Welcome to the first article in the Skincare Series!
This past year I’ve learned A LOT about skincare and wanted to share a slice of the knowledge I've gained to anyone interested in skincare or struggling with their skin. I've ruined my skin multiple times by using products incorrectly, ones that weren't right for me, and not doing enough research. However, I'm finally at a point where I'm doing the right things and taking the right steps, and want to keep anyone from making the mistakes I did. The skincare world is complex! I've barely scratched the surface, but I hope these insights help you. Remember these are all just recommendations! The products I recommend are ones I've used personally or heard good reviews about.
Without further ado, this is my guide to a simple, affordable, and effective skincare routine that includes a double cleanse system, treatment, moisturizer, and SPF. Within those categories, I break down which products/ingredients you should use vs. ones you should avoid. I choose my products based off of price, reviews, and treatment.
MY SKIN TYPE
I want this information to be accessible for all of you reading even if you don’t have my skin type (most of the tips and products I recommend can be useful to everyone)! But my skin type is important point to mention because it’s why I use the products I use!
I have acne prone, sensitive, and combination skin.
Acne Prone - My skin has never been blemish free, but it’s been manageable. This year, however, I developed cystic acne and become prone to what’s called PIE (Post-Inflammatory Erythema) scarring as a result of the deep, painful acne I get. All at the wonderful age of 21 - Yay me!
Sensitive - I have extremely sensitive skin. Sometimes when I spray perfume on my neck I get a rash for a few seconds, that’s the kind of sensitive I’m talking about! I’ve also had eczema for nine years (yeah, yeah make your eczema jokes I’m used to it) and have frequent flare ups on my face and neck. With those two things in mind, the products I use on my skin are almost all fragrance free to avoid aggravation.
Combination - I also have oily skin despite having eczema. I have to treat both, and it gets tricky sometimes.
FOR CLEANSING
Step 1 - Use - Micellar Water or Cleansing Balm
Before this year, I didn’t double cleanse my skin. I only used makeup wipes and occasionally used a cleanser to wash my face. I’ve learned that you need a two step system because makeup wipes don’t get off all your makeup, and neither does washing your face once. I highly recommend using a micellar water or cleansing balm to help breakdown dirt, oil, and makeup from your skin before cleansing your face. The Pond's Dry Skin Cream Facial Moisturizer ($5.49) is a gentle, thick moisturizer that can be used to remove eye and face makeup. I also enjoy using a micellar water because it’s convenient like makeup wipes are, but it feels more gentle and less stripping on the skin. I've heard these options are great -
Step 2 - Use - Cleansers
CeraVe is a great example of a drugstore brand that works and is affordable. After your first cleanse with micellar water or balm, I suggested using a facial cleanser. I use the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser ($13.99) to treat my oily T zone (since this cleanser is for normal to oily skin), but they have others that target dry and acne prone skin.
Avoid - Makeup Wipes
I’m guilty of using these for years because they’re incredibly convenient. However, the rubbing, tugging and pulling motion required to remove the makeup is overly rough across the face and can easily irritate the skin. And after all that effort, they don’t get all the makeup off which can lead to clogged pores and acne. They also contribute to daily waste in the environment, and some contain plastic. There are much more effective and safer options to use than wipes. If you can’t let them go, you should definitely use a cleanser along with it to remove all the excess dirt, oil and makeup from your skin.
FOR TREATMENT
The kind of treatments/active ingredients you’ll include in your skincare routine depend on the skin concerns and problems you want to treat. I’ve chosen my treatments around combating acne, scarring, and uneven skin tone, but the ingredients I mention also include a slew of other benefits that could be right for you. I recommend not using these treatments at the same time or on the same night as it could be too much for your skin. See how your skin reacts before mixing treatments and increasing usage. Start at once or twice a week.
Use - Niacinamide, Retinol, and/or Vitamin C
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is an ingredient found in most skincare products - cleansers, moisturizers, and even haircare. So what’s so great about it? Niacinamide supports your skin barrier, balances oil production, reduces acne, hyperpigmentation, redness, and improves skin texture and overall resiliency. It’s a versatile product that can benefit all skin types. I use The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% ($5.90) and let me tell you, it does all of the above. I’ve noticed a decrease in my oil production, my skin feels smoother, and my tone has evened out. My acne is too severe to be fully treated by a product like this, but it has helped my scarring. If you have mild acne, you may see more results than I did. Only use a pea sized amount, rub it in your palms, and pat (don’t rub, pat) onto your face until absorbed. While I haven’t personally tried The Inky List Niacinamide Oil Control Serum ($6.99), it’s a similar product that I’ve heard good things about as well.
