If you are experiencing acne and are thinking, "why am I breaking out?" look no further! Everyone experiences breakouts and acne, but there are ways to help prevent future breakouts. Utilizing specific products and ingredients for your skin type and concerns is crucial.
But integrating healthier lifestyle habits, such as changing the foods you consume or changing your pillowcase more often, also assists in reducing acne. In addition, with Ramadan coming up, setting a new skincare routine during Ramadan is essential! Below, we will cover why and what causes breakouts, how to treat breakouts, and which ingredients and products are right for you.
What is a breakout?
Clogged pores, inflamed skin, and bacteria cause breakouts. Pores become clogged when hair follicles fill with dead skin cells, oil (sebum), and bacteria. This leads to swelling, redness, and inflammation. Thus, the impurities clog the pores and get pushed to the skin's surface.
In addition, there are different types of breakouts. Breakouts refer to pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, and even cystic acne.
- Pimples - form when a clogged hair follicle contains bacteria, leading to inflammation and red spots.
- Comedones – occur when there is no inflammation, but clogged pores are noticeable.
- Whiteheads – closed comedones
- Blackheads – open and black-colored comedones. Air exposure turns the bacteria and oil black.
- Cystic acne – when oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria are deep inside pores, cystic acne forms underneath the skin's surface.
What causes breakouts?
Various factors trigger breakouts. Of course, washing and cleaning your face in the morning, at night, after makeup, and any time you feel sweaty or oily is crucial. Below we will go over the most common causes of breakouts and why avoiding or changing these habits is best.
- Stress – linked to an increase in acne severity due to a rise in anxiousness, thus not being able to sleep or eat well. Additionally, our bodies release the corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) that promotes oil production. When your face produces more oil, the excess oils clog pores and cause possible inflammation.
- Certain skincare products – comedogenic or pore-clogging ingredients, block pores and produce or worsen acne. Among the comedogenic elements, we will review the most common ingredients to avoid in your skincare products.
The first comedogenic ingredient to avoid is lanolin. Lanolin is from sheep fat, wool, and oil. It is a greasy oil that conditions sheep wool and is included in some skincare products. Unfortunately, lanolin's not vegan, although it is derived from wool after it is cut off from the sheep's bodies.
Next, you should avoid alcohol and sugar as ingredients in skincare. More specifically, isocetyl alcohol will clog pores. Furthermore, fatty alcohols are derived from vegetable fatty acids, beef fat, or fish fat.
Lastly, some oils are both pore-clogging and non-pore clogging. Non-comedogenic oils will help balance oil production in the skin. In addition, non-comedogenic oils mimic and regulate the skin's natural sebum production for those with dry or flaky skin.
Amazingly, all Flora & Noor products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, halal-certified, Leaping Bunny Certified, and non-comedogenic. Flora & Noor holds that all their ingredients are natural and ethically derived, making them perfect for all skin types!
Additional causes of breakouts
- Acne treatments – going overboard on acne treatments or acne-fighting ingredients lead to skin irritations, inflammation, and dry skin. Overly dry skin will produce more oil to compensate for the dryness, thus clogging pores with excess sebum production. It is essential to research which acne-fighting ingredients work best with your skin type and not mix ingredients that will cause irritation or discomfort.
- Diet – foods that contain high levels of carbohydrates (glycemic foods) and are highly processed. Highly processed foods cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly. Thus, when blood sugar increases, the body produces more insulin, turning insulin into excessive oil production. Some highly processed foods include white bread, rice, pasta, chips, sugary beverages, baked goods, and pastries.
- Dehydration – drinking water is crucial in everyone's life. You should drink at least 6-8 8 oz. cups of water a day to stay hydrated. If your skin and body lack hydration, it increases oil production. Moreover, drinking water throughout the day increases deeper skin hydration and elasticity, making your skin more supple and bouncy.
- Touching/picking your face – constantly touching your skin and face transfers oil and bacteria from your hands onto your face. Additionally, pressing your phone against your cheek and not washing your pillowcase frequently enough increases breakouts.
- Sleeping in makeup – sleeping in your makeup overnight traps impurities and bacteria inside pores. Furthermore, sleeping in makeup overnight increases free radical damage to the skin's barrier through collagen degradation and an increase in premature aging signs, including wrinkles, fine lines, and crepey skin.
- Not sleeping enough – our bodies re-energize and heal themselves when we sleep. As stated above, lack of sleep leads to stress, which increases oil production. Also, not getting enough sleep may cause anxiousness and poor habits such as picking at your skin and not keeping up with your skin care regimen.
