We hear ways to perfect our skin all the time. There are countless articles, websites and people claiming perfect skin if you follow some simple steps. Most of them we have heard a million times and we still aren't seeing the results we desire. We're desperate for an answer that works for us, and we're constantly searching for new methods. Of course we still think it's important to wash your face daily and keep your skin moisturized – But did you know there is even more you could be doing? We want to share 6 of our coveted beauty secrets with you because we know what it's like to have acne! Your embarrassed to go on a date or simply go to the mall risking everyone looking At. That. One. Pimple. We feel your pain and we want to help! :)

1. Wear the right clothes.

You probably didn't know it but your fashion choices also affect your skin’s health! Your décolleté and back are prone to breakouts, and some people struggle with it as much or more than facial acne. Our skin constantly sheds off dead skin cells in order to make room for new ones and if they’re not exfoliated off, they have the tendency to block our pores and cause breakouts. Wearing clothes which are too tight can increase the likelihood of dead skin cells to linger on your skin. To avoid this, you either lessen the times you wear tight clothing or ensure you are able to exfoliate well during days when you plan to wear tight clothing.

You are often faced with the decision to wear something fashionable despite comfort and doing so in the warm summer months can really cost you. Dressing inappropriately for warm weather may increase the chances of dead skin cells lingering on your body because they get mixed in with your sweat which makes it more likely to clog your pores. So sometimes, it’s a choice between dressing like a beauty queen or having healthy skin.

2. Worry about your water intake.

Another factor which causes acne is the amount of oil produced by the sebaceous glands. These glands naturally produce sebum in order to keep our skin from drying out. This means that the dryer our skin gets, the more oil it will produce, so a helpful way to keep acne away is to keep your skin moisturized. The most basic way to do this is to ensure that you are drinking enough water. The recommended amount is 8 glasses a day. Aside from keeping our skin moisturized, it also has positive effects for the rest of our body, as well as our mood.

To check if your skin is moisturized enough, try scratching your arm with your nail. If it leaves a white mark, it’s a sign that you need more moisture in your life. If you feel you need a constant reminder to drink more water, set an alarm on your computer or on your phone. In fact, you can actually download apps to help you track your water intake and remind you at various times within the day to drink water. It also helps to have a refillable bottle or container of water with you at all times so you can have it handy anytime your reminder goes off.

3. Don't overdue the air conditioning.

Have you ever experienced staying indoors for a long period of time on a hot day and having the air conditioner turned up to its max? If so, you may have noticed that your skin tends to get extra dry because of it. That is because air conditioning creates an atmosphere of dry air which affects the dryness of your skin. Because of this, turning up the air conditioning too much can actually make your acne worse. If you find that this might be a contributing factor to your acne, then turning the air down a bit may help. If possible, you may even want to consider lessening the use of air conditioning when you’re at home or in the car. You can let the natural air cool you and open some windows or you could use a fan. In instances when air conditioning really becomes a necessity like in those hot summer afternoons, try having a humidifier to ensure there is still enough moisture in the air to not dry your skin out. Humidifiers are also recommended during cold winter nights when the weather causes the air to be naturally dry.

4. Quit heading straight to bed.

This is very tempting especially on long, tiring days when you get home and just want to lay down. Sometimes, the tendency is to just lay down and relax, watch TV or scroll through your phone and tell yourself that you’ll wash up in 5 minutes. Then 5 minutes turns into 10 minutes. And the cycle goes on until you realize you’ve wasted so much time that you just want to go straight to bed. As tempting as this might be, try to resist the urge and at the very least get up and wash your face. You can skip whatever beauty regimen you have or even taking a shower but do not skip washing your face. It’s the most basic thing you can do for skin care and it only takes a few minutes. It is also recommended that you remove your makeup BEFORE you cleanse your skin. This can take a little more time but it’s all worth it to maintain the beautiful skin you desire.

5. Stop with the hot showers already.

As therapeutic as it sounds, taking regular hot showers can actually affect acne production. Taking hot showers tends to dry out our skin faster which causes it to produce more oil. If you feel that you really need hot water, especially in the morning as you prepare to head out, one alternative is to swtich between cold and hot water. It reduces the tendency for your skin to dry out because less time is spent in the heat. In addition, alternating between the two temperatures especially in the morning can be beneficial as it has been said to increase alertness. If that still does not work for you, then other tips we may suggest instead include the following:

  • Lowering the temperature to lukewarm water – It’s sort of like a compromise between the two temperatures that will help you to avoid the dryness caused by hot showers but will still give you an acceptable bathing temperature.
  • Reducing bathing time – reducing bathing time reduces your exposure to the hot water so it does not cause as much dryness.
  • Patting yourself dry with a towel instead of rubbing – Rubbing your skin with a towel strips it of even more moisture, so it’s better to gently pat it dry instead.

In the end, if you see your skin turning red by the end of the shower, then your shower is likely too hot for your skin.

6. Quit over-washing your face.

Now don't get us wrong, washing your face is the most basic thing you can do for skin care like we said. If you can only buy only one product, it should be a facial cleanser. But we know that too much of a good thing can be bad as well. It is recommended to wash your face just once a day with a gentle cleanser. Some people have a habit of washing it twice a day, but sometimes, even this can be too much washing. Washing too much can also lead to excessive dryness which we now know causes excessive oil production.

When cleansing, massage your face thoroughly but gently. Avoid rubbing your face too hard especially when you have blemishes. Apart from irritation from scrubbing too hard, this can cause your pimples to pop and look even worse. Once your face is squeaky clean, be sure to moisturize. A moisturizing face wash is not enough to keep your skin hydrated alone.

Avoid facial cleansers that cause you to have irritation. They may contain ingredients which your skin is allergic to or it may have harsh ingredients which react badly with your skin. At the end of the day, always go with what works best for you and your skin.