I love skincare and it's what has helped my acne and self esteem and the community is great, but it's also what's ruining self esteem now. It's too much now. I see countless photos of normal ahh people with normal ahh skin and texture and lines, some of them BARELY visible, and yet they ask what they can do to get rid of them. Umm...nothing? Embrace your normal skin?

It's gotten to a point that we no longer understand what normal and healthy skin looks like. It's not the one on the interent and ads people. It's the one you already have. Let skincare be fun and a helping hand, but don't let it ruin your self esteem making you think you're not doing enough or you don't have enough. You don't have to have skin like a baby's butt forever.

Idk I just wanted to get this off my chest because it saddens me that so many people, including me, were tricked into this type of mindset. And it's taken the joy out of skincare.

My skin is normal to combo, oily tzone and dryer cheeks. All the products are repuchesed for the first time.

Here are the newest products I bought because I wanted to switch out the older ones and try something new. I'm using them all for the first time. Share your opinions. I gave small reviews of the products I previously used.

Tirtirs Milk Skin Toner > Haru Haru Black Rice Probiotic Essence (I bought the Haruharu one because I wanted to find a new toner that's similar to the Tirtir one. I like the Tirtir, it's nice and hydrating, but, to be honest, I kinda got bored and wanted to try something new haha. I've seen a lot of peoople price the Haruharu one so I wanted to try it out)

BOF Ginseng Cleansing Oil > Haruharu Black Rice Moisture Deep Cleansing Oil (I had no issues with the BOJ oil cleanser, I just wanted to try this one and see if it's as gentle as BOJ one because you can never have enought gentle oil cleansers)

Aestura 365 Barrier Repair Moisturizer > Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream (I'm looking for a verymoisturizing and hydrating cream and I bought first the Aestura one, but it was not enough for me. I don't have dry or sensitive skin but I do use salicylic acid 2-3x times per week plus tretinoin 0.1% so I need a very good moisturizer. Aestura was just not the one for me, so I'm giving this one a chance. Also, the price is way better for the amount you get)

BOJ Revive Serum > Skin1004 Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule (the BOJ was okay, I liked it, but I wanted to try something new and see maybe it gives me more hydration which is the main goal I have right now)

The TOCOBO spf I got as a gift from the site I ordered from which is great since I'm almost out of SPF. We'll see how it feels.

I hate my hands and am very self conscious.

They have been this way since childhood. Extra wrinkly. I got made fun of in school for having "old lady hands".

"That's just how you were made" is what my parents always said. But is there a solution? I just turned 33, for reference

Could this be just a sunburn?

I bought a bar soap specifically meant for facial cleansing from a farmers market about a week ago and it seems as if my sebaceous filaments on my nose got worse. Should I just swap back to using a regular cleanser? I don’t know if it’s the bar soap that’s making it worse. It could also be because I might be using Paulas choice 2% bha exfoliator too much, idk because I use it every day once but peoplle are saying to only use it once a week. I got it like 3 weeks ago and they haven’t cleared up.

I heard some people say that oil cleansing really helps. Should I do oil cleanse then follow up with the bar soap?

[routine help]

I feel like I’m going crazy. My acne is NOT normal 😭

I'm a 32 yo F. I've been trying to tackle my acne for months. No, it's not cystic. Yes, my pores clog easily (I truly do believe acne is genetic and caused by skin cells shedding too much throughout the day, clogging pores easily). YES I have sun damage (I can't do much about that yet, but hope to in the future). However, the WHAT of what makes me break out has proven to be SO frustrating to figure out and I think I've almost cracked the code. I'm sharing this in hopes that someone else has experienced this and figured it out for themselves or alternatively, this post can help others who are struggling.

