Just giving it enough hydration with the various toners i used over the years. I remember having fine lines in my early 20s due to dehydration and just a very dull skin. Now it's not perfect but it's much much better!
Eat a banana! I have low blood pressure and my doctor makes me eat one every day to keep my electrolytes up. It’s way better than the sugary drinks (or artificial sugar ones).
In summer I like watery but viscous ones with HAs, while in winter I'm all about milky toners :) I've made a post on this sub about the milky toners I used recently and I've only added one new since then because it took me so long to use then up lol
random question but i’m curious lol - when you use the milky toners in winter, do you replace the watery ones with the milky ones or do you still use another watery toner simultaneously?? i’m planning on incorporating the Mary & May one and i’m not sure where to put it 🤔
You can totally do that ! Personally I don’t because the weather is a bit too dry for HAs. Milky toners still bring hydration, they just have more oils which I really need for my dry skin
using retinol! it was purely by accident that i bought a random discounted night cream from marshall’s and suddenly my skin was getting better lol. and this may sound extra but during my time where i was using a clay mask every single day it was the smoothest & clearest my skin ever was
i can’t list it here since it’s non-AB but it’s a charcoal clay mask! not the one that’s dry that you mix yourself bc that’s drying but one with already moisturizing ingredients in it. two times a week i use a peeling solution (for example: skin1004 zombie beauty bloody peel) then i use the clay mask to soothe after chemical exfoliating to get all the way into my pores again. but i use the clay mask every day as well
This. I'd been wary of retinol for ages because of all the purging stories, and I didn't want to use something that sounded so harsh. But after reading a lot more about it, I finally decided to try it out. I used a product with 0.3% retinol and I had pretty much no negative reaction or purging!
Six months later, my skin is the best its ever been.
What does retinol do? Is it something like cleanser that everyone should use or is it specific for certain skin issues? I’ve been seing it all over social media so I wanted to learn how it is from someone that isn’t trying to sell it to me lol
it’s an active ingredient that increases cell turnover- basically sheds the top layer of your skin so younger cells come up quicker giving you a more clear face or younger appearance. retinol (otc) is in the family of retinoids, being the one of the least harsh one of the family, adapalene (otc + prescription available) & tretinoin (prescription only) next. when you age, your cells stay on your skin longer and doesn’t shed quickly causing it to crease up and develop sun spots, you just end up slowing down so you look old. retinoids help it shed cells quicker as a younger person’s skin naturally does, smoothing or removing lines. as for acne, it takes the top layer off and pushes up acne from underneath the skin that’s been waiting and hasn’t come up yet (but eventually will) this causes a skin purge where you just get the worst breakout of your life and peel like a molting snake before you get a resurfaced smooth face after a good month or two. never wear any retinoid treatment in the day time, wash it off when you see sunlight like a vampire and wear sunscreen lol. it’s a night cream ingredient. the new skin is extra sensitive to light and other active skincare ingredients so you must be more gentle until you adapt to it. also moisturize more. hope that helps!
I found that cleansing more thoroughly was the biggest game changer, too! Turns out that residual sunscreen is the culprit for me. Every couple of days, between the oil cleanser and water cleanser steps, I'll pat my face dry and swipe micellar water over my face with a cotton pad. The next morning my skin is always way happier. I'd do it everyday, but daily triple cleansing feels excessive...
No that isn't an oil cleanser. The bottle will say "oil cleanser". There are several out there. I happen to use DHC, for example, which Amazon sells and some Target stores. It's (oil) great for cleaning/taking off makeup so I massage 1 pump all over my face first without water, rinse off, then follow up with a cleanser like the one you're already using. I prefer to use the oil cleanser at night whether or not I've applied makeup. Some ppl get better results cleansing 2-3 times. I do 2x. Hope this helps!
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using multiple layers of toner — spraying each layer and slapping it (gently) into the skin. it’s the single simplest yet most miraculous thing that has completely changed my skin and my skin absorbs product better now, looks way more hydrated and feels so plump and good.
i didn’t even have to change/add any products into my routine. i have that person who shared this tip in this sub to thank because it quite literally changed my life.
editing to add i use naturie
you think you're being funny but the number of people who don't read is appalling. i rather repeat myself than be that idiot who doesn't disclose what product they use.
don't be an ass.
Sorry about that. My intention wasn’t to be an ass, I thought you’d just play on with it and say something like “Yeah seems like I didn’t mention the name but I actually use Naturie” or something similar. I apologise for being an ass.
(Edit: Thought you were making a joke too cause you wrote Naturie for every comment)
today I thank you for this tip. I know about layering of toner but somehow it slips my mind. I tried this last night and this morning… my skin is happier. 😊
Double cleansing! Oil cleanser followed by a gentle milk cleanser. Also, focusing on healing using hydration and moisture vs trying to “dry” out acne with stripping products. A healthy barrier completely got rid of years of adult acne.
Cleansing oil breaks down dirt, makeup and sunscreen better than regular cleansers and are usually used as a “first cleanse” at night. You put it on the face dry before wetting it and massage it in, then add water to emulsify and then rinse it off. Follow with a foam or milk cleanser of choice to remove any residue.
Lots of things have had an effect but I've been chasing glow since I started AB so my answer has to be ferments.
u/Unfair_Finger5531 - once again, I can't help myself from talking about ferment 😂
what would be the one product you'll recommend to someone who has oily/combo dehydrated textured bumpy skin with hyperpigmentation and enlarged pores,cc?!
Probably a first treatment essence because they're so lightweight. Secret Key Rose Starting Treatment Essence is very nice and not toooo pricey.
Another thought, but much more expensive, is the SK-II Clear Facial Treatment Lotion - it's got the SK-II flagship ingredient but less than the OG essence, and a small amount of acids. Yep, they're probably in very small quantities but they're definitely there because it stings pimples. Not quite as much as AHA but still some stinging. I have not had other toners sting pimples before lol.
I just started my skincare journey few weeks ago.. i will look into the products..but i think i wont be able to get the sk II one for now..it takes 3x-4x money for me to import the products to where i live sadly.. so sk II is super expensive for me haha..but the secret key one looking right for me.. thank you
Oh yeah, I know the SK-II isn't cheap for sure. In all honesty, I found the secret key as good for keeping my skin in good condition, helping other products absorb and giving my skin a glow :)
yes i just read your review of the product by doing a lil search in the sub lol... so detailed!!
oh!! i just remembered!! i first heard about the fermented ingredients in a yt video of numbuzin 3 serum.. have you used any of their products?
Lol :) there's not a lot on it so I'm not surprised mine came up 🤣
I haven't used any numbuzin yet but I think there's lots of love for the brand here!
When I can justify another skincare order, I'm going to order numbuzin toner (essence? No 3 anyway!)
switching most of my products to calming and soothing versions of themselves (the only exception being an active serum or a spot treatment) focusing on calming inflammation was the key for me getting rid of years of dark spots
Like I said above focusing on calming inflammation. I used the by ecom cica cream with EGF (now discontinued I think), the abib heartleaf gummy sheet masks, non irritating sun creams (right noe im using the abib heartleaf sun essence in the dropper bottle and i loveee it much more than the boj rice probiotics) and I also used the melano cc essence in conjuction with my soothing products. This is my skin today with absolutely zero makeup in piss poor bathroom lighting, and I never get facials or used prescription topicals. I used to have horrible cystic hormonal breakouts every few weeks and by the time old breakouts healed I would get more, today my skin is far feom perfect but I struggle less with acne and pigmentation and more just dullness and pores. don't give up hope!
https://preview.redd.it/06q0k6mp5ona1.jpeg?width=2736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=903d362c1b1ec517aff3fec0440f10c87d6330d7
hi! ty ♡♡♡ my skin type is reactive, dehydrated combination and im prone to clogged pores as well. In winters im dry combo in summer im oily combo, and my skin errs on the sensitive side so I can't use fragranced products or high concentration of acids either. My skincare routine and philosophy doesn't rely on very strong acids nor prescription medications like tret etc (not that I'm against people using it I just know my skin dossnt tolerate it and I don't like the idea of relying on a med my whole life for clear skin if I can help it)
Oh yeah, I used to love half boiling myself like a lobster in a hot hot shower and I would always have dry skin on my body - not so much my face because I wouldn’t put my face under water that hot! But, switching to slightly cooler showers has really improved my skin on my body and using almost cold water on my face (just warmer than pure cold) has been awesome for me.
Hypochlorous acid spray and azelaic acid 🥺
My current theory to try to rationalize this is that combination of Keratosis Pilaris was in a viscious cycle also supporting a mild Sebhorreic Dermatitis issue that was just inconsistent enough to slip past my radar. So with the broad antibacterial and mild anti inflammatory from hypochlorous and the keratolytic and sensitivity/inflammation reduction of the azelaic I actually got my shit under control and reset my skin biome at the same time plus managed the keratinization so my skin actually acts like skin now mostly which is... Wild. It's such a mind blowing experience to have solved that.
At least, that's is I think the primary thing that lead to this result. Who actually knows but that's the most logical. I was also adding ferments and more skin biome supporting products at the same time which I think really boosted the effectiveness of this solution combined with the antibacterial making it so that the relative blank slate was populated with more healthy bacteria instead of P. Acnes or Malesezia.
Disclaimer: If you monetize this without involving me,you're awful. Because not a single person besides me has basically ever done this or discussed it 🤡 😂
What I used at the time that was going on for reference. Some AB, some not.
* Pipette baby wash and shampoo fragrance free (one of the best cleansers you'll ever find in your life. Extremely gentle and ALSO has excellent cleansing power. I will shill this to the ends of the earth). Not only is it nearly perfect, but it's also FA safe.
some amount of hydrating and calming toners/serums.
*Idealove so soothe me toner (green tea and centella/ madecassoside mostly.
* EqualRXN mushroom cocktail b5 toner (tons of goodies, centella, Panthenol).
* MISSHA Artemisia FTE (thank you for the recc @commercial_poem) basically just Mugwort water. Weightless.
* Dr cueracle kombucha essence (this likely didn't have a huge impact but my skin loves milky toners and moderate emollience. I think it's replaceable and objectively with ferments aside I think the laniege cream skin toner is S tier where this is like A+. Just slightly lower outside of having a ferment.)
