What is your skincare routine?

[MarRister]

I know I've complained on the forum before about being annoyed by still having acne into my adulthood and not being able to seem to get rid of it. I think I have found a skincare routine that actually works for me, so thought I'd share in case anyone else can get anything out of it. But feel free to share your own, and varying levels of success with products. It is hard to do a one size fits all solution since acne does not always have the same causes, so while this may have worked for me that does not guarantee success for someone else. 

 

I didn't have bad adult acne, but I always had at a very minimum at least one breakout on the go (usually more), and it was still enough to make me self conscious about it. Now I notice my skin is a lot happier, and when I do get breakouts it directly correlates with when I've been lazy with my routine and not kept it up. I found a lot of the drug store products would be quite harsh and dry out my skin and never seemed to make any noticeable difference. So eventually did some research on some higher quality brands and landed on The Ordinary, very science focused and quite affordable compared to other brands. They are available at Sephora or their website has good shipping. 

 

My main routine:

 

1. Cleanser - The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser (CAD$21.70 - 150ml)
   • Lasts me quite a while, bought it back in May and am only running out now, though I do use another cleanser sometimes. It is gentle as it doesn't have soap and doesn't disrupt my skin's moisture barrier and is moisturizing, will also remove makeup. 
2. Toner - Bioderma Sebium Lotion (CAD$21.99 - 200ml)
   • Also lasts me quite a while, only product I use with 'traditional' acne fighting ingredients and is not from The Ordinary. It has a some salicylic acid in it, but find it to be gentle and helps cut down on oil. Just to note this one is scented, though it is fairly light. 
3. Serums - The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (CAD$12.80 - 60ml)
   • Hydrating and supposed to fight congestion, I think the zinc is helpful against some acne causing microorganisms, the niaminicide (vitamin B3) helps with skin appearance and inflammation. Though The Ordinary makes a specific note that this is not a acne treatment, I have found it does help. 
4. Moisturizer - The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA (CAD$11.50 - 100ml)
   • also has lasted me a long time, but sometimes I find this moisturizer to be a bit heavy so will sometimes swap out for a daily basic moisturizer like CeraVe if I am putting makeup on or it is a hot day. 

Others:

• I will also use another cleanser from NIOD (another company attached to The Ordinary that tends to be pricier), called Sanskrit Saponins (CAD$54.00 - 180ml - can get a smaller size for $30), this has lasted me for a long time as well (also bought back in May and still have a fair amount left), and they recommend to use every other day so that makes it last even longer. It is kind of smelly, so wouldn't recommend if sensitive to something like that, but it does seem to help congestion well and have felt it has been helpful overall. 
• I do have some other serums as well but I don't use them as consistently and don't think they have much acne impact. I have Buffet which has peptides, though I think they changed the formula on this one now, which more targets signs of aging. Also will occasionally use Pycnogel 5% which comes from a French pine tree and works to help antioxidants and fight dullness. Don't think I'll likely buy either again. 
• Also I sometimes use a vitamin C formula which is supposed to help with hyperpigmentation so can be good for acne scarring. This one is a bit more annoying because it doesn't like being used with niacinamide or chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid so have to alter when these are used, and it will start oxidizing once exposed to air so can lose effectiveness over time depending on the solution. 

 

Any who, that is all I have to share, that got long haha.

 

TL;DR In other words, I've been impressed with The Ordinary as a skin care company, and even without being marketed as acne fighting, has done way more for the appearance of my skin than any drug store acne product I've tried. 

 

[Starry Sky]

I am so happy to say that my acne has finally gotten worlds better this year. It's been pretty awful since I started testosterone back in 2018 and never got any better until now *knock on wood*. I thought I was just going to have to live with pizza face my whole life. It's still worse than my peers' and I always have something going on, but doesn't drive me nuts anymore. I'm not very hardcore about skincare, though. Just twice a day... and if I miss one of those, I will break out ;-; I've been using Bioré blue agave + baking soda for a couple years because it's been the one I've ever had any luck with so I've just stuck with it. Then I use a moisturizer with salicylic acid. Whatever is cheapest for that. 

 

I should probably do something again to help with the scaring I've gotten since the awful second puberty acne started. I'd rather not give up the salicylic acid, so do you know anything else to help with that besides vitamin C? I tried bio-oil for like a year straight once... Nothing. 

