Clear skin is a goal for many, but achieving it can sometimes feel overwhelming. The good news is that you don’t need a complicated routine to maintain a healthy complexion. By following a few simple tips and sticking to a consistent skincare regimen, you can help keep your skin looking its best. Here are some of the best tips for clear skin that will help you achieve and maintain a clear complexion.
Related: 11 Bad Skin Habits You Should Avoid For Healthy Skin
12 Best Tips For Clear Skin:
1. Never Sleep with Makeup On
Sleeping with makeup on is a major skincare no-no. When you leave makeup on overnight, it can clog your pores and prevent your skin from breathing, leading to breakouts and dullness. Makeup can also mix with natural oils and sweat, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.
To avoid these issues, always make sure to remove your makeup before bed. Use a gentle makeup remover or micellar water to dissolve your makeup, followed by a cleanser to thoroughly clean your skin. Incorporating this simple step into your nighttime routine will help keep your skin clear and healthy.
2. Wash Your Hands Before Touching Your Face
Your hands come into contact with countless surfaces and can pick up dirt, oil, and bacteria throughout the day. When you touch your face, you transfer these impurities, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts.
Make it a habit to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face. Ensure your hands are clean before applying your skincare or makeup products. It’s also a good practice to wash your hands before you cleanse your face. Ideally, you should only be touching your face when applying products or performing necessary skincare steps. This practice helps prevent the transfer of bacteria and keeps your skin clear.
3. Wash Your Face Twice a Day
If you have oily skin or are prone to breakouts, cleansing your face twice a day—once in the morning and once before bed—is crucial for maintaining clear skin. Washing your face helps remove dirt, oil, and impurities that accumulate overnight, as well as sunscreen and makeup at the end of the day.
In the morning, a gentle cleanse will help refresh your skin and prepare it for the day. At night, consider doing a double cleanse: first, use a cleansing balm or oil to remove makeup and sunscreen, followed by a second cleanse with a suitable facial cleanser to thoroughly clean your skin. Regular cleansing helps manage oil production, reduce the risk of breakouts, and keep your complexion looking fresh.
4. Don’t Pick at Your Skin
Resisting the urge to pick at your skin is necessary for maintaining a clear complexion. Picking at blemishes can lead to further irritation, hyperpigmentation, and even scarring. When you touch or squeeze pimples, you push bacteria and debris deeper into your skin, which can worsen the problem and lead to more breakouts.
Instead of picking, apply a spot treatment or cover zits with a pimple patch. These patches create a protective barrier over the blemish, helping to absorb excess oil and pus while delivering acne-fighting ingredients. They also prevent you from touching or picking at the spot, which reduces irritation and speeds up healing.
5. Use a Product with an Acne-Fighting Ingredient
Incorporating products with acne-fighting ingredients into your skincare routine can significantly improve your skin’s clarity. Ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are known for their effectiveness in treating and preventing acne. For those who are pregnant, azelaic acid and niacinamide are also effective and safe to use during pregnancy.
Salicylic acid helps exfoliate the skin and unclog pores, while benzoyl peroxide kills acne-causing bacteria and reduces inflammation. Azelaic acid works to reduce redness and inflammation, and niacinamide helps calm irritated skin and control oil production.
Choose a product or two that contain these ingredients and apply them as directed. Whether it’s a cleanser, toner, or spot treatment, these acne-fighting products can help control breakouts and keep your skin looking clear and healthy. Be consistent, but avoid using strong actives daily; instead, use them a few times a week for the best results without overloading your skin.
6. Moisturize Every Day
Moisturizing daily is essential for maintaining a healthy and balanced complexion, even if you have oily or acne-prone skin. Skipping moisturizer can lead to dehydration, causing your skin to produce even more oil to compensate, which can result in clogged pores and breakouts.
Choose a moisturizer that suits your skin type. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, opt for a lightweight, non-comedogenic formula that won’t clog your pores. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which hydrates without adding oil, and ceramides, which help restore and support your skin barrier. Niacinamide is also a great ingredient to consider, as it helps regulate sebum production.
Applying moisturizer every day, both in the morning and at night, helps maintain your skin’s moisture barrier, keeping it soft, smooth, and less prone to irritation.