How can you soothe breakouts?
So, how can you soothe and prevent breakouts? There are remedies and exceptional products that target acne and blemishes, and it is equally important to keep up with your perfect skincare routine for your skin type and concerns.
First, you should adequately wash and cleanse your face. Generally, you should cleanse your face in the morning, at night, and after any time you sweat (like after the gym). Cleansers purify and wash deep inside pores to eliminate excess dirt, oils, dead skin cells, and makeup.
Luckily, Flora & Noor cleansers are perfect when targeting dry, oily, or even combination skin! The Rose Renewal Cleanser, infused with shea butter, rose extract and water, aloe vera, tri-peptides, and lactic acid. This melting pot of nourishing ingredients hydrates, brightens, and evens the skin tone while unclogging pores and helping balance the skin's pH levels. Additionally, rose water contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidants, perfect for sensitive and dry skin. Further, tri-peptides work to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines!
The Boost & Brighten Vitamin C Cleanser targets hyperpigmentation and free radical damage and promotes collagen production. It contains Vitamin C, reishi, borage, and Gotu Kola, reducing pores and blemishes while moisturizing and revitalizing the skin. The Boost & Brighten Cleanser targets oily and acne-prone skin without irritations or inflammation effects. For tips on protecting and fixing damage to your skin’s barrier, read our blog post here.
Lastly, the Hydration Station Aloe + Shea Green Tea Cleanser clears and minimizes breakouts and pores with salicylic acid, licorice root, aloe vera, and calendula extract! It targets free radical damage and hyperpigmentation and evens skin tone by promoting skin cell renewal. Those with combination skin will experience the oil-balancing effects of the Aloe + Shea Green Tea Cleanser.
Additional ways to soothe breakouts
Of course, only utilizing clean skin care products will not solve all blemish concerns. Lifestyle factors play a part in achieving clean and clear skin. Eating more whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats, seafood, and whole grains contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These unprocessed foods contain collagen, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, and proteins that provide nutrients needed for cell growth and renewal – inside and outside the body.
As stated above, implementing habits such as drinking more water, avoiding touching or picking at your face and blemishes, and getting plenty of sleep will improve the appearance of your skin. While you do not have to do all these simultaneously, implementing healthier habits to soothe breakouts will benefit you and your skin.
Most important, finding and using skin care products that are vegan and cruelty-free is crucial. It is better for the environment around you, and your skin will also thank you. Flora & Noor is 100% clean, vegan, leaping bunny certified, and halal-certified, making all products permissible for Muslims. Flora & Noor is the first and only halal-certified skincare brand in the United States, pushing for inclusivity and innovation.
Additional ingredients to help prevent and soothe breakouts
There are various ingredients and products to help prevent acne and breakouts, especially when utilizing certain elements that work together will create powerful combinations.
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that promotes skin cell renewal. It is an anti-aging agent that reduces and prevents the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Moreover, there are vegan and synthetic retinols that are in the market. Synthetic retinols are lab-made and contain harsh chemicals that lead to irritation and inflammation.
You may be wondering why vitamin C and retinol benefits sound similar. While both ingredients are identical in promoting collagen production and skin cell renewal, vitamin C is most known for protecting against free radicals, fighting hyperpigmentation, and improving skin tone. Retinols work to reduce acne and improve skin texture through collagen synthesis.
But, a botanically powerful form very similar to vitamin A (retinol) is Gotu Kola. Gotu Kola contains all of the nutritious elements your skin needs to thrive and feel supple and rejuvenated, without skin irritations or skin purging!
The pair will create a powerful anti-aging duo by implementing vitamin C and retinol into your skincare routine. It is important to note that with vitamin C and retinol, it is recommended to avoid applying them simultaneously. The best way to utilize these ingredients is to apply vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night. Of course, use and wear sunscreen every day to protect your skin cells from further free radical damage and harmful UV rays!
Flora & Noor's Vitamin C Collection is perfect for all skin types, targeting dark spots, skin cell renewal, and brightening hyperpigmentation. 100% organic and cruelty-free, the Vitamin C Collection contains botanicals and ingredients such as licorice root, hyaluronic acid, jojoba, and niacinamide.
The next ingredient that will help prevent breakouts is salicylic acid. Salicylic acid penetrates deep inside pores, removing bacteria, dead skin cells, and excess oils. Salicylic acid is excellent at treating acne, clogged pores, and many other skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis! As a bonus, Flora & Noor's Hydration Station Aloe + Green Tea Cleanser contains salicylic acid to help prevent pore buildup!