3 Hidden Causes For Your Acne Breakouts

Here’s the scenario: you’ve started an acne-prone skin care regimen, you cut out most sugar from your diet, you drink plenty of water, you go to sleep on a fresh pillowcase every night, and you’re taking steps to reduce stress. So why are you still experiencing stubborn acne breakouts? Now before you go looking all over the place for how to get rid of acne, check out these three unassuming things that may be the root of your skin trouble.

• Makeup: You may overlook your makeup as a cause of acne if you go to sleep with a clean face every night, but think again. Not all makeup is created equal. Look for a foundation that is labeled “non-comedogenic.” This means it won’t block pores, is oil free, and won’t take away valuable nutrients from the skin. With makeup, t’s not just what is in the bottle that can cause acne. Your makeup brushes and sponges can collect bacteria, skin cells, and even yeast which can transfer to your face and cause acne breakouts. Be sure to clean your brushes at least once a week.

• Gym Clothes: Everything from your exercise mat to your yoga pants can cause serious acne breakouts. Your own personal yoga mat probably has some bacteria on it, but the shared mats at gyms and group class spaces are most likely layered with dirt, bacteria, sweat, and oils. Try to avoid putting your face on any mat, and be sure to wash your face with facial cleanser right after every workout.

• City Life: Living downtown can be fun and exciting, but it is also a hotbed for pollution. Polluted air is full of toxins that can come in direct contact with your skin, these can also enter your body through your bloodstream when you breathe in. Your body does it’s best to release these toxins, through your skin, which can end up clogging your pores. Using a grime-busting acne face cleanser with bacteria-fighting benzoyl peroxide, as well as salicylic acid to promote exfoliation, can help prevent breakouts.