I’ve had acne for several years and have always been looking for new tips to reduce it. Of course, skincare is important, and the right products for your skin should be the first thing to look for. But outside of them, some small and easy tips can help you improve your skin step by step.

• Change your pillowcase weekly: while you are sleeping your face rubs constantly on your pillow. Pillowcases act as sponges, they tend to absorb dirt, bacteria, and oil from your skin. Therefore, if you don’t wash them often, the leftover will keep getting back on your skin and cause more acne. You can also turn your pillow over so you don’t always sleep on the same side !

• Exfoliate weekly: Acne is by definition a clogging of pores by oil and dead skin. Exfoliating helps to get rid of dead cells and unclogs pores. So, exfoliating is an effective way of getting rid of the build-up and getting rid of some pimples quicker ! Warning: it is not recommended to exfoliate every day, doing so could worsen your skin even more. Exfoliating your skin once a week or once every two weeks is enough.

• Wash & dry your face gently: when you have acne washing your face daily is necessary to improve your skin. However, doing it properly can add more success to the process. When you apply a product, tap it gently onto your face. If the product needs water, create the foam in your hand before applying it to your face. The goal here is not to rub your face since it can spread germs and irritate your skin. Same thing when you dry your face with a towel. Tap it gently all over your face to get rid of the water.

• Be consistent with your products: when you use new products they usually don’t have an effect right away. It can get frustrating but for most of them, you need to stick to them to see some results ! For instance, niacinamide can take up to 8 to 12 weeks before getting its peak results. So, be patient and stay consistent! Also, don’t forget to apply moisturizer daily since it creates a barrier between your skin and its environment.

• Find the right moisturizer: since I had acne I’ve always been told that I had oily skin. But, as years went by, I noticed that my skin would peel off because it was too dry. That’s when I realized that I had been using the wrong products and that they were drying my face even more. So, keep in mind that acne doesn’t necessarily your skin is oily. Your face can be dry, sensitive, or a combination. Take your time and find which one you are before choosing a moisturizer.

• Apply sunscreen on sunny days: since I don’t live in a very hot and sunny city I have never put sunscreen on my face every day. Moreover, some of them can be really bad for your skin so I never liked applying them on a daily basis. However, you can find a balance between applying them daily and not applying sunscreen at all. When you know that the weather will be hot & sunny, you can apply some in the morning as a precaution. It will help reduce breakouts.