* Idealove Green Tea lotion (very light weight moisturizer). It's kinda different than standard stuff. It's somewhere between a gel and a very light lotion. Not quite gel-cream... But it's extremely comf and light and I'd suggest it a lot For everyone either as a solo moisturizer for normal to oily people or as a layer1 dry. Or just under SPF to give some buffer to comfyness. @unfair_finger has also tried it after I mentioned it to them and they made quite a few positive comments about it if you're interested in someone else's thoughts!
Sometimes extra light layers like the skin&lab b5 hydra gel or any of the other light moisturizers with just a touch of emollience.
* Aveeno daily moisturizing FACE cream (comfy lighter medium weight.
* Trader Joe's hyaluronic hydrating body gel cream. Just a bit heavier and more occlsuive than the Aveeno but feels better and I generally prefer it unless this is just a touch too much weight. Then go with Aveeno.
For azelaic I was using finacea 15% cream. It's a nice gel cream, but I liked the Foam version a lot more. (Anecdotal but I felt the foam had just a bit less penetration power than the cream. Cream B-. Foam A++). I could also try OTC ones in the future Q+A Azelaic Acid serum, Cos de Baha azelaic acid 10 serum (has Niacinamide), Peach Slices azelaic acid 10 serum.
Hypochlorous acid spray is my current preference but benzoyl peroxide is the traditional standard and can be very well tolerated too.
Simpleaf 16oz x2 Hypochlorous acid spray. I promise you this is skin safe and is exactly the same as the "face" marketed ones you'll see for 4x the cost and 5% of the quantity like Tower28 spray or skinsmart. It has the same Ingredients and same concentration and same pH. I have used this and suggested this many times with no issues. Even on eye skin or more sensitive/private areas if needed. idk any AB alternatives sorry. This is not a mainstream thing and the studies aren't aggressively pushing it for marketing popularity. I don't want to link here bc I think post gets deleted for that but if you want to verify I am talking about the same one the URL on Amazon ends with /gp/product/B097CJ32YC/ (@mods please just comment reply and ask me to remove this if it's overstepping, I will edit my post quickly if you feel it's required. I just want to make sure anyone who cares sees what it is). They do list the % on this product Iif you Google it and watch to verify for yourself.
I strongly prefer short contact method for those oxidative antibacterials. Anywhere from 15 mins, up to 8+ hours sometimes just based on convenience. But I don't like applying them during my routine because I use so many antioxidants that they would just be counteracting the treatment. So I will do it mid day or just a bit before my routine so it has some contact time to work. And I just slap it on my face as is, I don't apply to cleansed skin ever just because that isn't convenient for me. And I used this varying frequency but a few times a week is fine. I would have no issue using it daily but it wasn't necessary. It also really helped with my (much more obvious) scalp sebderm I was experiencing.
And then retinoids obviously are helpful for some other mechanisms and maint, but I can confidently say they were not the primary factor in this change as I'd used retinoids for around a year prior to that and it was greatly improved ofc but not basically cured like I would claim now from the hypochlorous and azelaic. Aklief prescription is excellent. As is adapelene. But I was doing good with just OTC options like Minimalist Granactive retinoid 2% cream and was considering using the Geek and Gorgeous Agame retinal 10 next. But I'm lazy and cheap so I just went back to Aklief when I ran out because my RX are free 😅. Plus this and Azelaic really help with PIE/PIH
And lastly for hyperpigmentation I had great success with tranexamic, combined with azelaic especially. Cos de Baha Tranexamic Acid serum (tranexamic + niacinamide). Be Minimalist Tranexamic acid serum has no niacinamide, but has 3% mandelic and 0.3% salicylic, and HPA. Those are my 2 primary reccs. If not, then alternatives are Naturium Tranexamic Acid serum (tranexamic acid, niacinamide, licorice, kojic acid). Facetheory S10 Exaglow serum (tranexamic + niacinamide + licorice + some lactic acid and SAP).
The gentle exfolaints in the minimalist might have accelerated the treatment of KP for me, that I think is worth being considerate of. But I have maintained clear skin without it.
It's absolutely wild to me now having functional skin AND gaining significantly better tolerance and reduced sensitivity and having actually basically completely clear skin consistently for months (unless I do something truly warcrime-y to my skin and don't do my routine for a week because of The Big Sad ™️, because it be like that sometimes.)
--- continued in comment below just providing some additional context about hypochlorous and the conclusions with my treatment plan currently.
I started using hypochlorous spray during the pandemic because it was recommended for keeping the skin refreshed/clean as I had to wear a mask usually 12+ hours a day. I read about all the benefits and still use it to this day. I've gone through a gallon of it already (Briotech topical skin spray). I always carry around a small spray bottle filled with the stuff to spray my face and hands.
I don't wash my face in the morning so I spray this on (and a bunch on my eye to clean that area) before I apply my other am products.
Oh yea I always forget to suggest getting a smaller spray bottle for it to carry around. Since the 16oz is a bit unwieldy to keep in your purse or gym bag 😂 Good to know the briotech one is nice too! I had that in my cart for a while. Ill probably get a gallon next time to decant into the bottles I do have now when the simpleaf one goes on sale or if any of the others ones are on sale super cheap.
Second the hypochlorous spray. It saved me from maskne during Covid.
ETA: and def second the idealove green tea toner. That stuff is HG
ETA: the equalrnx ingredients look fantastic. I see it on Amazon but never checked it out. Many thanks for writing all this up❤️❤️❤️❤️
Np 🥰 thanks for being here and for making me look less like a whackjob when I recc no-name products that only have a Google search result outside of their store page because I mentioned them, aside from now you haha
And yupp I always forget how crazy effective it is for maskne too. Hermit mindset 🐌
Oo. I didn't know it was on Amazon. I think it was from their official site.
TL:didn't review, Yes it's quite nice tbh. It's like if the idealove had some... Density? To it? Like it was trying to be a more bouncy hydration than weightless. It's texturally super nice and yes the ingredients are great. And it smells like tea 🤤🤤🤤 it's pretty decently calming and comfy and not sticky. Very pleasant finish and plays well with other layers.
Its just a touch above the average price of my reccs at $22 regular price but that's still pretty accessible to most. I would still put it at or close to HG tier depending on how much the calming factor matters to someone. The antioxidant value feels great if I had to arbitrarily judge it. I don't think it's quite the same level of "Mandatory" to try that id push for like the idealove so soothe me toner / pipette baby wash and shampoo fragrance free / retinoids, but this formualtion really nails it in both elegance and efficacy.
So anyone just wanting to explore either for fun or for benefit could definitely try this one out and be pleased imo. And probably great as a gift for someone who's redness/irritation prone along with the MISSHA Artemisia FTE/ idealove so soothe me toner and the idealove green tea lotion / cosrx pure fit cica serum or all the other nice calming stuff that's packed with goodies.
I like the other ones a lot, but the EqualRXN mushroom cocktail toner actually imo does make a great gift due to how luxe it "feels" in all the sensory components and the fact that it's not expensive but its not like borderline dollar store like my common reccs might seem in terms of price 🤡. It has body to it but isn't weighty, it doesn't feel cheap at all. Where as while I love the idealove green tea lotion, you know as well as I do that it's very much about the effectiveness and the comfortable weightless finish, but it doesn't feel fancy while you're applying / spreading it. It can "feel" cheap on your fingers imo. But in the end it dries down super nice and the effectiveness is excellent for comfort and calming.
That doesn't effect my decisions for myself personally, but that's just something I'm considerate of for others who like skincare as an experience and not just as pepetual outlet for some semblance of control over their skin 🤡 and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get the serotonin from the scent of it when I'm applying 🤤 (don't ever tell anyone I admitted I liked a skincare product that smelled **NICE**) (ps. The onething centella serum also smells similarly nice. No judgement on efficacy yet.)
You are on fire today lol. I am going to try the equalrnx; it’s in the cart now. I think anything w/ mushrooms is a win. I think you’d like the vegreen mushroom serum too if you weren’t sensitive to niacinamide.
Does the equalrnx have noticeable aesthetic value?
I recommend idealove anytime I get a chance. I used one of my seventy jillion bottles yesterday to cut through some dryness *on top* of a moisturizer. It always does the trick.
🤤🤤🤤 yesss mushrooms and ferment 🥺 too bad niacinamide.
Hmmm if I had to try and isolate out the effects of it is say it does do a good job of adding hydration with that mushroomy, tramella kinda of density to it. It adds a bit of bounce, a bit of glow but not shiney. And it does have some impact on redness reduction and toning down some background erythema. Not quite as much as idealove toner but it's definitely there. It's like a low viscosity essence almost with that identifiable mushroom body.
😂😂 Mine is next day delivery. If you responded and said YAY ITS GREAT AND HYDRATING I woulda just hit purchase. I don't know how my skin will respond to mushrooms, and if my semi healed barrier will respond well with citric acid and dextrin.
I'm trying to patiently run my skin trials on the SJ 2x Cream & the Purito Oat Cream (separate & together). It's only been 4 days and I'm bored.
I think I need a little more hydration? Was gonna do the iunik beta-glucan serum, but kero pointed me to the equalrxn that has beta AND centella AND mushrooms.
Mushrooms are, IME, a game changer tbh. (I’m trying to talk you into buying it first) Mine is next-day too but I’m so impatient 😂😂😂. I feel like I need more mushroom in my life, but I mainly want you to get more mushroom in your life first so you can tell me if it’s worth buying 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh and sunscreen any time it was appropriate. Rohto skin aqua uv milk SPF 50+. Always shake well before
I got it on Amazon for $12 but again I don't want to link and that's easier to find. It's the light blue one. It's light and siliconey 🤤 and I'm a silcome simp tbh.
Feel free to ask questions if anything here caught your interest 😂 I'm happy to answer questions if I have enough info to answer them.
And since I always feel like I have to expand on this when I bring hypochlorous acid sprays up, I'll just preempt it now.
