The inky list products

[rebeccamclane14]

Hello! 


I have been using the inky list for over a month now and I have found it great however It is making my skin dry and itchy now.
I really want to love this product as the price point is amazing, especially during these times. 


Please anyone else have this problem? Is my regime too harsh, change the products or go back to what I use to do( the regime was according to the Inky website ) 

Thank you!

[laurynshd]

i have combo skin that is also a bit sensitive. i’ve found that this routine keeps my face bright and mostly acne free without any tightness or dry skin. 

1. salicylic acid cleanser 

wash with a cleansing sponge using a quarter sized amount of product and rinse well.

2. hyaluronic acid 

apply a dime sized amount to damp skin and let dry

3. symbright moisturizer

apply a dime sized amount to skin after hyaluronic serum has dried completely

i also find that i can skip the moisturizer on hot nights to prevent excessive moisture on my skin. however during the day all three products are a must as my skin feels incredibly tight and dry if i forget to use the serum or moisturizer.

[WinglessOne]

Hi @rebeccamclane14 ! Which Inkey List products are you using? And if you’re using other brands’ products too, which ones? You could be overusing a product, or maybe your skin needs more hydration or a better moisturizer. Seeing your skincare routine will help shed light on that. 

Also, what’s your usual skin type/behavior?

[rebeccamclane14]

 starting in that order I suffer from acne and aging

[WinglessOne]

@rebeccamclane14  Quick BIC tip: be sure to @ the person you reply to so they'll get a notification. Otherwise they might never see your reply. 🙂 

A few more questions for you: 

Before you started using those product, was your skin typically oily? Or was it usually dry? Or maybe a combo? Or, did it seem not too dry or oily anywhere? 

Is that photo your night routine, or do you also use those products in the morning? 

How frequently do you use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner 8 oz/ 240 mL ? If you use it daily, stop doing that. You might be over-exfoliating your skin with that toner. Your skin's natural barrier is made up partly of dead skin cells. Removing too many of them via exfoliation will break your skin barrier, resulting in dry irritated skin. A broken barrier also leaves your skin wide open to acne-causing bacteria and increased UV damage. 

Also, I don't see a moisturizer or sunscreen in your photo. Do you use them? 

Meanwhile, consider these changes to your routine: 

Night: 

Spoiler

1. Cleanser (nightly) - The INKEY List Mini Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 
   
   
2. Acne treatment (STOP for now; add this step back to your routine in a few weeks) - If your skin barrier's broken, temporarily stop using exfoliants until the barrier's repaired. This could take up to 4 weeks. Once your skin's in better shape, you can restart BHA. I recommend using it just 1-3 times a week for a while, and then ramping up frequency if needed, just to make sure your skin tolerates BHA. 
   
   The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Exfoliating Blemish Solution 1 oz/ 30 mL seems to be best for oily, combo, and "normal"/balanced skin types. If your skin's typically dry, this product may worsen the dryness. The brand makes another BHA exfoliant, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution Pore Clearing Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL , that may be better for dry skin. I've never used either of these 2, so I can't personally verify that. On my mostly-dry combo skin, I use Paula's Choice BHA exfoliants instead. 
   
   
3. Hydration boost (as needed) - The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Hydrating Face Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL can be used however often you need. Always apply it to damp (but not soaking/dripping wet) skin. 
   
   
4. Moisturizer (nightly) - I don't see one in your photo. You could try The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer 1.7 oz/ 50 mL, or visit your local drugstore and grab a moisturizer by Vanicream, CeraVe, or Cetaphil. Some good effective moisturizers for damaged skin are Vanicream Moisturizing Cream, Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion, and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. 

Morning: 

Spoiler

1. Cleanser (as needed) - You might not need to wash your face each morning, especially if your skin barrier's broken. Overwashing can worsen dryness. Try skipping the AM wash at least a few days a week and see if that helps your skin. If you do need AM cleanser, your Inkey List one is probably okay. 
   
   
2. AHA exfoliation (STOP for now; add this step back to your routine in a few weeks) - Definitely don't use any AHA (like glycolic acid) on your skin until it's healed. Once that's happened, use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner 8 oz/ 240 mL ONLY 1-3 times a week, and never twice on the same day. I know The Ordinary claims you can use this toner daily, but it's easy to over-exfoliate with glycolic acid. I put this step in the AM routine, but you could do this at night instead if you want. Without knowing if layering AHA with BHA is too much for your skin to handle, I opted to split them so you'd use them at different times of day. 
   
   
3. Moisturizer (daily) - Your PM moisturizer should be fine. If you want to use that hyaluronic acid serum in the morning, that's fine too, as long as your skin tolerates such frequent use of that serum. 
   
   
4. Broad spectrum sunscreen (daily) - At least SPF 30, applied generously to ALL skin exposed to sunlight (eyelids, ears, behind ears, hairline, nape of neck if exposed, etc.), all year long, regardless of weather or season. It can be any type—chemical, mineral, or hybrid—as long as it's one you'll actually use. Sunscreen is especially important to protect damaged skin. And sunscreen's the best preventative anti-aging skincare product available: many "signs of aging" are caused by UV damage. 
   
   Don't rely on makeup that contains SPF to act as your sole source of UV protection: the amount of SPF foundation you'd have to apply for good protection would leave you with so thick and heavy a layer of makeup, you wouldn't be able to blend it out. Always apply a separate sunscreen under makeup. A good popular chemical sunscreen is Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ . I just tried Vanicream's new sunscreen (Vanicream Facial Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30) which is a mineral sunscreen, and I like it a lot. If you're in the US, check Target for Native Unscented Mineral Face Lotion SPF 30; that's another good one. There are plenty of other good options out there. 

[rebeccamclane14]

@WinglessOne 

I have moved to a strict Avene cream and face wash. No acids of any sort. I never needed a moisturizer as my skin is so oily I also find even with this even product makes my make up super cake like.  I have always suffered from large pores, acne and scaring and fine lines now so the Inky list was doing a great job before the flaking.