How to Clear Up Zits and Shrink Pores

Everyone sees the beautiful people in the magazines and on the TV and envies over how incredible their skin looks. Here are a few tips that are easy to use and can help your skin glow!

Vitamin C

Every one could use some more vitamins. Be sure that you are getting enough vitamin C year round. This vitamin not only helps fight the cold, but it helps your skin cells renew. You can research on the internet what your recommended dose is and then soak up the vitamin C! Also look for products that feature this vitamin. The Body Shop has a great line of cleansers, moisturizers and exfoliators full of Vitamin C.

Don't Switch!

Don't continuously switch products. Many people try something and if it doesn't offer instant results, rush out to buy something else. This is terrible for your skin and can cause excessive dryness! This includes foundation and powders. You should research before you buy skin care products and stick with what you choose for at least 3 months. This will give the active ingredients time to kick in as well as offer enough time for your skin to acclimate to the new product.

Steam

Steam is one of the best natural skin products. Steaming your pores once a week can help to clear up black heads, minimize shine and refine large pores. Simply take a bowl of hot, not scalding water, and hold your face over it with a towel over your head to trap the steam. Do this in increments of about 5 minutes once a week. And to be eco friendly take the water from the bowl and give your self a foot scrub so you don't waste the water!

Splurge

Quality makeup and skin care products do make a difference. Now I have never been one to try top of the line products. But I stick with quality. Clinique and Cargo are both great lines of products that can be trusted. While the products are usually in the $10 to $40 range, if you can use the right products to make your skin look great, it is less money that you need to spend on foundation, concealer, powder etc.

No Oils!

This means stay away from greasy foods, oil based cosmetics and not touching your face. Oil is the main cause for shiny skin and blackheads which result in enlarged pores. No, I am not saying never have fries again, but keep it in moderation. Go for salads and fruits that are high in vitamins, especially vitamin C, and spring for fries maybe once every few weeks. And if you must touch your face, try to use a cotton ball or tissue that will prevent the oils from your fingers from transferring.

Sugar

Along with cutting out the oils, you should consider cutting unnecessary sugars as well. Sugar causes your pores to work overtime to get the excess sugar out of your system and this causes them to become clogged with dead cells. Besides, drinking more water will help to give your skin a hydrated glow.

No Popping

No matter how hard it is, you should never pop a zit! This causes two bad things. First is can cause the zit to spread underneath the skin because of the pressure and second it ruins the wall of your pore causing it to look large. I know that having a huge white dot on your face is embarrassing, but instead use a small needle to prick the head and release the pressure, then put some acne medication right on the hole you made. If it is bedtime, use enough medication that you can see it dry on your skin. If it is during the day, choose a medication that you can apply makeup over. Make sure that the makeup and concealer are oil free, try Benefit Cosmetics, and then accentuate your eyes or your lips to create a pulled together look.

Skin can be a tricky thing, but luckily skin issues tend to be inherited, so you can always talk to members of your family with the same skin types to see what works for them. Remember that everything doesn't work for everybody, that is why there are so many things out there to choose from, but stick with quality products and you will be happier in the long run.