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How To Get Healthy Looking Clear Skin

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The Key To Healthy Skin

Most of us have all gone through rough periods of time where our skin is just embarrassing to look at. Whether it's because of acne, dry skin, red spots, or scars, bad skin is a pain. Having had bad skin all through high school, I understand what it's like to have acne. Luckily for me, I'm a woman so I was able to cover up my spots with makeup and no one even knew I had such trouble skin. But I would always be too self-conscious to go to sleepovers or even swim in a pool because I was worried my makeup would come off and people would see what was underneath. I tried all kinds of skin care products and even went to a Dermatologist to get medication, but nothing helped. I suffered for years from acne, but fortunately I found a solution.

Table of Contents

Acne Products Can Harm Skin

Some products claim untrue things about clearing acne

Many of us see commercials on TV for skin care products and automatically assume that they work because the commercial makes the product seem glamorous. I've been sucked in like that many times. I've gone through everything from ProActive to AcneFree and everything in between, but none of those expensive products worked. Instead of rushing out to Target to pick up a new face wash as soon as I see a commercial on TV, I Google it. It actually helps to read reviews from real people, instead of people who are just pushing the product and trying to earn money. If you see a product that sounds like it would genuinely work for your skin, do a little research first. Look up the product reviews or ask some of your friends about what they've tried. But remember: everyone's skin is different. Some people have oily skin, some people have dry skin, and some people have some type of combination skin. Find what works for you. But that's easier said than done.

The Secret To Clear Skin

I've found that the secret to good skin is eating healthier and drinking more WATER. It is so important to drink water. That used to be hard for me to do because I'd almost never drink water and just grab a soda when I was thirsty instead. The sugar in soda is not good for your skin. I've been able to cut down to almost no soda at all anymore, which was a struggle, but it helped clear up some of my acne spots right away. The more water you drink, the better. If I get the urge to drink something sweet, I go for some orange juice or I make a homemade smoothie (I'll share the recipe later on - so good for healthy skin!). Drinking more water hydrates your skin and flushes out toxins and waste in your body. There are so many additional benefits to drinking water and ditching soda or sugary drinks such as keeping up your energy, helping you not get sick, and weight loss. Soda has empty calories and water has 0 calories! It's a win-win.

Featured Lenses

Here's my lens on fruit smoothie recipes that I drink to clear up my skin. They are delicious and contain healthy ingredients that are great for your body.
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Good Skin Care Products on Amazon

My go-to Neutrogena Products

After searching high and low for the perfect product(s) for my skin, I settled on Neutrogena. I don't use these alone, but as far as face wash goes I've found that these work best for my skin. I have combination skin for sure. Usually in the winter my skin is dry, but I also have days where it's extremely oily. It's super unpredictable. But Neutrogena products are a lot less harsh than most face washes while still getting the job done. When I first started using Neutrogena, I bought the Naturals Purifying Cleanser. This is great for those of you that love organic products. The bottle is even recycled! This worked for me, but not alone. I was weaning myself off of AcneFree face wash, which has benzoyl peroxide in it. I didn't want to quit that cold turkey because I figured my face would react harshly to that. I used the two and they worked well together, but when I quit AcneFree I switched Neutrogena products to something a bit stronger. Now I only use Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub. I could swear by this stuff! It's amazing. It makes my skin feel refreshed and gives it a cooling feeling, which makes me feel fresh and clean. Since it's a scrub, it gently buffs away dead skin cells. The neat thing about this scrub is that it also has a moisturizer in it, which is creamy feeling. The cucumber and green tea in it contain antioxidants, which are amazing for skin.
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Healthy Food for Glowing Skin

The second best thing for your skin after water is the food you put inside your body. Everything you eat goes into your bloodstream, which eventually leads to your face. Imagine that the next time you eat fried chicken. Fruits high in antioxidants, such as blueberries, are great! So is green tea for the same reason. Every morning I try to eat half of a grapefruit to get my Vitamin C and then throughout the day I'll toss some raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and a banana in a blender along with other ingredients to get the rest of my daily fruit portions. Fish like salmon is an excellent source of fatty acids.

Other healthy foods:
-Any kind of nut or seed
-Olive oil
-Fruits & vegetables
-Whole-wheat breads and cereals
-Green tea
-Salmon
-Dark chocolate (only small portions once or twice a month)
-Beans, peas, and lentils

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Printable Version

Amazon Recipes for Clear Skin

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Spinach & Mushroom Omelet

Printable Version

Do you think a healthy diet is the way to clear skin?

