Top Tips for Pesky Breakouts

Spots, blemishes and breakouts are unfortunately not something that stay in our teenage years. They can occur at any age and any time – so we thought we would share our top tips on what to do when they arrive.

How can I stop breaking out?

Knowing how to prevent breakouts is not an exact science, and varies from person to person. At Sculpted, we know how unique and different every skin is – and therefore we will always leave the actual diagnosis or treatment to the skin experts. But, as makeup artists, we have picked up a trick or two along the way that anyone can try; so we wanted to share them with you…

Tip #1: Keep your hands away

The number one rule for reducing spots is to keep your hands away from your face as much as possible. 

We understand just how tempting it can be to want to pop spots and squeeze blackheads when breakouts show up – but in fact, this can just create even more issues. Popping spots can spread bacteria from your hands around your face, which can lead to more breakouts. Popping spots can also potentially damage your delicate facial skin, and even cause scarring.

So, when it comes to washing or wiping your face, make sure your hands are always squeaky clean before doing so.

Tip #2: Wash after workouts 

Walking, running, hitting the gym – or dancing like nobody's watching – whatever your chosen exercise is, we hope it gets you nice and sweaty and makes you feel amazing.

However, it's so, so important to clean your skin after exercise or excessive sweating. While sweating isn’t the problem, if it’s left to dry on your skin, it leaves behind oils, dirt, salts, and more – all of which have the potential to clog your pores and increase the chances of breakouts.

A quick shower or face wash as soon as possible after a workout can be super beneficial in caring for breakout prone skin. 

Pro tip: if you do have oily or acne prone skin, the Irish Skin Foundation recommends that you always use a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water, and pat dry to avoid irritating your skin more. 

Tip #3: Use the right ingredients

As we said earlier, we will be leaving the diagnosis and treatments to the skin experts – but we have found that Salicylic Acid can be a huge help when trying to treat and clear a breakout.

Salicylic Acid helps to exfoliate your skin by penetrating deeper into your pores and breaking down the fats holding dead skin cells together. This helps to clear your pores of blockages that may have been caused by excess oil, dead skin cells or even makeup residue. Using a cleanser with Salicylic Acid, like our Duo Cleanse: Cleanse & Clarify, supports your natural exfoliation process by removing impurities and calming existing spots.

If you’re looking for help on how to prevent blackouts – this is the one for you.

We also absolutely have to mention the importance of always taking your makeup off at night. Sleeping in your makeup and not caring for your skin before bedtime is like asking for breakouts to appear. Residues from your makeup can clog your pores and leave you feeling grimy in the morning.

Please, just Don’t Do It!

Tip #4: Stay hydrated

Hydration is key to healthy, radiant skin.

To reduce spots and prevent the chances of a breakout, we recommend that you stay hydrated inside and out. 

Your body needs water to function – not just for your skin. HSE recommendations state that an adult needs to drink around 8 glasses (approximately 2L) per day – but this can change for a variety of reasons; for example, during hot weather, if you’re breastfeeding or pregnant.

Sometimes, you might need a little extra help topically – especially if you’re using ingredients that treat breakouts. Salicylic Acid, like we mentioned earlier, or other BHAs can dry out your skin, so you will want to add some hydration back into your skin after use. 

We recommend looking for serums and moisturisers that are:

• Non-comedogenic: these are specifically designed to avoid clogging your pores, which can help with reducing spots.

• Water-based: water-based products are less likely to irritate your skin or contribute to the build-up of oils on the surface of your skin, and will often feel lighter on your face.

• Contain Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic Acid helps to hydrate the skin by drawing in and retaining water and bringing it to the surface of the skin, helping it to appear fresher and more plump.

• Contain Ceramides: Ceramides help to lock in moisture, preventing it from escaping or evaporating from the surface of your skin.
  

Tip #5: Add Healthy Coverage

Okay, so we are doing all we can to treat and prevent those pesky breakouts. But, what can you do when they’re here and visible and you want to cover them? 

First of all, we need to say that we don’t think you HAVE to cover up. Your natural skin is valid and wonderful all by itself, and we never want you to think otherwise.

But, we do recognise that covering your skin or wearing makeup can help you feel more confident. So if you do want to, we recommend choosing Mineral coverage products that are non-comedogenic, light, and gentle on your skin to prevent any further damage.

Our Second Skin foundation is a mineral formula that comes in both a matte and dewy finish. The medium buildable coverage gives you a choice on how much you’d like to wear, and it’s also got SPF50 – which is super important everyday, but especially if you are using any active ingredients that help to treat breakouts. These ingredients can leave your skin more vulnerable to UV rays, so protection is a must.

Learn more about sun protection in our guide to What is SPF & Why is it Important?

Our Second Skin Foundation is also packed full of supportive active ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Vera & Lavender which work to hydrate, soothe, and calm your skin.

Pro tip: our Second Skin Matte formula is oil-free, which is perfect for the super oily skin as it will still leave you looking radiant without the shine, and allow your skin to breathe throughout the day.

Need even more coverage, or don’t fancy wearing foundation? 

We highly recommend our little pot of magic, Complete Cover Up Concealer. Like our foundation, this is made with a mineral formula, and is amazing for adding coverage over blemishes, redness, pigmentation and scarring. It’s also oil-free, and leaves a semi-matte finish that lasts all day on the skin. 

You can wear this over or under Second Skin to just add a little more coverage in certain areas. We recommend matching your Complete Cover Up directly to your skin tone if you’re not wearing foundation, and directly to your foundation shade if you do choose to wear it. For example, if you wear Second Skin Light 3.0, you would also wear Complete Cover Up 3.0. 

At Sculpted, we sometimes even pop Complete Cover Up on to the areas that need a little perfecting – after we have moisturised and hydrated with our Beauty Base Primer of course. It’s the perfect ‘no makeup’ makeup look.

Pro tip: why not try our Beauty Base Oil Control as part of your routine to support your skin and prevent breakouts and excess oil?

Don’t forget to take our Shade Finder Quiz for help to make your perfect match…

Tip #6: Progress over perfection

Lastly, remember that as much as we do for our skin, it’s always going to have ‘one of those days’ from time to time.

Try not to put too much focus on breakouts when they arrive, as this can make you feel stressed. Both stress and tiredness can show up as breakouts on the skin, so we always recommend to get enough sleep each night, and to add something to your week that helps with reducing stress for you. 

Here at Sculpted, we love anything from yoga and pilates to long walks in the park, or even just simply sitting with a good book to help unwind and de-stress. 

Find something that works for you, and remember, when it comes to skincare, look for progress – not perfection. 

Radiance redefined with Sculpted by Aimee

We hope you found some help in our top tips for pesky breakouts – or at least some answers on where to start with preventing breakouts. And, as always, if you have any questions, please don’t be afraid to reach out! 

Find us at @sculptedbyaimee, #sculptedbyaimee, or drop us a message via our Contact Us form for more help.

Lots of Love, 

Aimee & Team xoxo

Interested in reading more? We think you’ll also love… Moisturiser vs Serum: What’s The Difference? | Everything the Experts Want You to Know About SPF | Benefits Of Adding Double Cleansing To Your Skincare Routine