I Tried To Stop Touching My Face for 2 Weeks to Prevent Breakouts—Here’s What Happened

Note : This is just me sharing my personal experience about why and how I tried to stop touching my face. If you also struggle with the “face-touching habit,” you’ll totally relate!

You know those times when you’re just sitting there, zoning out, and suddenly your fingers start poking at your nose like it owes you money? Yeah, that’s my life.

For me, it’s always been about my nose. Blackheads? Sure. Slightly broad nose? Yes (thanks, insecurity).

For some people, it’s their cheeks or forehead, and they keep poking or resting their hands there without thinking. It’s like we all have that one “favorite face spot” our hands can’t resist!

At some point, my hands took on the job of checking if anything had magically changed in my nose area. It turned into a comforting habit.

I didn’t even notice how often I was doing it until I tried to stop. And just so you know, it was not easy.

Why I decide to Stop Touching My face

So all of this began by having a casual thought one night while scrolling mindlessly and, surprise-surprise, picking at my nose for the umpteenth time.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and caught on. I literally couldn’t recall the last time I wasn’t touching my face.

Thinking? Hand on cheek. Studying? Chin on palm. Watching a show? Fingers right there, poking at bumps like I’m conducting skin research.

Touching your face might seem harmless at first but it is not good for your skin.

Every time your hands reach your cheeks, nose, or forehead, you’re transferring dirt, oil, and bacteria straight onto your skin.

That combo often clogs pores, leading to breakouts, irritation, or making oily skin feel even greasier.

You know what really gets me? I was nailing all the right steps—cleansing, slathering on sunscreen, even treating myself to a mask when I was feeling a bit extra.

“Dermatologists agree that constantly touching your face spreads dirt and oil, which can worsen breakouts. Cleveland Clinic explains why and how to stop it.

And I forget to mention I started using serum too as my skin feels little off and oily.

But my skin? Still acting up, still throwing tantrums. That’s when it dawned on me: maybe the problem is me. Or more accurately, my hands.

I casually mentioned to my sister that I was going to quit touching my face for two weeks, and she just rolled her eyes like, “Seriously? That’s your big plan?” .

Two Weeks – No Touching My Face.

But here we are, giving it a shot. So experiments begin. I decided I will stopped touching my face for atleast 2 weeks.

Honestly it was not about touching or face or having clear skin habits anymore for me it’s about self control too.

After I had dinner that night I was in my roomate language too much motivated as line quoted by my roomate. She always say I got too excited for things

So let the journey begins

Day 1 of My Stop touching my face Experiment

I approached this thinking—easy peasy, just don’t touch your face. Simple, right?
Wrong.

My hands? CHAOTIC. Like, they had a mission of their own and absolutely no interest in completing this challenge.

I only touch my skin during skincare like applying derma co serum And sunscreen.

Bam! Every few minutes, nose poked. Chin touched. Cheek scratched. I swear, they had no chill. And half the time, I didn’t even know I was doing it until it was done.

By the afternoon, I was literally sitting on my hands like, “You guys need a time-out.”

I began fidgeting with whatever was in reach—a pen, a scrunchie, the charger cable of my phone. In all honesty, Day 1 was like babysitting myself.

Day 3 of My Stop Touching My Face Experiment

Oh boy… this was way harder than the first two days! The first couple of days I was all excited, feeling like “yes, I’m totally nailing this challenge.” But by Day 3?

My motivation packed its bags and left me. I honestly thought about quitting. 😅 But then I reminded myself—it’s not just about clear skin, it’s also about testing my self-control.

My brain was saying “Come on, it’s just Day 3, you’ve got this!” but my hands? Nope, they had a mind of their own.

I literally had to sit on them at one point just to focus. 🙈

So at last I decided I will continue my little challenge of 14 days. Again Motivation hit me😜.

One Week Of Stop Touching My Face

This week in a brief I will describe as slight Process but much better awareness about me and my body in general.

Well, a week has passed, and yes, I still catch myself red-handed. However, a change has occurred. I’m more conscious.

I’ll say, “WAIT! Hands off!” in the middle of a poke and act as if it never happened. The true surprise, though? My skin appears to be a bit more relaxed.