7. Wash Your Pillowcase Often
Your pillowcase can accumulate oil, dirt, bacteria, and sweat from your skin and hair as you sleep. Over time, these impurities can transfer back onto your face, contributing to clogged pores, breakouts, and skin irritation.
To minimize this risk, make it a habit to wash your pillowcase regularly—ideally once a week. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, consider washing it even more frequently, such as every few days. Use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent to avoid irritating your skin.
By keeping your pillowcase clean, you create a healthier environment for your skin while you sleep, reducing the chances of breakouts and promoting a clearer complexion.
8. Clean Anything That Touches Your Face
Items that come into contact with your face, like your phone, makeup brushes, and hands, should be cleaned regularly to avoid transferring dirt, oil, and bacteria onto your skin. These impurities can easily transfer to your face, leading to clogged pores and breakouts.
To prevent this, make it a habit to clean anything that touches your face frequently. Wipe down your phone screen daily with an antibacterial wipe, as it can harbor a significant amount of bacteria. Clean your makeup brushes and sponges at least once a week to remove product buildup and bacteria. Additionally, like I mentioned earlier, avoid touching your face with your hands unless they’re freshly washed.
9. Exfoliate Regularly
Exfoliating your skin helps remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and promote cell turnover, leading to a clearer and smoother complexion. Regular exfoliation can also enhance the effectiveness of other skincare products by allowing them to penetrate deeper into the skin.
For most people, exfoliating 2 to 3 times a week is sufficient. Choose an exfoliator that suits your skin type—chemical exfoliants like AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) are often more effective and less abrasive than physical scrubs. AHAs exfoliate the surface of your skin, while BHAs penetrate deeper to clear out pores.
Be cautious not to over-exfoliate, as this can lead to irritation and worsen skin issues. Incorporate exfoliation into your routine gently and consistently for the best results.
10. Use Sunscreen Daily
Using sunscreen every day is one of the most important steps in maintaining clear, healthy skin. Sunscreen protects your skin from harmful UV rays that can cause premature aging, sunspots, and even skin cancer. It also helps prevent post-acne marks from darkening and reduces the risk of hyperpigmentation. Tinted sunscreens are especially beneficial for hyperpigmentation, as they contain iron oxide to block visible light.
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to ensure adequate protection. Apply it every morning, even on cloudy days or when you’re indoors, as UV rays can penetrate windows. For best results, apply sunscreen as the final step in your morning skincare routine and reapply every two hours if you’re spending extended time outdoors. By making sunscreen a daily habit, you protect your skin from damage and help maintain a clearer, more even complexion.
11. Incorporate a Retinol Product
Incorporating a retinol product into your skincare routine can significantly enhance your skin’s clarity and overall appearance. Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, promotes cell turnover, helping to exfoliate the skin, unclog pores, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark spots.
Start with a lower concentration of retinol if you’re new to the ingredient, and gradually increase it as your skin builds tolerance. Apply retinol at night after cleansing and before moisturizing. Be consistent with its use, but remember that it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so always use sunscreen during the day.
Using retinol 2 to 3 times a week is often sufficient to start seeing improvements without overwhelming your skin. Over time, retinol can help fade hyperpigmentation, smooth out rough texture, and reduce the frequency of breakouts, leading to clearer, healthier-looking skin.
Related: 10 Best Moisturizers To Use With Retinol
12. Avoid Overloading Your Skincare Routine
While having a good skincare routine is important, using too many products or applying them too frequently can overwhelm your skin and lead to irritation or breakouts. Overloading your skin with multiple active ingredients can disrupt its natural barrier and cause more harm than good.
Stick to a balanced routine that includes only the essential products for your skin type and concerns. Daily, you only need a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Avoid layering too many treatments or using high-potency products every day. Instead, focus on consistency and moderation—use exfoliants, retinoids, and acne-fighting ingredients a few times a week, and keep your routine simple with gentle, hydrating products.
By avoiding overloading your skincare routine, you help your skin stay balanced and healthy, reducing the risk of irritation and maintaining a clear complexion.
By following these best tips for clear skin and sticking to a consistent routine, you can keep your complexion healthy and radiant. Remember, the key is consistency and balance—find what works for you and stay committed. Here’s to achieving and maintaining your best skin ever!