Please Help With My Skincare Routine!

[sehora]

I have been struggling with acne for about a year, so please correct my skincare routine

AM:

Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1.0

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Coola SPF 30 Mineral Face Matte Tint

PM:

Sephora Collection Triple Action Cleansing Water

Youth To The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Aztec Clay Mask (Only once a week)

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1.0

Tactupump (Prescribed by the doctor)

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Kate Somerville EradiKate

[AlexisApplejack]

First I would ditch the Clinique Clarifying Lotion and get a regular toner, I suggest the LANEIGE - Essential Power Skin Toner for Combination to Oily Skin.

Second I would only do the Ordinary Peeling Solution once or twice a week, over using it can cause more breakouts and dryness.

Lastly I would change moisturizers. FAB has a lot of essential oils in their products which can clog pores and sensitize the skin. I'd suggest BIOSSANCE - Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer.

Also look into getting a Clarisonic! I struggled with acne for a long time and getting a Clarisonic really changed my skin because it helps get a deeper cleanse so your skin is cleaner and your products can penetrate more deeply!

Hope this helps!

[LunaAndZara]

Im 31/f who struggles with hormonal acne and it took many different trial and errors with many products to find something that gave me the skin I wanted. I personally use the Proactiv system, the original 3-step system and follow that with their green tea moisturizer. Then for spf I use Aveeno positively radiant targeted cream dark spot corrector and spot treat as needed with Murad rapid relief acne spot treatment. At night I use the the same system but just steps one and two of the 3-step system and follow it with Murad advanced acne and wrinkle reducer, then Neutrogena bright boost illuminating serum. Spot treat as needed with Proactiv emergency blemish relief. Twice a week I use Proactiv skin purifying mask. Everything but the Murad advanced acne and wrinkle reducer is non-comenogenic, but it’s one of my fave products that I use. I read really good reviews and on it and it really helped. I’m also on a prescription sulfur face wash and oral medicine, Spironolactone. If nothing works and you’ve given your products a few months to work each time you switch up, then I recommend going to a dermatologist. Some acne, especially hormonal, is really hard to fix without some kind of oral medicine. The right birth control does wonders. I personally can’t take birth control because the side effects are too much so Spironolactone was perfect for me. You also have to give oral medicine a few months to work as well. It took about 4 to 5 months of upping my dose til I got to the right dose and things got better fast after that point. Everyone is different. What works for one or many might not work for you. It’s all about trying new things til you get the results of you want. Be patient and stick to it. It will happen if you do. I do lots of research on products before I try them. Non-comenogenic products are good for acne-prone skin because they aren’t as likely to clog pores. But also know, just because they are non-comenogenic does not mean they won’t make you break out or that they will work for you. They are just less likely to do those things. I hope this helped and maybe try some of these things and see how you like them. I don’t like to spend a lot of money for products so none of these things are too expensive. If you do go with Proactiv, going through them is cheapest. If you buy in store at Sephora or Ulta it will cost much more. Although I will say I have done it. 🙂 I become inpatient when it comes to my skin and getting results ASAP. Stay safe and good luck!

[LunaAndZara]

Just found out the Murad advanced acne and wrinkle reducer is non-comenogenic. So everything there in my first post is all non-comenogenic. 😍

[LunaAndZara]

And one more thing... I forgot to mention I use Neutrogena healthy skin eye cream. It’s a multi-vitamin treatment with alpha-hydroxyl acid. I have also use Neutrogena hydro- boost eye gel cream and that one is non-comenogenic.

[Anonymous]

How often are you using The Ordinary BHA peel?  It’s recommended to only use that once a week as it can be quite harsh to your skin, especially when using it with other products.  

[greeneyedgirl107]

@sehora I rec looking up your products on Beautypedia, and seeing how they stack up.  For example, Clinique's Clarifying Lotions are know for being problematic.  Here is the review for the 1.0:

Spoiler

Clinique's Clarifying Lotion 1.0 Twice a Day Exfoliator replaces its Mild Clarifying Lotion, and unfortunately the change is not an upgrade! Whereas Mild Clarifying Lotion earned our recommendation, the replacement is a lackluster formula at best.

This lotion is actually a fragrance-free liquid that's water-light. It's packaged in an opaque plastic bottle and is designed to be spread across the face with a cotton pad or fingers, like you would with a toner.