[Monke Jimmy]

I wash my face every other day and it's getting better as puberty is ending, but I should probably do better lol

[MarRister]

7 minutes ago, Starry Sky said:

I am so happy to say that my acne has finally gotten worlds better this year

🙌🥳

 

7 minutes ago, Starry Sky said:

I'd rather not give up the salicylic acid, so do you know anything else to help with that besides vitamin C? I tried bio-oil for like a year straight once... Nothing. 

You don't necessarily have to give it up, it would just have to be alternating, like use vitamin C in the morning without salicylic acid and then use it at night without vitamin C or something. I think it just makes the vitamin C less effective or can be a bit harsh so they don't recommend to use the two together (at least The Ordinary says not to use them together). Though I am realizing that they also say don't use niacinamide with salicylic acid.. yet I have that in my toner haha, so I am breaking the rules, but it hasn't seemed to harm me so far. 

 

I'm a little on the fence about Vitamin C myself anyways haha. I think salicylic acid over time will also help with scarring, but could go with something more aggressive like retinol, but it kind of scares me haha, I've never used it myself. Lots of people swear by it, but needs to be kind of worked up to I think as it can be a lot, and I think would likely replace the salicylic acid since it is a harsher exfoliant.

[MarRister]

6 minutes ago, Monke Ilahi said:

I wash my face every other day and it's getting better as puberty is ending, but I should probably do better lol

🤷‍♀️ Do whatever works for you. If it doesn't bother you much, then no reason to get sucked into thinking it should.

 

It has just always been something that has affected my own confidence.

[Starry Sky]

Ah, I was thinking maybe you were alternating for longer periods of time. I'll try using it in the morning then. I'm unsure if it'll help but it's worth a shot. Thanks! 

[Snao Cone]

Putting under a spoiler because it's not contributing to anything, and I definitely don't want product recommendations please.

 

Everything I try, no matter where I go or how much I spend, lasts only 3-6 months before regular breakouts start again, which has nearly institutionalized me. So instead of playing this sisyphean game I have more or less accepted that I will always be treated as inferior based on the quality of my skin, and shut out of most social opportunities because of it. I just wish it didn't physically hurt as much or as often as it does.

 

Life is cruel. A skin routine won't solve that.

[Sally]

2 hours ago, Snaolent Night said:

Putting under a spoiler because it's not contributing to anything, and I definitely don't want product recommendations please.

 

 

  Hide contents

Everything I try, no matter where I go or how much I spend, lasts only 3-6 months before regular breakouts start again, which has nearly institutionalized me. So instead of playing this sisyphean game I have more or less accepted that I will always be treated as inferior based on the quality of my skin, and shut out of most social opportunities because of it. I just wish it didn't physically hurt as much or as often as it does.

 

 

Life is cruel. A skin routine won't solve that.

 

 

😥😥

[Lilibulero]

Simple soap and water every morning.

[Lilibulero]

3 hours ago, Snaolent Night said:

Putting under a spoiler because it's not contributing to anything, and I definitely don't want product recommendations please.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Everything I try, no matter where I go or how much I spend, lasts only 3-6 months before regular breakouts start again, which has nearly institutionalized me. So instead of playing this sisyphean game I have more or less accepted that I will always be treated as inferior based on the quality of my skin, and shut out of most social opportunities because of it. I just wish it didn't physically hurt as much or as often as it does.

 

 

Life is cruel. A skin routine won't solve that.

 

 

Has the doctor not checked your hormones? ( That can't be counted as a product placement,so...)

[everywhere and nowhere]

No makeup, no serum, no cleanser (my skin is so extremely dry that I didn't have acne even as a teenager). Just the following:

• Moisturising creme (my skin is also so dry that oily creme doesn't pass through it) - currently I use Mediderm creme, especially for people with skin problems such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, proriasis. Available in huge plastic jars of 500 g!!!!!! Compare that to typical "cosmetic cremes" (Mediderm is bought in drugstores, not cosmetic stores) which are a bit like matryoshki, those Russian wooden dolls: a big box, a much smaller jar inside, and the jar usually has dishonestly thick glass, so very little creme fits inside. No more than 40% of the box volume, I would estimate. A jar of Mediderm can last about two years or even more.
• Ultra-moisturising creme for the hands. I really need to start using it more because... another example of how dry my skin is: when the heating season starts, air inside the apartment becomes so dry that skin on my hands - particularly on my thumbs next to the fingernails - just splits. Of course it hurts, and it goes on every year during the heating season.
• Allergy ointment - I have been using Alantan Plus, recently I switched to a version which is technically a creme, not a thick ointment. I think that I like it better because one tube lasts slightly longer.
• Vaseline - I use vaseline for my lips (instead of a protective lipstick) and I have another jar for the body - I use it sometimes when I have chafed skin somewhere.
• Moisturising foot creme - again, I need to use it more because the soles of my feet are in horrible condition from all the dryness. Cracked heels are a normal thing for me... It's just not easy to find a good creme. Ones with urea are supposedly the most moisturising, but I find that my skin itches a little from using this kind of creme. I also can't cover my feet with creme for the night, even if I wear socks to bed - I need to walk to have the creme soak into my skin, and when I use foot creme before going to bed, in the morning my feet are still slippery, which obviously poses a bit of a danger under the shower.
• Occasionally Sudocreme, an antibacterial creme for severely chafed skin. It has a pleasant, baby powder-like scent, but is very thick and hard to wash off my fingers - because of this, I apply it with cotton buds or these small pads of cotton wool used for removing makeup - I use zero makeup (I don't even have any cosmetics for that), but I use these cotton pads, however they are called, a lot. (For example, its not an extraordinary thing for me to injure myself when trimming my toenails - I have always had stiff joints and it's hard for me to bend my leg enough. A cotton pad with a length of plaster is just the right size for dressing a cut under the nail on the biggest toe.)

[Lysandre, the Star-Crossed]

I just use moisturizing body wash, gentler soaps, and very basic lotions. My biggest issue is that I get a lot of skin cysts and my skin tone is uneven, but honestly the texture is pretty decent to the point where most people don't mind.

[Broken Doll]

deleted

 

 

[Snao Cone]

5 hours ago, Lilibulero said:

Has the doctor not checked your hormones? ( That can't be counted as a product placement,so...)

I haven't brought this up with my doctor as an isolated problem, because of a history of getting written off when I bring up stigmatized problems. I take BC to help with some of it; it was about 3x worse in my early 20s before I started that. But just like skincare products, it fails to do what it does for every other person, because I'm not worthy of relief.

[Lilibulero]

Chew the ears off your doctor @Snaolent Night. You're entitled to treatment for something that's affecting your life. Your blood chemistry will give all the answers, honest.

( Coming from someone whose back is scarred by acne).

[Artemis42]

All I really do is use a face wipe and moisturizer every morning. I still get minor breakouts often because of masks though, which is annoying.

[Captain_Tass]

I sometimes wash my face, I guess.

 

But soon I think I'll have to do a bit more cause I have eczema (the majority of it is on my arms but there's a little bit on my face too) and I'll be seeking treatment for it.

[Tetus]

My skin produces oils in incredible quantities. Any kind of product I’ve ever tried on my skin makes me feel even oilier and more disgusting, so I avoid them. my skincare routine, such as it is, is to shower in the morning so that the layer of grease my foul corpse exudes doesn’t build up too much.

 

 

[Dreamfyre]

I have dry skin. Never went through a bad acne or pizza face stage in my teens. Never really suffered with acne until I went to America ate food and broke out in 12 places at once lol.

 

Day:

If I have pimples I'll use a medicated bead face wash.

 

+Cleanse (Garnier)

+Tone ( Alcohol free one from Neutrogena because alcohol is the enemy of dry skin)

+Inkeylist's Bakuchiol or CeraVe's Vitamin C moisturiser

Sunscreen - (I use Canmake, Aveeno and La Roche Posay)

 

Night:

Wash face with African Black Soap (when I have pimples)

 

Cleanse - I use the brand Simple

Tone - Also from Simple

 

(I use The Ordinary's AHA BHA peel sometimes after. Only once a week)

 

(Moisturize if I am using adapalene, tretinoin or Lactic acid because it can sting and you gotta build tolerance my skin has the tolerance level. Plus they clash with a lot of other serums. I don't use these often.)

 

If I am not using a retinoid that night. I will apply an HA serum + Niacinamide + a wine serum from Fourth Ray Beauty. Then either a face milk from Fourth Ray Beauty, rosehip oil or marula oil from The Ordinary. 

