skincare

[karymeee]

Hey guys I need some help and I need it fast!!!! okay so I am a 20 year old tan skin female who suffers from her occasional break outs and acne and recently I have developed TWO hyper pigmentation spots under my lower lip and those two spots are dry and flaky , I have never experienced anything like this and need help on what cleanser i should use! before deciding to change my face wash I was using the neutrogena all in one face wash for about 3 years but now my skin is dry around my mouth and oily on my forehead and nose and could really use some help. Ideally I want a cleanser that deals with my break outs while also dealing with my dry hyper pigmentation. Please and thank you!  

[RAWRitsRED]

Hi @karymeee!

I know it's tempting to want to use a product that does everything at once since it's cheaper and faster.  Instead of trying to find a cleanser that does everything, you can find multiple products that target one specific skin concern.  Sometimes, products that do everything all at once can irritate your skin which is not great in the long run and can even cause more skin problems as you age.

For your combination skin, try the Cetaphil cleansers.  They're nothing fancy but works well to get rid of oils and moisturize your skin.  I use the one for Normal to Oily skin, but they have one for all skin types.  You can look through their website for more products or find the cleansers at Target.

When moisturizing, you can use a light or gel cream on the oily parts of your face (or all over), and a heavier cream on the dry parts only.

For acne, look for products that have Retinol or Salicylic Acid in them.  I currently use a dermatologist prescribed Retinol cream that was only $5!  Another product I love is the Sunday Riley U.F.O. Salicylic Acid BHA Treatment Face Oil 1.18 oz/ 35 mL.

Retinoid products are also good for treating hyperpigmentation.

You mentioned you have tan skin.  Is that's your natural skin color, or because you go tanning/ use tanning products?  If you've been tanning or going out without sunscreen (no matter what your natural skin color is), that could be the cause of your hyperpigmentation.  Not sure if your Neutrogena face wash had any warnings about sun exposure but since it helps fight acne, I'd think sunscreen should be used.

The number 1 cause of hyperpigmentation is sun exposure.

Sunscreen is an absolute must, especially when using acne fighting products like retinol and salicylic acid among others!  Make sure your sunscreen has UV Protection since UV Rays are the most harmful.  Sunscreen without UV Protection is pretty much useless.

My holy grain sunscreen is the Kose Suncut Suncreen.  It's waterproof, has SPF 50+, UV Protection and PA++++!  Another popular one is the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ 1.7 oz/ 50 mL.