Let's talk about spots....

I was going to do a "Tip of the Week" post regarding spots, but then I realized that I have A LOT of tips rather than just one. Over the years, I'd like to think I've accumulated a lot of information regarding pimples and acne. Not so much on severe acne (I've never actually had it, though don't worry I had other skin issues to deal with instead), but just your normal average breakouts.

For me, the most important thing about breakouts is knowing your triggers. Everyone is different and everyone has different triggers, though there are some very common ones we share. You need to listen to what your body is telling you and learn from it. There's almost always a reason why you might find a few angry pimples looking at you in the mirror.

Here are a few main ones...

1) Not Enough Sleep: so simple yet a lot of people don't realize this or forget! This would probably be my most sensitive trigger. I started noticing it when I was just starting puberty. Anytime I would go over to a friend's house for a sleepover, and of course we'd chitchat all night aka barely sleep, and I would ALWAYS wake up with several white heads. It is still the case till today, which is why I need to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep, otherwise my skin will be angry with me in the morning. Sleep is when your body heals itself, so obviously if you're not giving your body enough time to sleep, your skin won't be able to heal. Sleep is also the most effective way of balancing out your hormones, so if you get more sleep, the more balanced your hormones will be. It doesn't matter how much you cleanse and tone if you're only giving your skin 4-6 hours a night. It is called 'beauty sleep' for a reason ;).

2) Dairy Products: this is mostly directed towards milk. If you ask any doctor, they will most likely tell you that there's no reason for any human to be drinking milk after having stopped being breast fed as a baby. Milk happens to contain a lot of hormones, which can really disrupt your body. Milk also promotes inflammation (what makes your spots so red and painful). Best solution is to obviously cut out milk completely from your life and subtitute it with almond milk or  however for all you cereal lovers (that includes myself) who find that this is impossible to do, just try cut back on the milk. Limit yourself to say once per week, or switch to organic yogurt.

3) Junk Food and Sugar: I think this is a no brainer for all of us. You are what you eat. If you eat crap, it will show on your face. If you eat lots of fruits and veggies, your skin will thank you for it. I remember only last week when the only thing open after midnight was a Burger King (the misfortunes of being hungry and out late at night) and I woke up with a big angry spot the next morning. And it doesn't just have to be fast food! It's also bad to eat anything with lots of sugar and carbs, such as cakes, candy, white bread, etc. So ditch the burger, and go for some nice fruits that are packed with antioxidants! :)

4) Hormonal Imbalance: I know what you're all thinking:"And how are we suppose to avoid that??". Luckily there are ways, and here are my top 3: more sleep, exercise, and take supplements. Obviously the first two are more natural, but I find the first and last one more effective. I personally take two supplements to keep my hormones in check, which are Omega 3 and Vitamine D. Omega 3 is very important in reducing inflammation and can be found in fatty fish if you wish to forgo the supplements. Vitamine D balances out your hormones and can be naturally gained from sunshine. I remember when I just started taking Vitamine D, which at the time was because there was no sun for weeks in rainy Canada. I noticed my skin had never looked more clear! Only later did I do some research and find out that Vitamine D helps balance out hormones. However, I must warn you all to be careful if you do choose to take supplements. Please make sure you are not taking anymore than is the recommended amount. Intoxication can occur from overdosing on vitamins, so do take care.

And there you have it! Those are my main tips on how to avoid getting break outs. I really hope this has been helpful to at least one person if not a few. And if you have any tips yourself or different triggers, please let me know in the comment section! :) x.