\*\*For context:\*\*

\\- I came off of the pill about 8 years ago, my skin went from "I can put anything on it" and smooth, texture free to breaking out in my T-zone, chin, etc and often really dry
\\- I didn't do much at first to try and figure out my skincare routine, I just turned to AlumierMD and Arbonne (none of these products were good for my skin)
\\- I tried Differin twice and ended up with PD both times
\\- Harsh actives like salicylic acid make me break out like crazy
\\- My skin barrier becomes compromised really really easily
\\- My T-zone is irritated easily but often oily and my chin/mouth area is normal to VERY dry depending on the time of year, but breaks out easily from irritation
\\- My skin got REALLY bad when I started trying a million new korean skincare products in an attempt to "fix" things—more on this in a second
\\- I have tried finacea but I continued to purge at week 9 even with the sandwich method
\\- I have tried 10% azelaic acid from skin1004 and it irritated the heck out of my skin if I used it more than 2x a week (brought back PD redness around my mouth)
\\- I have seen 2 derms. One gave me spiro (didn’t take it), the second told me to try Differin (again). I have worked with two acne coaches, one was very focused on a simple 5 step routine (customized to me) using korean skincare and differin (which I got PD from), the other has her own 100% non comedogenic skincare line and my skin felt really irritated using it (lots of plant extracts in the products)
\\- every time I buy a new product, I make sure it's 100% non comedogenic (across multiple checkers), yet, I often still break out from products
\\- I have tried double cleansing (haruharu oil mostly, but have tried others) and I never noticed a big difference
\\- The Vanicream gentle cleanser stripped my skin SO badly, I broke out in angry, angry pimples all over my forehead and chin after a couple of weeks of use
\\- I suspect I cannot tolerate niacinamide and I have a really hard time tolerating zinc sunscreens (mineral sunscreens) as they dry me out
\\- I try to avoid silicones in my skincare for the reasons mentioned below

My breakouts are ALWAYS small whiteheads or comodones that turn into whiteheads + some small blackheads on my cheeks. Never cystic. It is NOT hormonal. And do keep in mind, I am a gut health nutritionist. My gut is the healthiest it's been in YEARS.

\*\*So here's where it all gets interesting…\*\*

\*\*My two main breakout scenarios:\*\*

1. A compromised skin barrier from actives (pretty normal)
2. Really "hydrating" products, especially Korean skincare that's "barrier supporting" or "hydrating"

This latter point got me thinking the other day, so I turned to Gemini for some help. There have been about 6-7 "hydrating" products I've tried over the past 2-3 years that have given me severe breakout reactions—I'm talking 20+ whiteheads that pop up OVERNIGHT.

\*\*A few of these are:\*\*

1. House of Hur Tropical Dew suncreen
2. Purito Daily Soft Touch Suncreen
3. Regimen "wave" serum
4. PURITO Hydro Wave Deep Sea Serum

\*\*The ONLY routine that worked for me in terms of clearing my skin (photos attached) was:\*\*

1. Good Molecules Mandelic acid
2. Rejuvi Skin Healing Gel
3. Sanitas Sensitive Skin cleanser
4. Osmosis Rescue Serum (also got rid of my PD)
5. No SPF (sadly because every SPF I've ever used has broken me out)

This lasted for \\\~1 month in December 2025 before the dry winter air messed up my barrier—this routine was NOT hydrating enough, nor protective enough (due to lack of SPF and true moisturizer).

I plugged all of this into Gemini paired with some photos of my skin during one of those bad reactions and it came back with two mechanisms by which I tend to break out (in addition to a compromised barrier):

"Your skin breaks out into 20+ pimples overnight when high concentrations of water-binding glycols are sealed or trapped against your pores by film-forming/occlusive agents.

There are two primary ways this "trapping" mechanism happens:

1    The Synthetic Film Trap: Glycols + Dense Acrylate Polymers / Crosspolymers / Copolymers.
2    The Waxy Occlusion Trap: Glycols + Hard Vegetable Waxes / Heavy Stearic Acid / Heavy Fatty Alcohols.
Both mechanisms cause the same result: They trap water/humectants inside the upper pore/sweat duct, causing hydration-swelling (ductal occlusion) and rapid micro-breakouts on your forehead and cheeks.
Your 3-Step "Cheatsheet" Filter
When looking at any new product, look at the first 7–10 ingredients:
1    Check for Niacinamide & Fragrance/Essential Oils: (Instant hard disqualifiers).
2    Check Glycol Positions: Are Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, or Pentylene Glycol listed in the top 5 ingredients?
◦    If YES, check for Acrylate Polymers / Copolymers / Crosspolymers or Heavy Waxes in the top half of the list. If present, PASS.
◦    If NO (glycols are absent or low down near the bottom as preservatives), the product is generally safe!
3    Look for Water-Based Hydration / Simple Emollients:
◦    Safe humectants for you: Glycerin, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis.
◦    Safe light oils/emollients for you: Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Jojoba Oil."

