Breakouts can be frustrating and uncomfortable. Sometimes, even when it seems we’re doing everything right – following a solid acne skincare routine and living a healthy lifestyle – blemishes still make unwanted appearances. 

If clear skin remains elusive despite your best efforts, these stealth, acne-causing habits could be to blame. Here's how your lifestyle could be unknowingly impacting your skin, and what to do about it. 

Wearing makeup to bed, even if it is touted as acne-friendly, can clog pores and lead to breakouts.

Try this: Always take off makeup with an oil-free remover and wash with a gentle cleanser before bed. If you are too tired to go through an entire clear skin routine, at the very least, the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) recommends removing makeup with a cleansing towelette.

Resist the urge to pop, which can worsen acne, make it more noticeable, and lead to additional breakouts and visible scars. As tempting as it may be to pop, pick, and squeeze, do your best to leave it to the skincare professionals.

Try this: For especially uncomfortable blemishes, use ice to relieve pain and inflammation. After cleansing your face, apply a gentle, non-irritating acne spot treatment for targeted treatment.  

Diet and nutrition can impact root causes of acne, such as hormones, inflammation, and sebum (oil) production. Lower levels of certain nutrients, like vitamin D and zinc, have been linked to acne, and recent research has shown the vital importance of eating a nutritionally-balanced diet for healthy, glowing skin.

Try this: The Mayo Clinic recommends a skin-supporting diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Meeting all of your nutritional needs through diet alone can be challenging: Skip the guesswork with a clinically-proven supplement, formulated specifically to support healthy, clear skin. In a recent clinical study, nearly all users of Clear Skin Formula reported reduced acne after 12 weeks.

Make good sleep hygiene part of your skincare routine. Insufficient sleep can lead to acne-causing spikes in the stress hormone cortisol, which can contribute to acne severity. Poor sleep may cause the skin to produce excess pore-clogging oil, and negatively affect the skin microbiome and overall health. According to the Sleep Foundation, our bodies work to repair and renew skin while we slumber, helping to both clear skin and reduce damage and signs of aging.

Try this: Get a minimum of seven hours of quality sleep per night. Our favorite way to support beauty sleep: these delicious sleep gummies, formulated to promote a more restorative sleep cycle.

And, always be sure to wash or change your pillowcases at least once per week, as the fabric can absorb acne-causing bacteria, dirt, sweat, and product residue.

Nicotine and other chemicals found in products like cigarettes, vapes, and chewing tobacco have been shown in studies to both trigger and worsen acne. One clinical study, following a group of women aged 25-50, found a direct correlation between smoking and adult acne. The researchers even observed that smoking led to changes in the skin’s natural oil, making it more likely to clog pores and cause breakouts. 

Try this: Consult with your doctor for helpful guidance on kicking these habits to better support healthy skin and overall wellness. 

“Dirty makeup brushes,” says the AADA, “can wreak havoc on skin.” This goes for other types of applicators like sponges and blenders, too. “In addition to collecting product residue, dirt, and oil, makeup brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria.” Using grimy brushes can deposit acne-causing microbes onto our skin, or even lead to infection.   

Try this: AADA derms recommend washing your brushes frequently (every 7 to 10 days) in lukewarm water. Start by rinsing brush tips under running water to remove buildup, and follow by swirling in a bowl of water with gentle shampoo until clean. Then rinse, remove any excess moisture with a towel, and lay flat to dry.  

If you have acne-prone skin, moisturizing can seem counterintuitive. If excess buildup of oil (the skin’s natural moisture) can cause acne, why moisturize? 

Au contraire. Hydration is a critical factor in keeping skin clear and healthy. Dry, irritated skin can cause an overproduction of pore-clogging, breakout-causing oil, which using the right moisturizer can help to prevent.

Try this: Avoid oil-based products, and opt for hydrating skin care products that won’t clog pores or leave skin feeling greasy, like a lightweight, water-based moisturizer and a hyaluronic acid supplement to replenish skin from within.   

Exposure to UV rays can also cause skin to dry out and produce excess acne-causing oil, as well as exacerbate existing acne breakouts. Wearing a daily sunscreen, especially one containing antioxidants, has been clinically shown to help improve symptoms and reduce the risks of post-breakout hyperpigmentation. 

A lesser-known complexion saboteur: The blue light emitted from our computers, phones, and other electronic devices has been shown to accelerate skin aging by contributing to the breakdown of collagen and elastin and the production of free radicals.

Try this: In addition to applying an emollient, antioxidant-rich sunscreen, incorporate skincare products crafted with antioxidant ingredients like vitamins A, C, & E, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and squalane.

If you think the only path to truly clean skin is a rough, abrasive scrub, perhaps reconsider. If you’re a child of the 80s or 90s, you likely remember scrubbing away with a certain apricot flavor du jour. While harsh scrubs can certainly remove dirt, dead skin, and product residue, they can also damage your skin barrier in the process, leaving skin more vulnerable to environmental irritants. Coarse, gritty cleansers can disrupt the protective layers at the surface of skin, disturbing pH balance and leading to increased sensitivity, inflammation, and new or worsened acne. 

Try this: Toss the abrasives and opt for a kinder, gentler clean. For acne-prone skin, the AADA recommends washing with a mild product that won’t clog pores, like this skin-barrier supporting, water-based cleanser.

Gut health red flags, like poor digestion and low mood, can point to trouble in your digestive tract. The gut is intricately linked to all bodily systems, housing up to 80% of immune cells and producing around 90% of our serotonin and 50% of dopamine.

One organ it shares profound connection with? The skin. When our gut’s microbial ecosystem (or microbiome) is out of balance, our skin can become more dull, sensitive, inflamed, and vulnerable to conditions like acne.

Try this: Probiotics are good bacteria that nourish the gut microbiome. In addition to eating a healthy diet, try incorporating probiotic foods like kefir and yogurt, and help restore balance to the gut by supplementing with tasty, daily probiotic gummies. 

Which sneaky habits are you guilty of? Whatever the breakout culprit, switching up your daily rituals and choosing the right skincare products for acne could be your secret to clear skin. 

Kick off your clear skin era with our Clear Skin Formula Starter Kit, designed to reveal your clearest, healthiest complexion yet. Includes everything you need for clear skin, from the inside out.