Back in February, we asked our Belles to share their biggest skin pain points. And you certainly delivered! We had loads of interesting answers, but there’s one that kept popping up time and time again — breakouts! Though it may sound random, our face is actually a map of what’s going on inside our body. By knowing what the causes are, you can treat your acne from the inside out, or even better, getting rid of breakouts for good!
Sometimes, there’s a clear cause of breakouts (like when it’s ‘that’ time of the month or you’ve just tried a harsh new face scrub that doesn’t agree with your skin). But other times, just like that bad boy who texts you every six months, they seem to come out of nowhere. And it always seems to be when you’ve got something important on the next day — like a job interview or a hot date. So, to help you banish acne, we’ve put together this handy face mapping guide to what your breakouts actually mean and how to treat them:
1. You’re breaking out on…your forehead
The culprit: Stress or the digestive system
If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately, your skin could be trying to send you a message that you need to take some time out for yourself. Acne on the forehead has also been linked to digestive issues — so if you’ve also been experiencing symptoms like bloating or indigestion, that could be also be to blame.
The solution:
Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and allowing yourself to take some time off for meditation, exercise and other self-care activities. If you believe digestion could be the cause, it’s worth chatting to your doctor or naturopath so they can rule out any food intolerances.They may also suggest an anti-inflammatory diet, cutting down on dairy, sugar, gluten and adding a lot of vegetables to your meals. Prebiotic / probiotic and supplements may also be prescribed to support your gut health. Oh, and don’t forget to cleanse your skin daily with a gentle cleanser that contains probiotic (papaya enzyme) for your face like our Silky Milky Cleanser — it helps cleanse away all the build-up gently, effectively while keeping any inflammation and redness at bay.
2. You’re breaking out on…your cheeks
The culprit: Pollution or allergies
While rosy cheeks can make you look fresh and healthy, inflamed breakouts unfortunately don’t have quite the same effect. This type of acne is linked to allergies and pollution. Some common causes include dirty pillowcases, makeup brushes and phone screens, as well as spending time in polluted areas (the price we pay for being city girls!) Breakouts on the cheek can also be caused by respiratory issues—so obviously, smoking is a big no no.
The solution:
Make sure you’re regularly wiping down or washing anything that comes into contact with your face. If it's due to pollution in the area where you live, make sure you’re cleansing daily and and replenishing with antioxidant-rich products, like our Flower Face Cream and Seed Face Oil. These are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids, which can help fight free radicals and the ageing effect pollution can have on the skin.
Here's how we've helped our Belles reduce the appearance of acne:
3. You’re breaking out on…your nose
The culprit: Heart, blood pressure or clogged pores
Breakouts on the nose can be connected to your heart and blood pressure. This area also produces more oil than any other area on the face, so clogged pores could also be responsible.
The solution:
To keep your heart healthy and your blood pressure down, it’s a good idea to cut back on meat and spicy foods and add more yummy good fats like avocado, nuts and flaxseeds. Also make sure you’re double cleansing your face with a gentle face scrub like our Smooth & Glow Exfoliator and cleansing with a gentle cleanser, to ensure your pores aren’t clogged. It may sound counter intuitive, but congested skin can also be effectively treated with plant oils, like our Seed Face Oil. Many of our customers have vouched for that!
4. You’re breaking out on… your chin and jawline
The culprit: Hormones
You may notice that when you break out during your period, it’s normally around your chin and jawline. This is no coincidence! Breakouts in these spots have been linked to your hormones and when your have your period, it makes your skin produce more oils —making you more pimple-prone. However, if you tend to break out on your chin and jawline even when you don’t have your period, it could be a sign you have a hormonal imbalance.
The solution:
Getting plenty of beauty sleep, cutting down on dairy, sugar and coffee and eating a clean, well-rounded diet can help keep hormonal acne at bay — during your period and beyond! It’s also a great idea to give your skin some extra love, by doing a face mask with fruit acids to gentle unclog your pores while calming your breakouts — like our Smooth & Glow Exfoliator (Yep, it doubles as a mask. So versatile!)
- by Emma Norris.
