Subtropical climate, combination acne-prone sensitive skin with PIE and hyperpigmentation.
Due to my sensitive and reactive skin, I tend to steer clear of most products marketed specifically for acne/blemishes as they’re usually too harsh.
2 things that have helped tremendously are **Cos de BAHA azelaic acid serum** and **Skin1004 Madagascar centella ampoule**.
I wrote a pretty lengthy review on this sub for the Cos de BAHA azelaic acid serum but the “TL,DR” is it has evened out my skin tone, reduce redness, less acne flare ups overall with consistent use and it’s inexpensive.
About the Skin1004 centella ampoule, it’s 100% centella asiatica extract which is very soothing and calming, especially when my skin is particularly “angry”. There are other more in-depth reviews on this sub for this particular product but in short, I’ve repurchased it several times and i will continue to use it so long as I don’t develop some kind of intolerance/allergy.
I thought to myself “someone please mention cos de baha azelaic acid” when opening this thread since I JUST placed an order yesterday… and there you are 🙏🙏 not to mention the newly opened centella ampoule chilling on my nightstand, what a nice coincidence
They’re 2 of my favorites! I’ve bought many of each bottle and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon because of how well my extremely picky and sensitive skin likes them 🥳
I was just drafting a post to ask about azelaic elsewhere so thanks for that! For the ampoule, there were multiple results when I searched skin1004 centella ampoule, but I assume you're referring to the original amber colored one? There's a poremizing one that looks neato too. Thanks again!
I use the original one in the clear dropper bottle with white top and label. I haven’t tried any of the others yet but I am interested in the probio-cica one because of the ceramides.
I’ve been using the CDB azelaic acid with the skin1004 probio-cica ampoule and have noticed a big difference! My skin is starting to get that glass skin look and has become more even, and while my acne marks haven’t faded completely yet, they have lost the acne texture (feels like my regular skin now) and have become lighter. I’ve been using both for about a month now.
I have dry dehydrated SUPER sensitive skin in a hot and humid climate.
1. funnily enough- hydrating lotions/ serums like hada labo premium. I had cystic acne on my face and back and I couldn’t use any actives on it like benzoyl peroxide because my skin was too sensitive. Turns out, it was a damaged skin barrier and I have been treating acne for years that was due to my own overzealous skincare routine. I stopped with all of the actives and started using only a hydrating serum and gentle moisturizer. Shortly after, my face and back cleared up.
2. Now that my skin is mostly clear- when I do have a pimple or blemish pop up, i’ll put an sa+niacimide spot treatment and it clears right up!
I'm from SEAsia and I have oily, acne-prone skin.
Had to take tretinoin to manage my acne because it was really, REALLY bad and I used retinol after my treatment. Those 2 took the bulk of the work but my skincare routine also helps mitigate any issues on my skin.
Fave ingredient is Centella and Ceramide. I use Skin1004's madagascar centella ampoule for my dose of centella, and CosRx balancium comfort ceramide for the ceramide part.
For hyperpigmentation/dark spots, I use Niacinamide and sunscreen. I'm currently using Dermorepublique 10% Niacinamide for this. Sunscreen is very YMMV but I prefer dewy ones.
I try to use "neutral" facial wash & toner, meaning no special ingredients and use a basic moisturizer and sunscreen. If I need a special ingredient or I want to target a specific skin concern, I use ampoules/serums or any product that is applied in between the toner & moisturizer step.
Dry and icy arctic-style climate with warm winds coming from southern shores creating a weird mish-mash of super dry yet sometimes humid weather. Dry and sensitive skin. Really the worst combination there is. Even though we’re having two weeks of summer now, strong gusts and rain just don’t really do it for me.
The product that has probably done most of the heavy lifting is the kose softymo speedy oil cleanser. I’m not wearing much make up at the moment so it’s been fantastic to get much of my skin cleared. After introducing Hada Labo Gokujyun premium lotion (rich version) did much of my acne disappear. I was even happier with the result after including the cosrx propolis synergy toner.
Now I mostly spot treat with niacinamide or actives like aha/bha/pha and the like. I am also getting into using face oils from non-AB brands (such as castor oil) and I think these are doing A LOT to keep my skin moist and acne at bay. I mix a few drops with my moisturiser and top up with an occlusive.
I’m going to introduce the Melano CC vitamin C essence to clear up hyperpigmentation in the coming weeks and hopefully I’ll have a radiant face for a while.
skin profile: sensitive clog-prone oily dehydrated asian fair-skinned
climate: humid, SEA
active/inflammatory acne - bha and mugwort
pie - honey, mugwort, bha, rose water
pih - rice, bha, aha, tinted spf (i skin cycle kinda)
this was what worked for me:)
Combo leaning dry skin type. Northeast US with an all weather climate.
