a combo girlies clear skin routine - patience/consistency is key!
USA, East Coast
Humid/Mild
skin: combo, oily T-zone + dry/acne prone cheeks. hormonal/cystic acne on cheeks. forehead breaks out if oil not dealt with.
disclaimer: what works for me might not work for you. please see a derm. and/or study your skin type/how it reacts to products for best results.
in the AM, clean with cold water first. "cleansing" toner can be swapped with micellar water in a pinch. heavier moisturizer during dry/cold season. aim for oil-free moistrizer to reduce oil production (there are some exceptions)! in PM, oil cleanser used BEFORE reg. foaming cleanser if sunscreeen and/or makeup. not sure why skinsort wont let me change the order :')
exfoliation + sunscreen a MUST for dark spots! exfoliation in general just helps with so much. just make sure NOT to overdo it and damage skin barrier. (i have done this.)
NOTE: differin + bp + BHA aren't always used together - on need basis. my skin is tough and mostly used to it, but abusing all three WILL dry out skin. my rule is differin OR BHA, but ALWAYS bp! pay attention to skin needs.
if using all three or skin showing signs of dehydration, slugging with aquaphor after PM moisturizer prevents dryness + redness!
Morning Routine 🌻
6 steps
Step 1 - Toner
new addition, always swapping toners to see when one will click with me. used via cotton pad after splashing with cold water, then a bit more patted on from hands.
Step 2 - Essence
a main stay for skin texture, skin healing, and protecting barrier. my skin drinks this stuff up. make sure to use immediately after toner as it needs some moisture to work best.
Step 3 - Facial Treatment
always used in hormonal acne spots, only a dime sized amount
Step 4 - General Moisturizer
Step 5 - Sunscreen
Step 6 - Body Lotion
for lips. big jar because i am the true aquaphor lover
Evening Routine 🌙
9 steps
Step 1 - Face Cleanser
my favorite of all cleansers i've tried. good for very basic cleansing / as a follow up to my cleansing oil! leaves skin feeling smooth
Step 2 - Face Cleanser
Step 3 - Toner
recent switch from Paula's Choice to Peach Slices due to cost. no side effects thus far! working quite well. in general BHA takes some patience for results.
Step 4 - Toner
Step 5 - Essence
Step 6 - Serum
acne prevention as recommended by my derm. used on same spots with BP as an EPIDUO dupe. i purged horribly for a few months but the pain is worth it - skin is much clearer now!
Step 7 - Facial Treatment
wait for it to mostly dry before using gel cream - will sting a bit otherwise. should wait maybe 1-2 minutes. nothing bad but p uncomfortable
Step 8 - General Moisturizer
Step 9 - Body Lotion
for lips + slugging on face IF dehydration/dryness is noticed. can usually tell because my face stings after exfoliating/bp/differin. will help soothe face. not sure if it helps clear my skin but i've never had issues with it.