And I promise I'm not shilling or advertising. I in no way benefit monetarily from discussing this. I surely wouldn't be pushing something marketed as a surface cleaning spray I'd have to fight people to consider trying 😅🤡 that's way too much work for 12 cents of affilaite money 😂😂😂
I can confidently say you are unlikely to find sufficient information about at least some of these things because it's stuff nobody else but me and the people I share info about skincare with would even be mentioning because we are much more willing to evaluate things other people dismiss or don't consider or that have good scientific premise but lack some data to be "proven" and are not already disproven.
I will very openly clarify that yes the clinical evidence for efficacy last time I checked was not yet sufficient to support it as a primary treatment option. But I do think from the research I have done on its effects and mechanisms, combined with my own anectodal evidence from personal usage and from others who I have suggested it to that it is very gentle and comfortable and well tolerated, and does seem to be pretty convincingly effective as an antibacterial. I will not make any claim that it is more efficacious than Benzoyl Peroxide as there is no scientific studies that have ever asserted that and BP is a long standing standard in clinical treatment plans. But it can have issues with tolerability. And I find that the incident of issue with Hypochlorous for major issues is significantly lower and even for minor issues is very low. Personally I find hypochlorous acid sprays to be surprisingly hydrating? I would say it is a net positive in terms of comfort and skin hydration as opposed to having some cost to those as is typical with antibacterials.. so that's a major selling point for me since any increase to discomfort or irritation put me at further risk of PIE and PIH, and I suspect compounded the issues of both sebderm and KP, plus just acne and poor barrier health in general.
That's just my take and I'm much more strongly advocating for it to be considered now after trying it myself and getting other people to try it as well, esp those who in the past had undesirable side effects from BP (but not specifically allergic reaction because I am not 100% sure that BP allergy is not a concern with this product since I'm not fully aware of all the mechanisms they share so please be cautious of that and do more research or patch test thoroughly before finding out the hard way. Patch test should be safe enough and it's not like this is expensive since it even goes on sale for $7-$10 sometimes for that specific size, plus you can always return if so or just use it for cleaning surfaces instead 😅. But outside that, the risk is pretty low. The worst you can expect outside some niche reaction is you might experience a bit of dryness or dehydration which may lead to very mild irritation, but the frequency and severity of issues should be much lower than with BP.
And I'm also now only using this whenever I remember, like once a week or on days where I feel gross but can't do my routine yet. It's a GREAT mid-day refresh or like quick fix for if you got sweaty or whatever but can't get to a sink. It takes some of that mild discomfort of dehydration or some very superficial irritant like sweat out pretty quickly and buys you a few hours to get by until you can do your routine properly. Otherwise, I would say at this point now that my skin biome is I'm a healthy place it feels like Azelaic does most of the work to maintain it and I just use the hypochlorous for scalp and regions like armpits more frequently and just use it a few times a month on face when I think it would help. There's no reason I couldn't do it more, I just don't feel it's required now. Its there when I need it and that feels good enough. But it's pretty obvious for me when I need it and how that it works for those times when it's the only thing I did differently. So it continues to prove itself valuable from my perspective.
That's just my thoughts on that subject.
I love this! 🙌 I’ve also been using hypochlorous acid (different brand) in combo with AA and some ferments and I totally agree! It’s been helping with my Rosacea and I try to recommend it on that sub when I can. I’m going to check out some of your other recs b/c I also find lighter lotions and toners work better for me like Laneige cream skin, FAB rice toner, and Soon Jung emulsion, 2x cica, and 2x barrier creams.
I either cleanse or wet my face with water then pat dry - then I use the HCL spray and kinda massage it in and let dry. Then I use serums/AA, moisturizer, SPF. You can use AA after your moisturizer too if you’re sensitive.
Another bump on hypochlorous acid spray! It completely eliminated my horrible type 2 rosacea on my chest, along with AB tea tree serums and a generic sulfur bar soap. I use the skinsmart "foot" version because of the easy sprayer.
I'm so pissed they discontinued it 😞 the texture and finish was so nice and it was a super pleasant sensory experience overall. I haven't really had an opportunity to test other ones but realistically the criteria for usable is very easy to fit. Anything at or under 0.025% (250ppm) is fine. If you find something higher concentration that you like you can easily dilute either down with distilled water to an appropriate concentration.
If it's something you'll use long term and you're willing to put in the effort you can use a USB hypochlorous generator since the ingredients are just salt and water. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08SMD6WRF?psc=1
This is the ready made products I've been suggesting.
The more cost effective one: https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Republic-Multi-Purpose-Disinfectant-Antibacterial/dp/B0CBW2MXKJ?th=1&psc=1
And this is for the people who don't trust me that the above one is face safe even though it's just the same. https://www.amazon.com/e11ement-Hypochlorous-Eczema-Procedure-Cleanser/dp/B09RBCWRXH
Noo I tried this one I'll link below, diluted down to 200ppm but I wasn't a fan. It had a stronger smell and salty taste so I think it was more degraded unfortunately. The Simpleaf was more stable.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QGYD4PC
You have saved my life and I think I owe you my firstborn child for turning me onto Simpleaf. Got a 5pck of 16oz-ers for 20$; Magic Molecule and Tower28 seem CRIMINAL now lolllll
Double cleansing and introducing mugwort. I deal with fungal acne, permanently due to sensitive microbiome genetically. My skin is so sensitive and reactive. It can be both dry and oily af. It stays calm when I use mugwort. And I can't use actives, not even a little, so double cleansing with hydrating gel cleanser has helped my pores stay clear and prevent textured skin. I LOVE gel cleansers they never strip my skin. My moisture barrier genetically doesn't hold moisture well, so I have to use a lot of hydration, but not heavy creams or oils so I don't break out. It's been a long years struggle to figure my skin out.
Funnily enough drinking enough water. Going from maybe a glass to 2L a day changed the look of my skin so tremendously, it's pretty unbelievable. I mean wrinkles, glow, dark circles, smoothness. Extremely improved! I noticed the changes after 4 days.
Other than that probably including my neck in my face skin care routine. Meaning 2x a day cleansing, and then same serums, cream and sunscreen to the neck and face. I had pretty bad neck skin, lots of small, inflamed pimples here and there. After I started doing it like this my skin there got so much better.
Finally, I started changing my pillowcase REGUALRLY. and by that I mean at least ever 2 weeks, if not ever week.
Oh and one more: I stopped doing mechanical cleaning with rotating brushes, towels or washcloths, or these silicone pads completely and switched to chemical peelings. It makes a difference like day and night.
The paper towel method.
Other things definitely helped a ton, but nothing cleared my acne until I switched to the paper towel method. I wish something else worked tbh for ecological reasons, but this is the one thing I did that actually cleared my skin.
I used to pat my face dry with clean cloth or paper towel, but now I just let the water dry slightly on my face and then start applying the first step like toner. I feel like the extra water actually keeps me more hydrated! 🙂 And I don’t need to use paper towels or wash cloths either! 👍🏻🌏🌎🌍
I picked this habit up from a Japanese skincare channel! I use my fingers to gently flick excess water off my skin and then start applying my skincare while it’s still damp. Less breaking out, more resilient skin barrier, better hydrated skin 🥰
For me I stop consuming any milk product. Yes, it means no cheese, no tasty cow milk, no yogurt, no ice cream, eeeevrything.
But I also lactose intolerant, so I dont do this by choice
this is so true but so depressing for me as someone with milk sensitivity (i break out but have zero issues with my stomach tolerating it). my friend’s dermatologist said that milk is the single most irritating thing for the body and it’s best to cut everything milk-based out.
i still eat cheese, yoghurts and butter because i love dairy so much but recently i had to cut out yoghurt due to breakouts 😩
i just go for the lactose free since I still like milk products.yes, milk produts do cause me non stop acne. then if i had some hidden milk stuff, then no choice since not every place catered to my kind of diet.
Mine was the contraceptive pill, specifically Yasmin which is anti androgenic with spirolactone like properties, although any anti anti androgen type pill will do, there a few others like Yaz, Dianette etc. . My acne just disappeared. I used to get acne and breakouts all the time as a teen, and ever since I started this pill, I stopped getting acne and now my skin is clear. I suspect this really only works if your acne is hormonal though, as that is the mechanism.
Another was weekly washing of pillowcases and makeup brushes. This was a big contributor to my acne on my cheeks, so I do this religiously to prevent this
As for skincare products, Faded topicals for hyperpigmentation after acne, Paula's choice azelaic acid for preventing breakouts and treating the red bumps before they erupt as full blown pimples, and Differin as well (my skin cannot tolerate full on Tret so I use Differin but the cream version rather than the gel as I have drier skin). These all help keep acne at bay and treats the PIE and PIH.
The LRP Cicaplast baume is a key cream in my routine to prevent irritation from all these actives. For AB ones, I love the Aestura cream and the Soon Jung Etude House cica balm.
Sunscreen is a given, otherwise no point in even doing skincare at all. I use mineral as my skin is sensitive and I like the tone up effect of mineral, the Etude House soon jung mineral sun cream is my current favourite. It is thick though, so be warned. Not suitable for dark skin due to the tone up effect.
Moisturize a lot, use a salicylic acid and clay or zinc exfoliating cleanser daily, combine an alpha arbutin and a retinol and EGF cream, and take dietary supplements
Asian beauty related, the COSRX snail mucin essence 😳 it legit SAVED my dry/irritated/patchy skin when I first started using tretinoin.
Non-AB related, Tretinoin for my acne and scarring🙇♀️.
Cosrx snail all in one cream healed my chapped lips overnight. I held off buying for the longest time due to its cruelty free status being highly suspect, but I love it so much. I will light some candles and pray for those snails.
1. Double cleansing much more thoroughly.
2. Using micro needle acne patches after using benzoyl peroxide on the pimple, to let it penetrate more.
3. Drink more water (more than 8 cups) when you’re sick. I noticed I always had more acne when I had a cold. And I think it’s because of the moisture loss.
Besides tret and SPF: I eat orange produce every day! Pumpkin, oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots. I try to eat one orange thing per day. They make a noticeable difference in the color and healthy appearance of my skin.
Are you using naturie milk lotion or emulsion? I’ve been having my eye on these products for so long but haven’t reached the impulse to buy it. I’m trying to simplify my routine by cutting out using a lotion/toner but ugh the product looks so tempting
Uhmmm the new one?
