Wrinkles And Pimples?? A Kinder, Gentler Way to Prevent & Treat Breakouts

How can it be that I’ve reached the age of 50, and I’m still getting pimples? Really, wrinkles and pimples is not a good look!!

I have combination skin which means I’m prone to breakouts in the oily areas. It also means I have to be really careful when selecting face products. Up until very recently, I’ve been doing the standard pimple routine that’s geared toward younger people. It involves using cleansing products that contain drying acids, treatment products that contain drying agents like benzoyl peroxide, and camouflage products that are also drying. It seemed like my skin was in a constant cycle of over drying and then over producing oils to compensate. Which got me wondering if all this drying was very good for my skin, and if there might be some way to break the cycle.

I’ve since come up with a kinder, gentler way to cleanse that doesn’t disrupt my skin’s natural moisture barrier so I have far fewer breakouts. And, when I do get a pimple, I’ve discovered less drying ways to treat and disguise them so they heal faster.

Step 1: Cleansing

I wash my face twice a day with a moisturizing, non-detergent, mild cleanser like CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser or Eucerin Calming Face Wash. At night to remove make-up I use the Clarisonic Mia 2 Skin Cleansing System. It uses sonic vibration to bounce the dirt and oils out of my pores so my face is cleaner than it’s ever been, but it doesn’t feel tight and dry.

Step 2: Treatment

On the occasion that I do get a pimple, I kill the bacteria deep in my pores, rather than trying to just dry it up from the surface. At the first sign of a blemish I use the BrightTherapy Pimple Remover. It’s a hand-held, battery operated device that uses blue LED light and heat to kill pimple-causing bacteria. If you treat the blemish when it first appears, it will be gone in 24-48 hours with 1-2 treatments. This thing really works!!

Step 3: Camouflage

Blemish concealers contain salicylic acid which dries the surface of the skin and usually causes peeling around the outside of the pimple (which just adds to the general loveliness). And they usually don’t stay in place either. So, now I cover my blemish with Smash Box Photo Finish Eyelid Primer. It’s made to stay put on eyelids and hold makeup applied on top of it. It’s got a flesh toned tint that works great on my skin and makes my pimples disappear!