As a person who has been struggling with acne since I was 11, I have found that there are a multitude of reasons for breakouts: stress, hormones, improper hygiene, lack of sleep, bad products, and the list goes on and on. In addition to cleansers and topical medications, cutting sugar and increasing my water intake has thus far been the most effective way to prevent breakouts.
It’s easy to grab a Coke from the vending machine or take handfuls of candy from an Activities Fair. In college, junk food is cheap and readily available at almost every turn. Aside from being unhealthy, refined sugars are also bad for your skin because they cause your blood sugar levels to spike and plummet, which can lead to terrible breakouts, dryness, under-eye circles, and skin imbalances. Sugar also attacks collagen, which is what keeps your skin soft and young looking.
To reverse the damage of my freshman year eating habits, I have drastically increased my water intake and have switched over to healthy sugars such as those found in fruits and veggies. I also added Vichy’s Idéalia Life Serum to my skincare routine. After I wash my face in the morning, I like to apply this light moisturizing serum to my skin because it leaves me looking fresh-faced and well rested. In the summer especially, I avoid wearing too much makeup. After a few days, my acne scarring looked less obvious, my pores were noticeably smaller, and I felt comfortable going to work with just the serum and some eyeliner on.
Don’t worry, I remembered to wear clothes too! Keeping with the sugary theme, I chose to wear this cupcake-printed leotard from H&M and a highlighter yellow skirt from Ann Taylor. While they’re both statement pieces in their own right, I liked them even better together, especially since the skirt was in a solid color, albeit a bright one. To dial the look down a notch and make it work appropriate, I chose to layer on a black blazer and to pull on my black combat boots.