While those who don’t suffer from acne may view it as merely an inconvenient skin condition, the effects of a bad breakout can run much deeper than that. Acne can have devastating consequences on a person’s mental health, to the point where it destroys their confidence and leaves them with very low self-esteem. 

If you can relate, you’ve come to the right place. Read on as Lavelier explains how to restore your confidence after dealing with a particularly bad breakout:

Get Yourself Into a Positive Mindset

Before we tackle your skin, let’s focus on your mindset. Chances are that it’s pretty negative right now – a bad breakout tends to have this impact! 

How can you turn this around?

For starters, stop scrutinizing your skin. The more time you spend in front of the mirror staring at your perceived imperfections, the more critical you’ll be. This won’t do your mental health any favors whatsoever. Sure, your pimples and acne marks may look glaringly obvious to you but they’re likely not as noticeable as you think. Other people will be able to look past this, and you should be able to do the same.

Spending time with positive people who make you feel good about yourself will help too. Laughter, gratitude, and positive self-talk are all things that you should also be embracing. Doing so may feel like a monumental effort when you’ve just come through a bad breakout but give it a try and you should soon notice that you’re feeling a little happier, as well as more confident.

Be Proactive If You’re Struggling With Acne Marks

For many people, the end of a breakout isn’t the end of the physical trauma that those pimples have caused – they still have the resulting acne marks to deal with. 

Also known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, acne marks develop when the skin is trying to heal itself after a breakout. Due to the inflammation involved, the skin can end up producing too much melanin. This is the pigment that gives the skin its color. When excess pigment is released, those areas of skin turn darker, leaving the complexion discolored.

The good news is that acne marks usually fade on their own, sometimes in just a few months. The bad news is that some people end up dealing with them for years. Even if you manage to keep future breakouts at bay, those lingering marks could still take a toll on your confidence.

If your post-acne discoloration has been getting you down, make an effort to do something about it. There are certain products out there that have been designed specifically to tackle the appearance of acne marks and other forms of hyperpigmentation, just like the Lavelier Skin Clair Repair. When used regularly, this formula will lighten the look of discoloration and even out your skin tone. You’ll end up with a bright and balanced complexion that you can be proud of!

Practice Self-Care and Self-Love With Your Skincare

The concept of self-care is known for being a confidence booster. Research shows that practicing self care can increase happiness while reducing feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety. 

Self-care encompasses many aspects, one of which is your skin. Giving your skin some extra TLC and attention is a form of self-love that will quickly have your confidence soaring.

How can you do this?

It all comes down to establishing a nurturing skincare routine. This doesn’t need to be anything complicated. Even a very basic routine is still a form of self-love that can do wonders for your self-esteem. The key is to find products that not only work well on your skin, but also make you feel great mentally.

Take the Lavelier Biology Mousse Cleanser as an example. Cleansers that lather up always feel richly satisfying, giving your cleansing regimen a new sense of decadence. However, unlike other cleansers that form a lather, this one doesn’t contain sulfates. It won’t strip your skin dry, which would have only made your acne worse. Instead, it will hydrate while it cleanses, leaving your skin looking fresh and radiant. 

The HydroTherm Intense Masque is another product that exemplifies the feeling of self-love. It’s a clay mask, which, as you may already know, is great for those dealing with acne. It draws away excess sebum, saving your pores from clogs. However, what makes this mask extra special is its self-heating effect. The way that it warms up on the skin feels wonderfully luxurious – just like a session at the spa! Treat yourself to this mask each week and you’ll soon be basking in all of that self-love.

Have a Plan in Place For Future Breakouts

Now that you’ve gotten past a bad breakout, you’re probably hoping for a breather where you don’t have to spend quite as much time obsessing over your skin. Unfortunately, if you’re prone to acne, then there’s a good chance that your next breakout isn’t too far away. To save this from giving your confidence yet another knock, put a plan in place for dealing with future breakouts. This way, when your next pimple erupts, you’ll know exactly what needs to be done, saving you from some of the stress that acne causes.

