How to Care for Acne-Prone Skin

Bcne is normal, and it looks different for everyone. Few people live an acne-free life—and that’s okay! But if acne-prone skin bothers you, you’ve got options.

Treating acne starts with knowing what your skin needs and finding the right products and ingredients to keep it healthy. That said, we’re here to give you tips and suggestions, not to define a single beauty standard. Keshoume is all about helping you feel comfortable in your skin, however that looks.

Let’s check out some ingredients to look for in your skincare products for acne and talk about which ones to avoid.

What Causes Acne?

A lot of people think acne only happens if you have oily skin, but that’s not true. Acne can happen to people of all skin types. With oily skin, sebum can clog your pores, whereas dry skin gets irritated easily. Even normal skin types can get acne.

You can also get acne based on genetics, diet, medications, stress, and hormone changes. When you’re trying to find what’s causing yours, start by looking at what parts of your lifestyle might be contributing, and try adding some time to destress into your routine or find foods for healthy skin. Either way, sticking to a daily skincare routine is still a good practice.

What Does Your Acne-Prone Skin Need?

Everyone’s skin is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all acne skincare routine. To make the right choice in caring for acne-prone skin, find your skin type before you get lost down the skincare rabbit hole. If you have severe or painful acne, see a dermatologist before you start experimenting with skincare products.

Even though the products you use will vary, you should have these general steps in your skincare routine:

Cleanser
Exfoliator
Toner
Moisturizer
Sunscreen

Among these steps, there are things you should and shouldn’t find in your skincare products. Let’s talk about a few of those to help you get the best out of your skincare routine.

What to Look For

Keeping your skin clean and sticking to a consistent routine helps keep your skin healthy. If you want to go beyond basic skincare, look for these ingredients to give your routine a boost:

Salicylic acid: This beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) gets rid of dead skin cells and excess oils, which means less get into your pores. You can find it in lots of products, including cleansers, moisturizers, and toners.
Benzoyl peroxide: You only need about 5% concentration with benzoyl peroxide. It reduces the bacteria on your skin and in your pores. Usually, you’ll find it in cleansers.
Alpha-hydroxy acids: There are lots of AHAs, but the whole group of them removes dead skin cells and sebum on your skin. You’ll find them in many cleansers and exfoliants.
Retinol: Usually found in gel form, retinol gets rid of dead skin cells and promotes collagen growth. It can take a month or more to see results, so don’t give up if you don’t see it working right away.
Tea tree oil: This anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredient works better for mild to moderate acne. Just don’t use it by itself as an essential oil, or you might irritate your skin more. Instead, use it in a cleanser.
Sulfur: Sulfur removes the top layer of skin cells and unclogs your pores. If you have dry skin, be careful, since cleansers, spot treatments, and even masks containing sulfur can make that worse.

Not all of these ingredients benefit every person with acne. Knowing your skin type will help you decide which ones work best for you.

What to Avoid

Before you splurge on those expensive acne skincare products, find out how they react with different types of skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. Some of the most celebrated skincare ingredients can wreak havoc on acne-prone skin.

When you’re looking to reduce acne flareups, avoid these ingredients:

Synthetic fragrances: These usually contain chemicals that irritate your skin, and even natural fragrances can cause problems.
Essential oils: Never apply an essential oil to your skin without a carrier oil. These highly concentrated oils can irritate your skin.
Sodium lauryl sulfate: SLS causes irritation and inflammation, which both spell bad news for acne.
Isopropyl palmitate and isopropyl myristate: Both these ingredients can clog pores and can worsen acne inflammation.
Alcohol: There are tons of different kinds of alcohol, but they all dry out your skin, which can cause more flareups. They can help as a spot treatment, but use them carefully if you do.
Sodium chloride: Otherwise known as salt, this ingredient clogs your pores and irritates your skin with its grainy texture. It also thickens sebum, making it more likely to get stuck in your pores.
Coconut oil: Before you hop on the coconut oil trend, know that it can clog your pores. It has some ingredients, like lauric acid, that can cause more frequent flareups. Cocoa butter has a similar comedogenic (pore-clogging) effect.
Algae extract: Algae extract has a lot of different names on product packaging. Despite its anti-inflammatory properties, it’s also likely to clog your pores, which defeats the purpose of using it for acne.
Silicones: Often found in sunscreens and many other skincare products, silicones act as a comedogenic and can cause more flareups.

Just like with ingredients that benefit your skin, the harmful ones won’t affect everyone the same way. Some are more likely to irritate sensitive skin while others are safe in small quantities, like tea tree oil and even alcohol.

At Keshoume, we’ve got a great selection of Japanese skincare products to help care for acne-prone skin so you can stay confident and feel your best. Check out our shop and find the ones that work for your skin!

Sarah Wood - April 26, 2021

Sources:
Palmer, Angela. “Daily Care Routines for Acne-Prone Skin.” Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/daily-skin-care-for-acne-15601. Accessed 13 April 2021.

“What Causes Acne?” Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/skin/acne#diagnosis. Accessed 13 April 2021.

Laderer, Ashley. “The Best Ingredients for Fighting Acne, According to Dermatologists.” Insider. https://www.insider.com/the-best-ingredients-for-acne. Accessed 13 April 2021.

Jahns, Erin. “9 Ingredients Skincare Experts Want You to Avoid if You Have Acne.” Byrdie. https://www.byrdie.com/acne-causing-ingredients-4845040. Accessed 13 April 2021.