Acne Magazine

It’s a tool you use every day, in your regular makeup routine.  Your makeup brushes - which you probably use for your loose powder, eyeshadow, and other loose mineral makeups that require the use of a makeup brush, can become literal breeding grounds for bacteria and germs that can clog pores and cause acne flareups.

For this reason, it is crucial that you periodically cleanse your makeup brushes.  If you have really good makeup brushes, you will probably want to invest in some good brush cleaner, so that you do not have to just discard them and buy new all the time. 

On the other hand, you have the option of just discarding the brushes and buying new ones periodically if you buy cheaper makeup brushes.  Good makeup brush cleaners can be found usually at finer makeup counters and even at some retail stores like Target or Wal-Mart.  Clinique actually makes an excellent makeup brush cleaner. 

It’s in a pink spray bottle, which can be sprayed directly onto the brush.  To deep clean though, you will need to use a gentle soap and hot water, allowing the bruch to air dry. 

I picked up two more skin cleansing tips that are probably common knowledge for some, but for others it may not have even occurred to them.  The first tip is to allow the cleanser to stay on your face, while lathering for at least 30-60 seconds before rinsing it off. 

This allows the cleanser to dislodge any pores that are clogges, as well as to definitely get any missed spots of foundation or other makeup that are potential pore clogging agents. 

The second tip is to pat the skin dry with a soft towel, rather than rub, which is what some people tend to do to try to get their skin drier faster.  Rubbing only dries the skin further and irritates it, while gently patting it dry allows for a gentle drying of the skin, rather than “roughing it up”.

When I say “safely”, I mean safely for those of us with acne.  Why?  Because not all self tanners are created in such a way that they are not greasy and will not clog your precious pores! 

Also, you really want to be careful not to over do the self tanner on your face, because it can really tend to look fake and overdone on the face, and the face is the first thing anyone sees, so it’s crucial you get it right!

It’s important that you mix your facial self tanner, or your bodily self tanner with your favorite facial moisturizer.  Not only will this give you a much more natural and realistic tan on your face, but it will also help to prevent any pore clogging or unnecessary aggravation to your skin, since you’re using a smaller amount of the self tanner and a larger amount of the cream you use on your face daily, and which has already proven to be noncomedogenic for your skin. 

The combination should be about 2 parts moisturizer and 1 part self tanner, this way you get an even, golden tan that looks 100% natural and does not appear overdone or orange.  You can repeat the next day if you did not get the darkness you wanted. 

Remember, it’s easier to go darker when self tanning than it is to lighten up!  It’s a good rule of thumb to go by when doing self tanning.

I was just reading an interesting fact that made me think about how stress may be related to acne breakouts. It was about the chemical that your body releases when you are under stress.  It’s called corticotropin-releasing factor, or the stress hormone, and it releases in large quantities when you feel stressed or nervous about something. 

When we are under pressure, it’s shown that when this stress hormone releases, we tend to exhibit less control over our impulses - such as eating and drinking.  This made me think of the acne connection for two reasons - first because stress also causes levels of acne causing hormones to increase, and second because if this stress hormone causes us to lose inhibition and eat or drink whatever we feel like, this can also impact our skin. 

We all know that what we eat and drink has a lot to do with how our skin looks and whether we are going to have acne or not!

Minerals, at least for most acne prone people, are a good addition to makeups such as foundations, powdered foundations like Bare Escentuals and others gaining massive popularity right now, and even eyeshadows and translucent oil-reducing powders. 

Not only are minerals good for sponging up excess oil and others impurities, but it can also be a great makeup for sensitive eyes and contact wearers, since it prevents discomfort and irritation to the eyes. 

The best mineral makeups actually to get if you do have acne prone skin are the ones that contain no talc, which is a potential pore clogger and is also suspect in causing lung cancer (yeah, I know, scary!).

Also make sure that the mineral makeup you choose has all natural ingredients, such as silica, zinc oxide (an excellent sun screen), mica and other things such as iron oxides.  These are all natural minerals that should not clog the pores, and are conducive to clear skin. 

The reason these mineral makeups tend to work well if you have acne is that they let the skin breathe the right amount, which is key to keeping a clear and healthy complexion - oh yeah, and they look nice on too!

I just got back from a trip to Arcata California, and noticed that on the multiple plane rides to the San Francisco area, my skin seemed to be completely sucked dry of any moisture. 

Air planes operate on less oxygen and recirculated air, which accounts for why it really does a number on your skin, and why it also tends to make you catch colds and flus more than if you were just in regular air.  This is why you tend to look a few years older when you get off of a plane!  If it has this effect on your skin as far as drying, why is this bad for acne prone skin? 

Well, we all know that if you dry your skin out too much, or if it gets irritated, this can be a welcoming to an acne breakout.  Plane air also tends to irritate and redden my skin, so imagine my delight when I got off the plane and saw a ruddy, red face, and a new zit!  Just try to remember bringing some sort of moisturizer with you - that is, if they ever lift the liquid restriction! 

Do you even know what your skin type is?  Or do you perhaps have an educated guess on what it might be?  Do you think it’s oily or combination, or do you think you have the “dry” skin type?  The answers to what skin type you actually have may surprise you.  I know mine did. 

I have combination skin.  In other words, although I have definite areas on my face that are acne prone, such as my chin, nose and forehead, otherwise known as the dreaded T-zone, I also tend to have dry areas - which for me are on another part of my forehead, and my cheeks. 

Before I had my skin “diagnosed” by a professional, no one could tell me that I had anything other than oily skin.  So, how do you tell what your skin type is, or how do you “diagnose” your skin type? 

Here are some pointers that can help you determine what your true skin type is, and also help you determine what types of products are most appropriate to take care of your skin such as cleansers, moisturizers and others. 

Question : Do you ever see “shiny spots” on your face, and if so, what areas?

Are there any blotchy areas on your face?

Does your skin tend to look dull?

Can you easily see fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes and mouth area?

Do your cheeks feel exceptionally tight after you wash your face?

Answering these crucial questions can help you determine what your skin type is.  If you have a mixed bag of answers, chances are, you’re combination.  If you can easily see fine lines and wrinkles, you probably have drier skin, which is thinner and easier to see signs of aging. 

Either way, it’s important for you to have someone that has experience tell you what kind of skin you actually have - perhaps an aesthetist, of you can even go get it done for free at most beauty counters in higher end department stores.  By the way, that’s how I found out.   

I received this question on an acne treatment system that is currently on the market called “Exposed Acne Solution”, which I feel ignorant for not knowing much about, but oh well.  There are some things I know about topical acne treatment, so I can at least offer my advice on that!  Here’s what the reader asks :

Question :