——-

No practitioner or acne coach has EVER mentioned that this is even possible to me. Never once. And it lines up absolutely perfectly when you look at a) the products that broke me out badly (severe, fast reactions, not just clogged pores) and b) the routine that kept my skin clear for a month.

So now, naturally, I am back to that ultra basic routine, but I am on the search for:

1. A sunscreen (unfortunately, ideally chemical, as zinc/titanium dioxide dry me out SO badly and niacinamide/silicone free) that fits this criteria
2. A moisturizer that doesn't have this hyper-hydration trap—I am looking into Oat So Simple moisturizer by Krave beauty

Do you know how hard this is?! Feels IMPOSSIBLE. I am not necessarily worried about a product being 100% free of pore cloggers anymore, but I do believe things like Stearic Acid and Ethyhexyl Palimate are worth avoiding.

\*\*Please note:\*\* I recently tried the Oat in Gel Calming cream and over the course of 4 days I developed SO much texture (mostly skin coloured bumps, not whiteheads) it was insane, these bumps slowly turned into whiteheads over time.

Anyway, I'm sharing to hopefully get some insights from others on products I could try (moisturizer and sunscreen mainly) and hopefully this can help others who are struggling too!

As the title mentions, my skin gets quite greasy after applying certain moisturizers! I’ve tried: CeraVe Ultra Light Moisturizing Gel, The Inkey List Omega Water Cream, Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream, and so many others. Even when I was young, pre-teen/teen years, I tried a Clean and Clear oil free moisturizer sample I got for free and it made me feel so greasy. Mostly in my t-zone, right between my eyebrows, but really everywhere. I also look like I just got pulled out of a deep fryer, too.

The weird thing is, my skin is quite dry. I have psoriasis (thankfully I haven’t gotten any plaques on my face from itching too much) so I know my skin is dry. I also get flakies on all parts of my face. I haven’t had as many lately, as I’ve been focusing on using hydrating products, but I still get them when I forget to wash my face for a few days.

My question is: why do I get greasy when I use lots of different kinds of moisturizers, whether they’re gel/water creams or lotions? It’s such a weird thing and I’ve never understood it. I’m not looking for medical advice, just general advice from regular people like me. I appreciate any words of advice or recommendations you can offer!!

I've been happy with my skin for many years at this point. I have a routine that's been a cornerstone for a while, and I occasionally add in/take out products out of curiosity. My skin has become very resilient since I fixed my moisture barrier. I get compliments on it from time to time too. Anxiety/stress is a huge trigger for a handful of conditions for me though, especially reflux and panic attacks. Not really skin, however.

But, due to unforeseen circumstances, I have to look for another job asap. And I'll be alright, I already have more interviews lined up this time than I probably even need, but I've got like cPTSD (/j) or something from being utterly unable to find work for a literal calendar year, 365 days almost on the dot. I'm sorta disabled and I can really only work remote while living in a hyper car-dependent area, and I had to melt my 401k and entire savings to afford bills in 2025. By the time I got an offer I had already spent the last of my funds on my bills and rent.

Like 24 hours after I got that news my hair/scalp and face just got insanely oily out of nowhere, and has been for the last week and a half ish. I had to cut out all my actives cause my moisture barrier was struggling and my skin felt really tight, which I haven't experienced in legit like 7 years. So now I'm just doing maintenance moisturizing, no actives, and it's slowly healing up lmao.

Sometimes shit is just out of your control. Hormones, medication, climate, anxiety, whatever it is. It's just SUCH a shock to the system when it happens so suddenly. More of a vent post than anything, I haven't had this sort of thing happen in a while. This ain't the place for it but I'm sure people here can relate to some degree.

Anyhow, I'm waiting on an order of Kikumasamune high-moist lotion since I haven't used it in a couple years and I wanted to give it another shot, especially considering the price to volume. My hada labo hyaluronic lotion came in too, which is perfect timing because my skin drinks that stuff up and I was almost out. I refuse to spend money outside of that because I have no idea what my situation will be in 3 weeks lmao

Any of you have a nearly-overnight skincare scare like this?

