Skin-type: Acne-Prone; combination
Skincare can be a tricky thing. What is too much and what is too little? What is overly abrasive and what is just too gentle, if there is a thing?! What makes things trickier? Skin-types. Depending on the kind of skin you have and what your skin concerns are you need to be using different products to tackle those skin concerns.
For me, it’s all about targeting my acne and making sure that my skin is not dry from the products I use. Over the years I believed that I needed to apply more products and powerful products so that all my acne can get sucked up and gone. But, that is NOT the case. Well, perhaps in small doses. As with anything when it comes to any kind of opinion-based site, I must let you know that I am not any sort of skincare expert and I do not have any kind of certificate or degree in fields dealing with the skin. BUT I am 27 years old and I have dealt with acne since I was about 19-20 years old (cystic acne) and I know a thing or two about treating acne and your skin (thank you acne!).
So, let’s get started! I am going to start off with PM first because depending on how I cleanse and treat my skin the night before determines the treatment and cleanse I will do in the AM.
PM:
1.) Remove makeup with a cleansing balm. I like to use either the Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing balm or the Banilla Co. US cleansing balm(s).
2.) Go in with gentle cleanser after rinsing makeup off using the cleansing balm. My gentle cleanser tends to be either Aveeno or CeraVe brands and I find the foaming formula works best for my sensitive skin.
3.) Toner. I apply the Ole Henriksen Dark Spot toner (blue bottle) to really penetrate my skin with powerful AHAs (lactic and glycolic acids) and witch hazel waters. The AHAs helps reduce fine lines, the appearances of blemishes and smoothes the skins texture! What a powerhouse. On nights I want to be a little more gentle I go in with witch hazel water from Thayers.
4.) Serums. To further target my skin’s problems, I like to go in after my toner with The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. This serum is affordable and packs the chemicals straight on. This serum helps reduce the appearance of large pores and congestion and balances the skin’s natural oil. I also sometimes use Sunday Riley’s Good Genes serum which is a lactic acid so it also contains powerful AHAs to help exfoliate the skin.
5.) Moisturizer. The last and final step is to moisturize and hydrate that skin! This is probably my favorite part of the routine, not only because it is the last but also because it feels the most satisfying! My skin feels plump, lush, and moisturized. There is no greater feeling. I use Dr. Jart Ceramidin cream and also (not pictured) the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream for the PM routine.
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AM:
1.) Cleanser. In the morning, depending on what I did the night before, I like to either wash my face with my CeraVe or Aveeno Foaming cleanser or tone my face with some witch hazel to awaken the skin.
2. – 4.) The rest of my AM routine is the same as my PM routine, with the only difference being the exclusion of the Ole Henriksen and Sunday Riley products.
5.) SPF. It is important to wear SPF whenever you go outside PERIOD. Acne-prone skin especially has to be protected with SPF. SPF protects the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and prevents the redness in the skin from getting darker. I find that using SPF 30+ will help protect the skin and combat premature aging and wrinkles, and best of all skin cancer!
I found sticking to a simple routine that has powerful, yet gentle non-irritating, ingredients really help combat new acne and fade the appearance of old acne marks. If you use any of the products mentioned and have seen results, let me know in the comments below!
