Want clear skin, but everything you try costs you an arm and a leg, then only to works for a short period of time? Does the media, your parents, your friends, the Internet all keep telling you what you should be doing to get clear skin?

Instead of looking at what you should be doing, perhaps you should consider the flip side – what is it that you are doing that you shouldn't be?

In order to get clear skin, you must NEVER do the following:

1. Never buy an acne product based on someone else's recommendation.

If acne was a one-size-fits-all kind of affliction, then there would be no need for more than one method to treat it.

Acne is caused by a hormonal imbalance within you. "You" being the keyword here. Everybody's different.

If all you had to do was eat the same food as the girl-with-the-perfect-skin eats, then it would be an open and shut case. Unfortunately life isn't like that. She might not have acne for any number of reasons – you can never pinpoint which one.

You need to find a treatment that works for you. Sound impossible? Don't worry, it's easier than you think. But in order to get there, you must first stop listening to all the hype. What worked for other people may not work for you. Trust me - it will save you loads of frustration.

2. Never wash your face the way your parents told you to when you were little.

Remember the cute little washcloth that you could wear like a glove? Your parents said to, "make sure to scrub your face all over" with it.

That's all fine...unless you want clear skin.

This one's a quick fix:

a) Never use a washcloth when washing your face. It is too abrasive and can cause you to get even more acne. Use your fingers.

b) Never scrub your face. Clean it gently. Washing harder only stimulates your pores to make more sebum, which creates more acne. A gentle wash cleans better than a hard scrub.

3. Never give up!

Acne is not something that you must accept as part of life – it can be cured. If you keep your hopes up and keep moving forward, you will find the treatment that works for you.

It's when you lose faith and give up that your acne does the most damage, both emotionally and physically.

Follow your acne regime instructions properly and don't miss treatments. Sometimes not giving up on your diligence is all it takes.

Avoid the three common pitfalls above and you're one step closer to getting that perfectly clear skin.