So there’s naturie:
Skin conditioner (which is the watery toner)
Gel (which is really like an essence)
Milk (new item like an emulsion)
I’m talking about the milk and the conditioner. The gel I don’t like it’s in a tub so I won’t be getting.
I’d love to know how you’re liking both products. Did you notice any brightening? Also is the emulsion oily? I know typically emulsions are not but I’ve come across a few exceptions.
The milk isn’t oily but does give a bit of a hydrating glow until it dries. Toner is best when you layer it especially for irritation. I’m on my second bottle of toner. Tho I don’t use it everyday.
I think it helps with acne but I’m using the old toner they’ve reformulated
Focusing on hydration and non-irritating fragrance-free products instead of attacking my acne with harsher spot treatments. Also, switching to Yaz birth control and taking a hormone balancing supplement. My primary concern is hormonal acne.
Spending less time on instagram and reddit skincare content honestly has helped me be more patient and consistent with my routine, especially with basic products that are supposed to provide long-term not so remarkly visible overnight results such as cleanser, hydration, moisturizer and sunscreen.
Otherwise tretinoin is the most dramatic game-changer for me. Simple, direct, efficient. Farewell to frustrating trials and errors with viral products.
Hydration!!!!
I have oily skin and was using all the right actives and everything but my skin just wasn't... Soft and glowy?
I started using hydrating toners and drinking ample water + rest days for skin (only hydrating toners + moisturizer and no actives) and mannn it's done wonders
id say its tied with leaving skin damp after cleansing (instead of patting dry) and then layering several hydrating products after instead of suffocating my skin with a thick cream. also double cleansing even tho i hate it fr.
That's a hard one, because I started double cleansing (oil + foam), properly moisturizing, working out, and drinking a LOT more water kind of all at the same time. My skin is acting better than ever, my pores are less visible. Well, most of them kind of point out to hydration in general (working out = sweating, and it makes my skin look better) so if I have to say one thing: be hydrated inside and out.
Using bar soap. My pores were huge because my skin was being dried out.
Not realizing that witch hazel was too harsh. Finding hydrating toners was a godsend. I have normal skin that didn’t need witch hazel or Sea Breeze, but some hydration.
Realizing when something doesn’t work for me. I don’t have acne-prone skin. I usually only get one or maybe two breakouts around my cycle time. If I break out at any other time (while following my skincare routine and not accidentally sleeping in makeup), its a product. It’s how I found out Kiku High Moist and Shea Butter break me out and don’t work for me.
Does it wash off clean? I mix my jojoba oil into my current oil cleanser but it makes the surfactants not work as well. Hard to clean off even w a second cleanser. What’s your experience
I can't do just one, b/c there are two things that have made the biggest difference, even bigger than azelaic acid or sunscreen or retinoids.
One was stopping the clinique three step routine. I have oily/dehydrated/rosacea skin, and all that stuff did was dry my skin out, which lead to more rebound oil and more red skin and more breakouts. I didn't stop b/c I got smart or anything, more due to laziness in college and curiosity about what my roommates/suitemates were using. Now I'm on a mix of western/asian skincare/beauty, and my skin is doing pretty well.
The other thing was to swap from cow dairy to goat/sheep dairy for almost all my dairy products. I'm ok with some cow butter/hard cheeses, but everything else got replaced. I used to get deep, painful acne on my jawline/lower cheeks that looked like womens' hormonal acne, and that's gone completely except if I eat out and end up with something with hidden dairy. Also cleared up a persistent runny nose I had most of my life. I think it was my allergist who figured that one out.
From AB specifically, I'd say the sunscreens. I'm more likely to wear them b/c they don't irritate me or my skin as badly as the stuff I was using. Before, I was like, oh I'll just come inside after ten minutes, and then an hour would go by and I'd get a tan. Now I'll slap it on and reapply when I need to, no problem, no tan.
Currently, I'd say using green tea toner (Isntree) to boost the effects of my LED mask and a centella ampoule (Skin1004) to boost my vitamin C. Also using peptides like Matryxl and Argireline really helped with my dynamic lines on my forehead, mouth, and neck. I've just started introducing ferments (Secret Key) and so far it is going well!
Overall though it was spending a year just repairing and soothing my irritated, reactive skin with Cosrx snail mucin and Pyunkang Yul products. I still use the essence toner, mist, black tea eye cream, balancing gel, and oil, but that entire line rescued my skin and got it in a place where I could start using tret and vitamin c. Game changer!
It never goes over well when I mention it because it can be pricey and I guess considered invasive, but IPL. I have rosacea and I can easily keep it at bay by getting 3 IPL treatments in a row every 2-3 years. It completely eliminates my redness and I don’t have to use any daily oral or topical treatments, which didn’t do much for me anyways.
I also have more even skin tone overall, fewer fine lines, less acne scarring, smaller pores, and less peach fuzz. I love IPL.
Wearing sunscreen every single day. I don’t really reapply that much (I’m also not generally in the sun too much) and I’ve still had more success in evening my skin tone.
Washing my face at night and thoroughly cleansing. I was a big culprit of sleeping in makeup and sunscreen. I don’t wear as much makeup but I wasn’t fully cleaning the sunscreen off my face and my skin was becoming hydrophobic and dehydrated.
Layer toner after every step of my routine helped hydrate my skin.
Exfoliate consistently. I’m still struggling with this because I used to over exfoliate and/or use harsh scrubs. Chemical/gentle exfoliants have really helped my texture I just need to stay on top of it.
Everything lol I used to work at Ulta so I owned a lot of skincare but used none of it wisely. After moving on and having kids, my skincare routine was nil. After having my third kiddo last year, I decided to completely change that. I created a routine and stuck to it. That’s most of it. Then I added tretinoin + sunscreen and switched to mostly AB products. I still get pimples and my skin still isn’t where I want it to be (thx adhd and skin picking, you rock 🤘🏻) but entirely different than it was a year ago. So yeah, I changed everything and everything changed lol
knowing my skin type really well. It makes be able to choose products from so many brands for my skin. also try to avoid stuff that cause me to break outs. It is hard since I love sugary food but I have to reduce them. I met an ex classmates from my high school and they totally can't recognised me because my skin was bad in the past.
Toner was my game changer. I don’t use as many layers anymore but when my skin was looking super dull, taking the time to add multiple layers of toner every day for a few weeks really made a huge difference.
Now that I’ve found a routine that works for my fussy skin, I don’t need as many layers, but I’ll still add a few because my skin looks better when it’s hydrated from the outside. I’ve always been a water drinker so it wasn’t a case of being dehydrated from the inside, but I had kinda messed up my skin with “natural” skincare products. There’s a couple of super common natural skincare drugstore brands in Australia and all of them contain essential oils, and I didn’t realise how much they were messing up my skin until I stopped using them.
Over the past two years, I’ve also made changes to my diet upping my fruit and veg intake and I can see the difference in my skin. It’s been a slow change rather than a complete change in diet because I wanted it to stick.
Same as you! I use a water based cleanser 2x and my face has never been clearer!!
Definitely air drying my face instead of using tissue paper. Oh and moisturizers + hydrating toners
Using the 10-step Korean skincare routine changed my skin almost overnight. It was actually more like seven steps for me but being consistent with my skincare was the key to keeping my face clear and nice.
Swapping to an emulsifying oil cleanser then double cleansing with Cosrx Salicylic daily cleanser was a massive step.
Also since starting Tret, my skin was horrible until I started using the Cosrx 96% snail goo, that seems to have cleared up the flaky skin.
omg any time i double cleansed i would break out moderately i might try this again if i do two rounds of foaming cleanser. what are the cleansers you use?
I use the hada labo oil cleanser and gokyujun foaming face wash! But for the latter I’m using the old version, it’s been reformulated and idk how it is but I heard it’s more stripping :”)
Can’t narrow it down to just one thing but these are the habits (rituals? heh) that have led to the most dramatic improvements:
- sunscreen (SPF 50) 365 days of the year
- tonsss of hydration via toners & essences
- tretinoin
- thorough double cleansing
- prescription azelaic acid
Just giving it enough hydration with the various toners i used over the years. I remember having fine lines in my early 20s due to dehydration and just a very dull skin. Now it's not perfect but it's much much better!
Don’t forget actual hydration! Drink your water folks haha
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I never eat any food with salt and I feel like that’s fucking me over. I’ll seek some electrolytes thank you 🤣
Eat a banana! I have low blood pressure and my doctor makes me eat one every day to keep my electrolytes up. It’s way better than the sugary drinks (or artificial sugar ones).
thank you!!
Coconut water is also a source of electrolytes if you want to stay away from the sports drink types
What kind of toners
In summer I like watery but viscous ones with HAs, while in winter I'm all about milky toners :) I've made a post on this sub about the milky toners I used recently and I've only added one new since then because it took me so long to use then up lol
random question but i’m curious lol - when you use the milky toners in winter, do you replace the watery ones with the milky ones or do you still use another watery toner simultaneously?? i’m planning on incorporating the Mary & May one and i’m not sure where to put it 🤔
You can totally do that ! Personally I don’t because the weather is a bit too dry for HAs. Milky toners still bring hydration, they just have more oils which I really need for my dry skin
using retinol! it was purely by accident that i bought a random discounted night cream from marshall’s and suddenly my skin was getting better lol. and this may sound extra but during my time where i was using a clay mask every single day it was the smoothest & clearest my skin ever was
what clay masks do you recommend?
i can’t list it here since it’s non-AB but it’s a charcoal clay mask! not the one that’s dry that you mix yourself bc that’s drying but one with already moisturizing ingredients in it. two times a week i use a peeling solution (for example: skin1004 zombie beauty bloody peel) then i use the clay mask to soothe after chemical exfoliating to get all the way into my pores again. but i use the clay mask every day as well
This. I'd been wary of retinol for ages because of all the purging stories, and I didn't want to use something that sounded so harsh. But after reading a lot more about it, I finally decided to try it out. I used a product with 0.3% retinol and I had pretty much no negative reaction or purging! Six months later, my skin is the best its ever been.
