Nothing I do for my skin works!!!

[Anonymous]

I have been following the same skincare routine for two months, and have only noticed very minor changes in the concerns I have for my skin (acne, scars, hyperpigmentation, overall unevenness). 

In the morning I use:

CeraVe SA Renewal Cleanser

Thayer's Rose Facial Toner

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10%+Zinc 1%

CeraVe Vitamin C Serum

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension

Derma-E Mineral SPF 30

Benzoyl Peroxide for Spot Treatment 

Trader Joe's Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer and then top it off with a few drops of the Ordinary Rosehip Seed Oil

At night:

CeraVe SA Renewal

Thayer's 

Niacinamide 

Differin Gel

CeraVe night time moisture

Rosehip Seed oil

I also take Zinc and fish oil supplements every day to benefit my skin, and I get a regular consistent 7-9 hours of sleep at night.

At this point I'm so bothered because I've invested significant time and energy into my skincare and while I have seen some minor changes, I still struggle with acne on my forehead, small bumps on my forehead, and horrible dark spots on my cheeks.

I'm 19, and very healthy overall. I can't help but feel like maybe I'm doing too much?

HELP!!! I'm desperate it makes me so self conscious 😞

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Anonymous In taking a quick look at your skincare list, it looks like a couple items might not be ideal.  For example, the Thayer's may be irritating your skin; witch hazel can be an irritant, and the rose fragrance can be working against your best interests.  

Also, if you are looking for SA (aka BHA), the best way to use it would be as a topical treatment.  In a cleanser, it doesn't stay on your skin long enough to do much help.

The CeraVe Vitamin C should have been a good product, but the inclusion of alcohol in it is unfortunate.

The Differin is a good choice, but I wonder if you'd benefit from the Rx strength rather than the OTC.

[KirstinBeans20]

Hey girl! So hormonal acne is unfortunately a thing that sticks around with us longer than our early teenage years so a lot of what your dealing with probably comes down to hormones. I would say keep it simple though! Although lots of skin care experts rave about how great some products like serums and peels are, I recommend keeping it simple! Using all of those products right now might just be too much for your skin 😞 Get a gentle cleanser, exfoliator (1-3x a week) and moisturizer, along with spot acne treatment and keep your sunscreen. Little other things that may affect your skin is not drinking enough water, sleeping on dirty pillowcases and consuming more sugar/ dairy products

When I was your age, I was introduced to the brand Arcona and swear by it! It was exactly what my skin needed! Arcona isn’t sold at Sephora (ulta just started carrying a few products or you could search their website) but some other brands that I’ve been told are similar would be Youth to the People and Tatcha 🙂