Needing a new skin care routine

[MadisenMayden]

I’m trying to figure out what I should use for my skin care routine. I have very sensitive ( as in I breakout very easily ) oily combination skin. I’ve tried Drunk Elephant, I’ve cut out all makeup, I tried using only “clean” products, I bought a Clarisonic, and I just feel like I’m spending all of this time and money (3 years now) and getting no where. I wanted to see what products y’all would recommend for my skin type.

[Krystal68163]

Hi MadisenMayden! I personally have very sensitive skin as well. I have gone through years of using products that leave make my face break out. I find that the Tata Harper Clarifying Cleanser works best for my skin. It is very light on my skin, does not make me break out, plus it is clean. It really helps stop breakouts, and it leaves my skin feeling refreshed and clean! It is a little more on the pricey side but it does last a long time. I use mine every morning and it usually last me about 6-8 months! I have also used the neutropenia face toner after using the face wash just to help keep my skin at the same P.H balance which also help. I hope this helps you!

[lustylips]

Yikes! I would try to write down all the products you have tried and see if there are any over lapping ingredients that you have issues with! You will have to test these products alone to get the best results. It’s super annoying but once you figure out what ingredients to avoid you’ll never have to worry again! Or go to naturalpath and see if they can do an allergy or sensitivity test.

[mitchiedi]

What products are you currently using for your skincare regimen? And what are your skincare concerns? Just acne? It’s hard to recommend specific products as we’re all different but I can state some general tips I’ve learned along the way. MY skin type: Oily/dehydrated & acne prone 1) NO PHYSICAL scrubs & exfoliants (Chemical exfoliants ONLY). No facial brushes either...hands are sufficient especially if you follow the next rule below. 2) The “60 SECOND RULE” <—- This for me was a gamechanger. Basically wash your face for 60 seconds am/pm. I promise you’llstart to see some improvements. My acne now heals faster, mytexture has decreased dramatically & my skin feels like a baby’s bottom. We don’t wash our faces long enough. Really spend those 60 secs gently massaging your face & neck. Bonus: it’s super relaxing before bedtime. 3) DOUBLE CLEANSE: I don’t think you need to cut off makeup completely; just make sure you really cleanse your face at the end of the night. I personally oil cleanse for 60 secs for makeup removal & then a regular gentle cleanser for 60 secs for tradition cleansing purposes. 4) ACNE TREATMENTS: You probably know this but for treatment of acne, you’re going to need one or more of these somewhere in your routine: BHA (aka. Salicylic acid), Benzoyl Peroxide, retinoid. These are just a few examples. Also, these come in many forms (facial cleanser,gels,moisturizers, toners, etc) it’s just your preference. Personally to keep my acne at bay (amongother things)I’m currently using Paula’s Choice 2% BHA every other day & Differin Gel nightly. The Differin tooka VERY long time before it started working. Seriously, now almost a year in I see its full potential & it has done wonders for me. Retinoids can just take a long time. 5) MOISTURE & HYDRATION: Make sure you are keepingyour facehydrated & moisturized. If your face is adequately moisturized,the less oil you produce, less clogged pores, less acne. Hyaluronic acid is a fave of mine forhydration. Make sure you’ve got a good moisturizer& if you want, finish it off or mix in a nice facial oil! One of my fave moisturizers is the Belif moisturizing bomb! And currently loving Kiehlsmidnight recovery concentrate for a pm facial oil! 6) SUNSCREEN. EVERYDAY for the rest of your life. SPF broadspectrum 30+ 7)Try to FOLLOW some LICENSED ESTHETICIANS on SOCIAL MEDIA. They give great product recommendations & skincare tips of course! 😎 LISTEN TO YOUR FACE: At one point I was over exfoliating& made my skin extremely sensitive & dehydrated. I stopped using acids for a bit to just let my skin heal & then I started incorporating them slowly. You might not need a lot of products. Right now in the pm, I use a moisturizing toner, a serum, Differin & then moisturizer + facial oil. In the am, I use moisturizing toner, bha (every other day), serum, moisturizer + Spf. I also mask once in a while when I’m not being lazy! Hopefully these tips were at least a little bit helpful

[mara312]

i have the same issues. im getting on a better skincare routine & drinking even more water. The Ordinary has cool serums that have been helping i use free and clear detergent on anything that gets on my face sheets, blankets and pillow cases. Diary products are hard to stop but i notice less breakouts when not eating it for awhile.

[sockmagnet]

It sounds like maybe your skin doesn't like Marula oil... honestly, rather than spending a fortune on high end brands, I would recommend trying different things at a cheaper price point from The Ordinary to try to get a handle on what your skin will and won't tolerate. 

Sensitive skin tends to be somewhat individual. For example, many people with sensitive skin need to steer clear of alcohol and silicones but other people will have to be more careful of more natural ingredients. It might help to visit a dermatologist - if you do I would recommend taking all of the products that you have been using with you - to get some  advice specific to your skin.

[naturalooks15]

@MadisenMayden  When you tried drunk elephant did you use other brands with it or just the DE products? DE generally works very well. Also note that not all clean products are free of skin irritants. Some have silicones and still listed as clean but it can cause breakouts. If you list your current products or your stock, we might be able to better help you.

[wendybogil]

I've found that a lot of drunk elephant products contain coconut which tends to break me out and could be the case for OP. Another issue could be overdoing it. I would try a non-foaming cleanser and simple moisturizer. 

[MadisenMayden]

I cleanse with Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser 5.41 oz/ 160 mL
I tone with  Herbivore Jasmine Green Tea Oil Control Toner 4 oz/ 120 mL

I moisturize with GLOW RECIPE - Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer 

I use these two serums DIOR - Capture Youth Plump Filler Age-Delay Plumping SerumDRUNK ELEPHANT - C-Firma™ Day Serum

I use these masks Herbivore Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask 2 oz/ 60 mL FARMACY - HONEYMOON GLOW AHA Resurfacing Night Serum with Hydrating Honey + Gentle Flower Acids GLOW RECIPE - Watermelon Glow Sleeping MaskGLOW RECIPE - Avocado Melt Sleeping MaskFRESH - Umbrian Clay Pore Purifying Face Mask

I used to cleanse with the Drunk Elephant Pekee Bar and that didn't seem to break me out, just seemed a bit drying.

[MadisenMayden]

When I used Drunk Elephant I only used their products... I used the following:

DRUNK ELEPHANT - C-Firma™ Day Serum

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid 1.69 oz/ 50 mL

Drunk Elephant Pekee™ Cleansing Bar 4 oz/ 120 g

Drunk Elephant JuJu Exfoliating Bar 4 oz/ 120 g

DRUNK ELEPHANT - T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL

[blondebyrdie]

are you allergic to anything? I know I breakout if it has a certain ingredient or if I am eating too much sugar or dairy. I would go to the dermatologist, because there could be another reason for the breakouts, and it probably would be cheaper than getting all new products. Good luck I know breakouts are the worse!