Today we are helping our community member Ambz to manage sudden hormonal breakouts in the jaw line. Ambz's skin is combination, and slightly sensitive. Here is the original post: https://whatsinmyjar.com/posts/827/hormonal-acne
Breakouts always mean that the skin barrier is in trouble. This is why we recommended Ambz to remove the CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Essence from the routine. It is a good hydration product, but the Cerave moisturizer already covers this base. The CosRx essence contains only one likely irritant (ethyl hexanediol), but in a case of sudden breakouts it's better to remove everything non-essential.
We also recommend to stop the Image skincare CLEAR CELL Salicylic Gel Cleanser because of essential oils in it. But worry not, we still kept the good active in it - salicylic acid - in the routine.
We added three products with potent anti-acne actives to the new routine. First, it's a spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide. We suggest using it only on the breakouts, once per day. Please be careful with your clothes: benzoyl peroxide can bleach fabric, so it's best to carefully apply after getting dressed in the morning so it doesn't rub off.
Then we also recommend an adapalene gel. Adapalene is an effective retinoid, with a solid track record for treating acne. It could be irritating, and we advise applying it only every other day in the PM, but all over the face apart from the eye area.
On alternative nights, we added a product with a combo of azelaic and salicylic acid. It can help reduce blemishes and clogged pores and prevent the worse of the dark long-lingering pigmentation marks.
Finally, we rounded up the routine with a broad-spectrum mineral-based sunscreen. It is crucial for any routine, but especially when experiencing breakouts. Sun exposure triggers hyperpigmentation, and can make post-acne marks way worse. The sunscreen we chose contains a low percentage of PHAs - they can also help restore the skin barrier.
