“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life – Endurance.” – Theodore Roosevelt.

At AOZ (acne.org.za), we believe in a purposeful approach to skincare. Since starting over a year ago, we have been a part of the acne-healing journeys of many brave men and women.

We have created a safe community where our clients have begun their unique acne-healing journeys by learning about their skin and which products work best for them! We never get bored of seeing our acne communities’ breakthroughs and freedom. So we want to share some of our acne community experiences and what they have learned to help you find your healing! 

Before sharing their findings, we want to drive home our belief about your uniqueness and value.

There is beauty in your acne healing journey, in discovering the depth of how unique your skin is. Figuring out how to handle your skin is an empowering feeling. It can remove your fear of acne and give you back control over your skin! That is our heart, our belief, and the backbone of why we do what we do.

1. The importance of taking care of your skin correctly.

Most South Africans have never learnt how to take care of their unique skin. Believe it or not, organised skincare routines are new to South Africa. That’s why AOZ has created a luxury skincare brand tailored for South African skin and the desire to educate you about your skin. 

Here are a few things you may need to learn:

• There are different skin types, and caring for your unique skin differs.
• Your skin has a unique makeup, be patient when learning about your skin has fast track your healing
• You have control over your acne. Your acne doesn’t have control over you!
• You need to create a space to pay attention to how your skin feels and base your skincare routine on that. For example, how tight or oily it feels.
• How your skin looks today is a product of how you treated your skin years ago. 
• Your acne-healing journey requires time, patience, and self-control.

2. Following skincare fads that lead to breakouts.

We have seen a consistent thread of falling for skincare fads instead of scientific evidence. Fads and quick fixes leave lasting damage on your skin. They cause fatigue and frustration as you buy many products but don’t see the results.

But what exactly is a fad? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a fad is “an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived; a craze.”

Let’s go back to Theodore Roosevelt’s quote, “Nothing in the world is worth having or doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life – Endurance.”

The simple truth is that fads come and go, but a consistent, well-thought-out skincare routine is what really creates enduring results. 

Dealing with your skin and figuring out why you have acne requires time and tried-and-tested products backed by science. Look at your current skincare regime: Where did you learn it, and is it working for you?

3. Not sticking to scientific ingredients that have worked throughout history.

At AOZ, we follow scientific dermatological studies that show which skincare ingredients have worked for people for years. Our products use the best, most researched ingredients that will really make a difference to your skin! We are a grounded company backed by science, not influenced by the next big thing.

We want to hold the space of being purposeful with our pursuit to heal your skin by testing our products on many people, leaning on what works and not what will make us famous. We want our products to do the talking!

4. Buying/ using multiple skincare products and don’t wait for them to work.

In our research, we’ve noticed that people purchase too many products that don’t align with acne healing or their particular skin type. They also switch between all these products without waiting long enough for them to work. 

At AOZ, we are different in how we sell our products. We have a 250ml bottle for all our products, encouraging you to use one product on your skin for at least three months to give it time to work. So you can see the results. 

5. Stop using a product before you reach your healing.

The saying, “Things get worse before they get better,” is especially true with skincare. Often, you may have lingering acne waiting to appear under your skin that our skincare products will bring to the surface. Using the correct skincare will assist with clearing all the underlying debris and oil. We firmly believe that if your skin doesn’t get worse before it gets better, you will keep falling into a slow cycle of acne.

Skincare has more to do with your future skin than your current skin, especially when it comes to dark spots, acne, and wrinkles. Remember this: what you do for your skin today will benefit your skin in the future!

6. Understanding skin barrier protection.

We have written an in-depth article about your skin barrier about understanding the importance of looking after it when dealing with acne. 

In short, your skin has two functions: to keep harmful elements away from your organs and to hold your body’s moisture and tissue. Your skin barrier is the outer skin layer known as the epidermis. It is what you can touch and feel. The epidermis protects your body from losing collagen, keratin, and water. It also houses hair follicles, sweat glands, fats, connective tissue, and cells. For something so thin, it protects a lot and should be taken care of well!

How do you look after it? Wear sunblock every day to start. We also suggest reading our previous article to understand its function and how it relates to your acne journey.

We are not writing this to create another space with another opinion. We believe in clarity of thought, research, and targeted acne skincare that produces lasting results. There is so much content that could lead to confusion, frustration, and scars. We want to be a safe space where we can learn to take care of your skin. 

Your skin is ever-changing and understanding what to do and what not to do is necessary for the rest of your life. Starting a skincare journey to get to know your skin, how it feels, and how it responds to products is essential. We are excited about your healing journey and trust that you will have clear skin over time. Just remember pimples are not the worst thing, they are a part of life, and more people face acne struggles than you may realise.