Have you been struggling with acne? Do you wake up every day wondering why your skin is as bumpy as a country road? Is your skin as greasy as a hot dog? W ell, look no further because this article is about to give you instructions to the perfect face wash routine.

“I feel face routines are important if you want clear skin,” sophomore Jaelyn Hollister said

Helpful tips: Certain products are cheap and use poor ingredients that can end up hurting your skin more than helping it. Be sure to watch out for moisturizers or washes that have fragrances in them. Also be sure to avoid super harsh soaps. All three of these can cause skin irritation that leads to acne and oil build up.

“Neutrogena oil-free acne wash dried out my skin and caused me to breakout even more,” junior America Munguia said.

You should also always contact your local dermatologist if you feel that anything might be off.

“Take time to get to know your skin and consult a dermatologist if needed. This will help get a skincare routine that works for you,” East High English teacher Kortny Williamson said.

Step 1: Clean your face. Remove any make up with proper make up wipes and get ready to wash your face. Take a small amount of face wash of your choosing and lather it between your hands. Then, rub the face wash on your wet face and gently massage it into your skin. For even deeper cleansing, you can use a face rag or brush. Finally, wash the suds off your face. Alaffia’s authentic black soap is a great soap that can also be used as a facial cleanser. The unrefined shea butter leaves the skin clean but also moisturized at the same time.

Step 2(optional): Use an exfoliator. Exfoliators are products that remove very thin layers of your skin and are a good way to open your pours and get rid of acne scars. Some exfoliators use tiny beads that are like sand and others use chemicals. When using any type of exfoliator, you should be very careful not to use too much or rub too much since you could potentially damage your skin. Use a small amount and gently rub it onto your skin. You should feel tingly. When you have rubbed it for about 5 minutes, wash it off gently. Claerasil’s rapid reduce deep treatment scrub is a great exfoliator that uses small beads to help scrub out dirt and help heal acne.

Step 3: Moisturize. Moisturizers are used to add moisture back into your skin after washing it. Face washes contain soap, and every type of soap somewhat dries out the skin. The face naturally has oils that moisturize your skin, but these oils can clog your pores and cause acne. Use enough moisturizer that can cover your whole face, but not too much that completely slathers it. Rub the moisturizer into your skin until it seeps all the way in. if you use too much don’t wash it off. Gently pat it off with a towel. Clean & Clear’s dual action moisturizer is a great moisturizer that leaves the skin smooth and soft and can keep your face moisturized for up to 2 days.

Step 4(optional): Use a face mask. Face mask are mask that can be used to heal acne scars, acne, oily skin, and they can also open and close pores. Face mask come in all type with all sorts of ingredients, knowing which one is right for you is about trial and error. A lot a face mask are really expensive and it’s hard to find cost effective ones that actually help the skin. Majestic Pure’s Moroccan red clay facial mud mask is a good face mask that opens the pours, softens the skin, and only cost 14.98 on Amazon. When you buy a face mask, instructions on how to apply it and when to remove it should be on the back.

Voilà, you now have the steps to the perfect skin routine that’ll help you get clean skin. Remember, results take time. No one goes from drab to fab overnight. Be patient and you’ll be looking like a model in no time.