Most Recommended Products: #1 Pillowcase: soft, cozy pillowcases #1 Minderal Foundation: mineral foundation #1 Microfiber Cloth: textured washcloths

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You may be familiar with what I call revolving acne: it’s a state of being when the red marks on your face left by the last round of pustules have faded after weeks of healing, and your skin is completely clear for four or five precious, magical days. It’s the first time in a while you’ve not had at least one pimple on your face. With each passing day, you wonder if you’ve reached the point where you start growing out of acne, finally, just as everyone’s promised you. Then you feel it. The budding pimple, burrowed under your skin. Again.

It is a dreadful feeling, knowing that the acne cycle is beginning again when it feels like there is nothing you can do to stop it. Sometimes the cause of a breakout is beyond our direct control, like when hormones are out of balance. Other times the cause is more tangible, such as nutritionless food, or using products that clog pores.

How to Treat Revolving Acne

We have options for combatting revolving acne, the most powerful being our daily skincare routine. Here are my top four daily and weekly tips:

1. USE A FRESH PILLOWCASE

You rest your face on your pillowcase for six to nine hours a night, every night. Pillowcases collect oil, bacteria, pet dander, sweat, hair products, and makeup. We press all that into our face and neck every time we lay down. Gross–right? This can easily clog our pores and cause breakouts.

The solution? Try replacing your pillowcase with a clean one every 1 to 3 days. You may want to purchase extras if you want to have a clean pillow every night without having to do laundry. I suggest these soft, cozy pillowcases -they are so gentle on the skin it’s like sleeping on velvet. Soft towels or t-shirts work too.

2. WEAR MAKEUP (ESPECIALLY PRIMER) AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE

If your skin is acne-prone, consider eliminating makeup from your daily routine. At the very least, opt for a mineral foundation if you can’t go without it. If your acne is recurring, don’t use a primer. Primer is an alluring, sexy skin magician that makes our skin look luminous because it creates a smooth base for makeup, fills in pores, dips, wrinkles, and pits, and reflects light. It can make acne scars vanish, but it almost guarantees you will get more acne.

This is because of its high silicone content. Silicone is a polymer made up of siloxane. It’s a common ingredient in makeup because it makes skin silky and watertight. Silicone is also a common ingredient in lubricants, sealants, electrical insulation, and rubber. It drys out skin, disrupts cell renewal and skin absorption, and traps dirt, sweat, and oil in the skin’s pores. In other words, it causes acne! Wearing silicone-based primer is like applying hairspray to your face. Nothing good will come of it, and you will have a hell of a time getting it off. You don’t want to be as unhappy as this lady, do you?

3. EXFOLIATE 3X A WEEK

Exfoliation is the way, the truth, and the light. Do it religiously, and your skin will glow. Exfoliation is the process of removing the dead skin from your body. It can be done physically or chemically. Scrubbing your skin with something gritty, like sugar, or washing it with textured washcloths, are examples of physical exfoliation. Chemical exfoliation involves applying a chemical that dissolves dead skin such as a retinoid. There are prescription-strength retinoids, like Tazarotene, that also promote collagen production, but you can also find skincare products with retinol at the drugstore or online.

4. DRINK TEA TO HYDRATE AND BALANCE HORMONES

Drinking two to three liters of water a day is a gamechanger in fighting revolving acne. You can multiply its benefits by drinking tea. Some teas can even help minimize hormonal imbalances. Hormonal imbalance is a common culprit behind revolving acne. For example, some hormones, like androgens, increase the body’s oil production. An excess of androgens pushes the body’s oil production into overdrive, causing acne. Spearmint has been shown to reduce the level of acne-causing androgens in the body. Drinking spearmint tea regularly can clear up the skin as the body’s hormone levels even out.*

I hope you find this helpful!

*I am not a doctor or professional nutritionist. These statements are based on my own experimentation and research and should not be considered medical advice. Please always consult a medical professional when deciding which home remedies to try.