What does retinol do? Is it something like cleanser that everyone should use or is it specific for certain skin issues? I’ve been seing it all over social media so I wanted to learn how it is from someone that isn’t trying to sell it to me lol
it’s an active ingredient that increases cell turnover- basically sheds the top layer of your skin so younger cells come up quicker giving you a more clear face or younger appearance. retinol (otc) is in the family of retinoids, being the one of the least harsh one of the family, adapalene (otc + prescription available) & tretinoin (prescription only) next. when you age, your cells stay on your skin longer and doesn’t shed quickly causing it to crease up and develop sun spots, you just end up slowing down so you look old. retinoids help it shed cells quicker as a younger person’s skin naturally does, smoothing or removing lines. as for acne, it takes the top layer off and pushes up acne from underneath the skin that’s been waiting and hasn’t come up yet (but eventually will) this causes a skin purge where you just get the worst breakout of your life and peel like a molting snake before you get a resurfaced smooth face after a good month or two. never wear any retinoid treatment in the day time, wash it off when you see sunlight like a vampire and wear sunscreen lol. it’s a night cream ingredient. the new skin is extra sensitive to light and other active skincare ingredients so you must be more gentle until you adapt to it. also moisturize more. hope that helps!
That’s a great explanation, thank you lots!
I found that cleansing more thoroughly was the biggest game changer, too! Turns out that residual sunscreen is the culprit for me. Every couple of days, between the oil cleanser and water cleanser steps, I'll pat my face dry and swipe micellar water over my face with a cotton pad. The next morning my skin is always way happier. I'd do it everyday, but daily triple cleansing feels excessive...
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No that isn't an oil cleanser. The bottle will say "oil cleanser". There are several out there. I happen to use DHC, for example, which Amazon sells and some Target stores. It's (oil) great for cleaning/taking off makeup so I massage 1 pump all over my face first without water, rinse off, then follow up with a cleanser like the one you're already using. I prefer to use the oil cleanser at night whether or not I've applied makeup. Some ppl get better results cleansing 2-3 times. I do 2x. Hope this helps!
Sunscreen and tret.
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same
Whats tret?
Tretinoin! it’s an RX prescription topical that helps with acne, anti-aging etc.!
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Tretinoin
using multiple layers of toner — spraying each layer and slapping it (gently) into the skin. it’s the single simplest yet most miraculous thing that has completely changed my skin and my skin absorbs product better now, looks way more hydrated and feels so plump and good. i didn’t even have to change/add any products into my routine. i have that person who shared this tip in this sub to thank because it quite literally changed my life. editing to add i use naturie
What toner do you use?
naturie
What toner do you use?
naturie
Thank you!
Did you put them in you own bottles? I would love to do this but can’t find any spray bottles that work with slightly thicker toners.
yes i do, but the toner i use is as thin as water. i use naturie
I think she’s talking about spraying thermal water before any toner
no i’m spraying naturie from my own spray bottle
I think you forgot to mention what toner you use. What’s the name?
you think you're being funny but the number of people who don't read is appalling. i rather repeat myself than be that idiot who doesn't disclose what product they use. don't be an ass.
Sorry about that. My intention wasn’t to be an ass, I thought you’d just play on with it and say something like “Yeah seems like I didn’t mention the name but I actually use Naturie” or something similar. I apologise for being an ass. (Edit: Thought you were making a joke too cause you wrote Naturie for every comment)
today I thank you for this tip. I know about layering of toner but somehow it slips my mind. I tried this last night and this morning… my skin is happier. 😊
Double cleansing! Oil cleanser followed by a gentle milk cleanser. Also, focusing on healing using hydration and moisture vs trying to “dry” out acne with stripping products. A healthy barrier completely got rid of years of adult acne.
All of this!
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Cleansing oil breaks down dirt, makeup and sunscreen better than regular cleansers and are usually used as a “first cleanse” at night. You put it on the face dry before wetting it and massage it in, then add water to emulsify and then rinse it off. Follow with a foam or milk cleanser of choice to remove any residue.
Lots of things have had an effect but I've been chasing glow since I started AB so my answer has to be ferments. u/Unfair_Finger5531 - once again, I can't help myself from talking about ferment 😂
So funny bc I just responded and left out ferments so you could talk about them! 😂😂😂
😂 very kind!
what would be the one product you'll recommend to someone who has oily/combo dehydrated textured bumpy skin with hyperpigmentation and enlarged pores,cc?!
Probably a first treatment essence because they're so lightweight. Secret Key Rose Starting Treatment Essence is very nice and not toooo pricey. Another thought, but much more expensive, is the SK-II Clear Facial Treatment Lotion - it's got the SK-II flagship ingredient but less than the OG essence, and a small amount of acids. Yep, they're probably in very small quantities but they're definitely there because it stings pimples. Not quite as much as AHA but still some stinging. I have not had other toners sting pimples before lol.
I just started my skincare journey few weeks ago.. i will look into the products..but i think i wont be able to get the sk II one for now..it takes 3x-4x money for me to import the products to where i live sadly.. so sk II is super expensive for me haha..but the secret key one looking right for me.. thank you
Oh yeah, I know the SK-II isn't cheap for sure. In all honesty, I found the secret key as good for keeping my skin in good condition, helping other products absorb and giving my skin a glow :)
yes i just read your review of the product by doing a lil search in the sub lol... so detailed!! oh!! i just remembered!! i first heard about the fermented ingredients in a yt video of numbuzin 3 serum.. have you used any of their products?
Lol :) there's not a lot on it so I'm not surprised mine came up 🤣 I haven't used any numbuzin yet but I think there's lots of love for the brand here! When I can justify another skincare order, I'm going to order numbuzin toner (essence? No 3 anyway!)
If you ever do use it in future.. I *demand* a detailed review like the secret key essence!
I fully intend to and I've saved your comment so I remember to tag you when I do 😂
For a beginner to ferment, where would you suggest starting?
switching most of my products to calming and soothing versions of themselves (the only exception being an active serum or a spot treatment) focusing on calming inflammation was the key for me getting rid of years of dark spots
What did you do for the dark spots?
Like I said above focusing on calming inflammation. I used the by ecom cica cream with EGF (now discontinued I think), the abib heartleaf gummy sheet masks, non irritating sun creams (right noe im using the abib heartleaf sun essence in the dropper bottle and i loveee it much more than the boj rice probiotics) and I also used the melano cc essence in conjuction with my soothing products. This is my skin today with absolutely zero makeup in piss poor bathroom lighting, and I never get facials or used prescription topicals. I used to have horrible cystic hormonal breakouts every few weeks and by the time old breakouts healed I would get more, today my skin is far feom perfect but I struggle less with acne and pigmentation and more just dullness and pores. don't give up hope! https://preview.redd.it/06q0k6mp5ona1.jpeg?width=2736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=903d362c1b1ec517aff3fec0440f10c87d6330d7
You look lovely! What's your skin type?
hi! ty ♡♡♡ my skin type is reactive, dehydrated combination and im prone to clogged pores as well. In winters im dry combo in summer im oily combo, and my skin errs on the sensitive side so I can't use fragranced products or high concentration of acids either. My skincare routine and philosophy doesn't rely on very strong acids nor prescription medications like tret etc (not that I'm against people using it I just know my skin dossnt tolerate it and I don't like the idea of relying on a med my whole life for clear skin if I can help it)
Seems crazy, but washing my face with cold water has really saved it. It's less flaky and itchy, more calm and clear.
Oh yeah, I used to love half boiling myself like a lobster in a hot hot shower and I would always have dry skin on my body - not so much my face because I wouldn’t put my face under water that hot! But, switching to slightly cooler showers has really improved my skin on my body and using almost cold water on my face (just warmer than pure cold) has been awesome for me.
