What is Congested Skin?

Let's be real, we've all been there: breakouts, happen unprovoked and can be malicious, trying to stop them is very similar to herding cats in the rain, and can often leave you feeling defeated. More often than not, it feels like our pores decided to have a party, but we weren't invited. Talk about FOMO.Congested skin is arguably one of the worst skincare woes, making us feel like we're stuck in a never-ending episode of "Pimples Gone Wild." It leaves us craving facemasks and the cleansing smell of tea tree oil and days when we were truly confident to go makeup free. But wait, what is congested skin? In scientific terms, it's when our sebaceous glands go into overdrive and in doing so, pump out too much oil, resulting in closed comedones (aka whiteheads) and open comedones (aka blackheads). Basically, our pores are feeling overwhelmed and we need to give them some TLC.

How Can I Tell If I Have Congested Skin?

So, how can you tell if your skin is congested? Do the finger check - if your skin feels bumpy and rough, it's time to take action. Take a look at your nose and chin in a well-lit mirror - if you see dullness, bumps, and small blackheads, then it's official - you're experiencing skin congestion.

But don't worry, we've got your back (and face) with our all-natural-1000-year-proven-ayurvedic tips to cleanse your skin, unclog your pores and get your skin back to its glowing self. It's time to say goodbye to "Pimples Gone Wild" and hello to "Skin So Smooth."

How To Spot Congested Skin

When the pores appear to be blocked and show signs of whiteheads and blackheads, it’s likely the skin is congested. In a broader sense, congested skin refers to skin conditions where there is an impaction within a skin pore. In fact, the impaction is a combination of oil, dead skin cells, tiny hairs, dirt and debris at the surface, and sometimes bacteria.

What Causes Congested Skin?

Wondering what causes congested skin? Simply put, the overproduction of oil in your sebaceous glands is the main culprit, but there are other factors too. Understanding the root issue of what caused your skin congestion is the best place to start when looking for a solution.

1. Hormonal Fluctuation: Hormonal fluctuations are a common cause of congested skin. Women experience an increase in sebum production during their monthly menstrual cycle, while men can experience excessive oil production when testosterone is released. This excessive sebum production is the catalyst for breakouts, especially those on your face.
2. An Unhealthy Diet: A poor diet can also affect your skin's health. We have all been there, it was either a fast food binge or that slab of chocolate, and sure as nuts, two to three days later our face begins to resemble Vesuvius, (he's a volcano, Google him). Now, I know some of us do learn slower than pigeons and have taken an ostrich head-in-the-sand approach, but, the proof is in the pudding on this one. Poor diet = Poor skin.
3. Lacking a Regular Skincare Routine: Not having a regular skincare routine can also lead to skin problems. The daily grime and dirt can penetrate your pores and cause blackheads, whiteheads, or even acne. Consistency is key on this one, similar to setting a plant watering schedule, so you don't kill off your potplants. Or setting a running schedule so you can kill leg day. This is what a skincare routine does for your skin, it helps it regulate its sebum production, i.e. helps regulate congestion and breakouts.
4. Using The Wrong Products: Using the wrong skincare products can also cause breakouts. Some products may contain toxic ingredients that can harm your skin. That is why here, at Ayumi, we don't mess around. All of our skincare is certified, all-natural, environmentally friendly, not tested on animals and vegan. So, when you use our products you don't just rest easy, your skin does too.

5 Tips For Decongesting Your Skin:

1. Develop a regular yet simple skincare routine – Here at Ayumi, we have a whole range dedicated to purifying the skin and eliminating congestion! Try our Neem Range – start out with a cleanser, a scrub and a toner (but don’t forget to replenish your pores afterwards with a cream).
2. Scrub Scrub Scrub (but not too much) – A great way of buffing away any dead skin cells or residual dirt is by using a face scrub. Try our Neem Face Scrub, and apply it three times a week after your daily cleanse.
3. Don’t sleep in your makeup – Of course, by now we’re pretty much all aware that leaving our foundation on for too long is not great for the skin; however, a great way to remove excess eye makeup and foundation, whilst not stripping the skin is to use the Ayumi Coconut Oil to melt away not only dirt and makeup but also pollution.
4. Go beneath the surface – products containing salicylic acid such as our Neem Toner are fantastic at a clearing under the skin’s congestion and controlling sebum production.
5. No Scratching - The habit of touching the face can do more damage than good. Picking and scratching clogged pores or acne can make it worse by increasing the chances of infection. It may be tempting to do it, but it doesn't help, leave your face alone.

2 Things To Avoid When You Have Congested Skin

Stay Away From Comedogenic Skincare Products: More often than not, these products have a tendency to clog your pores and lead to acne. Say no to makeup and skincare products that contain mineral oil, lanolin, skin-stripping S.D. (specially denatured) alcohol, and artificial colours.

Avoid Processed Foods: These contain refined sugars and can also cause acne. In essence, eating processed foods will increase your blood sugar levels, because, they have a high content of sugar, leading to hormonal changes that start the domino effect on your skin only getting worse.