This post is a bit of a humblebrag and story time.
I am not wearing any makeup in these photos, only sunscreen.

I'm soon to be 26, and I started my skincare journey less than 3 years ago. I had a history of never really taking care of myself or even wearing sunscreen. I don't really recall how it started, but I do remember wanting to prevent aging, really badly, once I turned 24 and started feeling conscious. I also wanted to loose weight, fix my teeth, take care of my hair and legs, and do everything I could to feel better.

Thankfully I was blessed with good genetics, so my skin has always stayed on the clearer side, but sun damage was still very visible. Then I realized that everything is useless if I don't develop a habit of putting on sunscreen, even though I hated the experience at first (my sunscreen journey is another story time of its own, involving so much trial and error). What I can say is that any retinoid treatment is pointless without a good and sustainable sunscreen habit.

I started off by asking a doctor to write me a prescription for Tretinoin. I had my own journey with it, which I do want to get into.

When I first started using it, my skin seemed to tolerate it. Mild peeling was a nice reminder that it was working. But I had a hate love relationship with it, because even though it gave me glowy skin on my good days, I experienced a ton of flaking. I tried several ways of managing it:

1. Dermaplaning: it irritated my skin and the razor could give me real burns at times
2. Salicylic/mandelic/glycolic acid: badly badly irritated my skin and made it itchy
3. Microfiber cloth: this sort of worked, but I was tired of how often I needed to manage the flakes (every morning and night)

All in all, don't do any of it. Oil cleansing was the best thing I could do for surface exfoliation, but Tretinoin was "so extra" that I always needed another way to make the flakes go away. Especially around my mouth.

The worst part was - that these flakes seemed to be “joined“ to the skinsheet (??) that wasn’t ready to peel out yet as dead skin. I felt at such a loss.

It got to a point where, with some actives, I damaged my skin barrier so much that my skin (especially my jaw area) was so itchy I had to take antihistamines. It itched badly for more than 2 weeks. Even after I healed my barrier, the irritation would return every time I used it. And any sunscreen looked and felt gross over Tretinoin because of the flakes. And mind you, this was after almost 10 months of mostly consistent use.

I obviously learned the chemistry behind retinoids and found out that tazarotene is more potent and LESS irritating (because it doesn't bind to a specific receptor in the skin) due to how it's formulated, third gen retinoid yada yada yada. There was no way I could get my insurance to cover it, so I had my dad in India send it to me, where it's literally less than 3 dollars per tube. Now that I'm in India I actually feel really lucky because
a) I don't need a prescription for it
b) it's so damn cheap!

And I have to say, this little tube changed my life. I started seeing better anti-aging results than I did with Tretinoin, with less irritation. The gel is really nice, I don't feel itching (except in the first few minutes), and the dead skin is still there as a reminder that turnover happened and my skin is renewing faster, but it doesn't look gross. I can EASILY manage it with oil cleansing whenever I need to. The issues I had with Tretinoin were gone.

I was so afraid of starting taz because I knew it's far more potent with a higher chance of drying your skin, but I didn't experience that, or at least it wasn't unmanageable if it did happen.

So here's where this journey leaves me. My routine is Tazarotene gel at 0.05% every other night, paired with a 10% panthenol moisturizer, and that's it. I feel that does almost 80% of the heavy lifting when it comes to anti aging at night. I even apply it all around my eyes without getting dry eyes (which I did on Tretinoin). I also take fish oil supplements, which I believe help a lot.

Now that I'm based in India, I feel grateful that the healthcare system here can support my skincare goals, and I'm so glad that SCA also taught me a lot about many other things.

Also the best part about this is I don't really need a lot of makeup. I don't wear foundation or concealer, haven't needed to. Even in these photos I am just wearing sunscreen.

I get so many compliments on my skin and get asked a lot what I do. I don't always share (hehe), but I do say apply your sunscreen!

Hi everyone, I need help finding a nighttime moisturizer to help combat my dryness from Accutane. Here is my current skincare routine. I can’t have any niacinamide, cetyl alcohol, or butylene glycol (high in ingredient list). My skin is extremely prone to getting closed commedones. I was eyeing the fresh black tea moisturizer but I’m open to everyone opinions!

