Acne -- typically known as a teenager’s nightmare. Some don’t understand the frustration of waking up in the morning to see bumps and red marks on your face that weren’t there the night before. I used to joke that my acne was as stubborn as I am which is why it refused to clear up. However, it’s only been a few years that I finally have begun to keep it under control. If you're like me, you know the pains of having an oily face which makes acne thrive. It started for me in sixth grade and until the end of my senior year in high school, I had struggled with it daily. I tried almost every product in the skin care aisle, and even obtained a prescription for it. Nothing seemed to work. Until I was informed by a close friend, that I had been dealing with it all wrong.

Like most girls, I wore makeup in high school, and stupidly would sometimes forget to remove it at night. This is where I first went wrong. Always wash off your make up ladies. Just after I started doing this, my face started to show the signs of health. Everyone’s skin is different so find the right product for you. I favor Neutrogena in almost every step of my skin care. For removing makeup, I use their Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes for acne-proned skin.

Get into a routine with your skin care, and men, this is not just for women. I have never fully understood why facial care is so feminized. Taking care of your body is important to all. Every day I wake up and wash my face. It removes all the oil from my skin that was released while I was sleeping. Also, make sure to wash your pillow sheets regularly because sometimes your oil from your face gets trapped in it and can cause a break out as well.

At night, before bed, I remove my makeup with my cleansing wipes. Then I wash my face with Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash: Facial Cleanser in the scent pink grapefruit, but some people need to be cautious when using products with scents for it make perform the opposite task than expected. After cleansing, I use Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash: foaming scrub in the same scent. It has little beads in the wash that exfoliates your skin and gets rid of all the dead skin that may eventually clog up your pores.

Next, use a deep cleaning toner. This helps to clean out your pores and pull out any dirt, or dead skin that lies within them. The brand I use various depending on what is available at my local store. Currently I’m using Clean & Clear’s deep cleaning toner for sensitive skin. Which is almost oil-free. I apply it with an exfoliating cotton round that helps to get the toner in your pores where it needs to be. Next, I still use my acne gel that was prescribed. It helps to attack any breakouts that are already presents and makes them disappear over night. I’d recommend it for everyone who struggles with intense acne and needs to quickly get it under control. It’s name is Clindamycin, and it comes in a cream and a gel. They work the same, just varies on your preference. Lastly, I rehydrate my skin. Keeping your skin hydrated it one of the most important steps. The product I use for this once again varies but I’m currently using Promise Organic’s Ultra Moisturizing Argan Creme Facial Lotion, which smells phenomenal.

Personally, I struggle more with acne on my face, and have a little experience dealing with it in places such as my back, arms, neck or legs. However, I do know that if you struggle with it all the time there is a solution. There are plenty of acne preventing body washes on the market. The one I am familiar with is Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Body wash. It has beads that help to exfoliate, and fairly similar to their scrubs. I apply it with a abrasive sponge. Most people don’t know this but brushing (yes, brushing) your skin is actually very healthy for you. Some use a sponge like mentioned before, however I actually know of a few people that use boar bristle brushes and brush their skin. It removes dead skin and can eliminate bumps or even make your skin smoother and softer.

Lastly, I want to mention cystic acne. This kind of acne is under the first layer of your skin. It has no entrance point so it makes it difficult to expose it to any sort of product. The difficult part of dealing with this kind of acne is that it hurts all the time. If you experience this type of acne, don’t touch it. The oils from your fingers will make it worst, and definitely don’t try to release what’s inside, such as popping it. You’ll just end up irritating it and it will come back; I promise you that. You can try to treat it with toner which almost dehydrates your skin. By doing this, you keep the breakout from obtaining more oil. This could help to shrink it, and eventually rid of it. This is the method I use, however if it is too painful, definitely talk to a dermatologist.

Learning about my skin is honestly one of the best things I have done. All of the products I listed above range in prices from $2 to $10 each depending on the brand. It may seem like a lot of money, but one container of toner lasts me over six months. If you use the correct amount of everything, you’ll only have to purchase these products twice a year. I think it’s a great deal in exchange for healthy, vibrant skin.

Now if I could just control my dark circles. These bags are Gucci.