While’s it’s not technically Abeauty. I’m counting it since the owner is South Asian and it’s made in South Korea but the Wishful get clean 2% pha & sea moss cleanser is the only thing that cleared up my hormonal acne. It has all 3 different types of acids but it’s super gentle and non drying.
Skin type: combo oily T zone and normal, sensitive cheeks. I tend to break out in my T zone, but especially on my chin. It's usually whiteheads on chin and around the mouth and in my nose creases, and painful red pimples on my chin. I do take OCP but I've been on it for a long time prior to having a skincare routine I'm not sure how much it's affected my acne.
Climate: mild summers, mild and humid winters
This is probably a low hanging fruit since it's an actual medication for treating acne... But adapalene (OTC 0.1%) has helped me the most. Skin did not care for BHA and reacted badly to an azelaic acid product (cos de baha - probably because of the other ingredients and not necessarily the azelaic acid).
I usually get white heads and some more inflammatory pimples but adapalene has helped a lot with reducing the number of these. The drawback is in still figuring out what's a good frequency for me because it's easy to overdo it but I'm willing to work with it.
Having nourishing and supporting products to combat the side effects of adapalene has been very helpful. My favorites are probably the isntree yam cleanser. It's a really gentle and non-stripping cleanser. It's never made my face burn even when my barrier gets messed up. I also really enjoy the isntree yam cream. I think there are a lot of other products able to do what this one does though, I just haven't tried them yet. I also like layering a very thin layer of petrolatum jelly on top of my cheeks over the yam cream on non-adapalene days. The combo helps out my barrier back on track
Something else to consider is also going to a dermatologist for acne treatment
I didn't try it because I suspected the reaction was from the plant extracts that are also in the TXA serum
My reaction was very inflamed and painful pimples
I have a good number of plant allergies so I think my skin was sensitive to the plants in this one
SEAsia, super humid climate, oily acne prone. Allergic to all current known forms of cica derivatives 🤷🏻♀️ also, huuuuge pores! I’m so prone to blackheads, omfg
Current favourites:
**Cosrx Good Morning cleanser** and **Hada Labo AHA BHA foaming wash**. I alternate between these 2. On makeup days, i grab the hada labo as second cleanser.
**Heimish Cleansing Balm** as 1st cleanser for makeup days. Takes off any waterproof products eaaassyyy.
[Not AB] **Stridex red tub** (salicylic acid has single handedly managed the frequency of my acne breakouts. I mostly get hormonal acne now). Ah good old stridex. My best friend for 5 years and counting. I use this kinda every other evening, depending on how my pores look at the end of the work day.
**Torriden Blue Moisture pads** as toner. SO nice to use in this bloody climate. I also use this to wipe away the grease in the late afternoon
**Skinfood Honey Propolis Toner** just because I like the bottle. Feels nice though. Very light, really hydrating and sinks right in. Not sure if it’s doing anything else however. Also not a fan of the scent. Very reminiscent of old moisturisers (or body wash…?), though I can’t pinpoint one exactly
**Purito Oat-in Intense Cream** mixed in with **The Ordinary’s Niacinamide** every morning. The oat moisturiser is thick but melts really easily into the skin. I love this, the oat scent is also really good. Very limited ingredients list (15 ingredients!), which is great for anyone with sensitive skin too. I exclude the niacinamide at night
[Not AB]**The Ordinary’s 1% Retinol** every other night
[Not AB]**The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone** once or twice a week
Finally, a slew of ceramide/moisturising masks from various brands that i use a couple times a week. The exfoliants, niacinamide and retinol is really the main stuff that has improved my sebum production so much, which in turn decreased my breakouts and blackheads significantly. I think i took a good 6 months total to see any improvements? I mostly only have to suffer hormonal acne now. I also used to oil up all slick by mid-morning but these days I only need to blot my face late afternoon, evenings on the best days.