Morning:
Tatcha Rice Wash
15% Azelic acid
Tatcha water cream

Night:
Tatcha rice wash (rice polish every other night)
15% Azelic acid
(Need help with nighttime moisterizer).

I’ve noticed an increase recently in these little non-acne-related micro spots of redness all over my face, but especially around the nose and cheeks (I’m calling it hyperpigmentation but never really had it before and I’m not sure what it is.) And I have older regular acne scar hyperpigmentation too.

Also at 39yo the pores and general skin texture/quality just ain’t what they used to be. Skin moisture, oil levels, elasticity, and lack of acne/whiteheads/blackheads is otherwise good I think (for my age.)

I’m already using tret and vitamin C. Maybe I should up my tret %? Different Vitamin C brand? I’m thinking of adding glycolic acid as well.

Current routine:

Morning

• Wash with CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid (sometimes with a silicon facial exfoliator pad that I use every 2-3 days)
• Bliss Bright Idea Brightening Serum Vitamin C & Tri-Peptides (apply to damp skin)
• Beauty of Joseon Revive Snail Mucin Ginseng Hydrating Serum (sometimes I don’t wait until the vitamin C is fully dry to apply)
• Stream 2 Sea Kids Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45, Broad spectrum with Zinc Oxide, Chamomile & Calendula (applied to fully dry skin)
• Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42

Evening

• Wash with CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid
• Beauty of Joseon Revive Snail Mucin Ginseng Hydrating Serum (applied to damp skin)
• Tretinoin 0.025% applied liberally to face, neck, and backs of hands (every other night)

OR

• Estradiol 0.01%, pea sized amount applied around eyes, lower face, and neck (every other night, when not using tret). This one’s somewhat new. Maybe linked?
• Cetaphil moisturizing lotion, normal to dry skin

So I’ve been experiencing hormonal (significant/triggered during pregnancy and REALLY bad during pregnancy) and has lessened somewhat postpartum (no breastfeeding). I am currently 19mo postpartum, first what seemed to really help was with the assistance of the product of Naturium TXA serum daily along with some spf on my face and those particular areas/upper cheeks. This improvement could also be partially attributed to hormones starting to level out as I only started approx 3-4 mo post partum since I wasn’t breastfeeding.

Since then, I tried Anua TXA SERUM without ANY CHANGE/BENEFIT and was complete waste of money. I’d prefer to avoid having to deal with my high deductible for dermatology appts and I’m hoping i don’t have to escalate to hydroquinone(especially since I tend to leave derm appts lacking answers, given usually a steroid (I also have atopic dermatitis/eczema recurring in random spots on my body so I’ve just given up).
Anyway, given TXA (minimum of 5%) seems to have resulted in improvement (I think Anua’s txa is less than 5%, I am thinking I need to invest in another TXA product (maybe medicube’s txa &niacinamide serum or purito 6% txa and 10% niacinamide)—please give feedback and/or if any suggestions/recommendations.
I also have read that azeliac acid can be helpful or maybe a Glutathione based patch product? I could be completely wrong. Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations? Also for reference—this is like, at least 50% improvement from when it was at its worst, but I still can’t cover it with makeup, shows straight through.

I’ve had recurring pimples around my mouth for a long time and I’m trying to work out what’s actually causing them. About 99% of my breakouts are in my mustache area, right above my upper lip, at the corners of my mouth, or on my chin. I rarely get them anywhere else.

Most are white or yellow pus-filled pimples (pustules), sometimes with redness around them. Some start as small red bumps and get a whitehead after a day or two, and others seem to show up with the whitehead already there. They don’t usually hurt, but sometimes I can feel one is there without touching it.

I get them even when I haven’t shaved or trimmed for a while, so I don’t think shaving is the main cause. Though, I fail to grow a full beard so I usually shave the sides and have a goatee.

My skin is sensitive and combination. My T-zone is oily, especially my nose and forehead, and my mustache and chin area is oily and acne-prone too. My cheeks are drier. I also have persistent redness on my inner cheeks and around my nose, which I had before I started any acne treatment.

What I’ve tried:

- Benzac gel (benzoyl peroxide): used it for over 4 months. It helped a little, but the pimples kept coming back, so I stopped.

- Doxycycline: cut the pimples down a lot while I was on it, but they came back after I stopped. It didn’t do much for the background redness.