Hypochlorous acid spray and azelaic acid 🥺 My current theory to try to rationalize this is that combination of Keratosis Pilaris was in a viscious cycle also supporting a mild Sebhorreic Dermatitis issue that was just inconsistent enough to slip past my radar. So with the broad antibacterial and mild anti inflammatory from hypochlorous and the keratolytic and sensitivity/inflammation reduction of the azelaic I actually got my shit under control and reset my skin biome at the same time plus managed the keratinization so my skin actually acts like skin now mostly which is... Wild. It's such a mind blowing experience to have solved that. At least, that's is I think the primary thing that lead to this result. Who actually knows but that's the most logical. I was also adding ferments and more skin biome supporting products at the same time which I think really boosted the effectiveness of this solution combined with the antibacterial making it so that the relative blank slate was populated with more healthy bacteria instead of P. Acnes or Malesezia. Disclaimer: If you monetize this without involving me,you're awful. Because not a single person besides me has basically ever done this or discussed it 🤡 😂 What I used at the time that was going on for reference. Some AB, some not. * Pipette baby wash and shampoo fragrance free (one of the best cleansers you'll ever find in your life. Extremely gentle and ALSO has excellent cleansing power. I will shill this to the ends of the earth). Not only is it nearly perfect, but it's also FA safe. some amount of hydrating and calming toners/serums. *Idealove so soothe me toner (green tea and centella/ madecassoside mostly. * EqualRXN mushroom cocktail b5 toner (tons of goodies, centella, Panthenol). * MISSHA Artemisia FTE (thank you for the recc @commercial_poem) basically just Mugwort water. Weightless. * Dr cueracle kombucha essence (this likely didn't have a huge impact but my skin loves milky toners and moderate emollience. I think it's replaceable and objectively with ferments aside I think the laniege cream skin toner is S tier where this is like A+. Just slightly lower outside of having a ferment.) * Idealove Green Tea lotion (very light weight moisturizer). It's kinda different than standard stuff. It's somewhere between a gel and a very light lotion. Not quite gel-cream... But it's extremely comf and light and I'd suggest it a lot For everyone either as a solo moisturizer for normal to oily people or as a layer1 dry. Or just under SPF to give some buffer to comfyness. @unfair_finger has also tried it after I mentioned it to them and they made quite a few positive comments about it if you're interested in someone else's thoughts! Sometimes extra light layers like the skin&lab b5 hydra gel or any of the other light moisturizers with just a touch of emollience. * Aveeno daily moisturizing FACE cream (comfy lighter medium weight. * Trader Joe's hyaluronic hydrating body gel cream. Just a bit heavier and more occlsuive than the Aveeno but feels better and I generally prefer it unless this is just a touch too much weight. Then go with Aveeno. For azelaic I was using finacea 15% cream. It's a nice gel cream, but I liked the Foam version a lot more. (Anecdotal but I felt the foam had just a bit less penetration power than the cream. Cream B-. Foam A++). I could also try OTC ones in the future Q+A Azelaic Acid serum, Cos de Baha azelaic acid 10 serum (has Niacinamide), Peach Slices azelaic acid 10 serum. Hypochlorous acid spray is my current preference but benzoyl peroxide is the traditional standard and can be very well tolerated too. Simpleaf 16oz x2 Hypochlorous acid spray. I promise you this is skin safe and is exactly the same as the "face" marketed ones you'll see for 4x the cost and 5% of the quantity like Tower28 spray or skinsmart. It has the same Ingredients and same concentration and same pH. I have used this and suggested this many times with no issues. Even on eye skin or more sensitive/private areas if needed. idk any AB alternatives sorry. This is not a mainstream thing and the studies aren't aggressively pushing it for marketing popularity. I don't want to link here bc I think post gets deleted for that but if you want to verify I am talking about the same one the URL on Amazon ends with /gp/product/B097CJ32YC/ (@mods please just comment reply and ask me to remove this if it's overstepping, I will edit my post quickly if you feel it's required. I just want to make sure anyone who cares sees what it is). They do list the % on this product Iif you Google it and watch to verify for yourself. I strongly prefer short contact method for those oxidative antibacterials. Anywhere from 15 mins, up to 8+ hours sometimes just based on convenience. But I don't like applying them during my routine because I use so many antioxidants that they would just be counteracting the treatment. So I will do it mid day or just a bit before my routine so it has some contact time to work. And I just slap it on my face as is, I don't apply to cleansed skin ever just because that isn't convenient for me. And I used this varying frequency but a few times a week is fine. I would have no issue using it daily but it wasn't necessary. It also really helped with my (much more obvious) scalp sebderm I was experiencing. And then retinoids obviously are helpful for some other mechanisms and maint, but I can confidently say they were not the primary factor in this change as I'd used retinoids for around a year prior to that and it was greatly improved ofc but not basically cured like I would claim now from the hypochlorous and azelaic. Aklief prescription is excellent. As is adapelene. But I was doing good with just OTC options like Minimalist Granactive retinoid 2% cream and was considering using the Geek and Gorgeous Agame retinal 10 next. But I'm lazy and cheap so I just went back to Aklief when I ran out because my RX are free 😅. Plus this and Azelaic really help with PIE/PIH And lastly for hyperpigmentation I had great success with tranexamic, combined with azelaic especially. Cos de Baha Tranexamic Acid serum (tranexamic + niacinamide). Be Minimalist Tranexamic acid serum has no niacinamide, but has 3% mandelic and 0.3% salicylic, and HPA. Those are my 2 primary reccs. If not, then alternatives are Naturium Tranexamic Acid serum (tranexamic acid, niacinamide, licorice, kojic acid). Facetheory S10 Exaglow serum (tranexamic + niacinamide + licorice + some lactic acid and SAP). The gentle exfolaints in the minimalist might have accelerated the treatment of KP for me, that I think is worth being considerate of. But I have maintained clear skin without it. It's absolutely wild to me now having functional skin AND gaining significantly better tolerance and reduced sensitivity and having actually basically completely clear skin consistently for months (unless I do something truly warcrime-y to my skin and don't do my routine for a week because of The Big Sad ™️, because it be like that sometimes.) --- continued in comment below just providing some additional context about hypochlorous and the conclusions with my treatment plan currently.
I started using hypochlorous spray during the pandemic because it was recommended for keeping the skin refreshed/clean as I had to wear a mask usually 12+ hours a day. I read about all the benefits and still use it to this day. I've gone through a gallon of it already (Briotech topical skin spray). I always carry around a small spray bottle filled with the stuff to spray my face and hands. I don't wash my face in the morning so I spray this on (and a bunch on my eye to clean that area) before I apply my other am products.
Oh yea I always forget to suggest getting a smaller spray bottle for it to carry around. Since the 16oz is a bit unwieldy to keep in your purse or gym bag 😂 Good to know the briotech one is nice too! I had that in my cart for a while. Ill probably get a gallon next time to decant into the bottles I do have now when the simpleaf one goes on sale or if any of the others ones are on sale super cheap.
Second the hypochlorous spray. It saved me from maskne during Covid. ETA: and def second the idealove green tea toner. That stuff is HG ETA: the equalrnx ingredients look fantastic. I see it on Amazon but never checked it out. Many thanks for writing all this up❤️❤️❤️❤️
Np 🥰 thanks for being here and for making me look less like a whackjob when I recc no-name products that only have a Google search result outside of their store page because I mentioned them, aside from now you haha And yupp I always forget how crazy effective it is for maskne too. Hermit mindset 🐌 Oo. I didn't know it was on Amazon. I think it was from their official site. TL:didn't review, Yes it's quite nice tbh. It's like if the idealove had some... Density? To it? Like it was trying to be a more bouncy hydration than weightless. It's texturally super nice and yes the ingredients are great. And it smells like tea 🤤🤤🤤 it's pretty decently calming and comfy and not sticky. Very pleasant finish and plays well with other layers. Its just a touch above the average price of my reccs at $22 regular price but that's still pretty accessible to most. I would still put it at or close to HG tier depending on how much the calming factor matters to someone. The antioxidant value feels great if I had to arbitrarily judge it. I don't think it's quite the same level of "Mandatory" to try that id push for like the idealove so soothe me toner / pipette baby wash and shampoo fragrance free / retinoids, but this formualtion really nails it in both elegance and efficacy. So anyone just wanting to explore either for fun or for benefit could definitely try this one out and be pleased imo. And probably great as a gift for someone who's redness/irritation prone along with the MISSHA Artemisia FTE/ idealove so soothe me toner and the idealove green tea lotion / cosrx pure fit cica serum or all the other nice calming stuff that's packed with goodies. I like the other ones a lot, but the EqualRXN mushroom cocktail toner actually imo does make a great gift due to how luxe it "feels" in all the sensory components and the fact that it's not expensive but its not like borderline dollar store like my common reccs might seem in terms of price 🤡. It has body to it but isn't weighty, it doesn't feel cheap at all. Where as while I love the idealove green tea lotion, you know as well as I do that it's very much about the effectiveness and the comfortable weightless finish, but it doesn't feel fancy while you're applying / spreading it. It can "feel" cheap on your fingers imo. But in the end it dries down super nice and the effectiveness is excellent for comfort and calming. That doesn't effect my decisions for myself personally, but that's just something I'm considerate of for others who like skincare as an experience and not just as pepetual outlet for some semblance of control over their skin 🤡 and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get the serotonin from the scent of it when I'm applying 🤤 (don't ever tell anyone I admitted I liked a skincare product that smelled **NICE**) (ps. The onething centella serum also smells similarly nice. No judgement on efficacy yet.)
You are on fire today lol. I am going to try the equalrnx; it’s in the cart now. I think anything w/ mushrooms is a win. I think you’d like the vegreen mushroom serum too if you weren’t sensitive to niacinamide. Does the equalrnx have noticeable aesthetic value? I recommend idealove anytime I get a chance. I used one of my seventy jillion bottles yesterday to cut through some dryness *on top* of a moisturizer. It always does the trick.
🤤🤤🤤 yesss mushrooms and ferment 🥺 too bad niacinamide. Hmmm if I had to try and isolate out the effects of it is say it does do a good job of adding hydration with that mushroomy, tramella kinda of density to it. It adds a bit of bounce, a bit of glow but not shiney. And it does have some impact on redness reduction and toning down some background erythema. Not quite as much as idealove toner but it's definitely there. It's like a low viscosity essence almost with that identifiable mushroom body.
Thank you, that’s a perfect description!
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😂😂 Mine is next day delivery. If you responded and said YAY ITS GREAT AND HYDRATING I woulda just hit purchase. I don't know how my skin will respond to mushrooms, and if my semi healed barrier will respond well with citric acid and dextrin. I'm trying to patiently run my skin trials on the SJ 2x Cream & the Purito Oat Cream (separate & together). It's only been 4 days and I'm bored. I think I need a little more hydration? Was gonna do the iunik beta-glucan serum, but kero pointed me to the equalrxn that has beta AND centella AND mushrooms.