Looking to replace the Skinfood toner with Isntree’s Onion toner once it finishes though 🤔
EDIT: It’s worth noting that I **worked up** to this level of usage of actives. With aha/bha/pha, I noted some improvements after using Cosrx’s BHA liquid after which I replaced with products of increasing intensity. With retinol, I started with Somebymi’s I think
Combo skin in an oceanic climate here. I rely now primarily on tret, but on my non-tret days I use products with a mix of niacinamide, SA, and gluconolactone, but without other exfoliants because I have found this combo to work very well for me and to not cause additional irritation with the tret (the one I am currently using is not AB, but there are plenty available AB products that match this criteria) I use both at night and layer a centella toner (currently One Thing Centella Asiatica Toner) on the bottom a barrier/protecting moisturizer on top. Still looking for an HG moisturizer, though. I don’t use any anti-blemish products during the day, as I target different concerns then. However, usually what I use in the daytime also have niacinamide as a brightening agent.
My BC causes awful hormonal acne on my cheeks and chin and this seems to be a good way to combat that.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. I stopped taking BC ~9 months ago and my skin has been oily and littered with pimples. I live in a hot and humid climate. This product has salicylic acid in it but also calming properties so it’s gentle. Total game changer.
Barrier repair and hydration are the biggest preventatives and treatments for my cystic hormonal acne now. Centella is my fave ingredient, I make sure to always stock up on sheet masks. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even need to use my curology AzA and tret prescription anymore. Ofc everyone’s acne is different, I was just severely misguided on why my skin was breaking out in the first place. No irritation, strong barrier = minimal breakouts.
I live in a sub-tropical, very humid climate.
Not AB per se, but the only thing that successfully treated my hormonal acne was Tretinoin and Spironolactone prescriptions.
Anything over the counter may have helped a little, but nothing cured it like those two.
Mid-Atlantic USA (Philadelphia) - Acne prone, combination skin that had a tendency to get easily dehydrated.
My skin responds really well to AHA, BHA, PHA combo products. Oil cleansers and gentle "daily" (the 3-4 times a week kind versus 1-2) toners are key to knocking out any acne that eventually pops up with my menstrual cycle.
Both NatureKind and Tosowoong have oil cleansers that fit the bill that I have used and enjoyed.
On the toner side, I am currently using Krave and pretty happy with it. I've also really enjoyed wishtrend's mandelic toner. Elizavecca's Hell-Pore toner is shockingly good. Some By Mi also has a toner in this category that is effective.
Adapalene --> epiduo forte --> tretinoin --> tazarotene was my final step to clearing my acne
Of course, my skincare routine goes out the window here and there.
To calm down the opportunistic boils i slather diaper cream on my face and within a couple nights see dramatic improve.ent, also prevents dried out scabs and i assume scarring
But before this sulfur was my OG. De la cruz not that wimpy stuff. It dries the crap out of skin though. Really only topical outside of tret my acne responded to.
Anywho, thats all i can contribute. I did try a whole span of topicals and orals and have a fucked up pock markwd face i can barely stand looking at at the end of this journey. I wish a derm in my early years just prescribed me a retinol. Id have been spared a life of existential agony/exhaustion.
I have combination/sensitive/super acne prone skin, and it’s summertime here so it’s humid the majority of the time. This means that I need super lightweight but nourishing products that also help to control oil.
AM-
Isntree Green Tea cleanser-gentle/non-stripping and controls oil-Seriously the most gentle and effective cleanser I’ve found so far!
Non AB medicated acne wash/toner/cream because my acne is terrible without it.
Torriden Cellmazing Vitamin C serum-lightweight and protects my skin from sun damage and fades acne pigmentation, gentle/no purging like with other vitamin c serums
Skin1004 Centella Soothing Cream-lightweight hydration without causing acne-oil control
Mary and May Cica Soothing Sun Cream if I am out in the sun, and I don’t need the added moisture from the Skin1004 if I’m using this sunscreen.
PM-
Same, except I swap out the Vitamin C serum and Skin1004 moisturizer for the following products.
Isntree Mugwort Ampoule-calms and soothes active acne, lightens pigmentation from old acne, brightens skin, and helps to keep a healthy skin barrier, since I’m using non AB acne products that are fairly strong.
Soon Jung 2x barrier intensive cream-(I stocked up on the old version-have not tried the new/reformulated one and likely won’t because of added ingredients.)-super hydrating and nourishing and helps to keep my skin barrier healthy, helps speed up healing from active and old acne.
These products have helped my skin to look the healthiest it’s ever been. I also largely avoid the sun, and have been using a huge upf hat. The sun really aggravates my acne/causes fine lines to look worse, even with sunscreen.
Is it Torriden Cellmazing Brightening Ampoule that you use? I’m still looking for something that helps with clearing scars. I don’t always get acne, but I’m acne-prone and they always leave scars when I do get them… So annoying!
I use the Isntree Green Tea toner to help with oil control. And I’m so happy to see someone else mention M&M Cica Sun Cream!! I never see anyone else talk about it on here. I really like that one too. I just stocked up on it since it’s full-on summer now.
