This product causes me breakouts! Ichigo’s S.O.S

This product gave me breakouts! I got acne because of this! I am allergic to peeling gel! Unfortunately in my job as your Korean Beauty adviser I hear the sentences above over and over again. But are you even sure the reaction you are getting is from that new moisturizer? Yes, I mean the one you just added to your routine yesterday. Probably not, so let me help you out and get to know how your skin works.

Products that are intended to give you breakouts

Yes, I am definitely not kidding! Especially clay type masks can have you breakout really fast after using them. Why is this you might wonder and why would I use something that would cause me to breakout? Well, the answer is actually quite simple. If you want to clear up your skin all the gunk must first come out. This is exactly what most clay masks do. They draw impurities from the surface of the skin which can cause a light breakout. After this breakout your skin will be much cleaner then before. Trust me, I would know.

Giving your skin time to adjust

When trying a new moisturizer, toner or just about any skincare product, give your skin some time to adjust to it’s ingredients. Almost no product does wonders overnight, except for sleeping packs. Sleeping packs are designed to heal and nurture your skin overnight but don’t forget to wash it off in the morning! If you do forget, it could cause a breakout 🙁 When you just added a new skincare product into your daily routine your face will probably show a slight reaction to this. When it’s just a tiny breakout or irritated spot, keep it in your routine anyways to see how your face will adjust. If after a week your skin still doesn’t seem to like the product you might want to go over the ingredients and look at a different product to use.

Other factors that might give your breakouts

So you just ate pizza for three days straight and you are still blaming your new moisturizer for that huge zit on your nose? Not really fair to that cute little bottle! Your diet plays a huge role in how your skin looks so lathering that 10 step skincare routine on your face is a great start but it will not do wonders if you mess up your diet. I am a big junkfood fan so I know what it feels like to skip that double cheeseburger. Getting your daily fruit and veggie intake will improve your skin condition significantly if you pair it up with drinking 2 liters of water every day. I might sound like your mom right now but sometimes she is right too, remember?

Hormonal breakouts

Something else on the inside that can effect how your skin looks are your hormonal levels. If you tend to have small breakouts around that time of the month: you are very normal. Almost every woman out there suffers from period pains and even a couple of zits.  Just treat them with a product such as Etude House AC Clean up Pink Powder Spot . Oh, and only pop them when they are ready! If your skin is really uncontrollable during this specific time of the month it’s best to see a doctor. If you are on birth control for example, the type of birth control can also influence your hormonal levels, so it’s best to discuss with a professional which suits you and your body the best.

Ingredients to avoid

If you have sensitive skin which reacts heavily to new products try to avoid harsh ingredients. The well-known drugstore Clearasil bottle will do more damage than good. So try to stay away of those alcohol filled wonder cures. Everything that is chemical might sound harsh and like something you want to avoid, but your body is made up of chemicals as well so you just have to know which ones to avoid. People with acne and sensitive skin will have less irritation from a chemical exfoliant such as Salicilyc Acid instead of a natural exfoliant such as peach stones. Chemical is not always bad, just remember that 😉

If you have sensitive acne prone skin try to exfoliate a couple days a week. Use a mild exfoliating face wash such as the COSRX Salicylic Acid exfoliating cleanser. By gently exfoliating daily you can significantly improve your skin texture easily instead of exfoliating with a harsh scrub once a week. If you don’t get rid of these dead skin cells you are just layering your products on top of dead cells. Putting your expensive moisturizer onto something it can never even penetrate seems a little useless right?

Ingredients to look out for on the packaging are: alcohol, fragrances and dyes. These are know for easily irritating those with a sensitive skin. A more natural option for those who suffer from acne is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is known for their anti-inflammatory and soothing properties and a great ingredient for skincare products.

To round things up, I don’t know anybody which is allergic to every peeling gel on earth. And if your skin is really sensitive just try to avoid some of the ingredients above. Trust me, you will still have enough choice in the world of skincare if you skip these ingredients 🙂 Your skin will thank you!

Hope this will help you and you enjoyed reading!

‘XO Team Ichigo