1. Dehydration

Ladies and gentleman, good things doesn’t come easily so is your skin. Pimple free skin starts from the inside out. Dry skin can cause an excess buildup of dead skin cells. This, in turn, can clog your pores, allowing acne causing bacteria deeper into the skin. If your skin is showing signs of dryness or dehydration, start by looking into your diet. You may not be drinking enough water – aim to drink at least 2L a day. You can also replenish your hydration levels by eating foods with a high-water content, like watermelon, strawberries, celery and iceberg lettuce which contains over ninety percent of water. Keep this habit up to 2 weeks, your skin will definitely makes a drastic change.

2. You aren’t getting enough sleep

One of the best gifts you can give yourself is a full nights’ rest (7-8 hours). It’s like a ‘reset’ button for the entire body, since all your systems relax and your cells regenerate. It’s going to reflect in your face, too, so do make sure to let your body to have a good rest.It lowers your stress levels, preventing the overproduction of cortisol, a hormone that in turn causes the body to produce excess sebum. All that to say, by resting up, you keep your pores clear and your mind calm. Well, don’t forget to apply our medical sheet mask before sleep, to get you skin glow the next morning!

3. Your pillowcase is dirty

Speaking of ample sleep, think about how much of your time is spent face-planted onto your pillow. (Roughly one-third of your time, to be precise.) All the oil and grime that accumulates while you sleep—or that is still on you from the day before—is pressed into that pillowcase, and just rubbing itself into your precious little pores. So, wash your pillowcases every week, in the very least, and be sure to wash your face and rinse your hair of all product and grease before you pass out.

4. You’re too stressed

Stress is one of the most common causes of acne. That’s because it causes the body to produce excess cortisol and other hormones in response, and these hormones trigger the overproduction of sebum in the skin. While sebum is important for keeping the skin hydrated and youthful, an excess will clog pores quickly. (The irony of all this is that acne itself can be very stressful, which doesn’t help the cycle at all.)

5. Your hormones are heightened

We’ve discussed a few things that throw your hormones into whack, like stress and lack of sleep. This imbalance leads to increased sebum production, which backs your pores up fast. This is also why teenagers get pimples so much more commonly: Their hormones are all kinds of whacky.It’s something to be mindful of, especially if you’re taking workout supplements or anticipate late nights at the office. (Or if you simply read the news every day.) So, get your rest, do what you can to minimize anxiety and stress, and make responsible choices regarding hormone-altering substances.