Most people have suffered with some form of acne at some point in their life. It is most commonly found on the face, chest, shoulders, and back, ranging from mild breakouts to cysts and scarring. Most acne is associated with teenagers due to hormonal changes. However, acne can occur at any age. There are many different causes for acne: the products we use, our diet, hereditary factors, environmental toxins, hormones, and makeup products all contribute to acne. If you are currently struggling with acne, we know how frustrating it can be to find a solution that lasts. Here are three simple ways to help heal your acne for good. Diet One of the most important factors that impacts the skin is what we eat and drink. It is imperative that we eat a balanced diet high in vitamins and nutrients to keep our skin looking its best. A diet high in processed foods, sodium, fat, caffeine, soy, and alcohol will cause the skin to not only age faster but produce too much oil. While we can still enjoy treats in moderation, the majority of what we eat should be clean. It is also very important to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Water helps to fight bacteria and infection as well as remove toxins from our body. If you do choose to consume caffeine, you should drink even more water to counteract the dehydrating effects of caffeine. Sticking to a healthy routine will ensure that you are setting yourself up for success in taking control of your skin health. Exercise Not only does exercise reduce stress, but it increases vascular activity and circulation in the skin. Moderate exercise for 30 minutes 4-5 times a week is a simple yet effective way to improve the health of your skin. Just be sure to wash your face or shower after exercising, as the sweat and oils can get trapped in the skin, thus increasing the risk for acne and breakouts. The type of cleansers you choose are of utmost importance as your cleanser is the vehicle to remove all dirt and oil from your pores. Be sure your cleanser is water-based and pH balanced. Makeup One of the biggest mistakes when trying to heal acne is to cover it up with oil-based makeup. This is very common in individuals suffering from acne because we attempt to hide our blemishes with makeup. If you are going to wear makeup, it must be water-based. It makes no sense to take these steps to heal our blemishes if we are going to cover them up with oil-based makeup. Makeup that is not water-based will clog the pores while trapping oil and dirt, causing even more breakouts. Foundations, concealers, bronzers, blushes, powders, etc. should all be water-based. The rule of thumb is oil and water do not mix. All makeup should be able to mix well with water and be removed easily from the skin using water. No makeup remover is needed if your makeup is clean! How do you know if your makeup is water-based? Pour a glass of water, pour a small amount of your makeup into it, and stir gently. If you see lumps of makeup, there is too much oil in the product preventing it from mixing with the water. If the makeup blends in evenly with the water, it is water-based. Check out our Library for a full video about how to test for clean cosmetics.Gina Marie McGuireGINAMARIE Products