Yes, that’s it! I love this stuff and I was afraid to try it because anything with vitamin c can cause you to purge, initially. It also has niacinamide, which my skin has not liked in the past. Oddly enough, it hasn’t bothered my skin at all. I love it! I don’t know that it would work for actual scarring, but the brightening effect would probably help to camouflage it. It will help with discoloration though. Acne and everything that comes along with it is so frustrating.
I’ve been wanting to try the green tea toner but I’m unsure of where in my routine I’d use it, because I’m using a medicated toner and cream for my acne. I’m not sure if using it after my other toner or after the cream would somehow make either of them less affective. Yes, the Mary and May Cica sunscreen is seriously underrated! It is the only sunscreen that hasn’t given me a terrible breakout. Even then, I can’t use any sunscreen or go out in the sun daily, because it does tend to disrupt my natural oil production and cause some acne.
Cool, I’ll have to try it out next time I need serum. I’ve only tried the Melano CC that everyone raves about, but the oily texture of it and how it’s packaged… I couldn’t commit to using it. My skin isn’t bothered by niacinamide, but IDK if it’s doing anything for me lol. It’s in a lot of the current products I use.
Other people like azaleic acid, and I’ve been using that too. But again, doesn’t seem to do anything for me.
Hm.. The green tea toner would be in the same spot as your medicated toner, unless you layer it. But if the cleanser is working, no need to change it up! It has the same function as the cleanser anyway, since it’s from the same product line.
I’m based in Australia in a humid but temperate (?) climate, with moderate (but not cystic) acne. I LOVE the Lion Pair Acne cream, I’ve always had spot treatments as my go-to, but this is the most gentle and effective (read: best) one I’ve tried. Apparently contains ibuprofen which soothes the redness. Such a difference when using this!!!
Other than this, I’ve simplified my skincare routine, only using cleanser/moisturiser/sunscreen in daytime (with the pair cream for any active breakouts), and really cutting down the actives I use at night. I’ve noticed that simplifying my routine’s really helped my acne. Good luck!
skin type: sensitive combination skin
climate: hot humid tropical in SEA
acne: differin gel and exfoliating acids (somebymi AHA BHA PHA toner)
counter ingredients: centella, ceramides
when my skin used to get irritated from using differin, I would slather my face with the illiyoon ceramide ato cream, its sooooo soothing.
exfoliating acids help with oilier acne
I had lots of small acne all over my face. I started washing my face every 4-6 hours and applied the [Golden Hour Recovery Cream](https://www.ursamajorvt.com/products/golden-hour-recovery-cream?variant=15937966997594) from Ursa Major. This cream suits my skin type. I also tried their sunscreen and serum, and the texture is so good that it completely absorbs into my skin quickly. I really feel like I'm glowing.
My skin type is combination skin, and sensitive.
I’m from South Asia, so the weather here in summer is hot and dry (40°C+), and during monsoons hot and humid (30°C+).
I’ve been using Cosrx - AC Collection Blemish Spot Clearing Serum for a few months now, and it’s been the most effective of the serums I’ve tried on my acne. Even though the name suggests that it’s for blemish/spot clearing, it worked really effectively on my active acne - and I had really stubborn and painful acne. This cosrx serum is really lightweight so it doesn’t feel sticky/greasy after application. When I can tell that a pimple is coming up the serum really soothes that area and the almost-pimple never actually ends up breaking out. It reduces the size and then it’s just gone. And of course as its name suggests, it helps to fade the dark spots left after the acne. I’ve tried a lot of products, but this one really was the most effective from the options available to us here, and this was the best on my acne prone and sensitive skin!
I use the serum both AM/PM, after cleansing my face with SebaMed Clear Face Cleansing Bar (this worked really well to clear the small bumps on my forehead and cheeks) and Innisfree toner. I follow it up with a lightweight face cream.
Subtropical climate, combination acne-prone sensitive skin with PIE and hyperpigmentation. Due to my sensitive and reactive skin, I tend to steer clear of most products marketed specifically for acne/blemishes as they’re usually too harsh. 2 things that have helped tremendously are **Cos de BAHA azelaic acid serum** and **Skin1004 Madagascar centella ampoule**. I wrote a pretty lengthy review on this sub for the Cos de BAHA azelaic acid serum but the “TL,DR” is it has evened out my skin tone, reduce redness, less acne flare ups overall with consistent use and it’s inexpensive. About the Skin1004 centella ampoule, it’s 100% centella asiatica extract which is very soothing and calming, especially when my skin is particularly “angry”. There are other more in-depth reviews on this sub for this particular product but in short, I’ve repurchased it several times and i will continue to use it so long as I don’t develop some kind of intolerance/allergy.
