People often say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” which means outward appearance shouldn’t be a factor when you’re trying to know someone. But if you are someone who suffers from skin problems like acne, that’s the first thing people look at. As if the dark spots and pimples define who you are as a person.

One thing you need to remember is that we all have different skin types, I don’t know how many times when I ask people with the best skin what they use and their answer would be, “Oh, I just drink water,” which is why it’s important to not compare your skin with anyone else’s.

There are five skin types according to Skinkraft

Normal skin – isn’t too oily or too dry. It has balanced sebum (another word for the oil that is produced by your skin naturally) production and good blood circulation.

Oily Skin – when you always have a shiny appearance, this is my skin type and trust me its best to just let it be sometimes as its prone to acne breakouts.

Dry skin – has a flaky and rough texture. Your skin can feel tight and cause irritation.

Combination skin – is a mix of oily skin and dry skin. Usually in combination skin types, the T-zone (the area between your eyebrows down to your nose upper area) is oily and while cheeks are dry.

Sensitive Skin – is skin that always reacts maybe with a rash or pimples whenever you try a new product

How to determine your skin type

According to Skinkraft you need use a sheet of blotting paper (you can find the cheapest at your nearest beauty store) and gently pat it on your face. Hold it against a bright light, if you don’t see any oil, you might have dry skin. While if the sheet picked up some oil, you might have a combination or normal skin. If it picks up oil from all parts of your face, you likely have oily skin.

If you can’t afford the botting paper you can use the normal toilet paper roll, one small sheet and gently swipe your T-zone to see if it’s oily or not.

Acne: what is it and what is the cause?

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells, this is according to Mayoclinic. It can cause whiteheads, blackheads or pimples. Though acne is usually found in teenagers, it attacks every age. It can leave scars or dark marks, which is why it’s important not pop your pimples.

Acne signs differ

But firstly let’s define what clogged pores are, Healthline describes clogged pores as the result of dead skin cells getting trapped in your skin instead of being shed into the environment.

-Whiteheads are closed plugged pores

-Blackheads are open plugged pores

-Small red, tender bumps

-Pimples, which are papules (another word for pimples) with fluid at their tips

It’s important to also note that Acne usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders.

How to take care of your skin

Determine the root of the issue – know your skin type and your allergies as they could be showing up in your face.

Skincare routine – sounds so cliché but it’s not about the products you have but having routine and making sure your skin is always clean.

Be gentle – stop beating your face when you apply products to it, be as gentle as you can be.

Sunscreen – the sun is not good for your skin and it’s very important to protect it against its rays to avoid having things like skin cancer.

Diet and drinking – as much as we all hate being told water is good for your skin, it really is. Drink the advised healthy amount every day. Also the types of foods you eat is very important, for example eggs make me break out in the worst way, so know all the food that is not good for you and your type.

Also, remember if you are a girl, random breakouts because of your hormones, especially during or before your period, are normal.

Skin is important, yes having terrible skin is a blow to the self-esteem but remember everything starts from the inside. You can have the most beautiful skin too but if you’re not confident, it doesn’t matter, so always love yourself as you are.

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Learn how to care for your natural hair, here

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