If Your Breakout Could Talk, Heres What It Would Tell You

1. Forehead

Ditch the headbands and anything that physically blocks pores. If you have bangs, use blotting paper to get rid of oil buildup during the day, then clip them back at night. Your forehead has a higher concentration of oil glands and stress revs up production, so wash your face with a salicylic acid cleanser like Evologies Stay Clear Cleanser to remove excess oil.

2. Between Brows

Waxing or tweezing your brows (or above your lip!) leaves the surrounding skin more sensitiveand therefore prone to breakouts. Moisturize the area before and after to prevent damage to the outer layers of your skin, and only pluck hairs if there is at least a millimeter of hair growth. If you havent tweezed lately, your breakout is likely from stress, so use your trusty salicylic acid cleanser.

3. Nose

The bad news: Your nose has the highest concentration of oil glands on your body, making it one of the biggest acne-prone areas for most people. Stress can cause them to get clogged, often resulting in blackheads. The good news: treatments that target that area like Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfolian unclog pores and remove dead skin cells, clearing out blackheads without irritating your skin.

4. Cheeks, Temples, and Chin

Keep your hands away from your face, throw on a clean pillowcase, and clean your cell phone with an alcohol swipe weekly to get rid of dirt, germs, and makeup buildup that can cause breakouts. If thats not enough, look for a product containing sulfur-like Sunday Riley's Saturn Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask (Sulfur 10%), which kills the type of acne-causing bacteria thats common in these areas.

5. Jawline

Hormones cause red, inflamed breakouts for many women here, especially during the time leading up to your period. The best treatment for this monthly rash of acne is to use a preventative cleanser that helps keep skin clean, like Murads Clarifying Cleanser, which removes excess oil with silver citrate and treats acne with salicylic acid.

6. Chest and Back

When you sweat, whether its during a boot camp class or on your commute, your shirt traps dirt and oil that leads to dreaded body acne. If you dont have time to shower after, use a cleanser or oil-free wipe to clear your skin, and wear a fabric that wicks away sweat to keep skin dry.