This guide aims to help you to get clear skin naturally. We explain why our skin can be prone to spots, blemishes and breakouts, share our top tips on how to get clear skin naturally and offer product advice to achieve a gorgeous blemish-free complexion that is balanced, clear and naturally radiant.
The clear skin balancing act
The quest for clear skin is a real balancing act. You wash your skin to get rid of the build-up of oil, but before the day is out your T-zone is shiny, your chin looks greasy and that spot that was lurking beneath your skin has reared its ugly head in the most inconvenient place possible! But if drying out blemishes isn’t the answer, what is the best way to clear your skin?
Why do we get spots?
Spots are caused by excess sebum blocking your pores. The blockage of sebum in your pores traps bacteria, which then begin to multiply beneath your skin’s surface, producing toxic chemicals that build up and eventually turn into spots.
Really, sebum is good stuff that acts as your skin’s natural moisturiser and lubricant. A lack of sebum causes skin to become dry and scaly - for example, people with eczema don’t produce enough sebum and need to apply more moisturiser to keep their skin soft.
There are many factors that affect how much sebum our skin produces; hormones, skin care and environment all play a part in controlling your levels of sebum and therefore how clear your skin looks.
Many people who are prone to spots have got into a bad habit of using harsh, synthetic skin care products that contain irritating ingredients like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and drying alcohol (ethyl alcohol, ethanol).
SLS is a known irritant and is used as a foaming agent in anything from cleansers and shampoos to engine de-greasers. Even those who don't have sensitive skin can experience irritation when using products that contain SLS, as it strips your skin of it's natural oils which can cause skin to become flaky and inflamed.
Drying alcohol is used to give personal care products, such as toners and moisturisers a 'light-skin feel'. It instantly evaporates on contact with the skin, giving the illusion that a product absorbs quickly - when in fact the alcohol actually causes skin to lose precious moisture and can cause severe irritation.
"Even those who don't have sensitive skin can experience irritation when using products that contain SLS."
It may seem logical to combat spots by drying out your skin; however the use of harsh drying chemicals puts your complexion in a viscous cycle of excess oil production and blocked pores. When you dry out your skin it falls out of its natural balance, this causes your body to produce even more oil to try and compensate, which then leads to more spots and the cycle continues.
Best natural products for clear skin
Green People doesn't use harsh ingredients like SLS or drying alcohol (ethanol/ethyl alcohol). Instead we use natural plant extracts to cleanse and balance your skin, promoting a naturally clear complexion.
8 tips on how to get clear skin naturally
Want to know how to break the cycle of spots and get clear skin naturally? Here are 8 key tips:
1. Be gentle with your skin. Wash it thoroughly with a hydrating, ethyl alcohol-free cleanser like our Foaming Face Wash morning and night to remove impurities, naturally cleanse and work as a gentle antibacterial for your skin.
2. Drink plenty of filtered water throughout the day. Water helps to detoxify your system, keeping your digestive system working efficiently to remove toxins that could otherwise try to escape through your skin as spots.
3. Target blemishes. If you want to target specific spots or areas of your face, use a small amount of Oy! Clear Skin Purifying Serum directly over the spot to deliver an instant antibacterial action. This naturally effective organic serum contains Black Willow Bark, one of nature’s most powerful antibacterial ingredients, that works wonders to naturally clear your skin.
4. Always remove make-up before you go to sleep. Even people who usually have very clear skin may experience breakouts if make-up is left on overnight. When left on your skin for too long, make-up can block your pores just like excess sebum, trapping bacteria and developing into bumps, blackheads and whiteheads.
5. Ditch the cleansing wipes! Although they are convenient to use, cleansing wipes only remove impurities from the skin’s surface, leaving a build up of grime in your pores that can develop into spots. Wipes also contain an array of nasty, skin-irritating ingredients which have no benefit other than helping to preserve the wipes themselves.
6. Don’t squeeze spots and try to avoid touching your face too often. Both of these things help to spread bacteria and won’t help to clear your skin. Although it may be tempting to pick a spot or squeeze a whitehead – this will only cause the infection to spread to other areas of your face and result in more spots.
7. Gentle exfoliation once or twice a week, using an SLS-free scrub such as our Fruit Scrub, can make an instant difference in your skin. Exfoliating your skin removes any build-up of excess dead skin cells and helps to keep the pores open, thereby reducing the risk of blockages and subsequent spot formation.
8. Have a healthy, balanced diet. Eat plenty of fresh organic fruits and vegetables, supplement your diet with Omega-3 fatty acids, mineral-rich Seaweed or Kelp and enjoy gut-friendly probiotics from fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut. Not only will doing so give your body the fuel it needs to keep you healthy, you’ll also be giving your skin the vital nutrients it needs to remain beautifully clear, naturally.
Have you got a question about our best products for clear skin? Our UK customer care team is happy to help with questions about getting clear skin naturally. Please call us on 01403 740350.
