It’s cast in movies as one of the great battles of our teenage years. However, many adults can attest to the fact that acne is definitely not confined to that tumultuous time.
Adult acne can occur at any stage of life and its appearance is just as unwelcome as it was in our teens. So, why does it occur and what can be done to banish the breakouts?
If you’ve ever experienced acne you’re likely well aware that it’s not always easy to pin down what’s causing it. Its progression can be affected by a multitude of factors ranging from sebum production to genetics.
Yes, it’s that broad.
There are four factors that have a direct effect on the appearance of acne, and it’s these that your skincare regime can address head-on. These nefarious players are:
With the right approach and some power-packed organic ingredients, your skincare regime can effectively tackle each of these issues.
The problem is, many of us are doing it wrong.
Honestly, your skincare regime could be failing you in a few key areas. This is mainly because, when you consider what’s causing the acne, they seem like the right thing to do.
The obvious place to start is with cleansing. It’s very tempting, logical even, to simply try and wash away the extra oil and bacteria. But using strong, foaming cleansers can strip away your skins’ protective barrier (otherwise known as the microbiome) and upset your natural sebum balance.
In response, your skin will start producing even more oil in order to right the balance. And then we are back at square one.
There is a similar problem with very astringent toners. They, too, strip the skin of its natural protective oils and healthy bacteria, leaving it irritated and open to overgrowth of harmful bacteria.
Thirdly, check your face cream. Keeping your skin soothed and nourished with a good moisturiser is imperative for skin health. If you are prone to, or already suffering acne, look for a non-comedogenic moisturiser that will adequately nourish your skin without blocking your pores.
We recommend a few key products when it comes to fighting adult acne.
Our Refining Cleanser is a natural cream cleanser that will give your skin a deep clean without stripping it or upsetting the protective barrier. If you’ve been over-cleansing with a foaming cleanser it will take a week or so for your skin to adjust and slow down the extra oil and sebum production.
Our two toners will help to balance your skins’ pH levels and reduce any inflammation. Our Tone + Hydrate Spritz will gently astringe the skin, rehydrate and soothe redness. Its’ antiseptic properties will also assist your skin heal and prevent further infection.
The Ultimate Biome Spritz contains the beautiful Kakadu Plum and Green Tea to protect your skin against environmental pollutants. Probiotics improve the microbiome of the skin and strengthen your natural protective barrier.
Repair Face Serum is a non-comedogenic face oil that soothes the skin and assists repair. Two of its star ingredients are Rosehip Oil, to deeply nourish and increase skin elasticity, and Calendula, to soothe inflammation and promote wound healing.
Diet and lifestyle play a critical part in addressing adult acne. These two factors have a huge effect on contributing factors to acne such as hormonal fluctuations, stress, and even underlying systemic illness.
A healthy diet and regular exercise will start to combat the indirect causes of adult acne. Download our Naturopathic Treatment Plan for Acne for our top tips to get started on a healthy, acne-defying way of life.
Bridget x
The skin on our bodies is often neglected as we tend to focus on our face and figure our bodies will just look after themselves. Big mistake!
Because our skin is our largest organ and most of what we put on it gets absorbed, choosing high-quality products for the body is so very important. They need to be 100% natural and as organic as possible, to avoid causing skin reactions, disrupting our hormones, and not adding to the toxin burden on our liver.
There are also some simple things you can do to look after your body that will reduce dryness, stop eczema from flaring up and keep it glowing.
The summer holidays are almost here and for many of us it's time to think about packing our bags for a little time away, if not a little time out. When I'm packing for our 2 week annual beach holiday it has to be simple and light-weight. I don’t have the space nor the time to spend hours on my skin and so I make sure to only include products which will keep my skin in top shape, quick smart.
