Happy Tuesday Gorgeous!
The weather has been absolutely beautiful recently, featuring blue skies and bright sunshine.  For those of you that have been enjoying the great outdoors, I hope you’ve been wearing your sunscreen!  With the joy that comes with summertime’s longer days and cute sundresses, also comes one of the biggest skin problems that I see my clients struggle with all year: sweat acne.  Sweat acne results from sweat serving as a catalyst to bacteria, allowing it to sink deeper into your pores, leading to a breakout.  During the summer, many of my clients come in confused about their breakouts on their foreheads, as they don’t usually have blemishes there.  Your forehead is usually one of the areas on your body that produces the most sweat, which means it’s the area most commonly affected by sweat acne.  However, don’t worry!  Sweat acne is preventable and treatable, as long as you treat your skin with some tender loving care during the warm months of the year.  Here are some of my top dos and don’ts for how to put sweat acne in its place once and for all:
DON’T wear makeup to the gym 
Though you likely can’t avoid sweating on your commute to work or on your way to Sunday brunch when it’s super hot out, any time you know you will be sweating on purpose (like at the gym), avoid wearing makeup.  Any time you can let your skin breathe, especially when you are sweating, you’ll be lessening the chance of causing a flare-up.  Essentially, your makeup will act as a barrier on your skin and when you sweat, the sweat will push the makeup deeper into your pores, polluting them more and increasing the likelihood of breaking out.  I recommend using my Vitamin C Cleanserjust before a workout to remove any makeup from your skin and give yourself a blank canvas to work with.
DO use sunscreen every single day
Despite how often I mention the importance of sunscreen, I still have some clients who are fearful that sunscreen will clog their pores and lead to a breakout.  However, this is not the case, I promise!  Negative experiences in the past should not shape how you take care of your skin for the future.  The most important factor in choosing the right sunscreen should be the ingredients.  My favorite all-natural option is COOLA’s SPF 30 Cucumber Matte Finish Sunscreen.  This Cucumber scented formula is made with natural Rose Hip Oil, which is rich in free radical fighting Vitamin C.  Naturally calming Evening Primrose and Flax Seed Oils deliver abundant Omega-3 and Gamma-Linolenic Acid to improve elasticity and help skin retain moisture.  Natural Shea Butter smoothes and hydrates while the phyto-protector Plankton Extract rejuvenates skin.  I love this sunscreen especially because it was formulated for all skin types, especially for those of you who have sensitive or oily skin.  The best part is that this sunscreen will protect your skin from the harmful rays that cause premature aging and skin cancer, while keeping your complexion blemish-free.
DON’T let sweat settle into your pores  
Another key to keeping sweat acne at bay is to remove sweat from the skin as quickly as possible.  Whether you dab your forehead with a tissue or blotting papers, it’s important to eliminate the excess moisture from your skin.  After, removing the sweat, it’s important to neutralize any bacteria that might have made its way into your pores.  I absolutely love my Chamomile Toner for this purpose, as it contains powerhouse probiotics, which help to stop acne before it flares up, killing bacteria instantly.  I carry this around with me all summer to spray on the go anytime I need to refresh and purify my pores.  Not only does it smell amazing, but also it contains a variety of botanicals and herbs to prevent sweat acne.  Chamomile and Radish Root balance oil levels, while rosemary, lavender, and lemon naturally help kill bacteria on skin’s surface.  This product is also amazing to use before and/or after a workout if you’re unable to fully cleanse your face.

DO treat your acne well 

Finally, I wanted to share with you some tips on treating your acne once you have already developed a breakout.  I specifically developed my Blemish Peel Mask to detoxify and de-clog your pores.  I love that this mask can be used as a sleeping mask, a spot treatment or a 3 minute peel.  Stimulating herbs help speed up skin’s microcirculatory system, helping to fade acne scars, oxygenate, unclog, and deep cleanse within skin’s dermal layers.  You’ll find your whiteheads and blackheads reduced after just one use due to its concentration of potent ingredients like Sage and Spearmint, which remove toxins and oxygenates the skin, while Kaolin draws out impurities from pores.  The most important advice I can offer though is to not pick your face!  This is key to preventing a blemish from becoming a scar, which is much harder to fade.  Be diligent about seeing a professional esthetician if you are experiencing an increase in acne during the warmer months.

Have you ever struggled with sweat acne?  Would you try following some of my dos and don’ts to avoid mid-summer breakouts?  Let me know if you try any of my recommendations and how they make you look and feel beautiful and blemish-free!

I would like to thank you so much for reading and so generously sharing!  It’s always great sharing these amazing tips with you all!

With all my love,

Cecilia​​​​​​​

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