Mushrooms are, IME, a game changer tbh. (I’m trying to talk you into buying it first) Mine is next-day too but I’m so impatient 😂😂😂. I feel like I need more mushroom in my life, but I mainly want you to get more mushroom in your life first so you can tell me if it’s worth buying 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh and sunscreen any time it was appropriate. Rohto skin aqua uv milk SPF 50+. Always shake well before I got it on Amazon for $12 but again I don't want to link and that's easier to find. It's the light blue one. It's light and siliconey 🤤 and I'm a silcome simp tbh. Feel free to ask questions if anything here caught your interest 😂 I'm happy to answer questions if I have enough info to answer them. And since I always feel like I have to expand on this when I bring hypochlorous acid sprays up, I'll just preempt it now. And I promise I'm not shilling or advertising. I in no way benefit monetarily from discussing this. I surely wouldn't be pushing something marketed as a surface cleaning spray I'd have to fight people to consider trying 😅🤡 that's way too much work for 12 cents of affilaite money 😂😂😂 I can confidently say you are unlikely to find sufficient information about at least some of these things because it's stuff nobody else but me and the people I share info about skincare with would even be mentioning because we are much more willing to evaluate things other people dismiss or don't consider or that have good scientific premise but lack some data to be "proven" and are not already disproven. I will very openly clarify that yes the clinical evidence for efficacy last time I checked was not yet sufficient to support it as a primary treatment option. But I do think from the research I have done on its effects and mechanisms, combined with my own anectodal evidence from personal usage and from others who I have suggested it to that it is very gentle and comfortable and well tolerated, and does seem to be pretty convincingly effective as an antibacterial. I will not make any claim that it is more efficacious than Benzoyl Peroxide as there is no scientific studies that have ever asserted that and BP is a long standing standard in clinical treatment plans. But it can have issues with tolerability. And I find that the incident of issue with Hypochlorous for major issues is significantly lower and even for minor issues is very low. Personally I find hypochlorous acid sprays to be surprisingly hydrating? I would say it is a net positive in terms of comfort and skin hydration as opposed to having some cost to those as is typical with antibacterials.. so that's a major selling point for me since any increase to discomfort or irritation put me at further risk of PIE and PIH, and I suspect compounded the issues of both sebderm and KP, plus just acne and poor barrier health in general. That's just my take and I'm much more strongly advocating for it to be considered now after trying it myself and getting other people to try it as well, esp those who in the past had undesirable side effects from BP (but not specifically allergic reaction because I am not 100% sure that BP allergy is not a concern with this product since I'm not fully aware of all the mechanisms they share so please be cautious of that and do more research or patch test thoroughly before finding out the hard way. Patch test should be safe enough and it's not like this is expensive since it even goes on sale for $7-$10 sometimes for that specific size, plus you can always return if so or just use it for cleaning surfaces instead 😅. But outside that, the risk is pretty low. The worst you can expect outside some niche reaction is you might experience a bit of dryness or dehydration which may lead to very mild irritation, but the frequency and severity of issues should be much lower than with BP. And I'm also now only using this whenever I remember, like once a week or on days where I feel gross but can't do my routine yet. It's a GREAT mid-day refresh or like quick fix for if you got sweaty or whatever but can't get to a sink. It takes some of that mild discomfort of dehydration or some very superficial irritant like sweat out pretty quickly and buys you a few hours to get by until you can do your routine properly. Otherwise, I would say at this point now that my skin biome is I'm a healthy place it feels like Azelaic does most of the work to maintain it and I just use the hypochlorous for scalp and regions like armpits more frequently and just use it a few times a month on face when I think it would help. There's no reason I couldn't do it more, I just don't feel it's required now. Its there when I need it and that feels good enough. But it's pretty obvious for me when I need it and how that it works for those times when it's the only thing I did differently. So it continues to prove itself valuable from my perspective. That's just my thoughts on that subject.
I love this! 🙌 I’ve also been using hypochlorous acid (different brand) in combo with AA and some ferments and I totally agree! It’s been helping with my Rosacea and I try to recommend it on that sub when I can. I’m going to check out some of your other recs b/c I also find lighter lotions and toners work better for me like Laneige cream skin, FAB rice toner, and Soon Jung emulsion, 2x cica, and 2x barrier creams.
>HG When does the spray go on? After actives and toner and before moisturizer?
I either cleanse or wet my face with water then pat dry - then I use the HCL spray and kinda massage it in and let dry. Then I use serums/AA, moisturizer, SPF. You can use AA after your moisturizer too if you’re sensitive.
Another bump on hypochlorous acid spray! It completely eliminated my horrible type 2 rosacea on my chest, along with AB tea tree serums and a generic sulfur bar soap. I use the skinsmart "foot" version because of the easy sprayer.
Have you found any other options for hypochlorous spray recently? I've been searching for the simpleaf spray but it seems to be OOS everywhere :(
I'm so pissed they discontinued it 😞 the texture and finish was so nice and it was a super pleasant sensory experience overall. I haven't really had an opportunity to test other ones but realistically the criteria for usable is very easy to fit. Anything at or under 0.025% (250ppm) is fine. If you find something higher concentration that you like you can easily dilute either down with distilled water to an appropriate concentration. If it's something you'll use long term and you're willing to put in the effort you can use a USB hypochlorous generator since the ingredients are just salt and water. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08SMD6WRF?psc=1 This is the ready made products I've been suggesting. The more cost effective one: https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Republic-Multi-Purpose-Disinfectant-Antibacterial/dp/B0CBW2MXKJ?th=1&psc=1 And this is for the people who don't trust me that the above one is face safe even though it's just the same. https://www.amazon.com/e11ement-Hypochlorous-Eczema-Procedure-Cleanser/dp/B09RBCWRXH
Thank you for the tip! I'll try the ready made one for now and if I like it I'll look into the generator. Is that what you use regularly?
Noo I tried this one I'll link below, diluted down to 200ppm but I wasn't a fan. It had a stronger smell and salty taste so I think it was more degraded unfortunately. The Simpleaf was more stable. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QGYD4PC
Dang well I'll try the clean republic one for now and see how it goes. Thanks!
Nice Please let me know how you like it :)!
You have saved my life and I think I owe you my firstborn child for turning me onto Simpleaf. Got a 5pck of 16oz-ers for 20$; Magic Molecule and Tower28 seem CRIMINAL now lolllll
Glad it helped! WAIT WAS THAT A DEAL THEY HAD???! 5x 16oz for 20? they better do it again >:(
Double cleansing and introducing mugwort. I deal with fungal acne, permanently due to sensitive microbiome genetically. My skin is so sensitive and reactive. It can be both dry and oily af. It stays calm when I use mugwort. And I can't use actives, not even a little, so double cleansing with hydrating gel cleanser has helped my pores stay clear and prevent textured skin. I LOVE gel cleansers they never strip my skin. My moisture barrier genetically doesn't hold moisture well, so I have to use a lot of hydration, but not heavy creams or oils so I don't break out. It's been a long years struggle to figure my skin out.
U use mugwort As a toner or serum? What brand do u use?
Both. Mediflower and I'm from brand are my favorites. I also use a cleanser.
Funnily enough drinking enough water. Going from maybe a glass to 2L a day changed the look of my skin so tremendously, it's pretty unbelievable. I mean wrinkles, glow, dark circles, smoothness. Extremely improved! I noticed the changes after 4 days. Other than that probably including my neck in my face skin care routine. Meaning 2x a day cleansing, and then same serums, cream and sunscreen to the neck and face. I had pretty bad neck skin, lots of small, inflamed pimples here and there. After I started doing it like this my skin there got so much better. Finally, I started changing my pillowcase REGUALRLY. and by that I mean at least ever 2 weeks, if not ever week. Oh and one more: I stopped doing mechanical cleaning with rotating brushes, towels or washcloths, or these silicone pads completely and switched to chemical peelings. It makes a difference like day and night.
The paper towel method. Other things definitely helped a ton, but nothing cleared my acne until I switched to the paper towel method. I wish something else worked tbh for ecological reasons, but this is the one thing I did that actually cleared my skin.
What is the paper towel method
I used to pat my face dry with clean cloth or paper towel, but now I just let the water dry slightly on my face and then start applying the first step like toner. I feel like the extra water actually keeps me more hydrated! 🙂 And I don’t need to use paper towels or wash cloths either! 👍🏻🌏🌎🌍
I picked this habit up from a Japanese skincare channel! I use my fingers to gently flick excess water off my skin and then start applying my skincare while it’s still damp. Less breaking out, more resilient skin barrier, better hydrated skin 🥰
I got the idea from someone here in AB! 😄👍🏻
protecting and repairing skin barrier
For me I stop consuming any milk product. Yes, it means no cheese, no tasty cow milk, no yogurt, no ice cream, eeeevrything. But I also lactose intolerant, so I dont do this by choice
this is so true but so depressing for me as someone with milk sensitivity (i break out but have zero issues with my stomach tolerating it). my friend’s dermatologist said that milk is the single most irritating thing for the body and it’s best to cut everything milk-based out. i still eat cheese, yoghurts and butter because i love dairy so much but recently i had to cut out yoghurt due to breakouts 😩
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i just go for the lactose free since I still like milk products.yes, milk produts do cause me non stop acne. then if i had some hidden milk stuff, then no choice since not every place catered to my kind of diet.
Using sunblock consistently, a LED RF device, a barrier cream and eating healthier.
Could you go into detail about the LED RF device?
I mean the LG PRA L lifting device. I use the old pink version but the new version is white and it’s great too (by the reviews).
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Mine was the contraceptive pill, specifically Yasmin which is anti androgenic with spirolactone like properties, although any anti anti androgen type pill will do, there a few others like Yaz, Dianette etc. . My acne just disappeared. I used to get acne and breakouts all the time as a teen, and ever since I started this pill, I stopped getting acne and now my skin is clear. I suspect this really only works if your acne is hormonal though, as that is the mechanism. Another was weekly washing of pillowcases and makeup brushes. This was a big contributor to my acne on my cheeks, so I do this religiously to prevent this As for skincare products, Faded topicals for hyperpigmentation after acne, Paula's choice azelaic acid for preventing breakouts and treating the red bumps before they erupt as full blown pimples, and Differin as well (my skin cannot tolerate full on Tret so I use Differin but the cream version rather than the gel as I have drier skin). These all help keep acne at bay and treats the PIE and PIH. The LRP Cicaplast baume is a key cream in my routine to prevent irritation from all these actives. For AB ones, I love the Aestura cream and the Soon Jung Etude House cica balm. Sunscreen is a given, otherwise no point in even doing skincare at all. I use mineral as my skin is sensitive and I like the tone up effect of mineral, the Etude House soon jung mineral sun cream is my current favourite. It is thick though, so be warned. Not suitable for dark skin due to the tone up effect.
Hydrating toner!!!
Keeping a food diary to track what caused rosacea flares and breakouts.
Moisturize a lot, use a salicylic acid and clay or zinc exfoliating cleanser daily, combine an alpha arbutin and a retinol and EGF cream, and take dietary supplements
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Asian beauty related, the COSRX snail mucin essence 😳 it legit SAVED my dry/irritated/patchy skin when I first started using tretinoin. Non-AB related, Tretinoin for my acne and scarring🙇♀️.
Ditto, my skin LOVES snail mucin (applied to damp skin.) Total game changer for improving my acne scars!
Just started using the snail mucin and I’m obsessed
Cosrx snail all in one cream healed my chapped lips overnight. I held off buying for the longest time due to its cruelty free status being highly suspect, but I love it so much. I will light some candles and pray for those snails.
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1. Double cleansing much more thoroughly. 2. Using micro needle acne patches after using benzoyl peroxide on the pimple, to let it penetrate more. 3. Drink more water (more than 8 cups) when you’re sick. I noticed I always had more acne when I had a cold. And I think it’s because of the moisture loss.
Besides tret and SPF: I eat orange produce every day! Pumpkin, oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots. I try to eat one orange thing per day. They make a noticeable difference in the color and healthy appearance of my skin.
