Help!! I have combo skin but cheeks are flaking so badly, what should I do/use?

[cwang104]

I have combo skin - super oily t-zone, and dry for the rest of face (mainly cheeks). My skin is sensitive, textured (maybe acne? not sure but pimples pop up often) and has a problem with redness. Before this new skincare routine, I would get SUPER oily in my t-zone area and so I tried to find something that would combat that in addition to my redness and texture. I bought the FAB facial cleanser, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% , and FAB Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer. After using these products for a week, my cheeks are starting to feel real irritated and DRY (t-zone is fine). I’ve never seen my cheeks this dry before! I didn’t think the moisturizer would’ve made my cheeks so dry because I saw some reviews say that it worked fine with their areas of dry skin. This also could be a combination of everything I used on my skin that caused my flakey cheeks. As a result, my redness and textured skin didn’t get better but probably worsened. Thus, I’m trying to find any skincare products that are good for combo, textured, and sensitive skin that’s prone to redness. My skin needs major help haha

[Yopants]

I highly recommend Origins Drink Up Intensive moisturizing mask. I usually put this on before I go to bed when my skin is dry and wash off in the morning. It has made an immediate difference for my skin and smells amazing as a bonus!

[cwang104]

Will look into it! Thanks! 😊

[meou]

@cwang104 I think you need to focus on hydration and repairing your skin barrier first and foremost and then try and tackle some of your other concerns. Personally I'd scale back your routine to just a cleanser, moisturizer and SPF and ditch ALL the other actives. The Niacinamide is a really high % in the ordinary (you really only need 2% for it to be effective) so it may be adding to the dryness. 

Krave Great Barrier Relief and Stratia Liquid Gold are both amazing at repairing your skin barrier and can be used as a moisturizer or layered under another moiusturizer on places you think are extra dry. I'd also swap out the FAB moisturizer you have for something thicker with more ceramides + centella (more great skin barrier fixing ingredients) Kate Somerville DeliKate™ Recovery Cream 1.7 oz/ 50 mL  and Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream are two great options for calming and soothing your skin but adding in some moisture and hydration.

Those ingredients should also help with the texture and redness too actually! Centella is great at calming redness, but do patch test in case you have an allergy to this. Once your skin has calmed down a bit I'd reassess where your skins at and if you want/add in any active ingredients.

Hope that helps a bit

[pocketvenus]

I agree with @meou, I would also focus on hydration and you may find your skin is overproducing oil as a response to dehydration. Remove anything that is stripping your skin of moisture.

I would try getting a sample of a hydrating essence like SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (Pitera Essence) 7.2 oz and see how that works out for you. Missha makes a more affordable dupe, Time Revolution which is HG status for me. There's an even cheaper one by COSRX but I've never tried it.

Definitely try a hydrating mask treatment as well. You can make your own with soothing ingredients like oatmeal, honey, there are tons of recipes online.

Ingredients you might want to look out for are squalene and ceramides.

[cwang104]

Will definitely look into those! Thanks so much for your help!

[cwang104]

Oh yea, do you have any sunscreen recommendations for the face?

[meou]

@cwang104  I'm currently using COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream and Purito Unscented Centella Sun Screen - both have been great and are really well received, I recommend both a lot lol. 

I have heard Supergoop is also great but I've never used them and I think its a bit more expensive. 

[cwang104]

This helped a lot - now I know where to start. Thanks!

[meou]

@cwang104 good luck! I hope your skin is back to a happy state soon ☺️ let me know how it goes.