My Acne Breakout Survival Kit
I have struggled with acne on and off for the majority of my life. There is no cure for acne and sometimes even with the best skincare regimen, acne will want to show up and show out on your face. Such has been the case for me since early Fall. I had had a long stretch of blemish-free skin and like always I got cocky. And my skin went, “Oh, yeah? Let me tell you something…I’M the boss.” My skin is slowly starting to clear up - minus a recent breakout of cystic acne on my cheek. Most likely due to my rebellious consumption of dairy throughout the month of December. I have created a bit of an “acne breakout kit” that I have been using consistently hat has been helping my skin clear up. Patience and consistency is a huge part of dealing with an acne breakout and that is what I have been trying to focus on. Making sure my routine is consistent and not being impatient about the results- which can be hard.
From left to right: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser, $15.99; Differin Gel, $13-28, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%, Miss Spa Clear Blemish Patches; $3.99; The Ordinary Niacinimide 10%, $5.90; Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask, $23-58
I recently started using this after a recommendation from an esthetician. And I’ve been loving it. Especially in the colder climate. It feels like my skin is cleaned without stripping it or ruining the pH balance and moisture barrier. I also love that it has Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinimide in it which hydrate and help calm the skin. I use this in the morning and in the evenings (as the second step of my double cleanse when I wear makeup).
Like I stated above, during the summer I got cocky about how great my skin was looking and discontinued using it. BIG mistake. HUGE. I quickly learned the error of my ways and have worked it back into my routine. I use it every other night (and will probably be increasing my use in the coming weeks). It hasn’t been a magic bullet, but it has sped up the process of the breakout cycle. So if a cystic pimple (the majority of my acne is cystic- which is the worse) pops up, it doesn’t last as long and will turn into a whitehead or disappear quicker. Of all the products on this list, this would be the one I would recommend the most.
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%
This coupled with Differin is my breakout one-two punch. I do not use them at the exact same time - this a no-no. Instead I use this in the mornings and on the nights when I don’t use Differin. I use it as spot treatment or all over my face if I feel I need to. It’s a simple straight-forward formulation that does the job. Another SA product I would like to mention is Paula’s Choice Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution with 2% Salicylic Acid. Unlike TO - which is a serum - the Paula’s Choice SA is a liquid. Because it’s a thinner consistency I like the way it layers with my other skincare. I recently finished a bottle and I really loved it. I will probably repurchase once I have finished the The Ordinary Salicylic Acid.
Miss Spa Clear Blemish Patches
I recently started using these and I love them. I had two rather painful cystic spots on my cheek and chin and I wanted to speed up the process of them coming to the surface. I used these two nights in a row and both a post came to head and are on their way to healing. These patches have Salicylic Acid in them which is the active ingredient, but I also like that they protect the blemishes while they heal. They are great inexpensive option if you are looking to get rid of a pimple quickly.
The Ordinary Niacinimide 10% with Zinc
I only recently began using Niacinimide in my skincare routine. This vitamin works to help heal acne scarring and hyper-pigmentation. It helps calm the skin and help with appearance of large pores (nothing will actually shrink the size of your pores). I use this in conjunction with my Vitamin C serum (which I use in the mornings) to help fade my scarring. I also have a few products that have niacinimide in their ingredients list that I use (the CeraVe foaming cleanser and my Peach & Lily Glass Skin Serum being two of them). And what’s great about this vitamin is you can use it in conjunction with Differin or Salicylic Acid.
Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask
I received a mini of this some time ago and recently ran out of it and I am sad. I didn’t use it often. Masks are generally temporary fixes and don’t have any long-term effect on the skin. I liked to use this mask whenever my skin felt a bit congested. It also works similarly to the Miss Spa patches in helping draw things to the surface. This is an expensive mask - and I don’t know for sure if I will be repurchasing it - but I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a splurge item.
What do you use to help battle breakouts?
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