Skincare Routine for Acne-Prone Skin

Skincare and I have a love/hate relationship.  Since my teen years, I have tried thousands of dollars worth of skin care products without seeing results on my acne prone skin. Name the skin care brand, I have probably tried it.  I cannot even tell you how many times I would go to bed with 20 different products on my face and pray to the skincare gods that I wake up with bright, clear skin.  If you have ever struggled with acne as adult, I am sure you can relate. WELL, let me tell you, I have finally found my holy grail skincare routine, and it only took me a solid 15 years to figure it out.

My Skincare Story

Before discussing my skincare superstars, I should probably give you a background of my skincare journey.  I have combination skin, with an oily T-zone and dry patches on the perimeter of my cheeks.  My acne is typically hormonal, and my breakouts usually occur within my T-zone, with the worst being on my chin and above my eyebrows. I never really struggled with cystic acne, but I do have A LOT of acne scarring (why didn’t anyone tell me that would happen when I was 15 and popping all my pimples).

Now, as a 28 year old adult, my biggest skincare focus is preventing the hormonal breakouts, fading the scarring, and introducing anti-aging products into my daily routine. In January, I made my skin an even bigger priority because I want to look perfect in my wedding photos because I want to feel good in my own skin. WELL, the skincare gods have finally answered my prayers and I feel like I can finally walk out of my house without feeling like I need to pile on the concealer.

DISCLAIMER: Skincare is one of the most individualized beauty routines I have ever encountered. Just because the products I mention work for me, does not mean they work for everyone.  I spent a lot of time with the Sephora sales associates, who are kind enough to offer you samples of ANYTHING you want to try.

My Daily Skincare Routine

All of the products I have listed below are listed in the order that I apply them!

Morning

1. Water – the most inexpensive beauty tool that I own.  I started drinking 16oz of water AS SOON as I wake up in the morning and…guys why haven’t I been doing this all my life?! I feel so much more awake, and I truly believe that my increase in water intake throughout the day has had positive impacts on the brightness of skin.
2. GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser – I am a big fan of Origin’s products, and I think I have gone through 10 bottles of this cleanser.  If you are acne prone, you have probably heard 100x that you need to exfoliate.  I used to go crazy with harsh exfoliaters, and this product is so gentle on my skin. I still feel like it effectively unclogs my pores and clears away any dead skin. Not to mention the smell is incredible.
3. Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum – This product has absolutely transformed my skin.  If you take anything from this post, get this product. It is pricy, but a little goes a long way, and it is life-changing. I use one pump of this serum on my face right after exfoliating. I swear my skin instantly looks more hydrated and alive. It contains vitamin C, and it packed full of antioxidants that reduce the appearance of dark spots. My acne scarring has become so much less noticeable after using this product. I have the full size bottle, and have been using this daily since April and the end is not even in sight.
4. GinZing Energy Boosting Gel Moisturizer – Don’t make the same mistake I did and skip moisturizer for years.  Moisturizing is something that I wish I started when I was 18. Even if you are oily, or acne prone, you still NEED moisture. This Origins product is another one of my holy grail products that I have been using for a few years, and I can’t find one that I like more. This moisturizer smells as fantastic as its exfoliator counterpart, is super lightweight, and doesn’t leave me feeling like a grease ball after I apply it.
5. OLEHENRIKSON Banana Bright Eye Creme – This is a newer product for me, I am usually pretty loyal to Origins GinZing Eye Creme (are you seeing a vitamin C theme here?), but I recently stumbled upon this product and I really enjoy it. It also contains vitamin C, which helps with signs of aging. To be honest, I never really notice instant improvement with eye cremes, but I know I will be thankful that I used them in my twenties.

Night

1. Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser – This product was actually recommended to me from my esthatician a couple years ago.  I was expressing my daily frustrations with not being able to find a good cleanser and she recommended this drugstore miracle product. The problem I had with cleansers that are made for acne-prone skin is that my face would feel so dry after using them. My skin would go into overdrive with oil-production and the acne would just get worse. This is my go-to nighttime cleanser. I recently started washing my face with it twice, once to get off my makeup, and again to truly cleanse my skin (GAME CHANGER).
2. Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion – I use this lotion as a spot treatment for breakouts, or as a preventative treatment for my hormonal acne.  This does contain 5% benzoyl peroxide, which can be very drying for combination skin, I use this sparingly! I have had the same bottle since last November, so it has lasted me a while! It completely eradicates those pesky breakouts when they come around!
3. Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum – This serum started my love affair with Drunk Elephant products.  I use one pump of this serum right after cleansing. It contains 12% AHA/BHA, which are chemical exfoliants. This product has really helped reduce the oil production on my skin, and my skin feels so soft when I wake up in the morning. Drunk Elephant is also a clean skincare line, meaning every product is formulated without silicones, sulfates, perfumes, colorants, and more!
4. Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil – This is also another fairly new product for me.  I purchased the mini size back in April during the Sephora VIB sale, and I really enjoy it! I use one pump of this mixed with the Drunk Elephant night serum. This facial oil has essentially eliminated my need for a night time moisturizer.  Drunk Elephant claims this oil helps with uneven skin tone and dryness. My scarring is definitely more diminished after three months of using this product.  Again, I know these products are pricy, but they work! Do what I did and purchase a smaller volume, or ask for a free sample at Sephora!

On My Radar

Next step in my skin care journey is to find a SPF that I can wear daily.  Right now my foundation contains SPF, but I don’t wear this daily.  I have been using this COOLA SPF in the summer on days when I am going make-up free (which is more often, lately!) and I really like it, but I don’t know how it will work with my current skincare regime.

Also I am in search of a good night time eye serum/cream.  Leave your recommendations on these in the comments below!

Okay, so I know that is a LOT of products.  Yes, I am well aware that they do cost quite a bit. When it comes to skin care, I don’t mind paying up for quality, but most of these products are investments. Sephora usually has awesome deals on gift sets, like this one from Drunk Elephant, so you don’t have to break the bank! Someday, I will try to little down this routine to something simpler, but right now I am loving the results of my current skincare routine.  Leave me a comment below on your favorite products in your daily skincare routine!

xo, Kristen

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