Our guide to getting rid of acne will step you through key tips for treating acne and pimple prone skin effectively.

Acne can affect you at any life stage - whether you’re forty or fifteen. Maybe you never had pimples as a teenager, but suddenly in your 30s, they’re showing up regularly.

Do you know what type of acne you have? Severe forms of acne will require medication as well as the right skincare routine. If your acne is less severe, you can likely clear your skin without medication.

You can read more about the different types of acne here. Or you probably want to understand the cause of your acne by face mapping. 

Getting rid of acne fast is probably your skin goal, but depending on the type of acne you have, it does take time and a commitment to the right routine. Here’s our guide for getting rid of acne and how to treat pimples.

Choose a gentle cleanser 

The first step in getting rid of acne is choosing the right cleanser. Many of the cleansers designed to treat acne can be so harsh they actually make the problem worse.

Salicylic acid is a popular acne treatment because it does a great job cleaning pores and getting rid of excess sebum. The issue with salicylic acid? It strips your skin of natural oils and dries it out which actually making you more susceptible to acne.

The best way to get rid of acne is to look for gentler product options with low doses of active exfoliating ingredients.

For example fruit, glycolic and lactic acids deeply cleanse the pores but also maintain the oil-moisture balance of your skin, which is so important.

Acne is caused by a bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) which live on the skin and contribute to the infection of pimples. Choosing a cleanser with gentle antiseptic properties is key to tackling the bacteria and getting rid of acne fast.

When it comes to getting rid of body acne, the same thing applies - look for gentler washes that contain antiseptic properties to target pimples without stripping.

We recommend: esmi Uncomplicated Cleanser With Anti-Redness

Tips for washing acne-prone skin

Now you’ve got the right cleanser, make the most of it by washing your face the right way.

Using lukewarm water, wet your face and work your cleanser into your skin using small circular motions. You can use your fingers or a microfibre cleansing cloth.

Take at least a minute to cleanse to ensure you maximise all the benefits from the cleanser’s ingredients. Then, rinse well with lukewarm water to remove all traces of the product, dead skin cells and dirt.

Then, cleanse again. Double cleansing is important when getting rid of acne.

During the day, airborne bacteria and pollution are attracted to your skin. A double cleanse is essential at night, to remove all makeup, dirt and, bacteria that make breakouts worse.

Exfoliate weekly

Exfoliation can assist in managing acne by helping clear the pores of the build up of impurities and bacteria that cause acne to form. It can also help lighten and smooth the appearance of discolouration as a result of post-inflammatory scarring.

Extra care should be taken when exfoliating chronic or cystic acne - it can become extremely aggravating if not done gently and with the correct type of exfoliation method.

When you incorporate an exfoliator or try a new exfoliator in your routine, start slowly and take note of how your skin responds.

We recommend: Detoxifying Exfoliating Charcoal Serum to draw out congestion and impurities.

Keep skin hydrated

Dehydrated skin contributes to the vast majority of skin problems - including acne. However, the importance of hydration is often overlooked in skincare routines focused on getting rid of acne.

Dehydrated and dry skin are not the same thing. While dry skin is a skin type, dehydration is a skin condition that can happen to all skin types and actually triggers acne.

What’s the difference? Dehydrated skin lacks water while dry skin lacks oil (sebum)

When your skin is dehydrated, there isn’t enough moisture (water) in the outer layer of the skin - the stratum corneum. Your skin’s natural oil, sebum, has nothing to with its hydration, which is why oily skin types prone to acne can still be dehydrated.

When skin is dehydrated, it can lead to sensitivity, inflammation, and acne. Skin cells can’t move through the cycle of dead skin cell removal efficiently which leads to hair follicles with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria, leading to breakouts.

To combat dehydration, the skin cell’s water content needs to be replenished.

Hyaluronic acid, which is naturally present in our skin, is a humectant and works by attracting water to the deeper layers of skin and rehydrating cells from the inside out.

Products containing hyaluronic acid should have a place in your skincare routine for getting rid of acne.

