Help me start my skincare journey!

[Cfountainee]

I was hoping to get some advice on where to even start! I have admittedly never used skincare products and have no routine. I do suffer from acne and my skin tends to be pretty oily. There are so many recommendations I'm not even sure where to start but I want a routine that will be "easy" for a total beginner but something that also works for day and night as an everday routine to get my skin to glow. I also don't wear makeup of any kind so don't need anything for makeup removal! Please help 🤯

[quspork]

@txcatx has given you some great info to get started, @Cfountainee. I just wanted to chime in with some more specific options and recommendations that have worked well for my oily, acne-prone skin. I'd definitely recommend starting slowly and getting a good base routine set before getting too complicated. Get your gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen in place and then you can add in treatments to really tackle specific skin issues. As far as treatments, I'd definitely consider a vitamin C if you want even tone and a nice glow. BHA is a good place to start in treating acne. And you may want to consider adding either a hydrating toner or serum or even an occasional clay mask to help control the oil. But back to the basics, here are a few product recs:

cleansers- 

philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser 

First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 

fresh Soy Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser 

Youth To The People Superfood Gentle Antioxidant Refillable Cleanser 

moisturizers- 

belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb 

Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra Moisturizing Sorbet 1.3 oz/ 40 mL 

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 

CosRx Oil-Free Moisturizing Sorbet

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Emulsion

sunscreens- 

MDSolarSciences Mineral Creme 50

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ 

COOLA Mineral Sun Silk Crème SPF 30 1.5 oz/ 44 mL 

BHA- 

SEPHORA COLLECTION Clarifying Peel Pads 60 Pads 

Paula's Choice BHA

CosRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

[txcatx]

Hi, @Cfountainee ! I think just a little more info would be helpful--what's your age or general age range? For instance, a teenager has different needs than someone in their 30s. 

I will say that I think sunscreen or a moisturizer with sunscreen is important for your morning routine. 

[Cfountainee]

I am 24. Theres just so many brands and with me being totally new I dont really know how to weed out the ones that aren't necessarily the best!

[txcatx]

@Cfountainee Oh, the number of options can definitely be overwhelming. However, I have to say that it might take some trial and error to find the best products for your skin. I always like to take advantage of all the promo codes offered at Sephora and Ulta to get some free skincare products to try. And I definitely subscribed to beauty boxes (Ipsy, Birchbox, Allure) for years to get different products to check out.

Anyway, if you're looking for glowing skin, I've always found that vitamin C serums are great. I personally love OLEHENRIKSEN Truth Serum Hydrating Vitamin C Serum 1.0 oz/ 30 mL and have been using it for years, but you can find vitamin C serums from different brands at all price points. 

A light moisturizer and sunscreen are must-haves. I get prescription acne treatments from my dermatologist, but she recommends a morning routine of cleanser (I like First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 8 oz/ 240 mL ), acne treatment, vitamin C serum, and then moisturizer with sunscreen in it or a separate moisturizer and sunscreen  (I use Cerave moisturizer with sunscreen from the drugstore based on her recommendation).

I hope someone else can chime in with acne treatment and oily skin recommendations for you, but for my combination skin, my night routine at minimum includes cleanser, prescription retinoid for acne and anti-aging benefits, and an extra moisturizing product (because the retinoid dries out my skin) like Drunk Elephant F-Balm™ Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask 1.69 oz/ 50 mL  or REN Clean Skincare Evercalm™ Overnight Recovery Balm 1.02 oz/ 30 mL

Last but not least, it's never too early to start using an eye cream! This definitely depends on your specific needs--dark circles, puffiness (or in my case, I have the opposite problem where my undereye area gets dry and sinks in), etc. Unfortunately, my favorite eye cream seems to have been discontinued, so I don't have recommendations at the moment.

[Cfountainee]

@txcatx Sorry, forgot to tag you back here!