oh yes, i know everything about all things shallow and unneccessary i wanna comment. i have pretty clear skin genetically so i tend to slack in the skin health department. washing my face with dove bar soap suffices. however, sometimes i use the wrong the wrong foundation or moisturizer (i experiment a lot hehe) or i get a hormonal breakout. i can only attest to these reccomendations working on that. for bad break outs and bacne, i would strongly suggest seeing a dermatologist. this may help a little in the mean time
-i dont know if you heard of an aspirin mask. just take 3 uncoated aspirin, some drops of water, and smush it up. rub it on spot you want clear, wait about 10 min, and rinse.
-now the aspirin mask as a crumble-y, wet-baking-powder-like texture so you can add anything to make it adhere. stuff like honey,(dont worry, its fine) oils, and aloe vera gel
-you can follow up with some witch hazel as a toner ( i always use this after cleansing)
-helene mint julep mask is also great stuff and its really cheap ($1 at most drugstores) and it has a really cool, fresh feeling.
-you say you've been eating healthier and drinking more water, which is excellent keep it up.
-cystic acne grounds is aphyxiated skin (clogged pores) that is VERY dry on the surface. make sure you are exfoliating (getting the dead skin cells off) be careful not to harm your skin. theres lots of good exfoliators out there. afterwords moisturize.
-get sun, sun is not only good for your skin, but your overall well-being
if you dont wanna tan, you burn easily, or you are scared of the premature aging wear a sunscreen w spf 30+ or higher depending on how sensitive your skin is
- never sleep with your makeup on
try all this stuff if you KNOW you wont have to go anywhere the next day, because youre never sure how your skin will react unless you try it. ~~~