We recommend: esmi Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum 

Use an anti-inflammatory serum

Incorporating a serum designed to target acne inflammation can assist in cooling and healing damaged, red skin.

Acne is considered an inflammatory skin condition. All types of acne begin when pores in your skin become blocked with dead cells, oil, and other debris.

This creates a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive and cause the area to become infected which leads to inflamed, swollen skin.

Look for serums that contain ingredients to reduce inflammation and also work on restoring the skin barrier to a healthy state. Here are a few:

Aloe vera: Known for its ability to treat wounds and inflammation, aloe vera contains anti-inflammatory properties to calm angry skin.

Tasmannia lanceolata extract: A powerful antioxidant and speeds up healing with arnica, a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Assists in strengthens the moisture barrier and helps minimise the appearance of redness.

We recommend: esmi Anti-Redness Minty Green Smoothie

If you choose to use both the Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum and the Anti-Redness Minty Green Smoothie, we recommend Anti-Redness Minty Green Smoothie for the morning and Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum in the evening.

Use oils to protect the skin barrier

A common skincare misconception about getting rid of acne and how to treat pimples is breakout-prone skin types should avoid using oil at all costs.

This isn’t true. Some oils (not all!) can be beneficial in reducing breakouts.

Cleansing is important but so is protecting the skin by maintaining the right oil-moisture balance.

When this balance is compromised (ie - the skin is stripped of its natural oils) the skin becomes inflamed and is more susceptible to bacteria which will trigger acne.

Oil is a wonderful way to maintain balance and protect the skin’s delicate barrier. The best oils for combination to oily-skin types are those high in a fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6.

Effective oils to help in your quest of getting rid of acne include -

Rosehip seed oil - Brimming with the fatty acids of Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) and Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega 3), rosehip seed oil assists with tissue regeneration and improving the skin’s barrier.

It also contains vitamin E, an anti-inflammatory antioxidant and a combination of Vitamins A&E, which can help treat acne.

Jojoba oil - Jojoba has a molecular makeup similar to the skin’s natural sebum and is an anti-inflammatory which can improve the symptoms of acne.

The benefits of face oil are boosted when applied before bed. Overnight, your skin goes into regeneration mode and is primed to deeply absorb all the vitamins and nutrients of your skincare products.

We recommend: Peppermint Green Oil for oily, breakout prone skin types. If you have normal, sensitive or dry skin and are experiencing breakouts try we recommend esmi 24K Gold Nourishing Oil

Multi-mask

While some individual products do suit all skin types, a full skincare routine isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. This is especially true if you have combination skin that is acne-prone.

For example, your t-zone could be oily, with large pores and breakout frequently while your cheek area is drier with smaller, more refined pores.

This is where multi-masking can be an effective skincare technique for getting rid of acne.

Multi-masking is essentially treating skin using different types of masks on different areas of your face, depending on the skin challenge for each area.

To treat a pimple-prone oily t-zone, choose a detoxifying mask that targets deep pore cleansing and apply it to the t-zone. At the same time, apply a hydration boosting mask to the cheek area where the skin is drier.

Charcoal based masks are master skin detoxifiers. Activated charcoal naturally draws bacteria, chemicals, and dirt from deep within the pores to the surface of the skin. Getting rid of acne means clean, clear pores and activated charcoal delivers.

The customised approach to multi-masking means you give your skin the different treatments it needs without overwhelming it with products.

Using too many products can leave your skin irritated and trigger even more breakouts.

We recommend: esmi Soft Skin Refining Charcoal Clay Booster Mask and esmi Anti-inflammation Mint Gel Booster Mask

The acne products you need in 1 handy bundle!

Try our Acne Skin Solution Bundle. This simple regime will provide anti-bacterial clearing ingredients, as well as anti-inflammatories to reduce redness and inflammation, whilst keeping skin hydrated.

Not sure where to start? Talk to our skin specialist team who will guide you through your FREE personal Skin Care Plan and help you get on top of your skin concerns today. The team at esmi are always here to support you on your skin journey.

CHAT: www.esmi.com.au
EMAIL: skin@makeupcartel.com.au
PHONE: 1300 66 11 76