care. You've really got to go the whole nine yards, do the entire regimen, the whole shebang...as boring and monotonous as it may sound. Yes, it's anal...but you have to perform all five steps. Each one once a day, cleansing twice a day. I'll describe each element of the routine in detail:
-Cleansing. Pretty straightforward, right? Wrong! A slew of different companies advertise their pimple medications, blemish creams, foaming astringents, and extra-super-strength acne cleansers. Guess what? You don't need that kind of heavy-duty stuff! It will dissolve stains on your carpet better than it will the dirt in your pores!
Go for a gentler, milder cleanser that is suited for normal skin rather than oily skin. DON'T EVER get a scrub. Scrubs are cleansers that you apply to your skin and lather vehemently. Never scrub your skin with force-- instead simply apply the cleanser very delicately (remember the Queen!), let it sit for a little bit, and wash off.
And no, you can't use hand soap.
-Toning. Toner serves two purposes, both of which are extremely beneficial to those of us with oilier skin. First, it washes off all remaining traces of cleanser that you might have missed. Second, it provides double-duty cleansing action -- extra insurance that your skin will stay perfect. Toner is much gentler than cleanser (it's almost like water!), so many people with sensitive skin love it. There aren't very many toners on the market these days, so I tend to whip up my own right in the kitchen. I like to distill various fruit, herb, flower and plant essences into fresh spring water, and heat it all up so it feels warm and soothing on the skin. (Believe me, putting something warm and soothing on oily skin works wonders.) Then I close my eyes and splash the mixture onto my skin, letting it seep in before I touch my face. It's a wonderful sensation, like getting a facial. Plus I can rest assured that my skin is totally clean.
-Exfoliating - Silken your skin, reincarnate its life and radiance!
Dead cells often build up on the skin, clogging your pores. The body has no way to get rid of them but to shed, which can be both annoying and unsightly. Why not slough them off before it becomes a problem? When you exfoliate, you're really tearing off dead skin to reveal a fresh new layer. Ever wonder how fashion models get such glowing, luxuriously smooth faces? Exfoliating, that's how! Now I won't promise that exfoliating your skin will land you a modeling contract, but it will at least land you with fresher and softer skin. Take a field trip to the drugstore and see which exfoliators they carry. Go with trusted brands that you know and love. And when you do exfoliate, don't scrub with all your might. Remember, your skin is fragile, so treat it with care! Scrubbing can just inflame and irritate pimples!
-Moisturizing - yes, oily skin needs it!
Everybody thinks that moisturizer is just for our dry-skinned friends. Nope. Everyone needs moisturizer, even we whose skin seems to produce bucketsful of oil by the minute. In fact, moisturizer actually alleviates breakouts! So please, slather on a liberal helping of a deep, extra-strength moisturizer before you go to bed each night, so your skin has a chance to repair itself.
-Masques - instant facials!
You can either get the drugstore peel-off masques, or you can create your own. Most of the time I mash up a few avocados to make a paste, and apply it to my skin. It really brings out the radiance. Plus, when I put cucumbers over my eyes, the masque gives them something to adhere to so they don't fall off in no time. Also most masques will open your pores and dissolve any gunk that remains. After having the masque on for about 15-30 minutes, G-E-N-T-L-Y take it off with a clean towel soaked in hot water.
4) The Little Details
Little things can add up. If your hair constantly is touching your face, it distributes excess oil, a big no-no. So try to keep hair--especially oily hair--clean and pulled back. Also, when speaking on the telephone, try to hold the bottom of it slightly away from your chin - even phones can spread oil.
5) Treat your body
Excessive alcohol, smoking, drugs, environmental damage, stress, caffeine, hard workouts, and staying up late can take their toll on your skin. Try to avoid all of them (except for hard workouts -- which are great, but just wash and moisturize your face afterwards!) The effects of these factors are more noticeable than you may think. They bring on ugly skin rather quickly.
6) No strange treatments
Many people believe that putting toothpaste, butter, baking soda...whatever...on your pimples will make them go away. Avoid toothpaste like the plague. Don't experiment too much -- most of what is good for your skin is found in the drugstore or beauty supply store, not in some foreign bottle lying around in your medecine cabinet.
Good luck taming your oily skin!
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