Retinol
Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A and one of the best skincare products because it targets almost all skin problems if you want a one-and-done product. It promotes skin cell turnover, and I predominantly use it for acne because it repairs my skin faster than my skin could do it by itself. It targets damage deep within the skin and helps heal scarring. If you don’t have acne, it’s still great to include in your routine for its anti-aging and exfoliation benefits to reveal a brighter, refreshed skin barrier. The CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($19.99) or Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 MAX Nigh Hydrating Moisturizer ($40.49) are great over-the-counter options to introduce Retinol into your routine.
I use the CeraVe Serum while also using prescription Retin-A because of my severe acne (the prescription has a higher concentration of Vitamin A that I need to treat my skin than what you can get at the drugstore, but for mild to little acne these would work fine if you want to use Retinol to help with acne!). Even though Retinol is diluted by moisturizer and other ingredients in these products, it’s important to take precaution and use it properly. Introduce it slowly into your routine by using it once a week and work up to the maximum of three times a week. Use no larger than a pea size amount and only apply once or twice a week at night. This ingredient can make your skin more sensitive to the sun and should be used with SPF during the day.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant to even skin tone, promote collagen production, repair and protect the skin, and help with scarring (if you have any), and is an optional product to use if you introduce Niacinamide and Retinol because it does similar things. But it may work better for you than those other options! I recommend the Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate 12.5% Vitamin C 1.7oz ($34.45). It. Is. Insane! This is a new product of mine so I only have about three weeks of use to back up my opinion, but I’ve noticed significant improvement in the look and feel of my skin. It’s a moisturizer-type texture, and a little goes a long way with this product so the price makes it worth it!
Avoid - Physical Exfoliants, Fragrance, Alcohol
Physical Exfoliants
In all the research I’ve done, physically exfoliating your skin is generally not recommended. It’s overly abrasive and stripping to your moisture barrier and could create microscopic tears in the skin. Chemical exfoliants are a better option (I’ll talk about this more in a later article if requested!) A product like St. Ives Apricot Scrub, or any other kinds of face scrubs should be avoided. Even using a washcloth should be reduced to once or twice a week.
Fragrance
All skin types can be affected by fragrance, not just sensitive or redness-prone skin. A list of fragrants that would be in an ingredient list include Parfum/perfume/aroma, Linalool, Citronellol, Cinnamal, Limonene, Geraniol, Eugenol, Lavender oil, Rose flower extract, Bergamot oil, Lemon, Lime, Orange. Tangerine. Peppermint, Spearmint, Eucalyptus, and Cinnamon (provided by Paula’s Choice). It’s hard to avoid fragrance because it appears in most skincare, but it’s something that can affect your skin over time. It’s possible to create a fully fragrance-free skincare routine if it’s something you think would make a difference in your skin.
Alcohol
Alcohol as a main ingredient in any skin care product is a problem. If you see SD alcohol, denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol high up in any ingredient list, I wouldn’t recommend buying them. These types of alcohols are dehydrating to the skin, enlarge pores, increase greasiness, and can cause sensitivity.
FOR MOISTURIZER
Use - CeraVe, Neutrogena, Clinique
My main advice when it comes to picking an effective moisturizer is that it’s non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog your pores. I also prioritize that it’s fragrance free and is a good balance between hydrating my skin but not drowning it in moisture. I’ve used the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($13.99) and it’s never given me any noticeable issues. It’s gentle, effective, and lasts a long time. I also got the Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto Replenishing Hydrator as a free sample at Ulta (the one linked is similar but not exact), and is a heavier moisturizer that provides a hydrating boost when your skin is feeling extra dry. The Unscented Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Face Moisturizer ($21.99) is another option I haven't tried but heard good reviews about.
Avoid- Moisturizers with Alcohol, Fragrance, and are Comedogenic
I don’t know why skincare brands would even make moisturizers that are comedogenic (clog your pores), maybe there is a legitimate reason I don’t know about, but that sounds counterproductive. Again, alcohol and fragrance can irritate the skin and strip your barrier of it’s natural oils and moisture which does the opposite of what you want it to do.
FOR SPF
Use SPF!!
If you’ve made it to the end of this article, the one thing you should take away from it is to wear SPF everyday. Your efforts to improve your skin, no matter how many good cleansers, ingredients and moisturizers you use, will be useless if you don’t use SPF. It is a product you should use long term to help protect your skin from the most damaging element of all, the sun. It also helps prevent dark spots, premature aging, and even skin tone. It’s a new discovery for me, I wasn’t using sunscreen everyday until this year! I had no idea! Since it’s a general recommendation I’ve heard throughout all my skin care research, I thought I’d pass it along. The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen SPF 30 ($16.99) has minimal whitecast, and includes niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to help draw in moisture to the skin. This is the only sunscreen I’ve tried, but for other recommendations this video by Hyram on The Best Drugstore Face Sunscreens would be good to check out.
Thank you for reading!! I didn’t anticipate this article being so long but here we are. Be back next week!
-S
**I am not a licensed esthetician or a dermatologist. I’m just here to give recommendations based on my own experience and research and to make ya’ll feel confident in your skin.
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