Look, no one likes waking up with a breakout, whether it be one painful-AF cystic pimple, or a sea of small zits all over. But rest assured, there are ways to banish blemishes quickly, and believe it or not, they don’t all include using a harsh acne treatment like benzoyl peroxide. As Laura Cline, Youth To The People’s Director of Education explains, the key to keeping spots at bay is a solid skincare routine that keeps pores clean, pH balanced, and inflammation to a minimum.
“You also want to be using products that are hydrating, non-comedogenic, and that encourage healthy cell turnover,” Cline says.
With this in mind, we came up with a four-step skincare routine that helps eliminate blemishes big and small—that, and it’ll prevent new breakouts from forming. Without further ado…
STEP 01
First things first, you want to cleanse with a face wash that’s going to balance your skin’s pH and get rid of acne-causing bacteria—without irritating any existing blemishes. The Superfood Cleanser is perfect for this because the ultra-gentle formula actually helps calm the skin while cleansing it.
“In addition to kale, which is rich in vitamins C, E and K, it also contains anti-inflammatory green tea and spinach to help tame angry breakouts,” says Cline. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s also packed with superhydrators like panthenol (a form of vitamin B5) and glycerin, which aid in keeping the skin’s moisture barrier happy.
STEP 02
Next up, gently exfoliate using the Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner, which Cline says helps your natural exfoliation process and keeps dead skin cells from getting stuck in your pores.
“Being a kombucha toner, it also has the story of microbiome health in that it’s creating a happy balance of bacteria on the skin,” explains Cline. “The good bacteria pushes out the bad acne-causing bacteria so it doesn’t rampage and cause new breakouts.”
STEP 03
After exfoliating, it’s time to re-hydrate and calm the skin with the Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist.
“This spray really helps with hydration and inflammation,” says Cline. “The pentapeptide coupled with the adaptogenic complex in it specifically helps protect stressed-out skin cells, as well as reduce inflammation.” Additionally, it contains hyaluronic acid to boost skin’s moisture retention, along with shea butter for its skin-comforting properties.
STEP 04
Lastly, you want to apply a simple but highly effective gentle moisturizer that locks in moisture and keeps skin calm and hydrated.
According to Cline, “The Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream contains cross-linked hyaluronic acid, which helps keep skin hydrated all day without weighing it down or feeling greasy.”
Written by Kaleigh Fasanella for Youth To The People