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How Does Bacteria On Your Hands Affect Acne?

2020 has well and truly been the year for KEEPING CLEAN. We’ve lost count of the amount of times we’ve been reminded to wash our hands, and rightly so. Did you know that there are roughly 1,500 bacteria living on each square centimetre of skin on your hands? Terrifying, right? 

Whilst the pandemic has taught us the importance of hand washing for staying safe, have you ever thought about how keeping your hands clean can help with clear skin? The average person touches their face 2000-3000 times EVERY DAY. Take a minute to think about that. Now, if your hands have millions of bacteria on them, imagine the impact that can have on your face.

We’re here to discuss the importance of keeping your hands clean in order to minimise your chances of a breakout. DISCLAIMER: Acne can be caused by a whole manner of things - hormones, medication, diet, stress. As current and former acne sufferers ourselves, we understand the frustration of sometimes not even knowing why your skin is reacting in this way. But, fear not, we’re here to give you some tips on how to keep bad bacteria away from your face and minimise any extra irritation for your beautiful skin.

1. Wash those hands.

Okay, an obvious one, but we cannot stress enough just how important it is to keep washing the bacteria from your hands. Never before have we given so much thought about what's on our hands- viruses, bacteria, the lot. Given what we know about face touching, it's essential we remember to keep those germs at bay, in order to minimise the chance of a break out. Many people are cautious about over-washing, in fear of developing the dreaded dry, flaky, hands caused by moisture stripping ingredients  found in ordinary soaps. So, it's a good job nuddy is no regular bar. Our soaps are made of Shea butter (read about its wonderful properties here) meaning they aim to keep your hands super nourished with not a flake in sight. Investing in a good soap bar is such a simple and key way to minimise breakout out causing bacteria and help you stay fresh faced.

Pink Grapefruit Moisturising Soap Bar - SHOP NOW.

2. Stop with the squeezing.

We’ve all been there. You have a spot creeping up on you and you tell yourself you’re not going to touch it. Hours pass and it’s staring you out every time you look in the mirror. You cave. The spot is squeezed, your skin is red and inflamed and you the guilt takes over. Don’t worry, you’re not the first and you certainly won’t be the last. However, one thing to remember is that all those germs that live on your hands are being given the chance to spread to broken skin on your face, which will only lead to further breakouts and irritated skin. 

If you *must* touch your skin, *please* wash your hands with soap and water before doing so. Using soap will effectively rid your hands of any bad bacteria (as proved by scientists). We recommend our moisturising Shea butter soap bars. Not only are they naturally antibacterial, their key ingredient is Shea butter which is known for its anti inflammatory and moisturising properties. This means that the chance of transmitting germs is minimised and the chances of worsening breakouts is reduced.

3. Wash your make-up brushes.

Another issue when it comes to bacteria and acne is the germs that become stored in all those fluffy makeup brushes of yours. Think about it, everyday you’re adding more product onto the brushes you used yesterday, before rubbing them allllllll over your face (which contains *wince* 1.5 TRILLION bacteria on it), and then leaving them to collect dust. It is suggested that you should wash your brushes at least once every week, if not every few days. Brushes collect, dead skin cells, dirt, oil and bacteria, including streptococcus and e coli. The thought of putting all those nasties onto our faces DAILY makes us shudder.

Don't worry though, we have the perfect solution. Not only do nuddy bars keep your hands free of germs, they are the perfect solution for keeping your makeup brushes squeaky clean. Just swish your brush around the soap for a few seconds, lather it up and give it a good rinse in some warm water. Guaranteed, you will be totally grossed out/fascinated by the colour of the water by the end of your washing spree. Check out our story highlights here for a step by step guide on how to get those beauty tools in tip top condition.

4. Digital dirt.

Lastly, let's talk phones. According to the Seattle Times, there are 25,127 bacteria per square inch on your phone. Now think of how many hours you spend texting, ringing and scrolling every day. GROSS. Whilst the likelihood of you choosing not to use your phone as much is unrealistic (the addiction is real for us too), we can remind you to keep your phone clean. Every day, take the time to switch off your phone, and give it a wipe down with some antibacterial product (make sure to pop the product onto the cloth, rather than directly onto your phone!). Use a microfibre cloth to give it a good rub down, remembering to get in and around that funky phone case. 

There you have it. Acne may be a challenge for many of us, but a few simple tips like these will hopefully help you reduce your chances of having a breakout. Now, off you go and get lathered up.

Check out our collection of moisturising and naturally anti bacterial soap bars below.