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Yes, absolutely!

teristazko says:

I totally agree with you on your ideas about drinking more water and eating healthier, especially drinking more water. Plus, I use Neutrogena products and love them! Great lense.

No, I think it's more about the face wash you use

 

Tips For Skin Care

If I use my face wash alone, my skin gets super dry. I used to think that was a good thing for my skin to feel tight because I figured it meant my face had less oil and my acne would dry up. It's true that your face has less oil at that moment, but it won't stay that way. Your skin will try to overcompensate since your skin is so dry and it's trying to hydrate itself and it will increase the amount of oil produced. Then you will most likely end up with more acne instead of less. I went through this for months before investing in an amazing moisturizer. I put Cetaphil lotion on my face after I cleanse once in the morning and once before I go to bed. The great thing about this lotion is that it's for your whole body and is gentle and safe for skin. If using the lotion isn't enough for your face, use a spot treatment right along with it. That way your lotion won't be harsh, but you'll have something a little more powerful just for the spots that need the attention.

Additional tips:
-Get at least 7 hours of sleep at night
-Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
-Wear sunscreen or buy foundation that contains SPF
-Drink LOTS of water
-Eat healthy or cut out unhealthy foods from your diet
-Try to stay positive and not stress
-Moisturize
-Never sleep in makeup
-Wash your face twice a day and definitely not more than 3 times or your skin will get too dry

What do you think is the most important thing for healthy skin?

1

Vote Up
Vote Down

Drinking water

1 point

2

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Healthy diet

0 points

3

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Exercise

0 points

4

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Face wash/face products

0 points

5

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Good amount of sleep

0 points

6

Vote Up
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No stress

0 points

Amazon Skin Care

I use the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion for All Skin Types. I use it for my entire body and it's a lightweight moisturizer that leaves my face feeling fresh and NOT oily. The spot treatment I use is AcneFree Terminator 10. The regular Terminator has a lower amount of benzoyl peroxide. It is the only AcneFree product I recommend.
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Makeup Routine

While dealing with acne, it's normal and understandable for you to feel self-conscious. When I was going through acne trouble, I kept to a pretty basic makeup routine that made my zits and acne scars seem nonexistent. I would invest in the basics first: foundation, powder, blush, and mascara. It's important to not pack on the eye makeup since you're having to put on so much face makeup if you want a more natural look.

Here are the specific makeup products that I use:
Foundation: Covergirl natureluxe 305 (I have fair skin so I use light foundation)
Blush: E.L.F.
Mascara: Covergirl
Powder: Loreal N1

Makeup that I use

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Tips for makeup

-Use foundation to cover problem spots instead of concealer. It covers better and saves money.
-Try not to have your makeup look cakey. Use a good makeup brush to blend powder.
-Use as little eye makeup as possible on a normal day. I just use mascara and occasionally a neutral eyeshadow.
-Play up your lip color! It can take away from the redness of your skin and create the focus on your lips.
-Remove makeup with makeup remover wipes or liquid on a cotton ball. I use Neutrogena face wipes.

Complexion Perfection

If I find that my skin is looking a bit orange, I put some of this powder loosely on my skin. It evens the skin tone and makes the reds less noticeable.
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Guestbook Comments

  • Howtocurepimples Feb 25, 2012 @ 12:49 pm | delete
    It is also a good idea to not only use an organic skin care range but also to use organic cosmetics. I have also found alkaline and raw foods massively beneficial for skin, and to cut out caffeine.

    How to cure pimples HQ
  • Howtocurepimples Feb 25, 2012 @ 12:32 pm | delete
    Yes, unfortunately the acne skin care market is a big money maker, and people can end up spending a lot of money on chemical packed products, only find their skin becomes worse instead of better. So as you have pointed out, purify your life, diet and skin care regime. If your purchasing skin care opt for 100% organic!

    http://www.howtocurepimpleshq.com
  • girlwiththeumbrella21 Feb 26, 2012 @ 11:50 am | delete
    Hmm.. interesting about organic products.. They work for my friend, but not for my skin. I've tried buying a couple different kinds of brands at Whole Foods and they made my skin worse.
  • crstnblue Feb 12, 2012 @ 6:03 am | delete
    Wonderful lens, complex info and fun! :)
    Thumb up to you and thanks for sharing!
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girlwiththeumbrella21

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