Please help! Need to figure out my routine!

[Anastasia18]

Hi there! Get ready for a longer post I'm so sorry I need a little help! 

So I wanna up my skin care but I dont know if im trying to introduce too many products. 

My skin type is combination, acne prone and quite sensitive. 

I wanted to introduce in order of how I would apply ONCE a day in PM ( please tell me if it's wrong) 

1) The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner 8 oz/ 240 mL 

2) The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum  

3) The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL 

I'm using the Cetaphil face cleanser and lotion as well.  I would cleanse then apply all the items listed above then the Cetaphil lotion? 

Please help.

Thank you and God Bless ♡

-Anastasia 

[WinglessOne]

Hi @Anastasia18 ! Yep, any of those can be used under your Cetaphil moisturizer. You’re on the right track with cautious introduction to your skin. Since your skin’s very sensitive, I have a few suggestions. 

Patch test those 3 The Ordinary products (one at a time) before trying them on your whole face. I usually patch test things on my wrist, inner arm, or very small are of my jaw. If your tests result in no irritation or bad reaction, you can move on to full face application, hooray! But... 

Don’t use all 3 products on the same night (at first). Pick just one of those products and trial it on your face for a few nights. Then pick a second product and add it to your routine. That way, if you end up with an unexpected reaction, you’ll have a fair idea of which new product caused it. I recommend starting with the niacinamide or rose hip oil, since both ingredients get along with most people’s skin. Normally I’d say use ‘em both in the same night right off the bat, but your sensitive skin might not appreciate that. Once you’ve successfully introduced both of them to your face, you can layer them on the same night. 

Restrict use of the glycolic acid toner to 1-3 times a week. I know TO calls it a daily toner, but it’s really a leave-on chemical exfoliant. Even if your skin wasn’t sensitive, daily use of 7% glycolic acid could break your skin barrier, causing excessive dryness, flaking, scaling, and angry red burning skin. You do not want to over-exfoliate. Consider trying this product last of the 3, and use it only once a week for a while. If you find it’s too strong, consider switching to a gentler exfoliant like The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 1 oz/ 30 mL , The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA 1 oz/ 30 mL , or The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Gentle Exfoliating Toner 3.4 oz/ 100 mL . 

And hey, don’t worry about long posts. Most of my BIC posts are even longer. 😂  I hope your updated skincare routine works well for you! 

[Anastasia18]

Thank you sooooo much for your response! You really helped me so much! I think Im going to start with TO niacinimide and the rosehip and see how that works out for my skin! 

I will use all the tips you gave me thanks again! 

God Bless 

- Anastasia 😊