OILY AND ACNE PRONE

[Anonymous]

I have really bad cystic acne & I’m super oily. I want to get a good skin care routine going. Any suggestions for a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer? HELP!!!! 😩😩

[ProAmy]

Hi Mollieisme! 

Cystic acne combined with oily skin is certainly a challenge that can be a very frustrating journey. It really comes down to experimentation and finding the right combination. The recent suggestions are great to start with and I'll add my own as I used to also have the same concerns as you. 🙂

Step 1a: Cleanse

Use an oil based cleanser to remove ALL of your makeup EVERY day! I know this sounds counter productive, but I promise it will be great! My current one is the Makeup Breakup by Boscia. Use it on dry skin and massage it all over your face until everything is a big ol' grey mess! hahaha! Then use a steaming wet wash cloth to remove it all. it works because oil attracts oil and it will clear away any oil your skin produced throughout the day. Use mostly at night.

Tip: change your pillow case every other night, wash your face immediately in the shower after conditioning your hair and use a fresh, clean wash cloth EVERY day.

Step 1b: Cleanse/treat

Next, try a toner like the Ole Henriksen Balancing Force Oil Control Toner. It will give you an extra cleansing step that will begin to treat not only your oil concern, but also your breakout concerns. Use first thing in the morning and after you cleanse at night.

Step 2a: Daily Treament (one option)

Kate Somerville has a FANTASTIC Anti Bacteria Clearing Lotion that contains Benzoyl Peroxide. The reason that is significant is cystic acne is due to bacteria causing infection and inflammation deep beneath the surface of the skin and Benzoyl Peroxide is just the ingredient to get down there to treat it! You hear a lot about how great Salycilic Acid is for blemishes and how it cleans out the pores, but it doesn't quite reach where Benzoly Peroxide can go. A spot treatment with Salicylic Acid would be perfect for white heads and blemishes that are more on the surface of the skin. murad had a best seller called Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treament. Good stuff.

Step 2b: Weekly Treatment

To regulate your skin and reduce breakouts, I recommend a weekly treatment in the form of an exfoliating mask. Dr Deniss Gross Clarifying Collodial Sulfur Mask is ideal. The sulfur helps to clarify your skin on a pretty deep level and the clay will harden and help to exfoliate. Colloidal Oatmeal helps to sooth inflammation. Exfolation is key to remove the dead skin cell layer that could be trapping dirt, oil and bacteria in pores.

Step 3: Hydrate

I know, I know...when you're oily and breaking out the LAST thing you want to do is hydrate your skin. I TOTALLY get it! haha! But you DO need to hydrate to keep your skins pH level on point and your skin can only heal itself if it's properly hydrated with water. It's physics. Our skin produces oil to lock in water. So if we dont hydrate, our skin will OVER produce oil to lock in whatever water IS in there. I recommend a VERY lightweight, watery hydrator like Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel. A little bit goes a long way so only the size of a nickle will be good for your face and neck. Massage it completely in. This is important because the circulation will help your hydrator to penetrate more deeply and work better. 

I wish you the best!!! Again, these are all recommendations and it's up to you and your skin to try it out and see what works best for YOU! Stop in your local Sephora store to try them out in a mini facial! it's free! Just tell them Amy sent you 😉 hahaha! (it would be free anyway)

Let me know how they work for you!

[Anonymous]

Awwh Amy thank you so much I really appreciate all the tips!!!

[Carlylizabeth]

Mollie,

I recently went through an awful bout of cystic acne that was killing my self-esteem.  I've revamped my beauty routine in multiple ways.  First, I was perscribed spironolactone by my doctor after complaining about my acne post mirena placement.  I was only taking it as needed until my face blew up, now I've been taking it every day, which has helped dramaticly.  I also started going to see an esthetician, which was another step that saved my skin - I've seriously never seen my skin so smooth looking!  

At home, I start in the morning by washing my face with Bioderma sebium foaming gel, then follow up with bioderma micellar water (the green cap since it's for oily/combo skin), differin gel and Sunday Riley UFO mattifying water-gel toner.  At night I double cleanse with DHC cleansing oil, micellar water, and witch hazel for toning.  Finish it off the the Sunday Riley UFO oil (the value set is the way to go).  Once that has set I've been using the Murad retinol night cream. 

[KendallAlaine]

Hi mollieisme,

Acne is such a frustrating and disappointing thing to deal with, I feel for you.

Lately I have switched to Bioderma's Sebium H2O, since I have similar acne issues, and I there have been a noticeable improvement. This could be a good thing to start with or add in to your regimen since it works on cleaning out pores and regulates sebum overproduction which can cause severe acne.

I have also just started using Salicylic Acid from The Ordinary and it has pretty much gotten rid of all white heads that I usually get. I will be adding the Niacinamide & Zinc also by The Ordinary to hopefully reduce the remaining "bumps" and redness.

Also, the items I listed above are so much more affordable than some options out there.

Something similar might work for you as well, best of luck.

-Kendall

[reedca05]

Hello dear! Kate Somerville Eradikate Daily Foaming Cleanser (pink cleanser) has worked great for me after some trial and error. It took me a long time to figure out that I was overusing it so now I use it at night and a more gentle foaming cleanser for morning (Neogen Green Tea Foaming Cleanser). As far as toner, the only one I have tried is Son and Park Beauty Water, it is lasting me a very long time and I really like it! When it is gone I may try a new one though just to compare, maybe one from Herbivore. Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos glycolic night serum is fantastic!!! Expensive but fantastic. My favorite skincare product, however, is Biossance Vitamin C Rose oil. It has actually reduced my oiliness so now I’m more combination! It is basically the product that I will always have a backup of. All this to say - this is my routine after a year of trying to figure it what does and does not work for my skin. It’s a journey and you’ll figure it out!! I’m still trying to find a moisturizer that doesn’t break me out. So these are some suggestions that have helped me, but trial and error will be your best friend :). Sending good vibes your way ❤️

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your help I appreciate it!💛