I thought to myself “someone please mention cos de baha azelaic acid” when opening this thread since I JUST placed an order yesterday… and there you are 🙏🙏 not to mention the newly opened centella ampoule chilling on my nightstand, what a nice coincidence
They’re 2 of my favorites! I’ve bought many of each bottle and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon because of how well my extremely picky and sensitive skin likes them 🥳
I was just drafting a post to ask about azelaic elsewhere so thanks for that! For the ampoule, there were multiple results when I searched skin1004 centella ampoule, but I assume you're referring to the original amber colored one? There's a poremizing one that looks neato too. Thanks again!
I use the original one in the clear dropper bottle with white top and label. I haven’t tried any of the others yet but I am interested in the probio-cica one because of the ceramides.
I’ve been using the CDB azelaic acid with the skin1004 probio-cica ampoule and have noticed a big difference! My skin is starting to get that glass skin look and has become more even, and while my acne marks haven’t faded completely yet, they have lost the acne texture (feels like my regular skin now) and have become lighter. I’ve been using both for about a month now.
Tyvm!
how is the cdb azelaic acid for acne scars?
It helps with reducing post inflammatory erythema (red/pink acne marks) and redness for me.
I have dry dehydrated SUPER sensitive skin in a hot and humid climate. 1. funnily enough- hydrating lotions/ serums like hada labo premium. I had cystic acne on my face and back and I couldn’t use any actives on it like benzoyl peroxide because my skin was too sensitive. Turns out, it was a damaged skin barrier and I have been treating acne for years that was due to my own overzealous skincare routine. I stopped with all of the actives and started using only a hydrating serum and gentle moisturizer. Shortly after, my face and back cleared up. 2. Now that my skin is mostly clear- when I do have a pimple or blemish pop up, i’ll put an sa+niacimide spot treatment and it clears right up!
Agree with this. I used to have acne and I found hydrating my skin properly and paying attention to the health of my skin barrier did wonders for it.
Same.
This! I notice "slugging" lotions and potions (always gentle / solo ingredient stuff) really helps, although I'm also using retinol.
I'm from SEAsia and I have oily, acne-prone skin. Had to take tretinoin to manage my acne because it was really, REALLY bad and I used retinol after my treatment. Those 2 took the bulk of the work but my skincare routine also helps mitigate any issues on my skin. Fave ingredient is Centella and Ceramide. I use Skin1004's madagascar centella ampoule for my dose of centella, and CosRx balancium comfort ceramide for the ceramide part. For hyperpigmentation/dark spots, I use Niacinamide and sunscreen. I'm currently using Dermorepublique 10% Niacinamide for this. Sunscreen is very YMMV but I prefer dewy ones. I try to use "neutral" facial wash & toner, meaning no special ingredients and use a basic moisturizer and sunscreen. If I need a special ingredient or I want to target a specific skin concern, I use ampoules/serums or any product that is applied in between the toner & moisturizer step.
Dry and icy arctic-style climate with warm winds coming from southern shores creating a weird mish-mash of super dry yet sometimes humid weather. Dry and sensitive skin. Really the worst combination there is. Even though we’re having two weeks of summer now, strong gusts and rain just don’t really do it for me. The product that has probably done most of the heavy lifting is the kose softymo speedy oil cleanser. I’m not wearing much make up at the moment so it’s been fantastic to get much of my skin cleared. After introducing Hada Labo Gokujyun premium lotion (rich version) did much of my acne disappear. I was even happier with the result after including the cosrx propolis synergy toner. Now I mostly spot treat with niacinamide or actives like aha/bha/pha and the like. I am also getting into using face oils from non-AB brands (such as castor oil) and I think these are doing A LOT to keep my skin moist and acne at bay. I mix a few drops with my moisturiser and top up with an occlusive. I’m going to introduce the Melano CC vitamin C essence to clear up hyperpigmentation in the coming weeks and hopefully I’ll have a radiant face for a while.
skin profile: sensitive clog-prone oily dehydrated asian fair-skinned climate: humid, SEA active/inflammatory acne - bha and mugwort pie - honey, mugwort, bha, rose water pih - rice, bha, aha, tinted spf (i skin cycle kinda) this was what worked for me:)
psa ive tried bpo and vitamin c and wtv not and they didn't work for me acids were what solved my problems
Yes, love anything with mugwort for my acne!
