There isn’t a magic eraser that will instantly clear up acne or make your skin smooth outside of Facetune. However, there are some sensible steps you can do to make your complexion glow brighter and feel softer if you want to learn how to achieve clear skin without spending a fortune—provided you don’t have persistent adult acne or a skin problem.
We’ve asked dermatologists and estheticians to provide their top home remedies for skin care that are also quick, inexpensive, and most importantly, effective. Despite the fact that they can’t substitute for a good skin care regimen and won’t last as long as lasers or injectables, experts agree that they can still be effective regardless of your budget.
Here is their best advice for getting clear skin—or skin that is at least slightly clearer—for free.
1. Give yourself a face massage.
Got swollen eyes? No issue. You could certainly load up on eye cream, or you could massage your undereye area with your fingertips. According to famous facialist Cecilia Wong, press softly on the orbital bone with your ring fingers, moving from the inner to the outer corners of your eyes, and repeating two to three times. This helps to decrease fine wrinkles and reduce inflammation in addition to stimulating circulation.
Georgia Louise, a celebrity facialist and global skin-care advisor for La Mer, is a strong believer in massaging your entire face to activate your skin-care regimen and boost collagen production. She declares, “Your hands are your most effective weapon.” We also adore this “face exercise” that tones the face.
2. Rinse your face with cold water.
In order to deflate and sculpt your face, Louise loves using her patented Facial Freeze Tools, but if you’re on a tight budget, she suggests adopting this classic Hollywood trick: washing your face with ice water.
“If your skin needs freshening up, I always advise rinsing with cool water,” she explains. Not only does the cold help you feel more alert, but it also works swiftly to minimize puffiness, tighten your skin, and settle inflammation.
Celebrity facialist Candace Marino adds that when cleaning your face, you should never use hot water. She claims that using hot water “not only leaves your face feeling peeled.” Additionally, it can erode your skin’s protective layer, cause dryness, and exacerbate any inflammatory conditions, including acne, rosacea, and melasma. Washing with chilly water will keep your skin calm and prevent any skin issues you’re attempting to avoid from getting worse.
3. Switch your pillowcase.
We’re sorry to add laundry to your list of chores, but maintaining clean pillows is a top beauty tip. Acne can grow on pillowcases because they can retain dirt, oil, and bacteria from our faces, hair, and surroundings. To lessen the chance of breakouts, aim to change your pillowcase at least once per week. (Treat your face masks similarly, and alternate them as often as you can to prevent “maskne” from forming.)
To “prevent your products from leaving your skin, so you can truly ensure they are penetrating,” Louise advises using a silk pillowcase. We are major fans of Slip’s Silk Pillowcases, which not only prevent wrinkles (no creases in your pillow = no long-term creases on your skin), but also make your hair shiner. Sure, it’s money, but if you are seeking to invest in a reliable solution, we highly recommend them.
4. Sleep on your back.
The most common free skin-care advice is to get eight hours of sleep, but we won’t remind you of that as we assume you already know. The posture in which you sleep, though, is just as significant as how much sleep you’re obtaining. It does matter, though. According to celebrity aesthetician Renée Rouleau, squeezing your face into a pillow at night is the second most common source of wrinkles, behind UV exposure. “It feels like wrinkles are being ironed into your skin.” Since even pressing your cheek against a pillow can result in lines, sleeping on your back is recommended.
5. Use a gentle soap.
Rough soaps should be avoided, says Smita Ramanadham, M.D., a plastic surgeon and the creator of Skin by Dr. Smita. By removing the natural oils that are crucial for moisture, she claims that they can irritate your skin. Switch to a gentler cleanser like CeraVe if you have a harsh cleanser because using harsh cleansers might make any prior skin disorders, such as acne or rosacea, worse or flare up.
6. Go makeup-free.
If you don’t mind going without makeup most days, go ahead—especially if COVID-19 has forced you to work from home. According to Marino, her customers who wear little to no makeup regularly have the clearest and healthiest skin. “Save cosmetics for special occasions, but make sure you’re protecting your skin every day by using an SPF.”
7. Wash your hands.
According to celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas, “Your hands are covered in loads of bacteria from touching doorknobs, keyboards, etc.” You introduce bacteria to your skin when you touch your face, which can lead to breakouts and other skin issues.
Even if you’ve spent the entire day inside, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face in 2020, even though you don’t really need a reminder. Or, even better, try to completely avoid touching your face.
8. Apply skin care to damp skin.
A simple switch to make? Applying skin care products to moist skin helps them absorb better. According to Ramanadham, after washing with warm water, our skin is typically wet and our blood vessels are vasodilated. “We increase the absorption and effectiveness of our serums and other treatments by applying them at this time.”
9. Ice a zit to calm it down.
Instead of attempting to pop a pimple that is red and irritated, go to the freezer. According to Marino, directly applying ice to the spot will assist in reducing inflammation and therefore the size and visibility of the spot. The majority of people already have hydrocortisone cream on hand in their medicine cabinet, which she also suggests using to help reduce redness and swelling.
10. Bend over.
To benefit from yoga’s skin benefits, you don’t even need to enter a class or utter a namaste. Karen Young, the creator of Oui the People, claims that positions that cause blood to flow toward your face are beneficial for your skin. Even for three to five minutes, holding the downward dog position can increase circulation and make your skin glow.
11. Make a DIY moisture mask.
Avoid DIY exfoliating and blemish removal and instead use professional-grade solutions. However, you may make a hydrating mask in your own kitchen if hydration is what you’re looking for. Vargas claims to have a fantastic DIY at-home mask formula for dry winter skin. It combines yogurt, which has lactic acid as an anti-inflammatory, and avocado, which has a lot of B vitamins and fatty acids and is good for all skin types. For hydration, I also add a little honey.
Half an avocado, a cup of honey, and a half cup of plain yogurt should be combined, then applied to the face for 20 minutes. Your skin will actually change, she claims.
12. Clean your makeup brushes.
Your skin will benefit greatly from routinely cleaning your makeup brushes, even if we know you’ve been putting it off. When used frequently and without being cleaned, bruises can frequently lead to acne or skin inflammation, according to Ramanadham. Visit our cleaning instructions to ensure that your cosmetic brushes are free of bacteria.
13. Back away from the bath towel.
The same as your pillow, your towel might secretly contribute to acne. Vargas advises drying your face with a paper towel rather than a bath towel if you have trouble with pimples. “Using a towel could provide a breeding ground for bacteria that spreads outbreaks.”
14. Wash your face as soon as you’re done working out.
While exercising is beneficial for your body, mind, and skin, persistent sweat is not. Ramanadham advises washing your face right away after working out to get rid of perspiration, oil, and bacteria rather than letting them accumulate on your skin, where they can block pores and lead to breakouts. Washing your face as soon as you can after your workout will help prevent this accumulation, despite the temptation to wait until you take a shower.
15. Identify your stress busters.
Although “stressing less” is much easier said than done, it is a factor to take into account. Our bodies and minds are inextricably linked, and Ramanadham asserts that stress and sleep deprivation can both worsen skin issues like acne and cause them to appear more severe. Cortisol, a hormone that causes our skin to create more oil or sebum, is brought on by stress and lack of sleep. This increased oil production can clog pores and result in more breakouts.
Even if it’s just for a short period of time, Ramanadham emphasizes how crucial it is to schedule self-care time into the day. Whatever helps you relax and decompress can be anything from working out to reading a book to practicing meditation.
The beauty associate at Glamour is Bella Cacciatore. Proceed with her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.
