There’s nothing worse than having a massive pimple pop up on your face right before a big event or photo opportunity. However, you can limit your chances of breakouts by caring for your skin and overall health. Acne is a huge issue for many people; you definitely aren’t alone. Whether you struggle with chronic acne or have the occasional breakout, you might benefit from a list of helpful skin-care tips for minimizing breakouts.

• Get Plenty of Sleep Daily

Getting plenty of sleep is one of the best ways to maintain your skin’s health and quality. Believe it or not, your body takes time to heal while sleeping. That said, if you don’t sleep for at least six to seven hours every night, your body will never fully recover.

If you have active breakouts, they’ll take much longer to heal if you’re not getting enough sleep. On the other hand, you’ll be less likely to develop future pimples if you get eight hours of sleep every night.

• Be Diligent About Removing Makeup Before Bed

Removing your makeup is probably one of the last things you want to do before crawling into bed after a long day, but sleeping in your makeup is arguably the worst thing you can do for your skin. Because your skin heals at night, makeup can interfere with this process. Additionally, makeup tends to settle into your pores while you sleep, making it much easier for bacteria to enter your pores and cause unwanted acne.

Pro-Tip

Remove your makeup and do your skin-care routine as soon as you arrive home. Whether it be at five p.m. after work or 11 p.m. on a night out, doing this as soon as you get home is an effective way to ensure you do it.

• Use Anti-Acne Agents

Using anti-acne agents is an excellent way to treat existing acne and prevent future breakouts. Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are two of the most common choices when it comes to over-the-counter acne treatments. If you want to try something more natural, consider raw honey. There are many reasons why honey is necessary for your skin-care regimen, but the fact that it’s natural and readily available is one of the most convincing. Overall, adding something to keep acne-causing bacteria at bay is an effective way to ensure your breakouts don’t get out of hand.

• Avoid Under- and Overwashing

Washing your face is the first step in any viable skin-care routine, but it’s possible to over- or under-wash your skin. As a general rule of thumb, you should use a gentle cleanser on your face twice daily. Any more than this, and you run the risk of drying out your skin. On the other hand, not cleansing enough calls for more breakouts.

That said, following your cleanser up with a high-quality moisturizer is crucial. Many people question if it’s OK to use a moisturizer on acne-prone skin, and the answer is yes! Everyone should apply some type of moisturizer to their faces.

With this list of helpful skin-care tips for minimizing breakouts, you can create an effective skin-care routine to keep your acne at bay. Although most of us still get the occasional breakout, caring for your skin properly is an effective solution.