 

Eye cream comes next. I forget the exact name but it's from CeraVe. Then a face night cream.

 

Face mask - The sheet kind to lock in everything. I have an assortment of Korean brands.

 

I also apply these to my neck as well.

 

[MarRister]

5 hours ago, Dreamfyre said:

Never really suffered with acne until I went to America ate food and broke out in 12 places at once lol.

That's interesting. My coworkers who went down to the states, two to California, and one to Denver and Austin, and they all came back complaining about their skin breaking out a bunch and blamed it on eating out there. Not sure if pollution may have an impact too, and the different weather from here. It is quite dry where I am from, so likely the change in humidity made it worse. 

[Astrea]

9 hours ago, everywhere and nowhere said:

• Moisturising foot creme - again, I need to use it more because the soles of my feet are in horrible condition from all the dryness. Cracked heels are a normal thing for me... It's just not easy to find a good creme. Ones with urea are supposedly the most moisturising, but I find that my skin itches a little from using this kind of creme. I also can't cover my feet with creme for the night, even if I wear socks to bed - I need to walk to have the creme soak into my skin, and when I use foot creme before going to bed, in the morning my feet are still slippery, which obviously poses a bit of a danger under the shower.

Have you tried seeing a podiatrist? I don't know if that could help you but I used to have terrible cracked heels too (that freaking hurts) and cream wouldn't penetrate at all or do anything. I've tried a ton of different stuff which were supposed to help with that to no avail (I did the 'ton of cream under socks for the night thing a lot ^^'). I ended up going to see a podiatrist  who just cut off the callus and dry skin with a razor blade until there was no cracks anymore. Then I put cream every night, which penetrated a lot better. It's been over a year and I've been going back to see her every 6 months since then to maintain the result. I haven't had any cracked heels since. 

[MarRister]

14 hours ago, Dreamfyre said:

rosehip oil or marula oil from The Ordinary. 

I don't think I know marula oil, but was somewhat interested in the rosehip oil. Do you find them to be effective? 

[Dreamfyre]

2 hours ago, MarRister said:

I don't think I know marula oil, but was somewhat interested in the rosehip oil. Do you find them to be effective? 

Yep I find it effective. It's very hydrating on my skin and I have dry skin.

 

As for what you said earlier about the food. I was shocked because it was after I got stuff to cook from the grocery. I'd more expect fast food to cause breakouts.

[Guest]

I, uh, can't keep a routine no matter what. I have tried. it just doesn't work. my wonky sleep schedule is a big part of that.

but I wash my face every other day... usually. like, after I shower, which is why only every other day... and try to exfoliate once a week. I have multiple face cleansers... I used to double cleanse using an oil cleanser first but found my t-zone was extra oily after doing that, so I stopped. I use a chemical exfoliator. gel. Esfolio brand, previously had Elizavecca's. I've got a lot of tiny bumps on my face... I should just talk to a dermatologist tbh, but that's easier said than done. if I could keep a routine it'd probably be less bad too tho. blah!

[everywhere and nowhere]

17 hours ago, Astrea said:

Have you tried seeing a podiatrist? I don't know if that could help you but I used to have terrible cracked heels too (that freaking hurts) and cream wouldn't penetrate at all or do anything. I've tried a ton of different stuff which were supposed to help with that to no avail (I did the 'ton of cream under socks for the night thing a lot ^^'). I ended up going to see a podiatrist  who just cut off the callus and dry skin with a razor blade until there was no cracks anymore. Then I put cream every night, which penetrated a lot better. It's been over a year and I've been going back to see her every 6 months since then to maintain the result. I haven't had any cracked heels since. 

Sure, there's even a podiatrist very close to my home, literally just two minutes away counting from my apartment door. But having a pedicure there costs a lot... It only helps for some time. At least from time to time I cut of the callus with a razor myself. It's sure not as well done as by a professional, but it helps at least a bit.

[Libellule]

I struggled a lot with acne as a teenager and most of it has cleared up by now after spending a fortune on different skincare products. I've been using MaryKay products for the past few years and found that they helped me so I've stuck with them. Although I don't particularly like the fact that it's an MLM 😕 Right now I use their charcoal mask once a week to cleanse my face and the gel mask about twice a week over night. Other than that, I just apply moisturiser every day (don't have a go-to brand for that) and I always try to make sure to fully remove my make-up and wash my face properly every night. I say I try because sometimes I'm lazy 🙃

 

I feel like my skin was better when I lived in the UK 3-4 years ago. Might have been because I was close to the coast and the air just felt quite different there. 

