My Current Acne Skincare Routine

I can recall being livid that I had a zit in the middle of my forehead the morning before homecoming in high school. I don’t know why I was so upset: it was easily hidden behind my ridiculous emo bangs and it was one of one. My skin was completely clear otherwise. I never even had to try back then. In fact, I would regularly fall asleep in my makeup or just run a Clearasil wipe over my face right before I passed out. It didn’t seem to matter what I ate, what I wore, or what I did… acne was never a problem.

Fast forward 10 years and I clearly need to repent for my sins. Now, at 29 years old, I have been dealing with adult acne for the better part of the last decade. I don’t DARE fall asleep in my make up these days or face the wrath of a cystic breakout. I routinely have to remind myself not to rest my chin in my hand and to thoroughly clean my sunglasses before setting them on my face. Trying new products is a game of Russian Roulette. But, about a month ago, I decided to do some research and start a skincare overhaul.

For about a year, I was on a prescribed topical Clindamycin Phosphate and Benzoyl Peroxide combined with an oral antibiotic. This did a decent job of keeping my acne under control, however, being on an antibiotic indefinitely is not a great idea. Long term it can cause bacterial antibiotic resistance, which means if I got sick and antibiotics were necessary to treat me, the illness may be completely resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotics can also cause yeast infections. So after a year, I decided it was time to give it a break.

Within a few weeks my skin was a wreck. Horribly painful cysts around my jaw line and cheeks started popping up and it was at the point where it was no longer even able to be covered with makeup. I was washing my face thoroughly every morning and every night, cleaning my makeup brushes and beauty blenders obsessively and it made absolutely no difference. So I went to work researching how different formulas and chemicals can effect the skin and developed my own personalized skincare routine using all over-the-counter products.

I really wasn’t sure that I was going to share my before picture, but when I saw the difference I knew I had to. deep breath okay… here goes. The first picture was taken on August 29th and the second one was taken on September 15th.

Obviously, I’ve still got a long way to go and next step will be working on the scarring. I’m hopeful that with consistency, the scars will start to fade, but I do intend on consulting with a professional to see what else can be done. Here is the routine and the products that got me to this point:

Makeup Remover Wipes

I wear a lot of makeup and I try to make sure the products I use are high quality, but regardless, they all have to come off at the end of the day. I’ve been liking these Grapefruit Facial Wipes for acne prone skin because they do a great job of getting it all off, including my mascara. They’re also pretty saturated, which I feel helps remove the makeup gently, without having to rub too hard.

Squalene Cleanser

Double cleansing is a must for people like me who have 1) sensitive, acne prone skin and 2) wear a lot of makeup. The first round of cleanser breaks down your makeup and removes dirt and oil. I chose a squalene cleanser for a couple reasons. First off, squalene is something we naturally have in our bodies, but we lose it as we age. Someone with oily skin, may have a lot more squalene than someone with dry skin. Even if you’re prone to oily skin, squalene can be beneficial because it’s a natural antibacterial and aids with anti-aging and moisturizing. I've been using The Ordinary’s Squalene Cleanser after removing my makeup and before my regular cleanser. It takes off whatever makeup the make up wipe may have missed and moisturizes at the same time.

Face Wash

This was the one product I didn’t change when I started. My dermatologist highly recommended Cetaphil’s line of skincare products because it is hypoallergenic and gentle enough for sensitive skin. I don’t love the original cleanser as it feels like it doesn’t get my skin as clean, but I do love the Extra Gentle Daily Scrub .

Toner

Confession: I’ve never used toner before. To be honest, I didn’t get it and until recently, I never took the time to research why it’s beneficial. Toner shrinks your pores, restores your skin’s pH balance (which cleansing can throw out of wack), and it can even remove chlorine or other minerals that can be found in your water. Cities have to add chlorine to their water in order to kill bacteria and prevent contamination (this is why you should get a water filter for your drinking water!). I started using The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution because it also has amino acids, aloe vera, ginseng, and tasmanian pepperberry. These all work together to exfoliate the skin and improve skin texture. However, because of the glycolic acid, it is recommended to only use it once a day, preferably at night. This is because glycolic acid can cause the skin to be very susceptible to sun damage0 so SPF is crucial (more on that later).

Since I can only use The Ordinary Toner in the PM, I set out researching a good AM toner. I was shocked when I realized I didn’t have to go any further than my pantry. Guys, my PM toner is good ole APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. ACV is a natural astringent and also has cleansing properties. It can lighten dark spots and discoloration and is a God-send for oily skin. Also, because it contains acetic acids, it kills bacteria. Rubbing straight Apple Cider Vinegar on your face is ill-advised and the smell is awful. On the first day I tried this, I had to ask one of my coworkers to smell me and she confirmed… yes girl, you smell like straight vinegar. After a little more research, I realized the ACV HAS to be diluted. My ACV Toner recipe is 2 Tbs. mixed into 8 oz of water. I keep it in a plastic container in my bathroom and just head to the kitchen whenever I need a refill. Toners can be expensive, but you can snag an entire 16 oz bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar for just $3!

Serums

The key to all these potions is to apply them in order of thinnest to thickest, with oils going on last. I use 3 serums at night and one in the morning. The first is The Ordinary’s Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA. Alpha arbutin helps to reduce the appearance of hyper-pigmentation and spots. I’m using this primarily to battle my acne scarring.

Next, is the holy grail: The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. This product has a cult-like following for it’s acne-clearing abilities. Niacinamide works to reduce the appearance of blemishes and helps to relieve the clogging of pores.

I finish it all off with The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. Retinol helps decrease the appearance of fine lines and general skin aging.

Eye Cream

While I was overhauling my skincare routine, I figured now was as good a time as any to start using an eye cream. I decided to try e.l.f’s Illuminating Eye Cream because it’s so cost effective and has great reviews. Eye cream is great for moisturizing your under eyes (mine tend to get super dry) and decrease the appearance to dark circles and puffiness.

Moisturizer

By now, we’ve all had it hammered into our heads that SPF is v v important. In the AM, I’ve been using Picture Perfect Day Moisturizer with SPF 15. It’s light enough to work well under my makeup and keeps my skin protected from the sun. Several of the products I use increase sun sensitivity, so this is an absolute must. At night, I use Clinique’s Moisture Surge. It’s a bit of a splurge, but it feels so good on your skin and the hyaluronic acid works to continue moisturizing for 72 hours after you use it, even after washing your face!

A few other products that have been instrumental have been helpful have been this 24 pack of wash cloths. I use a new one every time I wash my face and then just throw them in the wash and bleach them at the end of the week. Also, these cotton rounds are great for applying toner and removing under eye makeup.

Obviously, I’m not a doctor, nor am I a skincare expert. But I’ve noticed a visual difference in the texture and appearance of my skin over the past several weeks using this routine. Below, is a fun little graphic I made to help remember the order of operations (another thing I didn’t realize was so important.