Say Good-Bye to Breakouts Following These 7 Rituals

Yikes! Nothing is worse than waking up on the morning when you have an important meeting or engagement and seeing a huge zit on your face that is begging you to pinch it and create even more problems such as a scar.

Having problem free skin isn’t impossible, but it takes resolution to do what you need to do on a daily basis to keep it looking its best. I have a regimen that helps tremendously, and while I can’t promise you won’t have a huge pimple on an important day, it will help prevent it.

Seven steps to a clearer complexion. You’ll want to do these steps before you go to bed. It’s easier and eventually becomes as natural as brushing your teeth before retiring for the night.

1. OPEN YOUR PORES

To clean out the dirt, sebum and grime, you need to open your pores with warm water. Washing your face is important, but if your pores aren’t open, you won’t reach the oil that causes the problem.

Start by running hot water over a washrag and then press it on the skin of your face. Keep the water running and utilize the steam it creates to help open the pores to allow you to remove the dirt. Be careful not to burn your face with water that’s too hot!

2. CLEANSE

Your hands should already be clean, but if they aren’t, before you cleanse your face wash your hands to prevent contamination with dirty hands.

You’ll want to cleanse your face with a facial cleanser created for oily skin. Put cleanser on your hands and using upward circular motions, cleanse your face. Rinse off the cleanser with warm water and pat dry.

3. EXFOLIATE

Clear away dead skin cells that can clog pores. You’ll want to exfoliate after cleansing. A sugar exfoliant works well and is easy to make.

You’ll mix equal parts of water to sugar to make a thin paste, then add a bit more sugar to give it body and scrubbing power.

Before you apply the mixture, wet the palms of your hands, then use your hands to apply it to your face. You’ll work on first the left side of your face, then the right and finally on your forehead.

Massage the sugar mixture on your skin with an upward circular motion. Any time you’re working on facial skin, always rub upward.

Spend a minute on each of the three areas then rinse well until all the sugar is removed.

4. TONE

Firm your skin and exfoliate more with lemon. Toning your skin is as easy as squeezing a few drops of juice from a lemon. You’ll need about twenty drops, which is the juice from a half a lemon.

Put your fingers into the freshly squeezed juice and smear it on your face. You can use a cotton ball, too. You won’t want to leave it on for long, it may sting a bit, and so five to ten minutes is all that’s necessary.

Wash and rinse your face with warm water, but rather than drying, move on to the next step.

5. TONE – PART 2

Even though you’ve squeezed it, you still have half a lemon left, sans a bit of juice. Smear the cut part of that half with a half a teaspoon of honey.

You’ve created your own massaging block. Hold the lemon by the uncut side and massage your face with the cut side smeared in honey. Use an upward circular motion, massaging for a half minute.

Wash your face with warm water, rinse and now dry your face gently by patting with a towel.

6. CLOSE THE PORES

You’ll need to close your pores and nothing works better than cold water. Splash your face thoroughly, and then to insure those pores close, use an ice cube.

Rub the cube over all your face and neck. It will tingle, but your pores will be completely closed. Dry your face and moisturize. If you have long hair, tie it back so it doesn’t contaminate your face when you sleep.

7. SMILE AND REPEAT

This is not a onetime shot. You’ll be repeating it daily, and twice a day if you have super oily skin. While it looks like a lot to do, it’s really quick once you have the routine and takes only a few minutes.

It doesn’t cost a lot, but will make a huge difference in your complexion.