[Luftschlosseule]

I recently tried out vitamin c and I love it, I am very, very pale and in the last few years my skin has started to experiment with hyperpigmentation which is very, very noticeable on me.

 

- cleansing
- vitamin c gel
- moisturiser, at daytime with in-build sunscreen

all from the drugstore because that's what I can afford. and face masks when I am in the mood.

 

I don't want to ping anyone who might not want to be pinged, but I developed a food intolerancy and had to do some research. If you have a health problem, and even if it may only be the skin, it might be worth checking out if it might be food related. I am fructose intolerant and it messed up my whole body because I didn't know and kept consuming it, because I love chocolate and everybody tells you to eat fruit to stay healthy.

Turns out you can get everything later in life, not only allergies.

[Captain_Tass]

Yo so I decided to actually find a skincare routine! I don't know if my skin likes it any, but my 'tism sure does, and my ADHD doesn't mind it one bit, and it makes me feel good, so I do it!

 

I have combination-oily skin (thanks a lot dad), and I almost typed it as "combination pizza hut and taco bell" because my train of thought is off the rails

 

MORNING

 

Cleansing - I use water first and then a micellar gel, I think I wanna try a face soap at some point, but the gel serves me pretty well for now!

 

COUP DE RESISTANCE - A killer hydrating-mattifying antioxidant oil control gel with some vitamins and stuff like that for my skin type from the hesperides series by a Greek brand called fresh line, I love the damn thing, it feels and smells so nice! And its bottle is pretty too, its one and only downside is that the cap isn't too secure and goes bye bye when I travel, but no biggie, there's no loss of product and the cap can't go too far!

 

Spoiler

 

Here she is, in all her glory! The bottle's all glass

 

Sunscreen - A carroten 30 SPF one, I got it because it was tinted, I have another that my dermatologist recommended, but it's semi-lost (I think it might be on the other side of the country), and I can't remember what it was called...

 

Plus every Sunday I use an apivita peach scrub for mild exfoliation, it smells so nice!

 

I will try a BB cream tomorrow cause I was bugging my mum about whether or not I should buy one, and she lent me one unopened tube she bought for herself and didn't use to try out. I'm curious to see how that goes, as I know that a CC cream is better for my skintype, but these are nonexistent or really expensive here, and my hesperides gel does the same job minus the SPF, so we'll see!

 

NIGHT

 

Just cleansing! Should I try a night cream, or is it better to let the skin breathe? I'm not particularly interested in anti aging specifically.

 

And I brush my teeth daily, something my 'tism made me avoid before. Don't get me wrong, I did brush before going out, but sometimes I'd stay inside for days at a time and could find no motivation. My night skincare routine sorta forces me to brush my teeth too, because it feels incomplete to not do so. Maybe I should get a toothpaste with a more fun flavor to get me excited to brush my teeth instead of to just power through the process? Lol

[KVA1983]

I'm a dermatologist by career so 😂 but:

 

Morning

 

I use olive and rose soap-free beauty bar which I made because I've Rosacea it helps keep the flushed redness down without clogging the pores.

 

Then follow up with my own beauty oil consisting of blue lotus flower extract and Abyssinian Oil.

 

Then attend to bodycare as I've a condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), also called Acne Inversus so normally a non-comedgenic, soap-free zinc wash all over in the shower.

 

Night

 

Just olive and rose soap-free beauty bar followed by some Hyaluronic Acid serum. 

[Sarah-Sylvia]

6 minutes ago, KVA1983 said:

I'm a dermatologist by career so 😂 but:

 

Morning

 

I use olive and rose soap-free beauty bar which I made because I've Rosacea it helps keep the flushed redness down without clogging the pores.

 

Then follow up with my own beauty oil consisting of blue lotus flower extract and Abyssinian Oil.

 

Then attend to bodycare as I've a condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), also called Acne Inversus so normally a non-comedgenic, soap-free zinc wash all over in the shower.

 

Night

 

Just olive and rose soap-free beauty bar followed by some Hyaluronic Acid serum. 

What's a soap-free bar?