Skin Care
If you’re anything like me then growing up you probably suffered from mild to moderate acne. Between not washing my face after practice, eating all kinds of junk food and stressing over boys who honestly didn’t deserve my time it really is no wonder why my face constantly was covered in pimples. That and I’m sure hormones from puberty didn’t help much either. And I know you remember how awful it was when you got a pimple in your teens. You probably freaked out and hopelessly tried every acne product you could find in Walmart or Target, even trying home remedies like toothpaste which most likely did more harm to your skin than good. I tried all kinds of brands, studied beauty gurus routines on YouTube and truthfully nothing really worked when I was younger to prevent acne. It wasn’t until my junior year in college that I stumbled across the oil cleansing method and realized how little my skin needed in order to truly be healthy. While the oil cleansing method improved my skin I still got the occasional breakout. It took me a while to realize that I still got pimples because I wasn’t using anything to prevent acne. While the oil cleansing method keeps your skin clean, balanced and glowing, the oils I was using don’t keep acne away. In an effort to find products that prevent acne it was important for me not only that they didn’t have extremely harmful chemicals in them, but also didn’t break the bank or complicate my insanely simple skincare routine. After some trial and error I’ve created a skin care routine that’s helped me prevent acne, even with having to wear a mask.
My Skin Care Products
My Skin Care Routine
My skin care routine is really minimal. I wash my face in the morning, use a toner then moisturize and then in the evenings I wash my face, use a toner, maybe a serum and moisturize. Depending on how my skin is acting I usually alternate between a few different products that meet my skin’s needs. Here’s the products I’m currently using and why I love them!
- Face Wash
- Grapeseed Oil. A lot of people think putting oil on your face is counter intuitive but oil attracts oil and breaks down majority of make up products. I have been using grapeseed oil for over a decade because it has tons of vitamins and it doesn’t clog my skin. I used to only use this to wash my face but these days I use it as a pre-wash if I wear makeup because it really gets all the products off.
- Wash Your Face from Plant Apothecary. I originally bought this to support black owned businesses, which unfortunately it no longer is, but I really love the smell. On top of using mostly natural ingredients, it doesn’t dry out my skin which is key. Moisturized skin stays clearer and heals much quicker than dry skin.
- Toner
- Glycolic Acid Toner from The Ordinary. I can’t say enough good things about the Ordinary’s products. While not all of their products are miracle workers, glycolic acid is a must for clear skin. The way it works is by helping dead skin cells fall off so that your pores don’t get covered meaning they won’t get clogged in the first place. It’s perfect for preventing acne and removing milia. Typically I only use this at night because it can cause a reaction when exposed sunlight.
- Deep Hydration Facial Mist from Clean Beauty. TJ Maxx/Marshall’s always has the best face toners in my opinion which is where I found this one. Using a hydrating toner helps to balance your PH. For that reason I typically look for toners with all natural ingredients plus additives like Rose, Aloe, Cucumber, or Coconut because these keep my skin hydrated the best throughout the day.
- Serums
- BHA Exfoliant Serum from FaceTheory. When The Ordinary basically cancelled their salicylic acid I hunted high and low for a replacement. While I’m not crazy about the smell of this product, salicyclic acid is perfect for preventing and healing acne. Unlike glycolic acid, it not only removes dead skin cells but actually cleans inside the pores. A warning here that more is not more, too much will truly irritate your skin. Like the glycolic acid this is something I use at night but never the same night I use my glycolic toner.
- Pimple Patches from SKYN Iceland. I LOVE these babies! These work perfectly on pimples that have already popped or are starting to form. For popped pimples simply place it on overnight and the next morning you’ll have a very small scab that will fall off the day after. It also helps to prevent dark spots because the faster a pimple heals the less chance it has to get darker in the sun.
- Moisturizer
- Shea Butter. There’s a lot of vitamins in shea butter that help to add moisture keeping your skin healthy. I only really use shea butter in the winter when my skin is extra dry.
- Grapeseed Oil. The purpose of grapeseed oil at the end is to keep the moisture locked in.
- Masks
- Collegen + Fruit Enzymes Sleeping Mask from VALJEAN Labs. I use this mask once a week, usually on Wednesday. It’s a nice mid-week pick me up but if I’m honest I don’t think it’s been a game changer in my routine. This year I made a promise to finish the products I have before buying more which is why I’ve been using it on the regular.
- AHA + BHA Mask from The Ordinary. I’ve been using this mask so long I’m not sure what my skin would do without it. The combination of glycolic and salicylic acid work double duty to prevent acne but because this is such a high concentration of chemicals I only use it once a week to keep my skin from drying out.
Skin is a very personal thing. What works for some might not work for everyone. If you’re someone who still suffers from acne on occasion I’d love to hear what you’ve found works best for you in the comments below!
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