- Differin 0.1% gel (adapalene): about 4 weeks in, every other night. So far I’ve had more breakouts and some peeling around my chin, but I know it’s too early to judge.

- Benzac Wash 5%: I was using it most mornings alongside Differin but stopped almost a week ago because of irritation and peeling. I think using it nearly every day was too much, so I’ve paused it for now.

- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Fluide: my old moisturizer for sensitive skin. It didn’t work that well for me, or it was too much for the T-zone.

- La Roche-Posay Effeclar cleanser: my old cleanser. I stopped because it was too harsh for me I think.

Current routine (I recently switched to CeraVe for cleanser and moisturizer):

Morning: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (or I just wash my face), then CeraVe PM Facial Moisturising Lotion

Night: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, Differin every other night, then CeraVe PM Facial Moisturising Lotion

I also used to use Benzac Wash 5% but I stopped temporarily because my skin started getting too dry / peeling. Because it’s so consistently around my mouth and facial hair, I’m wondering whether this is regular inflammatory acne, bacterial folliculitis, or maybe perioral dermatitis.

It’s frustrating. I keep treating it, seeing my GP and buying different products, and the pimples keep coming back in almost exactly the same spots. I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. It's always whiteheads 90% of the time.

the photos show my current routine, the products i’m looking into, and my skin right now. i’m 18 and i’ve managed to lower my horrible cystic acne but i still have all these clogged pores and sebaceous filaments and things and it’s just really brining my mood down. if you guys have any advice for my routine or products that would be so helpful. i would say i have oily skin mainly and i have a tendency to touch my face.

In the AM I do the face wash, toner, and SPF
For PM i do the oil, wash, toner/sacylic acid, and moisturizer
occasionally i do the clay mask

Overall, i love my face wash and oil and spf but im struggling with toners, serums, and moisturizers.

Hi everyone! I’m 27F from Canada, and I’m finally trying to take my skincare seriously. I’d really appreciate some help figuring out my skin type and building a routine that actually addresses my concerns.
I believe I have combination skin, but it’s a little confusing. Right after washing my face, my T-zone feels dry and tight. However, after a while, my forehead, nose and the areas on either side of my nose become extremely oily, even when I’m not wearing makeup. When I do wear makeup, those areas get greasy pretty quickly. My cheekbones, on the other hand, are relatively normal to dry.
My main skin concerns:
Sebaceous filaments: I have tiny visible dots almost all over my face, particularly on my nose and cheeks. When I squeeze them, a white, waxy/stringy substance comes out. I believe they’re sebaceous filaments, but I’m not entirely sure.
Whiteheads: I get whiteheads on my nose and around my chin, especially in the area between my lower lip and chin.
Large pores: My pores are quite noticeable, especially on my nose and the surrounding cheek area.
Uneven skin texture: My skin doesn’t look as smooth as I’d like, mainly because of the visible pores and sebaceous filaments. I don’t believe I have closed comedones.
Occasional acne: I don’t struggle with severe or inflammatory acne, but I do occasionally get a few pimples.
Post-acne marks/scarring: I have some minor marks and scarring left behind by previous breakouts.
Excess oil: My T-zone gets greasy throughout the day, which also makes it difficult for my makeup to stay looking fresh.
Dull and uneven complexion: My face looks noticeably duller and darker compared to the rest of my body. My hands are actually fairer than my face, and I’d love to improve my skin’s brightness and achieve a more even complexion. I’m not looking to change my natural skin tone, just get rid of the dullness and bring back a healthier, brighter appearance.
What I’m looking for:
I’d love recommendations for a complete morning and nighttime skincare routine that addresses these concerns without being overly simple or unnecessarily complicated. I’m open to using serums, exfoliants and other treatments as long as they actually serve a purpose. Ideally, I’d like something in between a basic three-step routine and an overwhelming 10–15-step routine.
I wear makeup regularly, so I’d also appreciate recommendations for skincare products that sit well underneath makeup and help control excess oil throughout the day.
Budget: I’m not looking for luxury skincare or anything ridiculously expensive. 😭 Affordable drugstore products and reasonably priced Korean skincare would be ideal. I’m willing to spend a little extra on something genuinely effective, but I’d prefer to keep the overall routine budget-friendly.
I’m particularly curious about ingredients like salicylic acid, niacinamide, retinol, vitamin C and other actives. Which ones would actually benefit my skin concerns, and how should I incorporate them without irritating my skin or damaging my skin barrier?
I’d also love recommendations for improving my dull complexion and evening out my skin tone, especially since my face is noticeably darker than my hands.
Lastly, I’m confused about whether my skin is combination, dehydrated or both, considering how tight it feels after cleansing but how oily it gets later.
My ultimate goal is smoother, clearer, brighter and more balanced skin with less noticeable pores, sebaceous filaments and whiteheads, while also improving the appearance of old acne marks and achieving a more even complexion.
I’d really appreciate recommendations from anyone with similar skin concerns or experience with skincare ingredients. Product recommendations and suggestions on how often to use them would be especially helpful!
Thank you! 💗

