7 things you should definitely do if you want clearer skin.

Offt! What a hook. My goodness - this looks like it's going to be a good read, no? Who doesn't want clear skin? Aren't you excited?! Course you are. We all are.

Watch: Want more delicious skin tips? Here are 7 ways to improve your skin while sleeping. Post continues below.

Cause y'see, many of us have this idea that in order to get good skin you need to shell out tonnes of cash on expensive creams and magical devices. 

But! You don't. You really don't.

As ten million dermatologists have said before us, the basics of skincare are pretty simple and extremely underrated. 

And even though Instagram and social media will make you feel like you need ALL the things to get better skin (pretty facial rollers! beauty fridges! those pricey light masks!), there are a few scientific-backed principles that can help you waaay more than you might think.

Okay, are you ready?

1. Wash. Your. Face.

If you don't already do this, we're going to be so mad you guys. You should be cleansing your face at least once a day. And if you have oily or acne-prone skin, it's even more important.

The morning cleanse helps to remove any leftover products you might have layered on your face from the night before (you can usually just splash your face with some water to remove this).

During the day our skin to dirt sweat, grime, makeup and the likes, so doing a proper cleanse at night is a non-negotiable. Not doing this will result in dull, ageing skin, blocked pores and breakouts.

So, yeah - wash your face.

Listen: Are you cleansing your face too much? You might be, you know. Listen to this episode of You Beauty where Leigh and Kelly discuss. Post continues after podcast.

Important: Your face shouldn't feel tight and dry post-cleanse. If it does, your cleanse might be drying out your skin. Poor lamb. Opt for something super gentle like Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser, $15.99, or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $27.99. These guys are good, and derms always froth over them.

2. Don't pick at your spots.

You're probably doing it right now, hey? Cheeky thing.

Squeezing gnarly pimples is satisfying AF - we know, we know. But constantly picking and squeezing at your poor little face could lead to scarring. It can also lead to MORE acne breakouts (cause your hands are covered in dirt and germs). 

No good. 

Keep your mitts away from your face.

3. Slather on SPF like it's your favourite thing to do.

Don't make that face! AS IF we were going to do a round-up of essential things for good skin and not include this?! Pfft.

As you probably already know (cause we've told you it a thousand million times), wearing sunscreen is the best thing you can do for your skin. 

Besides preventing things like, y'know, cancer, regularly applying sunscreen can help reduce pigmentation and prevent premature ageing. It's incredibly important, and you'd be silly not to do it.

4. Switch your pillowcases on the reg.

Are you always waking up with breakouts and don't know why the eff why? It could be your pillowcase, you know. How often do you change it?

Reason we're asking is 'cause when your pillowcase isn't changed regularly, a build-up of dirt and oil from your skin and hair (and the environment) is transferred onto the pillow and back on to your skin. This can then clog pores and cause blemishes. Cute!

And no, it doesn't matter what kinda material your pillowcase is - yes, even all you fancy little flees with your silk pillowcases! 

So, if you're prone to breakouts, aim to wash your pillowcases every two to three days to ensure you're not lying several days' worth of oil and dirt.

5. Don't sleep with your makeup on.

Don't... do this. Wearing makeup to bed on the regular will ruin your skin and make it look older, faster. Plus, why wouldn't you want to wash off a s**t tonne of sunscreen and makeup off your face at the end of the day! Feels good.

Even in your drunkest/laziest of moments, have a pack of face wipes or micellar water on your nightstand so you can get the job done quickly. 

If you're having an unexpected sleepover at a 'friends' place, use some moisturiser and a bit of toilet paper and wipe your face. Better than nothing, we say.

6. Exfoliate a couple of times per week.

We lose millions of skin cells a day (gross, right), and without a lil nudge sometimes they can hang around on the skin for ages - making our cute faces look all dull and tired. This also means all your products and serums will have trouble penetrating deep into your skin. Whatta waste!

To fix this, try to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week. Nothing crazy, though (put down the St Ives Apricot Scrub, you MONSTER) - just use something gentle (or opt for chemical exfoliants over physical exfoliants) to make sure you don't irritate the s**t outta your face.

7. Keep your skin moisturised.

Uh-huh, even if you have oily skin. Morning and night. Moisturising your skin will keep your complexion looking and feeling healthy - so, do this. 

If you skimp on moisturising your skin goes into something called a 'dry skin cycle' where dead skin cells build up on your skin's surface. Yikes.

W-wa-wait! Just make sure you steer clear of heavy lotions and fragranced moisturisers to avoid irritation and all that jazz. Okay, off you go.

Feature image: Getty/Mamamia. 

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