Making this change to my skincare routine helped clear my acne

Jul 7, 2021

I have been struggling with acne since my teenage years. Concealer quickly became my best friend when my hormones decided to wreak havoc with my skin.

My Rimmel Hide the Blemish concealer was shoved into my school bag every morning, nestled between my copy of Macbeth and Irish exam papers.

I was completely oblivious about the importance of cleansing, exfoliating and moisturising my skin. I’d quickly wash my face with soap and water at night, dab Sudocrem all over my spots and hope for the best.

It wasn’t until I got older that I realised that you need a strong skincare regime to keep those horrid blemishes at bay.

I eventually discovered the magical world of cleansers, exfoliators, serums, face masks and moisturisers. My acne finally started to subside (with added help from the contraceptive pill.)

As my spots faded, my confidence started to boost. I finally felt good about myself when I looked in the mirror. My college years were a relatively happy time and my acne barely bothered me, despite my new found love for drinking €2 bottles of Koppaberg in Dicey’s on a Tuesday night.

Then, at the age of 24, my acne decided to return and it knocked me for six.

I went through at least six different cleansers. I splashed out on the best skin treatments and got the shock of my life when my Mario Badescu Drying Lotion arrived and saw the tiny bottle. I honestly thought they sent me a sample size.

I was visiting my local Boots every other day with the hope of finding something that would rid me of the pimples that had taken up residence on my face.

I eventually settled on the La Roche-Posay Purifying Cleansing Gel for Oily, Blemish Prone Skin and although I swear by the cleanser, a simple skincare hack is what finally helped shift the dreaded zits.

The last thing you want to do after a long day at work is drag yourself out of bed and wash your makeup off. My best friend and I have to text one another to make sure we wash our faces in the evening. Having an accountability partner is key.

When I do muster up the energy to wash my face I found that cleansing my skin for at least 60 seconds has been the greatest help. We’re all guilty of rushing our skincare routine so we can go back to binge watching Gossip Girl, but it is one of the biggest skincare errors we make. And it was the main cause of my acne.

Aesthetician Nayamka Roberts-Smith said the 60 Second Rule is vital. Since I started following this rule I’ve noticed my skin is clearer, less oily and brighter. I’ve been treating my spots with The Ordinary’s Salicylic Acid and my skin is slowly looking less like it did when I was in third year and living on a diet of Freddo bars and onion rings.