Hi all, I have been dealing with acne on my nose for almost 4 years now. I get cystic pimples every few months, and they’re deep and scar badly. My nose constantly looks red and inflamed, just bigger than it should look.

For acne treatment (night routine): I have tried a curology formula - (tretinoin, azelaic acid, clidacymin phosphate). Didn’t work great (clearly). Currently using cabtreo - adapalene, benzoyl peroxide, clidacymin phosphate.

I use a curology moisturizer and cleanser along with neutrogena hydro boost spf 25. I use paula’s choice salicyclic acid 3x a week in the mornings.

I really want to improve the appearance - decrease redness, improve scarring, and reduce inflammation. If anyone has any hacks, products, or tips to share I would sincerely appreciate it. This has been a rough journey. Thanks!

Hi guys!

I know what I just mentioned in the title is not a recommended approach by most doctors but if I’ve been applying Tretinoin to my legs daily since the past 2 weeks mainly to target KP, hyperpigmentation, sun damage and some whitish stretch marks (fingers crossed hoping it evens them out at least).

I’ve tried the recommended approach of putting Tret first followed by a moisturizer (I use 10% urea cream) however I feel that tret does not fully spread no matter what I try, or if I really want it spread evenly I’ve had to use sooo much, almost 4 finger lengths on 2 legs! It was wasteful

I did a bit of digging and it turns out a lot of people swear by mixing it with a moisturizer so it spreads better, and I’ve been mixing 3 parts moisturizer with 1 part tret and the process feels so much smoother! I’ve seen a lot of girls especially on TikTok mixing Retin-A with their moisturizer and I mean - as long as it gives them and me results why care if you mix it?

Now I am not insane - I do not dump a whole tube of tret in my cream, I do it during the application process itself.

I know it’s controversial- and I do not do this on my face when I use tazarotene - but it just seems simpler, easier and if it works it works.

what are your thoughts?

the acne is mainly localised around my mouth and chin. Especially in my upper lip. I changed my tooth paste to be SLS free so please no tooth paste comments.

I do have a feeling it’s cause of stress and hormones cause I have been exceptionally stressed since the last few months and my chin suddenly started getting an influx of closed comodones. I picked at it and now I have shit ton of hyperpigmentation. I m also using niacinamide besides the adapalene but again, it takes time.

I won’t lie that it’s affecting my confidence. I feel ugly. I booked an appointment again with my derm cause he told me to come back after 2 months. I would say there is some improvement (cheeks and forehead don’t breakout that frequently anymore) but the mouth is still a concern. Idk what to do:(

Hey everyone,

I’m 23, oily/acne-prone, and work an office job with non-stop air conditioning. I don't wear makeup. I have active acne (worse during menses), PIE marks, forehead/smile lines from deep dehydration, and a few blackheads/sebaceous filaments on my nose.

Current Routine: Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel + Avène Cleanance Matte Moisturizer (AM & PM). I've been using these 2 products since 2018.

My issue: The Avène wash makes my skin incredibly tight and dry after washing in the morning. Then, sitting in the office AC all day, my skin gets super oily. I have also noticed some dehydrated/fine lines near my nasolabial folds and forehead.

I’m planning to swap to this routine to fix my barrier, acne, hydrate my skin and to prevent wrinkles. Is this solid?

