I GAVE UP COFFEE & IT CLEARED MY ACNE

20 Feb I GAVE UP COFFEE & IT CLEARED MY ACNE

Who would have thought that coffee could be the solution for clearing pimples, acne, and breakouts? Astringents, creams, pills, you name it—I’ve tried them all. But no matter how consistent I was with my facial hygiene routine, the pimples continued to come. In fact, over the past 11 months my breakouts have intensified, giving me flashbacks of my teenage years. On a last glimmer of hope, before dragging myself back to the dermatologist, I switched up my diet, gave up coffee, and the results were shocking!

How bad was my skin?

In my younger twenties, I didn’t have many skin problems. I would occasionally get a bump or two around “that time of the month” or if I didn’t wash my face before bed. But, it was never a serious. However, in 2017 I would constantly experience full-fledged breakouts predominantly on my forehead. My forehead became a place I despised. A few months ago, I discovered that Mario Badescu products helped my acne a lot. On my good days, my skin was really really good. But on those bad days, my bumps were so irritated that I could not even swipe on powder to cover up my hyper-pigmentation. It was that painful. Now, thanks to removing coffee from my diet, I don’t have many flare ups at all.

How did I discover coffee was the problem?

My friend recommended that I take a look at one of those acne maps because they reveal internal bodily problems that may be linked to bad skin. The map shows that the forehead area signals digestion problems. Studies show that the digestive system can have trouble doing its duties when you’ve drunk too much, don’t sleep enough, have a bacterial infection, or eat too much sugary or fatty foods. Once I heard about the sugar, I automatically knew what the problem was.

What type of coffee did I drink?

I (used to) drink coffee every day of the work week and often during the weekend as well. I started a new job this year, which has a gorgeous office that includes an in-office kitchen equipped with a coffee/espresso machine. To get through the day, I would self-medicate with one to two cups of coffee. On the hectic days, I’d add an espresso to the mix. I’m not a person who is coffee-addicted, rather coffee-dependent; it gives me the energy my sleep didn’t. In addition, I’m not the type of girl who enjoys the taste of black coffee (blegh). I like my coffee to taste like a milkshake, which means that 60% is flavored creamer, 10% sugar, 10% sweetener, and 20% coffee. Don’t judge me! Add it all up, and you have a recipe for forehead disaster. I also own a Keurig, btw.

How has my skin changed?

My first day of going coffee-free was on January 25, 2018. Within a week, I saw results. The flare ups I had on my forehead and eyebrows were slowly going down and new ones weren’t coming. Thank God! By the end of the second week, most bumps were small. My third week felt like heaven. I had a clear face and my only issue became my hyper-pigmentation. It’s easy to hide dark spots with foundation and concealer. This week, I have a couple of bumps on my face, but I attribute it to my “time of the month” looming. In the future, I plan to minimize my intake of dairy as well. Cheesecake, cream cheese, and yogurt are my indulgences, but I think they are messing up my skin as well.

What’s a good coffee alternative?

I’ve been substituting my coffee requirement with green tea. It gets the job done, but doesn’t fill me with the energy I would normally get from a nice cup of coffee (*milkshake). One of my Instagram followers recommended I try Match tea which is a “better” version of green tea. It’s also claimed to have a better caffeine high, according to Eric Gower of Breakaway Matcha. I’ll keep you updated once I buy some.

Do you have a story you’d like to share about how you clear your adult acne? Feel free to comment it down below!