How do stress and sleep patterns affect breakouts?

Stress raises cortisol levels in the body, causing the oil glands to work harder and the pores to clog. Lack of sleep disrupts the body's repair process, lowers immunity, and increases inflammation, making it harder for breakouts to heal.

Do eating habits play a role in acne?

Yes, diet has a direct effect on breakouts. Sugary foods with a high glycemic index in particular raise insulin levels and trigger acne. Fatty and packaged foods raise inflammation levels in the body and can make breakouts redder and more painful.

Do makeup products cause breakouts?

Makeup products can cause breakouts if they aren't chosen for your skin type or aren't fully removed from the skin at the end of the day. Pore-clogging (comedogenic) ingredients and superficial cleansing mistakes set the stage for oil to get trapped under the skin and turn into acne.

Can a new skincare product trigger breakouts?

Breakouts that appear shortly after starting a new product can be a sign that the product doesn't suit your skin type or is too heavy for your skin barrier. Uncontrolled use of strong ingredients such as retinol in particular can trigger this.

Why am I breaking out — Alix Avien blog image

Why Am I Breaking Out? What Causes Multiple Breakouts at Once

Q: Why do breakouts suddenly increase?

A sudden increase in breakouts usually stems from lifestyle changes. The main causes include eating too many sugary and fatty foods, rising stress levels, hormonal imbalances, using the wrong products that disrupt the skin barrier, and not removing makeup thoroughly.

Q: What should you do to reduce increasing breakouts?

During a breakout period, your skin shouldn't be overworked. Instead of harsh exfoliation and heavy ingredients, choose repairing products containing ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol. Cleanse your skin gently, drink plenty of water, and don't pick at your breakouts.

If you have had a breakout lately, there may be more than one reason behind it. Common causes of breakouts:

Eating sugary and very fatty foods,
Stress,
Hormonal changes,
Using products such as retinol too often,
Not removing makeup from your skin.

Why Do Breakouts Suddenly Increase?

If your breakouts have suddenly started increasing at certain times, it means you have made some changes to your lifestyle and the products you use. At the top of the list of causes for sudden breakouts are your eating habits. Sugary and fatty foods answer the question "why do breakouts increase?" On the other hand, changes you have made to the products you use can disrupt your skin barrier and cause breakouts on your skin.

Can Hormones Cause Breakouts?

Hormones do cause breakouts. Hormonal breakouts happen because the oil glands work harder. Breakouts tend to increase before your period, in stressful situations, and with thyroid problems.

Could My New Skincare Products Have Caused Breakouts?

Unfortunately, the new skincare products you're using may have caused breakouts. There are a few ways to tell for sure. If you broke out after using a product you had never used before, or if you started using too much retinol, then the answer to "can skincare products cause breakouts?" is "yes."

Do Stress and Sleep Patterns Affect Breakouts?

Does stress cause breakouts? Yes. Do sleep patterns play a role in breakouts? When you're stressed, your oil glands start working overtime. As your cortisol level rises, your pores clog and breakouts form.

A disrupted sleep pattern, meaning not getting enough sleep, keeps breakouts from healing. And because lack of sleep also raises your stress level, your immunity drops and breakouts form faster. Getting enough regular sleep is essential for your skin to enter its repair process.

Can Your Diet Increase Breakouts?

Your diet can increase breakouts, because the foods you eat affect your hormone balance, your insulin, and your level of inflammation. If you increase your sugar intake, you increase your insulin. This is also the answer to the question "what causes acne?"

Fatty and packaged foods increase inflammation in your body, so they also cause breakouts. Not only does the number of breakouts go up, but they also get redder. You need to observe your own body carefully. Whichever foods you notice changes after, you can remove them from your diet.

Can Makeup Products Cause Breakouts?

Makeup products can cause breakouts, but that depends entirely on you. If you use products that don't suit your skin type without knowing what your skin type is, you may notice more breakouts. If, after wearing your makeup all day, you go to bed in it or only remove it superficially when it's time to sleep, you can clog your pores and trap oil inside, which can lead to breakouts.

Alix Avien Multi-Functional Makeup Remover: A bi-phase, multi-purpose makeup remover that effectively removes makeup residue from the face, eyes, and lips and leaves a smooth feel on the skin.

What Should You Do to Reduce Increasing Breakouts?

Skin with breakouts needs to be soothed and not overworked. And of course, on top of all that, it's important to be patient. How do you reduce breakouts? First, we recommend not applying products you don't know to your skin. Be gentle with your skin; use lightweight moisturizers and keep gentle cleansers in your cabinet.

During this time, you shouldn't exfoliate your skin or use retinol; stick to treatments aimed entirely at repairing your skin barrier. Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol will do your skin good. It also helps to cut back on makeup products. Pay attention to your diet and sleep patterns, and drink 2.5-3 liters of water a day. Don't pick at your breakouts, or you may end up with marks.

Back to blog

#Skincare Guide