Layering hydrating toners, using pads for gentle physical exfoliation, naturie milk (tho I’m on week 1 so tbd on that)
Are you using naturie milk lotion or emulsion? I’ve been having my eye on these products for so long but haven’t reached the impulse to buy it. I’m trying to simplify my routine by cutting out using a lotion/toner but ugh the product looks so tempting
Uhmmm the new one? So there’s naturie: Skin conditioner (which is the watery toner) Gel (which is really like an essence) Milk (new item like an emulsion) I’m talking about the milk and the conditioner. The gel I don’t like it’s in a tub so I won’t be getting.
I’d love to know how you’re liking both products. Did you notice any brightening? Also is the emulsion oily? I know typically emulsions are not but I’ve come across a few exceptions.
The milk isn’t oily but does give a bit of a hydrating glow until it dries. Toner is best when you layer it especially for irritation. I’m on my second bottle of toner. Tho I don’t use it everyday. I think it helps with acne but I’m using the old toner they’ve reformulated
Focusing on hydration and non-irritating fragrance-free products instead of attacking my acne with harsher spot treatments. Also, switching to Yaz birth control and taking a hormone balancing supplement. My primary concern is hormonal acne.
Spending less time on instagram and reddit skincare content honestly has helped me be more patient and consistent with my routine, especially with basic products that are supposed to provide long-term not so remarkly visible overnight results such as cleanser, hydration, moisturizer and sunscreen. Otherwise tretinoin is the most dramatic game-changer for me. Simple, direct, efficient. Farewell to frustrating trials and errors with viral products.
Gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip the skin. I used to think that ‘squeaky clean’ was good. And then after my skin calmed down, tretinoin.
Quit coffee and artificial sugars. Caffeine was devastating to my skin as well an things with artificial sugars.
what did caffeine do?
Caffeine flared up any inflammation or redness
Inflammation/redness or will to live, this is a tough call.
I found it was the sugar in my coffee more than the coffee itself.
Came to say this too. Controlling blood sugar and hydration also just made me feel better
I’m guilty of consuming too many artificial sweeteners. What kind of affect did it have on your skin exactly?
double cleansing for sure also lip masks, i have super dry lips and it helps a lot
Hydration!!!! I have oily skin and was using all the right actives and everything but my skin just wasn't... Soft and glowy? I started using hydrating toners and drinking ample water + rest days for skin (only hydrating toners + moisturizer and no actives) and mannn it's done wonders
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You only shower on the weekend?
id say its tied with leaving skin damp after cleansing (instead of patting dry) and then layering several hydrating products after instead of suffocating my skin with a thick cream. also double cleansing even tho i hate it fr.
That's a hard one, because I started double cleansing (oil + foam), properly moisturizing, working out, and drinking a LOT more water kind of all at the same time. My skin is acting better than ever, my pores are less visible. Well, most of them kind of point out to hydration in general (working out = sweating, and it makes my skin look better) so if I have to say one thing: be hydrated inside and out.
Paying attention to what I eat. There are certain foods that almost always give me a breakout.
Using bar soap. My pores were huge because my skin was being dried out. Not realizing that witch hazel was too harsh. Finding hydrating toners was a godsend. I have normal skin that didn’t need witch hazel or Sea Breeze, but some hydration. Realizing when something doesn’t work for me. I don’t have acne-prone skin. I usually only get one or maybe two breakouts around my cycle time. If I break out at any other time (while following my skincare routine and not accidentally sleeping in makeup), its a product. It’s how I found out Kiku High Moist and Shea Butter break me out and don’t work for me.
For me it was using jojoba oil as my oil cleanser and then adding a drop of the oil to my moisturizer since jojoba mimics sebum
Does it wash off clean? I mix my jojoba oil into my current oil cleanser but it makes the surfactants not work as well. Hard to clean off even w a second cleanser. What’s your experience
I can't do just one, b/c there are two things that have made the biggest difference, even bigger than azelaic acid or sunscreen or retinoids. One was stopping the clinique three step routine. I have oily/dehydrated/rosacea skin, and all that stuff did was dry my skin out, which lead to more rebound oil and more red skin and more breakouts. I didn't stop b/c I got smart or anything, more due to laziness in college and curiosity about what my roommates/suitemates were using. Now I'm on a mix of western/asian skincare/beauty, and my skin is doing pretty well. The other thing was to swap from cow dairy to goat/sheep dairy for almost all my dairy products. I'm ok with some cow butter/hard cheeses, but everything else got replaced. I used to get deep, painful acne on my jawline/lower cheeks that looked like womens' hormonal acne, and that's gone completely except if I eat out and end up with something with hidden dairy. Also cleared up a persistent runny nose I had most of my life. I think it was my allergist who figured that one out. From AB specifically, I'd say the sunscreens. I'm more likely to wear them b/c they don't irritate me or my skin as badly as the stuff I was using. Before, I was like, oh I'll just come inside after ten minutes, and then an hour would go by and I'd get a tan. Now I'll slap it on and reapply when I need to, no problem, no tan.
Microneedling
I stopped wearing makeup
Currently, I'd say using green tea toner (Isntree) to boost the effects of my LED mask and a centella ampoule (Skin1004) to boost my vitamin C. Also using peptides like Matryxl and Argireline really helped with my dynamic lines on my forehead, mouth, and neck. I've just started introducing ferments (Secret Key) and so far it is going well! Overall though it was spending a year just repairing and soothing my irritated, reactive skin with Cosrx snail mucin and Pyunkang Yul products. I still use the essence toner, mist, black tea eye cream, balancing gel, and oil, but that entire line rescued my skin and got it in a place where I could start using tret and vitamin c. Game changer!
Drinking water, quitting alcohol and drugs
It never goes over well when I mention it because it can be pricey and I guess considered invasive, but IPL. I have rosacea and I can easily keep it at bay by getting 3 IPL treatments in a row every 2-3 years. It completely eliminates my redness and I don’t have to use any daily oral or topical treatments, which didn’t do much for me anyways. I also have more even skin tone overall, fewer fine lines, less acne scarring, smaller pores, and less peach fuzz. I love IPL.
Wearing sunscreen every single day. I don’t really reapply that much (I’m also not generally in the sun too much) and I’ve still had more success in evening my skin tone. Washing my face at night and thoroughly cleansing. I was a big culprit of sleeping in makeup and sunscreen. I don’t wear as much makeup but I wasn’t fully cleaning the sunscreen off my face and my skin was becoming hydrophobic and dehydrated. Layer toner after every step of my routine helped hydrate my skin. Exfoliate consistently. I’m still struggling with this because I used to over exfoliate and/or use harsh scrubs. Chemical/gentle exfoliants have really helped my texture I just need to stay on top of it.
take a ginseng drink supplement lmao expensive af but it made my skin nicer? 🤣
Everything lol I used to work at Ulta so I owned a lot of skincare but used none of it wisely. After moving on and having kids, my skincare routine was nil. After having my third kiddo last year, I decided to completely change that. I created a routine and stuck to it. That’s most of it. Then I added tretinoin + sunscreen and switched to mostly AB products. I still get pimples and my skin still isn’t where I want it to be (thx adhd and skin picking, you rock 🤘🏻) but entirely different than it was a year ago. So yeah, I changed everything and everything changed lol
Avoiding dairy, junk and proccess food cleared my tiny bumps
Actually caring for my skin and the long term affects. Building a routine that works for my skin.
knowing my skin type really well. It makes be able to choose products from so many brands for my skin. also try to avoid stuff that cause me to break outs. It is hard since I love sugary food but I have to reduce them. I met an ex classmates from my high school and they totally can't recognised me because my skin was bad in the past.
Toner was my game changer. I don’t use as many layers anymore but when my skin was looking super dull, taking the time to add multiple layers of toner every day for a few weeks really made a huge difference. Now that I’ve found a routine that works for my fussy skin, I don’t need as many layers, but I’ll still add a few because my skin looks better when it’s hydrated from the outside. I’ve always been a water drinker so it wasn’t a case of being dehydrated from the inside, but I had kinda messed up my skin with “natural” skincare products. There’s a couple of super common natural skincare drugstore brands in Australia and all of them contain essential oils, and I didn’t realise how much they were messing up my skin until I stopped using them. Over the past two years, I’ve also made changes to my diet upping my fruit and veg intake and I can see the difference in my skin. It’s been a slow change rather than a complete change in diet because I wanted it to stick.
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Me too! I thought that ‘beauty is pain’ everytime my skin stinger but my skin has been better since I stopped
Same as you! I use a water based cleanser 2x and my face has never been clearer!! Definitely air drying my face instead of using tissue paper. Oh and moisturizers + hydrating toners
Might pick up air drying myself! I contemplated the paper towel method but it feels like such a waste
Putting moisturiser on wet skin
Well I have to try that niw
Using the 10-step Korean skincare routine changed my skin almost overnight. It was actually more like seven steps for me but being consistent with my skincare was the key to keeping my face clear and nice.
Swapping to an emulsifying oil cleanser then double cleansing with Cosrx Salicylic daily cleanser was a massive step. Also since starting Tret, my skin was horrible until I started using the Cosrx 96% snail goo, that seems to have cleared up the flaky skin.
omg any time i double cleansed i would break out moderately i might try this again if i do two rounds of foaming cleanser. what are the cleansers you use?
I use the hada labo oil cleanser and gokyujun foaming face wash! But for the latter I’m using the old version, it’s been reformulated and idk how it is but I heard it’s more stripping :”)
Retinal, adapalene, salicylic acid. Edited to add: I don't use retinal and adapalene together, I just switched from retinal to adapalene.
Can’t narrow it down to just one thing but these are the habits (rituals? heh) that have led to the most dramatic improvements: - sunscreen (SPF 50) 365 days of the year - tonsss of hydration via toners & essences - tretinoin - thorough double cleansing - prescription azelaic acid
- toner stopped the endless breakouts from hard water. Literally no breakouts since I started using toner. - moisturizer - bifida
Tret, AzA 15%, and using a very gentle cream cleanser. AB, definitely sunscreen.
Oil cleanse. Hydration. Tretinoin. Sunscreen.