written by ERICA DICK. July 29, 2020
As someone who has suffered with acne since the beginning of time, my skin is my holy grail. Nothing un-vetted comes close to it and my face routine is as regimented as a day in the life of a navy seal. Although most of my products are to thank for clearing up my inflammatory hormonal acne, my habits and diet are just as big of a part. So here is a step by step rundown of how I keep my skin blemish-free.
Morning
First! Thing! Cup of hot water with lemon. The little boost of vitamin C keeps my skin clear and my gut happy. If your brain and heart are the engine, your gut is the steering wheel. What many people trying to clear up their skin don’t realize is that having a healthy microbiome is vital to keeping your body healthy and as a result, reaching your glowing skin goals.
I then head to the bathroom and wash my face with Kheil’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. It’s super light, non-irritating and works for virtually every skin type. A tip I learned from a dermatologist is that it’s never worth splurging on anything that’s on your skin for minimal amounts of time. That means that while you should spend the big bucks on serums or oils, any cleanser that doesn’t irritate your skin will do, even if it’s $5 from the drug store.
Your skin can absorb more moisture when you apply your creams on wet, so I never dry my face with a towel. But if you do, make sure you’re changing it every day so you never wipe old bacteria onto your face. While my skin’s still damp, I gently wipe my face with AVA MD’s Glycolic/Salicylic Acid pads. Although many people hear the word acid and picture Samantha’s tomato face in that episode of Sex and The City, AHA’s and BHA’s are actually vital to the health regeneration of skin cells. At a low concentration they’re much gentler than people think. That’s why these pads are fantastic for sloughing off old skin cells to clear your pores and rid your skin of old acne marks. (This step is equivalent to a toner. So on days that my skin is a little more sensitive, I swap for rose water or witch hazel instead).
Here’s where things get a little bit tricky. Mixing and matching correctly is really important in skin care. Between acids, retinoids and the rest of the works, the wrong products together can cause burning, discomfort or even cancel each other out. So on days I decide not to use my acid pads in the morning, I swap in the Ole Henriksen Vitamin C Serum for an antioxidant brightening boost instead. I use a Gua Sha stone to massage it deep into the skin and to help get a quick lymphatic drainage. For a how- to on facial tools I love this MelissaWoodHealth tutorial.
I then moisturize with a non-comedogenic, fragrance free moisturizer. Although this sounds like a mouthful, you always want to opt for these keywords when buying products for acne-prone skin. In summer, I tend to reach for something lighter and have been loving the Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin. It’s cheap, light, easy and totally does the trick.
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On to my favorite step. SPF! I am a psycho about the sun and have my SPF to thank for the quick disappearance of my old acne marks. Supergoop is the mother of all sunscreen brands and I’ve been loving their Unseen Sunscreen. I also always bring their SPF setting spray wherever I go to reapply over makeup.
Night Time
Although my cleanser and moisturizer stay the same at night, you can layer on a little bit more of the extra products since your skin regenerates overnight and eats up whatever you put on it.
If I know I won’t be going into the sun in the near future I’ll use my Retin A Micro Cream (.05%) as a serum, slather on tons of face lotion and call it a night. Otherwise, I’ll go straight for the Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum to help lock in moisture, followed by Nautropathica Neroli Oil to help fend off blemishes. I’ll then seal it all in with another Gua Sha routine and moisturize.
Finally, I’ll change my pillowcase and head to bed. As previously mentioned, dirt and bacteria build up at night so I am to change my pillowcase around every other day to keep the fabric near my face clean. If you’re really struggling with acne, opt for a silk pillowcase so the friction doesn’t cause any irritation.
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