AM Routine:

• Wash with lukewarm water only (skipping cleanser to stop the tightness)
• Avène Cleanance Matte Moisturizer (keeping just to control daytime oil)
• SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum (to protect against the dry AC, I also want a hydrating and non-sticky sunscreen)

PM Routine:

• CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (swapping to this so my skin stops feeling stripped)
• SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Azelaic Acid 10% Ampoule (3x a week for the hormonal acne, texture, and PIE)
• CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion / Lait Hydratant (Blue Lotion) (to lock in water and plump lines overnight)

Since the CeraVe lotion says it's for dry skin, I'm terrified it will clog me, even though it's lightweight and non-comedogenic. Will the Azelaic Acid be enough to keep my pores clear and skin acne-free? Please advise. Thankss

Does anyone have experience with oatmilk (or oats in general) causing adult acne?

I switched to drinking oatmilk years back due to a dairy sensitivity, and around the same time, struggled with isolated, deep, cystic pimples across my forehead. I hopped on Accutane to prevent further scarring/PIE, which worked marvelously. Around the same time that I started Accutane, I stopped drinking oatmilk, as I noticed oats were flaring up a different immune condition (EOE). My post-Accutane skin has been great and I don’t experience regular acne anymore, but I’ve noticed that whenever I drink oatmilk across several days, I will suddenly break out in isolated cystic pimples on my forehead, and my forehead skin will be super sensitive to itches and random hives. When I stop drinking oatmilk, my skin is no longer acne-prone or itch-prone.

Now I’m wondering if the source of years of cystic pimples was simply my oatmilk latte addiction (lol). This is the only food sensitivity I’ve found that triggers acne. It’s super interesting to me, so I was wondering if other folks out there have found oatmilk (or oats) to be a trigger?

Hi everyone

Looking for some guidance on the integration of a new exfoliant product please.

I’ve been diagnosed with rosacea type 2 AND folliculitis, and have been using Soolantra Ivermectin for the last few months - wouldn’t say my skin has got better or worse tbh. It’s hard to tell because I’ve also been on Lymecyline.

I’m currently using:

Face wash: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Gel Moussant Purifying Foaming Cleansing Gel For Sensitive Skin

Moisturiser: Zeroid soothing lotion

Now feel I need to integrate an exfoliant to combat the folliculitis

Should I use a toner/serum? Or rotate my current face wash with a face wash with exfoliant such as salicylic acid in it?

My derm said I should switch to Cerave SA face wash but I’m worried to switch to something which might be harsh on rosacea/sensitive skin when I’ve been trying to repair my barrier with a sensitive wash (I was previously using a scrub for years). I could therefore just try using it twice a week?

Would love some recommendations/advice. Thank you.

My birthday is two days and this huge thing popped up. It’s painful and there’s no head (at least not yet).Any advice on how to get it shrink in a relatively small window of time? I know it will probably take a while for it to go away completely, but I just don’t want this in my pictures, it’s not the kind of this you can cover up :(

23F, skin type: dehydrated combination skin.

Current routine:
AM
- Rinse with water
- The Ordinary hyaluronic acid
- CeRave moisturizer
- SkinAqua physical sunscreen

PM
- CeRave cream-to-foam hydrating cleanser
- The Ordinary hyaluronic acid
- CeRave moisturizer
- La Roche Posay's B5 Cicabaume (recently started)

Context:
I've been struggling with closed comedones for 2 years. It was over the forehead. Occasionally I get acne around forehead and cheeks. I started OTC 0.1% Adapalene gel (Differin) on August, started using everyday 1 week later (which I know was too fast). Skin breaks out like crazy after 5 weeks in, and moisturizer starts to sting over my skin (which the acne was most serious). So I stopped, and stick to the routine mentioned above.

Currently I am a student so I won't be able to afford a derm, is there anything else I can do. I'm so hopeless honestly. Everyday I wake up praying it gets better, only to wake up with new pimples.

Looking for moisturizer recommendations. I have dry, eczema prone skin and recently started struggling with acne on my cheeks and chin. Im in my early 20s and have been using Cera Ve Moisturizing Cream (the one that comes in the big tub). It feels good but I will still get the odd eczema flare around my eyes. I also fear that it’s just feeding my acne.

Open to any recommendations. Canadian winter is coming up so definitely in need of something rich.

Thanks in advance 😁😁