You might have dealt with random breakouts overnight. A pimple or two might appear out of nowhere on your face the next morning. You panic after seeing those pimples or blackheads on your skin.
The first thing you generally think of to deal with acne is popping or bursting your pimples or peeling the blackheads. It does not help at all, instead it causes inflammation and irritation on the skin. The problem should be handled with care. It begins by choosing the right skincare routine.
The first and most effective step is to incorporate in your skincare routine a face cleanser as it helps in clearing the impurities that cause breakouts. No ordinary face wash would help as its function is to clear the surface dirt and not acne breakouts.
You require a target specific cleanser that contains active ingredients which are meant for helping acne. A pimple face wash must be actually helpful in acne care. It should help to control breakouts that occur on the skin rather than causing more breakouts. You must read the ingredients carefully and assess their role in acne care.
Why do breakouts happen?
Breakouts appear on the face due to several factors that can trigger acne.
- The hair follicles of the skin might get clogged when excess sebum is generated. It can mix up with the dirt and dead skin cells that sit on the face. Together they form a plug-like structure that can clog pores.
- The skin creates a moist and closed environment after clogging pores which lets Cutibacterium acnes bacteria grow and cause acne.
- Stress and hormonal imbalance can often affect each other and this creates production of excess sebum and random breakouts.
- Environmental pollution and climate can also change the skin conditions which can cause breakouts.
- Breakouts can occur due to makeup residue and sweat that get mixed and create clogged pores.
Active ingredients that help
There are some active ingredients that are quite good for acne care.
Niacinamide: This water soluble vitamin B3 is an alpha hydroxy acid. It becomes very beneficial for acne problems as it helps –
- To control excess sebum from the skin and regulate sebum production.
- Clearing out surface impurities that can clog pores and dissolve them by breaking bonds.
- To support and protect the barrier repair of the skin
- To calm down the inflamed and irritated skin.
Salicylic acid: It is a gold standard ingredient when it comes to acne care. It has the ability to dive deep into the pores of the skin because of its lipophilic nature. It helps to –
- Break down the bonds of dead skin cells and dirt by cutting them and clearing them out.
- Wipe off excess oil from the pores by going deep.
- Provide anti-inflammatory action for the inflamed skin due to acne.
Benzoyl peroxide: This is one of the best ingredients for acne care which helps in taking care of active acne by –
- It helps to actively kill acne causing bacteria by going into the pores and creating an unsuitable environment by releasing oxygen.
- It also clears out the dead skin buildup in the pores.
- It helps to control oil production as well.
Tea tree oil: This naturally derived oil has been used in anti acne products because of its ideal properties.
- It provides anti-bacterial support to the skin and helps in killing the acne causing bacteria.
- It helps to clear the skin impurities.
- It has a soothing action as well.
Neem: It is a natural ingredient that has been used in acne care long before the introduction of chemical ingredients. It helps to
- Remove excess oil from the skin.
- Help in controlling bacterial infection majorly due to its anti-bacterial properties.
- Soothes along with calming skin redness and irritation.
Ingredients you need to skip
- Heavy oils and butters: While selecting a face wash for your skin you need to strictly avoid the ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter and other heavy oils. They can most certainly be comedogenic. They can easily clog the pores.
- Sodium lauryl sulphate: This surfactant is not ideal for acne care. It often breaks the skin barrier and strips moisture from the skin.
- Fragrant ingredients: Avoid products with synthetic perfumes and fragrances. They can be the reason for skin irritation and can trigger current acne to worsen.
How to use anti acne face wash in routine?
For achieving clear skin and controlling acne you need to incorporate the face wash in your daily routine and be consistent with it to get results.
AM routine
- Firstly wash your face with water
- Take some amount of face wash in your hand
- Apply it to the face and focus mainly on areas with breakouts
- Rinse off with water after massaging it properly for 30-60 seconds
- Apply a lightweight moisturizer
- If going out in the daytime, always apply sunscreen.
PM routine
- Firstly wash your face with water
- Take some amount of face wash in your hand
- Apply it to the face and focus mainly on areas with breakouts
- Rinse off with water
- Apply a lightweight night cream if required
Formulation recommendation for various skin types
- Oily skin: Can use gel or foaming face wash
- Acne prone skin: Can opt for gel or foam cleanser
- Dry skin: Can use cream face wash that hydrates skin
- Sensitive skin: Can choose light non foaming facewash
Last thoughts
Acne breakouts are not so rare and happen to everyone at some point. Taking care of acne breakouts and protecting skin from more breakouts becomes an ideal goal. For that you need to use an acne face wash with the right choice of ingredients and formulation. You need to be consistent in using the product to get results. Also do not switch continuously between products to avoid irritation.
