Pimples, blemishes, and breakouts are common but slightly complex skincare concerns. Most of us will deal with them at some point, usually starting in our teenage years and possibly into adulthood. In this blog, we’ll share what blemishes are, what can cause them, and how to build a skincare routine for blemish-prone skin.
What are blemishes?
There’s a wide range of blemish or pimple types: blackheads, cystic pimples, nodules, papules, pustules, whiteheads, and specific types of acne. They commonly present on the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), where the skin usually feels oiliest. Blemishes can also appear elsewhere on the face, and the neck, shoulders, chest, or back.
What causes breakouts?
Blemishes can be caused by a build-up of oil, sweat, and dead skin cells, leading to pore congestion. It’s often accompanied by a visibly red, bumpy skin appearance.
Breakouts – a group of blemishes or pimples – can be a result of many health, medical, lifestyle, and skincare factors. That’s part of what makes breakouts a tricky skin concern to navigate.
Hormonal fluctuations can be one of the biggest contributors to breakouts. Changes to contraception or medication and life stages like puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause may trigger blemishes. Along with hormones, genetics and some medical conditions can play a role in how oily or breakout-prone the skin may be.
Like most things in life, being healthy can reflect in your skin. Lifestyle factors (the usual: healthy diet, ongoing hydration, regular exercise, and good sleep) can potentially help reduce the frequency or intensity of breakouts for some people. However, you could be doing all the right things and still experience breakouts.
Because there are so many reasons why you might experience blemishes or breakouts, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause. If you experience blemishes or breakouts that bother or concern you, it’s important to visit a professional for advice. They can help you figure out what’s causing it and develop a plan to help you manage it.
How does skincare impact breakouts?
Maintaining a consistent skincare routine (suited to your skin type) may help minimise the look of blemishes and potentially prevent future breakouts. Gentle cleansing and mild exfoliation can assist with reducing excess surface oil and decongesting pores, while ongoing hydration helps to prevent dryness.
These are the key steps to start building your blemish-prone skincare routine:
- Cleanse: Morning and/or evening, depending on what your skin tolerates.
- Exfoliate: With a daily exfoliant or once/twice per week with an exfoliating formula.
- Correct: Daily serum to help reduce the look of visible redness and excess oil.
- Hydrate: Maintain moisture and support the skin barrier.
- Protect: From the sun and other environmental stressors.
What products should I use for blemish-prone skin?
Our new 2-Step Clearing Range is the perfect place to start building your blemish-prone skincare routine. The AHA + BHA Clearing Serum and Clearing Barrier Repair Moisturiser are a two-part system to help target breakouts, oil, congestion and skin barrier strength. Supported by our Gentle Cleanser and Face The Day SPF 50+, these are the essentials to help you feel in control of your skincare routine.
1. Gentle Cleanser, $52
What: Our bestselling cleanser to help purify, refresh, and calm skin.
When: AM +/ PM
2. AHA + BHA Clearing Serum, $64 (NEW!)
What: Clinically proven* lightweight exfoliating serum to target breakouts, visible redness, and congestion.
When: AM +/ PM
3. Clearing Barrier Repair Moisturiser, $59 (NEW!)
What: Barrier-supportive and hydrating moisturiser with a lightweight, balancing finish.
When: AM + PM
4. Face The Day SPF 50+, $56
What: Oil-free, matte-finish sunscreen to protect and hydrate skin.
When: AM
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* Based on a Clinical and Consumer Study of 27 subjects with facial skin prone to pimples and breakouts using the AHA + BHA Clearing Serum for 28 days.