The key to dealing with acne breakouts is to take a multi-pronged approach: 

Clear Out Blocked Pores

Your first step should be to clear out blockages from within your pores. These are, after all, primarily responsible for breakouts. Without clogs in your pores, pimples won’t be able to form. 

This makes it vital to have a good exfoliator to turn to. Exfoliation is the best way to clear out your pores. With that said, the wrong exfoliant can make things worse, so choose your product wisely. Avoid harsh scrubs, which will only increase inflammation and spread bacteria over your face. Instead, go for a gentler formula that incorporates alpha-hydroxy acids, just like the Lavelier Oceana Refining Coral Peel. With mandelic acid at its helm, it will dissolve away impurities to leave your pores feeling refreshed and revived.

Although exfoliation may give your complexion an instant boost, don’t overdo it. Aim to exfoliate two to three times a week. Any more than this will only leave your skin raw and vulnerable, speeding up the rate at which your next breakout appears.

Reduce the Feeling of Inflammation

Pore blockages on their own aren’t responsible for breakouts. Instead, pimples arise when those blockages are sieged with bacteria, resulting in inflammation. Therefore, even if your pores end up blocked faster than you can exfoliate them, keeping the feeling of inflammation under control will go a long way in preventing the appearance of more breakouts.

How can you do this?

There are certain ingredients out there that are superstars at lowering the feeling of inflammation. Aloe vera, chamomile, cucumber, seaweed, and allantoin are among the best, all of which can be found in the Lavelier Marine Facial Toner. This product is designed to be applied immediately after cleansing, which is the perfect time to tackle inflamed-looking skin. Swipe a small amount of this solution onto your face and you’ll immediately calm your complexion down, leaving it feeling soothed and significantly less inflamed.

Keep Your Skin Hydrated

While acne can affect all skin types, it’s usually those with oily skin who experience bad breakouts. In order to prevent this, many people with oily skin avoid overloading their skin with products in an attempt to minimize their shiny appearance. Unfortunately, this can also mean that the skin ends up missing out on moisture. 

Oil is very different from moisture, aka water. Although acne-prone skin may have plenty of oil, the lack of moisture can actually make that oiliness, along with the accompanying breakouts, worse. Keeping your skin hydrated can, in the long run, make your skin feel less greasy. This will help to keep the appearance of future breakouts at bay.

The problem is that many of the hydrating skincare products out there contain pore-clogging oils. It goes without saying that your acne-prone skin definitely doesn’t need these! Instead, you need a lightweight serum that will drench your skin with moisture without weighing it down. The Lavelier Nano Gold Serum, which is infused with coral seaweed, glycerin, aloe vera, and peptides, would be perfect for this!

Work on Improving Your Lifestyle Habits

Your lifestyle habits not only affect your confidence, but they impact your skin too. Improving your lifestyle and making it healthier will, therefore, give both a boost.

Start with your exercise habits. Research shows that regularly exercising can have a direct influence on a person’s self-esteem. At the same time, exercise has also been shown to help with acne. Start working out a few times a week and both your confidence and your skin will benefit.

Your diet is another aspect of your lifestyle that may benefit from some scrutiny. Although more research on the link between diet and acne needs to be done, there’s no disputing the fact that there’s a connection there. High glycemic and high dairy diets are known for causing blood sugar spikes, potentially triggering inflammation and acne. 

Improving your sleeping routine can be helpful too. ‘Beauty sleep’ is a very real concept. The better you sleep, the healthier your skin, as well as your mind, will feel. If good sleep is something that you’ve always struggled with, start by making small changes. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier to begin with, gradually increasing this as your body adjusts. Ensuring that your bedroom is a relaxing haven, with dim lighting, a cool temperature, and clean, comfortable bedding, can help to induce sleep. 

Summary

A bad breakout can be extremely detrimental to a person’s self-esteem, and this is completely understandable. However, it’s important that you don’t allow this to bring you down. Rather than dwelling on the impact that your acne is having, make an effort to adopt a positive frame of mind while also being proactive when it comes to how you care for your skin. This way, not only will you be able to prevent the appearance of future breakouts, but you’ll also end up feeling more confident and resilient as a result.

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