Facial imperfections: everything you need to know

The Causes of Acne

Acne stems from an imbalance in the functioning of the pilosebaceous follicle. It often begins with hyperkeratinization—that is, excessive production of dead skin cells that accumulate and block the follicle’s duct. Added to this is excessive sebum production driven by hormones and the sebaceous glands. The result: the follicle becomes blocked, preventing sebum from draining normally. The area then becomes conducive to bacterial proliferation, particularly of Cutibacterium acnes, a bacterium naturally present on the skin but which multiplies uncontrollably under these conditions. This proliferation ultimately triggers an inflammatory reaction from the immune system, responsible for the redness, swelling, and lesions characteristic of acne. In short, a vicious cycle…

Understanding the Impact of Hormones on Our Skin Breakouts

Our hormones are like invisible conductors for our bodies… and our skin is no exception. They regulate everything from sebum production to cell regeneration, and even small fluctuations can cause significant visible changes on the skin’s surface. Among them, androgens play a central role by stimulating sebum production and promoting breakouts, but other hormones—such as estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and thyroid hormones —can also influence the appearance of blemishes or skin sensitivity. These hormonal fluctuations explain why certain periods in our lives (puberty, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause, or intense stress) can change your skin, even if your routine seems well-established.

Recognizing hormonal acne

Hormonal acne has specific characteristics that distinguish it from other types of breakouts. It often appears on the lower face, jawline, and neck, unlike “classic” acne, which can affect the entire face or back. The pimples are usually inflamed, red, and sometimes painful, and appear cyclically—for example, a few days before menstruation or during hormonal fluctuations such as perimenopause.

Why do some skin types react more than others?

Not all skin types react the same way to hormonal fluctuations, and there are several reasons for this. Some skin types have more sensitive sebaceous glands, which produce more sebum in response to the same hormones, while others are naturally more prone to inflammation, which can turn a small excess of sebum or normal bacteria into a visible pimple. Genetics also play a role: if your relatives have had breakouts, you’re more likely to be prone to them. Added to this are external factors and lifestyle: stress, diet, pollution, and harsh products, which can heighten the skin’s reactivity. It is often the combination of these factors that explains why some people seem to have “hyper-reactive” skin while others appear to be spared.

Key moments in hormonal fluctuations

During puberty, androgen production skyrockets to facilitate sexual development. These hormones strongly stimulate the sebaceous glands, causing an overproduction of sebum. As a result, pores become clogged more easily, and the first pimples appear, often on the face, back, and chest.
During the menstrual cycle, a few days before menstruation, estrogen levels drop while androgen levels remain relatively high. This hormonal fluctuation stimulates sebum production and promotes the development of pimples, mainly on the lower face and jawline. The skin is also more sensitive, which can make it reactive.
During pregnancy, female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) fluctuate significantly. For some women, these changes improve skin condition by regulating sebum production, while for others, they can trigger acne breakouts or hyperpigmentation.
Birth control, or even stopping the pill, can affect hormonal acne. While combined birth control pills can stabilize hormones and reduce acne, progestin-only pills or stopping birth control can disrupt hormonal balance. The skin may then react with breakouts, especially if it is sensitive to androgens.
During perimenopause, estrogen levels gradually decline, disrupting the estrogen-to-androgen ratio. Androgens become relatively dominant, which can lead to increased sebum production and the appearance of acne even in adulthood. The skin also becomes thinner and more sensitive, making blemishes more visible and sometimes harder to treat.
Stress increases cortisol production, which indirectly stimulates androgens and promotes sebum production and inflammation. Sleep, diet, and exposure to pollution can also exacerbate or alleviate skin sensitivity.

Skin-clearing solutions that actually work

Skin imperfections are inflammations: they need gentle care

The redness of a pimple indicates inflammation. While treating it with an anti-blemish cream obviously helps it clear up faster, failing to soothe the skin slows down the tissue regeneration process. Not only does the skin feel uncomfortable, but the pimple also becomes more noticeable, and the risk of scarring is significantly higher.

The product we need: The Anti-Blemish Serumby Oh My Cream Skincare, a skin-perfecting treatment packed with purifying (niacinamide, zinc, salicylic acid) and soothing (aloe vera) active ingredients for clear, purified, and even-toned skin.

To target inflammation and speed up the healing of a pimple, we rely on the Targeted Anti-Blemish Treatment.

Using an astringent makeup remover every day is not a solution for breakouts.

This ties in with what we explained earlier: by trying to eliminate oil at all costs, you further destabilize your skin, which—in an effort to protect itself (after all, that’s sebum’s primary role)—will produce even more. To start, we recommend a thorough double cleanse to thoroughly remove all impurities without triggering excess sebum production. A first, rich, oil-based cleanser will act like a magnet to draw out deep-seated impurities, while the second, gel-based cleanser will complete the makeup removal and begin gently treating blemishes.

The double cleanse you need: TheMakeup Removing Oil and Cleansing GelOh My Cream Skincare, the essential duo for those prone to breakouts and shine

Stop being afraid of fat to treat imperfections

Often demonized, fats play a more-than-essential role in the proper functioning of our skin, even if we have combination or oily skin. Rather than rushing to astringent skin care products that eliminate excess sebum and, on the contrary, push the glands to produce more to defend themselves, applying a vegetable oil allows you to mimic your skin's own sebum. In this way, the sebaceous glands gradually reduce their production. Not all plant oils are equal when it comes to this problem. Some oils are more or less rich and/or comedogenic. The must-have? Jojoba oil, the closest in composition to our sebum.

The product for you: Sunday RileyU.F.O. Ultra Clarifying Treatment Face Oil, a dry-touch facial oil that clarifies the complexion, unclogs pores, fights blemishes and blackheads, and soothes the skin.

A simple foundation can make your imperfections worse.

Bad silicones, petrochemical-derived active ingredients (mineral oil, kerosene...) and even animal waxes such as lanolin, are the ingredients most commonly found in foundation, blush and concealer formulas. Highly comedogenic, applying them on a daily basis and wearing them all day can really throw off an already unbalanced skin.

The product you need: Mineral Powder SPF 20 Oh My Cream Skincare, a non-comedogenic powder foundation that evens out, conceals, and corrects with just a few strokes of Complexion Brush.

Restore the balance of your skin's microbiome before treatment

Cutibacterium acnes (formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes): this is THE bacterium responsible for breakouts—the one that, among the colony of bacteria that make up our skin flora, thrives on our excess sebum and proliferates. However, just like an unbalanced gut microbiome, it takes a long time for the skin to restore a “healthy” environment. When viewed from this perspective, it becomes clear why one of the wisest solutions is to give your skin a helping hand by providing it with good bacteria.

The product you need: The EssentialDijo, to replenish your supply of (good) bacteria and tackle inflammation at its source…

Cosmetics also have their limits

As you know, at Oh My Cream, we’re against “beauty bullshit”: we don’t believe in making you think that blemishes can be completely eliminated with a single miracle product. Cosmetics are great allies for reducing the severity of breakouts, but they can’t always prevent new blemishes from appearing. So, if the problem persists or gets worse despite a proper skincare routine, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your dermatologist, who can prescribe medication.

The anti-imperfection selection

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

Vendor

Product title

All you need to know about salicylic acid, the anti-imperfection active ingredient

Beauty

Why is SPF the best anti-ageing ally?

See all our articles

No results ''