Pat that

So I have made many posts on here before detailing my own epic struggle with acne and tbh it's not easy to find (safe) products that actually do anything to keep the pesky boils at bay. Salicylic acid can be more irritating than a Real Housewives omnibus. Benzoyl peroxide became mysteriously and suspciously unavailable a few years ago. And Roaccutane...well. If inflammatory bowel conditions are your thing, it comes highly recommended. 

But personally I no longer wanted to take the risk of using these toxic chemicals for what is, after all, only a matter of vanity. Tea tree oil might be the safest option but I ended up abandoning it again because it is so itchy and only seems to make things worse. Anyway, time for my tip. It's 100% guarenteed safe and non-irritating as long as you do it correctly. It's basically free, it's supah easy, it's fricking everywhere. 

It's toilet paper. 

Don't scoff, this really works. I know it doesn't sound all that glam like Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly unicorn rainbow dust facial. But just try this for the next week. 

When you get up in the morning, take one unused sheet of Andrex's finest and gently dab away all the oily parts of your face. I know I always look like I've been rubbing bacon grease on my cheeks when I get up,and it's really refreshing to see my skin turn matte as if by magic. Next, wash and moisterise as normal, or whatever you do. Take another sheet of toilet paper and remove the oil again if needs be, then apply your makeup. Wait a few minutes and if it looks shiny already, gently press with a new sheet of paper again. You are now ready to leave the house. Or, in my case, turn on Jeremy Kyle. 

The oil may not show through for a few hours now but by afternoon it probably will. From this point on I pretty much blot my face every time I take a bathroom break. It's extremely easy and convenient to use a sheet of toilette papier after I've washed my hands and it instantly makes my makeup look perfect again. As the day goes on it does start to remove a bit of my foundation but it's perfectly easy to touch it up with it being so matte and clean. I continue blotting this way throughout the day and evening, right up until bedtime when I do it again before I remove my makeup. 

This is one habit that has completely changed the way my skin behaves and looks. My pores aren't exploding, I don't have massive new pimples every day - just the occasional small one - and my face feels much less heavy without all that disgusting grease on it. The simple act of removing the oil makes pores appear instantly smaller, and apparently the sooner you begin doing this, the better your skin will behave as you age and pores get naturally larger. 

If you are posh and toilet paper is a bit non-U in your world, then try a more ladylike tissue paper or even the proper blotting sheets. I like blotting sheets too - the Kleenex ones are the dream - it's just that when you excrete as much oil as I do, it would take about ten packets a week to do the job properly. They probably do a better job of getting rid of the oil but it seems to be a much more effective technique the more frequently you do it. So that's what is so good about toilet paper: it's there for you to use every time you take a time out and it won't cost you a penny. 

My laughter lines always looks extra bad when my skin is at its oiliest and removing the oil really hepls to make them look less pronounced. The only thing I would say is that you must be sure to press very gently with the tissue paper because it can make the skin a bit sore. You don't need to press hard at all; just pat very lightly. Please give it a try and your skin will start to look better within just a few days.