Its lightweight texture means it's easy to apply, and it boasts some good skin-replenishing ingredients like acetyl glucosamine and glucose. It also contains skin-plumping hyaluronic acid.

The reason it doesn't rate higher is twofold: First, witch hazel water is second on the ingredient list. While witch hazel water is diluted and as such isn't as problematic as pure witch hazel, it still contains some skin-constricting tannins and an amount of alcohol which can lead to skin irritation (particularly if you have sensitive skin).

The second issue here is that while this does contain the BHA exfoliant salicylic acid, the formula's pH of 4.42 is outside of the 3-4 range needed for exfoliation, and that's the whole point of this product! Clinique missed the mark here, so you'll be better off with one of the superior options on our list of Best BHA Exfoliant.

PROS:

• Formula is water-light and easy to apply.
• Contains skin-identical ingredients and plumping sodium hyaluronate.
• Fragrance free.

CONS:

• Contains witch hazel water, which has the potential to irritate skin.
• pH is too high for the salicylic acid to exfoliate.

And while FAB's Ultra Repair Cream has a strong following, I've avoided it due to the eucalyptus.  I own 4 of FAB's products, but not this one.  Here's the review:

Spoiler

Nothing about this product is ultra or intense and it contains only a minute amount of antioxidants, so it isn't boosting either. What it does have is a completely mundane formula of oatmeal, water, glycerin, and wax. That isn't terrible, but it certainly isn’t therapy for skin. The problem is that it contains eucalyptus, which is a skin irritant and, therefore, not good for any skin type. Plus, the 6 fl. oz. size is packaged in a jar, adding to this product's woes. (see More Info below for details on irritation, eucalyptus, and jar packaging).

Pros:

• Contains skin-soothing colloidal oatmeal.

Cons:

• Eucalyptus, even in small amounts, is a skin irritant, not a skin soother.
• Boring formula doesn't begin to approach what's best for sensitive skin.
• Jar package won't keep the teeny amount of antioxidants present stable.

More Info:

Eucalyptus contains fragrance ingredients known to irritate skin, especially skin with a compromised barrier (which is characteristic of those who struggle with sensitive skin). Eucalyptus oil is more cause for concern than the extract, but because First Aid Beauty doesn't list the form of the plant they used (and because of this product's scent) we're playing it safe and recommending that you avoid this moisturizer. Sensitive skin needs ingredients that rebuild and restore a healthy skin surface; irritants such as eucalyptus impair this process and potentially make sensitive skin more of a concern.

The fact that it’s packaged in a jar means the beneficial ingredients won't remain stable once it is opened. All plant extracts, vitamins, antioxidants, and other state-of-the-art ingredients break down in the presence of air, so once a jar is opened and lets the air in these important ingredients begin to deteriorate. Jars also are unsanitary because you’re dipping your fingers into them with each use, adding bacteria which further deteriorate the beneficial ingredients (Sources: Free Radical Biology and Medicine, September 2007, pages 818-829; Ageing Research Reviews, December 2007, pages 271-288; Dermatologic Therapy, September-October 2007, pages 314-321; International Journal of Pharmaceutics, June 12, 2005, pages 197-203; Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, January 2002, pages 1-32; International Society for Horticultural Science, www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=778_5; Beautypackaging.com, and www.beautypackaging.com/articles/2007/03/airless-packaging.php).

Good luck!  🙂

[Brutalitops]

@sehorahonestly your skincare routine looks great, the only thing I might do is talk to your doctor about getting a prescription retinoid/retinoin because outside that it looks like you already have salicylic acid and sulfer in your routine and those are really the big three as far as products you can buy to help go.

Outside that, I'd recommend maybe like exercise (esp yoga) or meditation maybe? I know my acne is hormonal and barely responds to products. Like product will make them go away faster and fade the scars, but it does nothing to stop them from coming. I've found reducing stress is the only thing that stops them from coming in. Yoga is my preferred method, and there are some pretty good (free!) videos on youtube or amazon prime if you have it. However, what works for me may not work for you- maybe art, music, dance, hanging with your pets, whatever- find something you can truly immerse yourself in, leave your phone/computer in another room, and do that for 30 straight minutes, 3x a week. once you start feeling calmer, you may start seeing the results you were looking for