Acne-Prone and Sensitive Skincare Routine

My whole life (including my teen years) I was super lucky to not have acne. I would occasionally get a zit here or there but nothing crazy. Then, when I got into my twenties, I started getting pretty severe acne and I had no idea how to handle it. Unfortunately, it took me YEARS to decide to go to the dermatologist. If I could give my younger 20s self advice, it would be to GO TO THE DERMATOLOGIST RIGHT NOW!!!!!!! After a couple of different doctors and some different types of topical meds, we landed on a prescription I had actually read about on IntoTheGloss.

Obviously, don’t take medical advice from a website, it was just a coincidence so when my doctor brought up the drug I wasn’t super against it (as I had been with many other options). Spironolactone completely transformed my skin and I am so unbelievably grateful. But, this post is not to be an advocate for the drug, it’s tell tell you how I keep my acne-prone and sensitive skin clear and fresh!

Additionally, my usual suspects for skincare tend to be a bit on the higher end so I am adding in my fave drugstore dupes that I have tried and love.

Makeup Remover

High end: Dermalogica PreCleanse 

Have you ever heard of oil cleansing? I hadn’t either until I got a facial and the woman took my makeup off (including eye makeup) with this amazing and luxurious feeling oil. Oil cleansing is basically just using oil to breakdown dirt and makeup on the skin. I know it sounds scary to put oil on your face- especially when we are so used to everything being oil-free and hearing that oil clogs pores, etc. But trust me this is such a game changer. I have combo skin- probably more so on the dry side normally and the oil really rehydrates my skin and plumps it up. The way I use this product is by pumping about a half a pump into my hand and massaging onto my face in circles until it starts to foam a little bit. Once I feel that I have gone over all my makeup, I rinse it off with water. Note: if you are wearing eye makeup, I suggest using this on your eyes first and then doing it on your face. Your mascara and eyeliner will run down your face so you will want to get that cleaned up in the second pass. ALSO, if you have eyelash extensions like I do, you want to completely avoid your eyes. Oils breakdown the eyelash glue which is not good for longevity of the lashes. I will do a post on eyelash extensions soon! Price: $45/5.1 oz

Cheaper alternative: Neutrogena Ultra Light Cleansing Oil

I picked this up on a whim at Target when my Dermalogica was out and gave it a try. I actually loved it. I used the whole bottle. There were a couple of differences that I noticed but mostly only because I had been using the Dermalogica oil for a long time at this point and knew it so well. The Neutrogena oil has more of a fruity smell (it’s not bad) and it’s a bit of a thicker oiler. The main difference for me was the smell and the texture. Overall, my skin liked this product and it offered the same results. Price: $8.50/4oz

Face Wash

High end: Kora Organics Cream Cleanser 

The Kora cleanser is what I’m currently using on my face. It’s a very simple product that I absolutely bought randomly while at Sephora. I like it but I don’t think I would repurchase. It reminds me a lot of Cetaphil but the price tag is much heftier. It’s a very nice, simple product and I do feel like it cleanses my skin without breaking me out. However, I also feel that it dries me out a bit. Price: $30/ 3.8oz

Cheaper alternative: Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser

I love this stuff. This is cheaper than a Sephora priced cleanser but I understand it’s still a bit on the pricey side. However, it comes in a pretty big bottle and I do think it’s worth it. It smells very subtly like roses which I love and it also has a really nice texture that makes my skin feel clean and plump. This is definitely what I will be buying next. Price: $18/ 6oz

Face Oil

High end: Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Youth Activating Oil

I was so resistant to try this product. All my friends were using it and raving about it and I refused to get on board until I started seeing their skin literally glowing and I was like OKAY FINE I WILL TRY IT! This is some good stuff. It’s essentially a rosehip oil with some extras added in. It makes my skin soft, hydrated, supple, and is anti-aging. All the good things. It also smells like oranges which is a delight. I apply this by pumping once into my palm (about a dime size) and gently patting into my face. It looks orange on the skin at first but the color goes away in a few minutes as the oil penetrates your skin. Pro tip: if you have leftovers, rub this on the back of your hands to avoid sun spots and other fun signs of aging. Price: $45/ 1oz

Cheaper alternative: Pure Rosehip Oil

It’s really hard for me to make a cheaper recommendation for the Ole product because I love it so much. However, I know that $45/1 oz is CRAZY so I get wanting to find the cheaper alternative. I would recommend finding a PURE rosehip oil (some oils add fragrance or other additives in which can irritate your skin so just be aware of that). A cheaper version of the Ole product that I haven’t tried but is RAVED about by so many people is The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil. Price: $9.80/ 1oz

Moisturizer

High end: Belif Aqua Bomb 

This product is my skincare holy grail. It’s such a unique texture that my skin absolutely loves. It hydrate my skin like nothing else and really makes my face look plump and youthful. I also love the scent, it’s really fresh and luxurious. The texture is very moisturizing but also extremely light and it dries down perfectly to be worn under makeup or just to bed. Price: $38/ 1.68oz

Cheaper alternative: Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

I’m sure you’ve tried this product at some point in your life, but it really is a classic and it’s so affordable. Cetaphil is what pretty much every facialist and dermatologist has said to use on my face. It’s such a gentle product that is great for sensitive, acne prone, dry, and oily skin. It will also probably last you forever so that’s a plus. Price: $10.69/ 16oz

Spot Treatment

High end: Kate Somerville EradiKate 

This product is great for those days when you feel a zit coming in or you have a white head that’s already broken the surface. It’s a sulfur based product which works really well with my skin. The product looks weird because it’s clear on top and pink at the bottom, but you DON’T SHAKE IT! You take a cotton swab and dunk it straight through to the bottom and then apply on the affected area. Super simple! My one suggestion is to use this sparingly because it definitely can lead to dry spots if it’s over used. Price: $26/ 1oz

Cheaper alternative: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

This is a very similar product under a different brand name. they look idential, the main difference in these products are the ingredients. EradiKate is 10% Sulfur while the drying lotion has a mix of other ingredients like salicylic acid and talc. Price: $17/1oz

What products have you been trying lately? Anything new that I need? Let ya girl know!

xo