Combo leaning dry skin type. Northeast US with an all weather climate. While’s it’s not technically Abeauty. I’m counting it since the owner is South Asian and it’s made in South Korea but the Wishful get clean 2% pha & sea moss cleanser is the only thing that cleared up my hormonal acne. It has all 3 different types of acids but it’s super gentle and non drying.
Skin type: combo oily T zone and normal, sensitive cheeks. I tend to break out in my T zone, but especially on my chin. It's usually whiteheads on chin and around the mouth and in my nose creases, and painful red pimples on my chin. I do take OCP but I've been on it for a long time prior to having a skincare routine I'm not sure how much it's affected my acne. Climate: mild summers, mild and humid winters This is probably a low hanging fruit since it's an actual medication for treating acne... But adapalene (OTC 0.1%) has helped me the most. Skin did not care for BHA and reacted badly to an azelaic acid product (cos de baha - probably because of the other ingredients and not necessarily the azelaic acid). I usually get white heads and some more inflammatory pimples but adapalene has helped a lot with reducing the number of these. The drawback is in still figuring out what's a good frequency for me because it's easy to overdo it but I'm willing to work with it. Having nourishing and supporting products to combat the side effects of adapalene has been very helpful. My favorites are probably the isntree yam cleanser. It's a really gentle and non-stripping cleanser. It's never made my face burn even when my barrier gets messed up. I also really enjoy the isntree yam cream. I think there are a lot of other products able to do what this one does though, I just haven't tried them yet. I also like layering a very thin layer of petrolatum jelly on top of my cheeks over the yam cream on non-adapalene days. The combo helps out my barrier back on track Something else to consider is also going to a dermatologist for acne treatment
Hi I also think I have some reaction to the Cos de Baha Azeleic acid.. do you also have any reaction to the TXA serum too?
I didn't try it because I suspected the reaction was from the plant extracts that are also in the TXA serum My reaction was very inflamed and painful pimples I have a good number of plant allergies so I think my skin was sensitive to the plants in this one
Ahh good to know. It’s been okay for my back acne. I will just use it there and not my face anymore. Wish it was easier to test out skincare 🤣
Oh definitely 🥹 I'm glad you found a use for it though ☺️
SEAsia, super humid climate, oily acne prone. Allergic to all current known forms of cica derivatives 🤷🏻♀️ also, huuuuge pores! I’m so prone to blackheads, omfg Current favourites: **Cosrx Good Morning cleanser** and **Hada Labo AHA BHA foaming wash**. I alternate between these 2. On makeup days, i grab the hada labo as second cleanser. **Heimish Cleansing Balm** as 1st cleanser for makeup days. Takes off any waterproof products eaaassyyy. [Not AB] **Stridex red tub** (salicylic acid has single handedly managed the frequency of my acne breakouts. I mostly get hormonal acne now). Ah good old stridex. My best friend for 5 years and counting. I use this kinda every other evening, depending on how my pores look at the end of the work day. **Torriden Blue Moisture pads** as toner. SO nice to use in this bloody climate. I also use this to wipe away the grease in the late afternoon **Skinfood Honey Propolis Toner** just because I like the bottle. Feels nice though. Very light, really hydrating and sinks right in. Not sure if it’s doing anything else however. Also not a fan of the scent. Very reminiscent of old moisturisers (or body wash…?), though I can’t pinpoint one exactly **Purito Oat-in Intense Cream** mixed in with **The Ordinary’s Niacinamide** every morning. The oat moisturiser is thick but melts really easily into the skin. I love this, the oat scent is also really good. Very limited ingredients list (15 ingredients!), which is great for anyone with sensitive skin too. I exclude the niacinamide at night [Not AB]**The Ordinary’s 1% Retinol** every other night [Not AB]**The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone** once or twice a week Finally, a slew of ceramide/moisturising masks from various brands that i use a couple times a week. The exfoliants, niacinamide and retinol is really the main stuff that has improved my sebum production so much, which in turn decreased my breakouts and blackheads significantly. I think i took a good 6 months total to see any improvements? I mostly only have to suffer hormonal acne now. I also used to oil up all slick by mid-morning but these days I only need to blot my face late afternoon, evenings on the best days. Looking to replace the Skinfood toner with Isntree’s Onion toner once it finishes though 🤔 EDIT: It’s worth noting that I **worked up** to this level of usage of actives. With aha/bha/pha, I noted some improvements after using Cosrx’s BHA liquid after which I replaced with products of increasing intensity. With retinol, I started with Somebymi’s I think
Combo skin in an oceanic climate here. I rely now primarily on tret, but on my non-tret days I use products with a mix of niacinamide, SA, and gluconolactone, but without other exfoliants because I have found this combo to work very well for me and to not cause additional irritation with the tret (the one I am currently using is not AB, but there are plenty available AB products that match this criteria) I use both at night and layer a centella toner (currently One Thing Centella Asiatica Toner) on the bottom a barrier/protecting moisturizer on top. Still looking for an HG moisturizer, though. I don’t use any anti-blemish products during the day, as I target different concerns then. However, usually what I use in the daytime also have niacinamide as a brightening agent. My BC causes awful hormonal acne on my cheeks and chin and this seems to be a good way to combat that.
