does eating dairy actually make you break out?

As we gear up to eat lots and lots and lots (and then maybe some more) chocolate this weekend, we thought it would be a good idea to go through some truths surrounding whether or not eating dairy products actually negatively effect your skin. 

Better to know now then next Wednesday when you wake up with a new constellation of pimples on your cheeks and a fresh bout of dry skin livin' it's best life on your forehead, right? 

It's no secret that what you eat generally shows up on your face which is why it's always always always a good idea to eat clean and hydrate well, not just for your body and overall health but for your skin as well. 

While dairy products aren't necessarily unhealthy for you, they may cause you a whole lot of issues if eaten excessively and you could be left dealing with skin irritations, complexion problems and conditions such as redness and inflammation that, let's face it, you'd rather avoid. 

Now, we're by no means saying that if you eat diary on the daily then your skin will be crap for the rest of your life. Everybody's skin is different and that means that everyone will react a different way to whatever it is that you're eating, however it is a good thing to be mindful of what certain products may be doing to your skin (omg, another blog, another rhyme) and how best to avoid, or if that's not possible, how to minimise the effects. 

what is it about dairy that might make you break out? 

Dairy in itself is a difficult food product to digest (hands up if you're lactose intolerant) and a possible side effect of this difficulty can present itself in the form of acne. 

As a matter of fact, acne might walk up to your door a million times, invite themselves in and never leave despite you dropping as many hints as a person has jars of expired chutneys, sauces and jams hiding out in the back of the fridge. 

While there is still discussion surrounding whether there is a clear enough link between dairy products and skin issues, the hormone levels found in products such as milk may be a contributing factor for increased sebum production and thus the development of conditions such as acne and inflammation.

This means that if you find yourself already breaking out due to other factors such as the stress you feel knowing you have to deliver a massive presentation at work in a week's time or jus because it's that time of the month, dairy might make matters just a tad bit worse. 

so, if your skin does break out, how can you treat it?

an on the spot, spot treatment

If you are experiencing regular breakouts, one of the best things to do is invest in a good quality spot treatment that will actively target the source of irritation on your skin and eradicate it before you need to start cancelling your social plans due to that massive face crater currently residing on your chin. 

Make sure you do your research though and consult a healthcare professional before undertaking any major changes to your skin routine as there may be an easier way for you to clear up your skin. 

give the dairy products a rest for a little while 

If you're convinced that it's the dairy you're eating that's making you break the hell out, then put the milk down, step away from the butter and try not to overload your past with cheese (this is a hard one, we know). 

Unfortunately no amount of skin-saving products can actually make that much of a difference if you're still eating or doing the same thing that's making you break out in the first place. Groundbreaking. 

So try cutting out diary for at least 2 weeks and see how you go! 

hydration is always the key 

Honestly, does this one even surprise you? 

Making sure you're well hydrated is pretty much the answer to everything and clearing up your skin is no exception. 

The truth is, your skin might be dehydrated and you probably don't even know about it, and where there's dehydrated skin, inflammation, acne and redness usually follow. 

Don't know what the difference is between dry and dehydrated skin? Read our blog here.

Dehydrated skin can even make your acne appear redder and your inflammation look worse. We'll say no deal to that, thank you. 

To help combat this, load up on the water (at least 1.5 litres a day) and switch out those products that are perhaps a bit harsher and go for ones that are more hydrating, like our hemp blemish face oil serum. 

how can using vegan skincare products help you? 

A plant based diet is full of healthy vegetables and delicious fruits can help our insides, but did you know that embracing a vegan lifestyle (including using vegan products) can also help your outsides too? 

Before all of this modern medicine type stuff, humans used to live on natural remedies that saw them through a whole heap of ailments including certain skincare irritations.

We may have fast forward a couple of centuries but natural, vegan ingredients such as aloe vera (a personal favourite of ours), spices such as garlic, ginger and herbs such as mint and lavender can still do our skin wonders. 

Rich in a lot of necessary vitamins and essential fatty acids, vegan products are full of anti-inflammatory properties and often have less ingredients in them so there's less cause for your skin to become irritated. 

Having said that, just because a product is vegan doesn't automatically mean it's the best for your skin. As previously mentioned, everybody's skin is different and if irritation occurs, stop using it. 

Shop our vegan skincare range.