I always tamper with that red, irate patch on my nose. Relaxed now. No fresh breakouts either. I’m seeing some signs, but it’s not quite a glow-up yet.

My sister actually gave me the Olympic medal look when I told her that I hadn’t touched my face in three days. Little victories, folks.

On the other hand my brother was like bro what are you even doing and i just didn’t want to explain him so i said just a little experiment on myself 😛.

Day 10 – Almost Done With My (stopped touching my face) experiment

Not gonna lie, I figured I’d be cured by now—but no. Day 10 slapped me in the face like a wake-up call.
I didn’t know the mental work that goes into not doing something. Like, not touching your face is a full-time job?

I’d be thinking deeply, and the next thing I knew—hand crawling up my face.
But skin renewal? Things are changing.

My nose continues to have blackheads, but not as much. That grainy texture I normally sense? Much smoother now.

And my forehead, which I touch way too often while reading, isn’t as shiny-red anymore

Still miss resting chin in hand, though. That pose was elite. And if you are doing this experiment like me you will miss too.

Day 14 – My 2 Week Result Of This Experiment

WE MADE IT.Two whole weeks of constantly telling myself, “Don’t touch! Stop! No!” and for the first time in forever, my nose feels really smooth.

I mean, I really haven’t had it before – never. Blackheads? Still sticking, but less in sight. Skin in general? Much less ‘angry’.

And the best thing is that I am not constantly touching my face anymore.

The desire is almost gone now. It feels weirdly liberating as if I have taken back my skin.

Also, my sister has just recognized my skin that she is not really surprised which, if you know her, is like a big applause.

Why Stop Touching My Face Experiment work

Here’s what I realized: our hands are lowkey traitors.No matter how clean your routine is.

If you’re constantly dragging whatever’s on your fingers (dirt, oil, stress) across your face… your skin’s not gonna be happy.

Once stopped all the poking, scratching, and face-fidgeting, my skin was like, “Thank you, now I can breathe.”Breakouts? Fewer. Redness? Less. Irritation? Practically gone.

I think my skin just needed space—and a break from my curious little fingers.

How I Stop Myself From Touching My Face

Here’s what made the entire affair possible:
Hands –

Busy – I began carrying around a scrunchie or pen with me everywhere. Twirling it, fidgeting, anything to keep my hands busy.

Mirror boundaries – No longer gazing up close searching for imperfections. I established a rule: mirror time is skincare time alone.

Phone hygiene – I started cleaning my phone screen more regularly. Not ideal, but better than smearing cheek dirt on it 24/7.

Messed up? – Laugh it off. I still messed up at times. But I didn’t go into freak-out mode. Just softly told myself, “You’re trying, and that’s enough.”

Quick side note: the reason I started thinking seriously about what my hands were doing to my skin was when I wrote about my experience with a facial wart. Touching it constantly definitely didn’t help. If you’re curious, I shared that story here.

Will I Keep My Hands Away From My Face In Future

Absolutely!

And yeah, is it easy? Not really, but is it absolutely worth every bit of effort? You bet it is.

I’m not going to lie and say I’ll never touch my face again—but I’ve definitely managed to break that old habit.

I’m much more mindful now, my skin feels so much happier, and honestly, it’s even given me a little boost of confidence.

So, if you find yourself constantly touching your face like I used to—whether you’re a chronic face-picker, always checking for blackheads, or just someone whose hands seem to have a mind of their own—give this a shot.

You don’t need any fancy products or a complicated routine. Just a bit of patience, some self-control (and maybe a fidget toy to keep those hands busy!), a reminder that your skin really deserves a break.

Let me know if you decide to try it out—I’ll be right there cheering you on (and trying my best to keep my hands to myself too!).

Special Note For My Readers

If you’re reading this and thinking, “There’s no way I can stop touching my face for two weeks,” I get it. I was exactly there too.

But trust me—if I can do it, you absolutely can. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about giving your skin (and yourself) a little kindness and space.

Even small wins count. Be patient, be gentle, and remember: every time you resist the urge, you’re taking one step closer to calmer, happier skin.

I’m cheering you on from here—hands off and proud! Thank you so much all to be a part of my journey. 💗