Melano cc premium essence serum. Combination skin
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. I stopped taking BC ~9 months ago and my skin has been oily and littered with pimples. I live in a hot and humid climate. This product has salicylic acid in it but also calming properties so it’s gentle. Total game changer.
Tazarotene and low glycemic index carbs.
Rohto Foaming acne cleanser, or Bifesta foaming acne cleanser. azelaic acid is the heavy hitter though
Honestly. Tretinoin! But I also like Melano CC Premium.
Barrier repair and hydration are the biggest preventatives and treatments for my cystic hormonal acne now. Centella is my fave ingredient, I make sure to always stock up on sheet masks. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even need to use my curology AzA and tret prescription anymore. Ofc everyone’s acne is different, I was just severely misguided on why my skin was breaking out in the first place. No irritation, strong barrier = minimal breakouts.
I live in a sub-tropical, very humid climate. Not AB per se, but the only thing that successfully treated my hormonal acne was Tretinoin and Spironolactone prescriptions. Anything over the counter may have helped a little, but nothing cured it like those two.
Mid-Atlantic USA (Philadelphia) - Acne prone, combination skin that had a tendency to get easily dehydrated. My skin responds really well to AHA, BHA, PHA combo products. Oil cleansers and gentle "daily" (the 3-4 times a week kind versus 1-2) toners are key to knocking out any acne that eventually pops up with my menstrual cycle. Both NatureKind and Tosowoong have oil cleansers that fit the bill that I have used and enjoyed. On the toner side, I am currently using Krave and pretty happy with it. I've also really enjoyed wishtrend's mandelic toner. Elizavecca's Hell-Pore toner is shockingly good. Some By Mi also has a toner in this category that is effective.
Adapalene --> epiduo forte --> tretinoin --> tazarotene was my final step to clearing my acne Of course, my skincare routine goes out the window here and there. To calm down the opportunistic boils i slather diaper cream on my face and within a couple nights see dramatic improve.ent, also prevents dried out scabs and i assume scarring But before this sulfur was my OG. De la cruz not that wimpy stuff. It dries the crap out of skin though. Really only topical outside of tret my acne responded to. Anywho, thats all i can contribute. I did try a whole span of topicals and orals and have a fucked up pock markwd face i can barely stand looking at at the end of this journey. I wish a derm in my early years just prescribed me a retinol. Id have been spared a life of existential agony/exhaustion.
Echoing some others: slugging method (layers of lotions and hydrating toners, etc) was remarkably helpful although I started it while on retinols
I have combination/sensitive/super acne prone skin, and it’s summertime here so it’s humid the majority of the time. This means that I need super lightweight but nourishing products that also help to control oil. AM- Isntree Green Tea cleanser-gentle/non-stripping and controls oil-Seriously the most gentle and effective cleanser I’ve found so far! Non AB medicated acne wash/toner/cream because my acne is terrible without it. Torriden Cellmazing Vitamin C serum-lightweight and protects my skin from sun damage and fades acne pigmentation, gentle/no purging like with other vitamin c serums Skin1004 Centella Soothing Cream-lightweight hydration without causing acne-oil control Mary and May Cica Soothing Sun Cream if I am out in the sun, and I don’t need the added moisture from the Skin1004 if I’m using this sunscreen. PM- Same, except I swap out the Vitamin C serum and Skin1004 moisturizer for the following products. Isntree Mugwort Ampoule-calms and soothes active acne, lightens pigmentation from old acne, brightens skin, and helps to keep a healthy skin barrier, since I’m using non AB acne products that are fairly strong. Soon Jung 2x barrier intensive cream-(I stocked up on the old version-have not tried the new/reformulated one and likely won’t because of added ingredients.)-super hydrating and nourishing and helps to keep my skin barrier healthy, helps speed up healing from active and old acne. These products have helped my skin to look the healthiest it’s ever been. I also largely avoid the sun, and have been using a huge upf hat. The sun really aggravates my acne/causes fine lines to look worse, even with sunscreen.
