sefina sefina
2 years ago

Very bad hormonal acne breakouts that doesn’t seem to stop!

Breakouts on cheek

AM - Everyday
1
Gentle Skin Facial Cleanser Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Facial Cleanser
2
Tea Tree Relief Toner iUNIK - Tea Tree Relief Toner
3
Centella Calming Gel Cream iUNIK - Centella Calming Gel Cream
4
Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Klairs - Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop
5
UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 - Tinted EltaMD - UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 - Tinted
AM - Twice a week
1
Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule By Wishtrend - Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule
PM - Everyday
1
Tea Tree Relief Toner iUNIK - Tea Tree Relief Toner
2
Centella Calming Gel Cream iUNIK - Centella Calming Gel Cream
3
Salicylic Acid Cleanser The Inkey List - Salicylic Acid Cleanser
4
Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence COSRX - Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence
5
Capture Totale Super Potent Age-Defying Intense Serum Dior - Capture Totale Super Potent Age-Defying Intense Serum
PM - Every other day
1
Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator Dermalogica - Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator
PM - Twice a week
1
retinol clearing oil dermalogica - retinol clearing oil
2
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG The Ordinary - Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
PM - Once a week
1
2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Paula's Choice - 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
2
7
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I'm sorry you are going through this, hormonal acne is beyond annoying and is difficult to get under control, it always take time.

I'd try to eliminate highly irritating products - unfortunately quite a few things you are using might contribute to inflammation. Basically, the first step is to ditch everything that smells nice. i'd also be careful with the propolis extract serum - there is no evidence that propolis helps acne, and it is concentrated, so it can be adding to irritation.

I'd also ditch the microfoliant, the physical exfoliating particles in it are not good for acne-prone skin.

Instead, I'd try to up the retinoid game - going for a gentler retinoid formulation (no fragrance and no other actives apart from retinoids), and trying to build tolerance to it so you can use it every night eventually.

A product with azelaic acid (for example, in the AM) can help as well.

I'd keep the rest of your routine super simple: azelaic acid + sunscreen for the AM; cleanser + a retinoid product + moisturizer with niacinamide in the PM, all fragrance-free.

How does it sound to you?

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Maria, thank you very much for your helpful tips! I didn't realise I was using a lot of irritating products, and thought the retinol I was using was mild, but I guess not! I've not tried azelaic acid before too. Might you have any possible azelaic acid / gentle retinoid favs?

Thanks for sharing the link below, very helpful!

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Sure! For retinoids, depending on your budget, here are a few good options. They are all potent in terms of the retinoid itself (so it's important to introduce them slowly), but the formulas do not include unnecessary irritants, so they are gentler in this sense:

- high price point, uses potentially the most powerful OTC retinoid - retinyl retinoate: https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/verso-super-facial-serum

- mid-range: https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/paulas-choice-clinical-1-retinol-treatment

- most affordable but still very good: https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/indeed-labs-retinol-reface-retinol-skin-resurfacer, https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/inkey-list-retinol

For azelaic acid, a couple of options here: https://whatsinmyjar.com/search/serums/azelaic-acid-serums?sortBy=Anti-blemish&sortBy=Irritancy

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Maybe this quick info sheet could help you as well: https://whatsinmyjar.com/skin-concerns/acne-and-clogged-pores

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hi sefina! i am gab and wanna first acknowledge your bravery for sharing your story with us!

sharing the same sentiments with maria, i do think less is more, and was actually thinking the long list of active ingredients could be doing more harm than good!

i know the feeling of wanting to cleanse “more” during an acne breakout, but less is more and i would suggest just gentle cleansing, moisturising, and spf in the morning!

unfortunately, i don’t have any products to recommend as i am not satisfied with my own routine yet, but what i do know is: no fragrance!

hope this helps and all the best in your skincare journey! 😊

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thank you Gab - you hit the nail on the head with wanting to cleanse more. will bear your advice in mind, appreciate it!

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