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Post in Skincare Aware
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Skin care

I just went off birth control and I’ve noticed my skin starting to break out a lot more I’ve been struggling to find a skin care routine for years Niaciminide and salicylic acid make it worse. I just need a good cleanser/ routine  

Re: Skin care

I also get hormonal acne and the Fresh Soy face cleanser helps to manage this quite well!!! Would highly recommend 😊🫶

Re: Skin care

@nijksproul  Since hormones play a big role in acne, it's not surprising you've experienced more acne since going off birth control; it was probably helping control your acne. Have you talked with a dermatologist or primary care doctor about your acne? That's a good way to get personalized help for your particular skin. 

 

Some ingredients that target acne-causing bacteria or speed up the skin cell turnover/growth cycle can cause temporary "purging" (sudden appearance of more acne); I always think of it as the ingredient(s) evicting crud from my pores. 

Spoiler
Adapalene and retinoic acid/tretinoin are infamous for this. Salicylic acid might also cause some purging, which could be why it seems to make your skin break out more. 

That happened to me the first time I tried azelaic acid. After whining about it to my dermatologist (I was, um, not a happy camper), he convinced me to give it another chance and stick with it because a purge shouldn't last longer than a month or so. He was right. Azelaic acid remains a staple of my skincare routine for hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and acne. 

What's your current skincare routine, from cleanser to sunscreen? Also, what's your skin type/behavior (aside from acne-prone)? 

 

You can find good gentle cleansers at your local drugstore or (if you're in the US) Target. Look for a CeraVe, Vanicream, or Cetaphil cleanser. I have mostly dry combo skin and use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar on my face and body in the shower each night. I've also used CeraVe's new Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser. A good and even simpler cleanser is Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. 

 

Ditto for effective moisturizers: those 3 brands I mentioned make good ones. My daily AM moisturizer is Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. At night, I use Paula's Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer 2 oz/ 60 mL because it plays nice with my nightly retinaldehyde cream that contains oil. Paula's Choice makes several other moisturizers, and cleansers, worth considering. I sometimes use their creamy non-lathering Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser in the morning. 

 

There are so many sunscreens on the market, and choosing a good one depends heavily on your personal preferences. Do you already use a sunscreen each day your skin's exposed to sunlight, all year long, regardless of weather or season? UV rays can worsen acne, which is one of many reasons sunscreen's important. 

Re: Skin care

@nijksproul Have you looked into First Aid Beauty or Skinfix?  Both make fragrance-free skincare that tends to be on the gentle side.

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