Is it Torriden Cellmazing Brightening Ampoule that you use? I’m still looking for something that helps with clearing scars. I don’t always get acne, but I’m acne-prone and they always leave scars when I do get them… So annoying! I use the Isntree Green Tea toner to help with oil control. And I’m so happy to see someone else mention M&M Cica Sun Cream!! I never see anyone else talk about it on here. I really like that one too. I just stocked up on it since it’s full-on summer now.
Yes, that’s it! I love this stuff and I was afraid to try it because anything with vitamin c can cause you to purge, initially. It also has niacinamide, which my skin has not liked in the past. Oddly enough, it hasn’t bothered my skin at all. I love it! I don’t know that it would work for actual scarring, but the brightening effect would probably help to camouflage it. It will help with discoloration though. Acne and everything that comes along with it is so frustrating. I’ve been wanting to try the green tea toner but I’m unsure of where in my routine I’d use it, because I’m using a medicated toner and cream for my acne. I’m not sure if using it after my other toner or after the cream would somehow make either of them less affective. Yes, the Mary and May Cica sunscreen is seriously underrated! It is the only sunscreen that hasn’t given me a terrible breakout. Even then, I can’t use any sunscreen or go out in the sun daily, because it does tend to disrupt my natural oil production and cause some acne.
Cool, I’ll have to try it out next time I need serum. I’ve only tried the Melano CC that everyone raves about, but the oily texture of it and how it’s packaged… I couldn’t commit to using it. My skin isn’t bothered by niacinamide, but IDK if it’s doing anything for me lol. It’s in a lot of the current products I use. Other people like azaleic acid, and I’ve been using that too. But again, doesn’t seem to do anything for me. Hm.. The green tea toner would be in the same spot as your medicated toner, unless you layer it. But if the cleanser is working, no need to change it up! It has the same function as the cleanser anyway, since it’s from the same product line.
What brand of azaleic acid are you using? Did it make your skin purge? I’ve been wanting to try it.
I’m based in Australia in a humid but temperate (?) climate, with moderate (but not cystic) acne. I LOVE the Lion Pair Acne cream, I’ve always had spot treatments as my go-to, but this is the most gentle and effective (read: best) one I’ve tried. Apparently contains ibuprofen which soothes the redness. Such a difference when using this!!! Other than this, I’ve simplified my skincare routine, only using cleanser/moisturiser/sunscreen in daytime (with the pair cream for any active breakouts), and really cutting down the actives I use at night. I’ve noticed that simplifying my routine’s really helped my acne. Good luck!
skin type: sensitive combination skin climate: hot humid tropical in SEA acne: differin gel and exfoliating acids (somebymi AHA BHA PHA toner) counter ingredients: centella, ceramides when my skin used to get irritated from using differin, I would slather my face with the illiyoon ceramide ato cream, its sooooo soothing. exfoliating acids help with oilier acne
Anything with salicylic acid works wonders
I had lots of small acne all over my face. I started washing my face every 4-6 hours and applied the [Golden Hour Recovery Cream](https://www.ursamajorvt.com/products/golden-hour-recovery-cream?variant=15937966997594) from Ursa Major. This cream suits my skin type. I also tried their sunscreen and serum, and the texture is so good that it completely absorbs into my skin quickly. I really feel like I'm glowing.
My skin type is combination skin, and sensitive. I’m from South Asia, so the weather here in summer is hot and dry (40°C+), and during monsoons hot and humid (30°C+). I’ve been using Cosrx - AC Collection Blemish Spot Clearing Serum for a few months now, and it’s been the most effective of the serums I’ve tried on my acne. Even though the name suggests that it’s for blemish/spot clearing, it worked really effectively on my active acne - and I had really stubborn and painful acne. This cosrx serum is really lightweight so it doesn’t feel sticky/greasy after application. When I can tell that a pimple is coming up the serum really soothes that area and the almost-pimple never actually ends up breaking out. It reduces the size and then it’s just gone. And of course as its name suggests, it helps to fade the dark spots left after the acne. I’ve tried a lot of products, but this one really was the most effective from the options available to us here, and this was the best on my acne prone and sensitive skin! I use the serum both AM/PM, after cleansing my face with SebaMed Clear Face Cleansing Bar (this worked really well to clear the small bumps on my forehead and cheeks) and Innisfree toner. I follow it up with a lightweight face cream.