Reddit mentions: The best body moisturizers

omg!! toners = life for me
I once was a dehydrated, overexfoliated mess. I started using every moisturizing product under the sun and my skin loved it. I repaired my moisture barrier and everything was great. Until it wasnt. Suddenly every cream or serum made my skin clogged and breakout. Even the same exact products my skin once loved. I was so sad. I loved my multi step routine and suddenly anything beyond just cleansing and toning (western toners) made me break out.

Then I came here and asked for help and ta-daa!! I was introduced to the world of AB toners. Yesssss my multi step routine has been back in full swing ever since and consists almost entirely of toners.

So without further ado (sorry, these are not all AB but I wanted to include everything)

Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence Watery texture. I love this product. At first, I was unsure it was doing anything. I was only using it once a day and didnt notice much. Until I stopped using it and noticed that not only did I lose a certain glow in my skin, but also my following products didnt absorb the same way. I now use it twice a day and love it.

Hada Labo Gokujun Moist Thin serum texture. Really good product. Its kinda thick for my skin (again, my skin will clog up really easily from too heavy of product) so I cant use it everyday, but if I am extra dry for some reason or accidentally overdo it with actives, this will resolve my issues literally overnight. Always good to have around. Considering trying the light version.

SAEM Urban Eco Harakeke Light gel texture. OMG my favorite toner. It has the most amazing herbal smell, makes my skin feel refreshed and plump but not sticky. Calms any redness or irritation. So nice, I use this twice a day.

Thayers Witch Hazel Cucumber Watery texture. I know this is a western toner and a lot of people have VERY mixed reviews on it. But for my oily skin, it is awesome. Keeps my oil in check, and the cucumber is so refreshing and calms redness and breakouts. I would not however recommend this for dry skinned folks.

Caudalie Vinoperfect concentrated brightening essence Watery texture. Another one of my all time faves. This is an "exfoliating" type, as it contains glycolic and lactic acids. But it is suuuper gentle. Keeps my skin texture balanced and bright. My skin responds very well to this product. I use it on off days of when I use my stridex, just in case (I dont want to go back to that over exfoliated life)

Pyunkang Yul Essence Thin serum texture. I see this one getting a lot of love here and Im so glad because this stuff is definitely awesome. Makes my skin feel hydrated, has a short list of ingredients and gives my skin a certain kind of bounce. Love this one.

Whamisa Green Tea Serum Toner Serum-ish consistency. OMG loooove this toner. It contains alcohol so I would probably not recommend it for dryer skin. But again, me and my oilyness love it. Its soothing, hydrating, feels great, dries well, and my skin was responding so well to it that I upped it from once a day to twice a day and have had great results.

Toners on my wish list:
Secret Key Milk
Want so badly to venture into the Sulwhasoo life but muh goodness they are expensive and The Balancing Water Ex that is highly recommended has a lot of the same ingredients I am getting elsewhere in my routine. Eh, someday.

Lastly, here is a thread I posted last week asking for thoughts on some of the more expensive toners. With my love of toners, I was curious to hear experiences as to whether the prices are worth it or not.

Happy toning!

I would like to preface this by saying this is what I would do for me personally knowing what I know now about my own skin. If I were making suggestions for someone else I think this list would be very very different.

Under $50:

Heimish All Clean Balm [$17]

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion [$11]

CeraVe Healing Ointment [$9]

Australian Gold Tinted Sunscreen [$13]

This particular budget was actually a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I prioritized Sunscreen first, because that is an important product to me and it is a product that was difficult to find something I was happy using every day. I picked the cleanser next because I knew it was going to be pricey at this budget. I really think oil cleansing has done wonders for my skin. I especially like balms. I find them much easier to use. I occasionally like to use a straight oil, but on a daily basis using something with an emulsifier is just more practical. In reality if I had to stick to this budget all the time, I would probably sub out the Heimish for an emulsifying cleansing oil like Kose or the Simple one. I just haven't used either of those yet, I wasn't comfortable substituting that for the sake of this exercise.

I don't think I would be totally happy with this routine long term. It's not as hydrating as I tend towards and it doesn't have any actives. The CeraVe lotion is nice, but I wouldn't LOVE using it. I picked this over the CeraVe cream because I find that the cream does not actually sink into my skin. It's nice over other thinner formulas, but it tugs at my skin uncomfortably if used on its own.

Under $100

Heimish All Clean Balm [$17]

Stridex Maximum Acne Medication Pads [$4]

Dear, Klairs Supple Proparation Facial Toner [$22]

Hada Labo Gokujun Premium Hyaluronic Solution [$15]

Holika Holika Skin and Good Cera Super Cream [$17] (this is discontinued, but as long as it's $17 at Amazon or CVS where I bought it I will probably keep using it)

Jojoba Oil [$8 @ Trader Joe's]

CeraVe Healing Ointment [$3] [Travel Size]

Australian Gold Tinted Sunscreen [$13]

TBH this is making me realize how much money I actually spend on my routine. GEEZ I DIDN'T NEED THIS TODAY. Essentially I just took out the CeraVe lotion and added my HG Hydrating/Moisturizing Layers. The Klairs seems like so much of a splurge here, but it really truly is one of my favorite products to use. It is very hydrating and soothing to me. I also added the Stridex because it's cheap, effective, easy to use and this is one active I know I can tolerate if I keep up my hydration/moisturization.

I think the CeraVe Healing Ointment is a true workhorse and I would never be with out it, BUT I don't actually use very much of it. I mean I bought my first 3 oz. tube 9 months ago and I don't think I've even used half of it. With the smaller budget it makes more sense to get a bigger tube because it can be SUCH a multitasker, but since I have a few more items in the way of "moisturizing" here, I would probably purchase a very small tube of the ointment (mostly for my lips and the corners of my nose) and also incorporate Jojoba Oil. I love Jojoba for cleansing and for mixing into other products. My very chapped lips also DRINK UP oils like no one's business.

I am ashamed to say this routine is still short of some things I use pretty frequently, but I would still be happy with it. It has everything I actually need.

Under $200:

Heimish All Clean Balm [$17]

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser [$15]

Stridex Maximum Acne Medication Pads [$4]

Stratia Soft Touch AHA [$14]

Dear, Klairs Supple Proparation Facial Toner [$22]

Hada Labo Gokujun Premium Hyaluronic Solution [$15]

Stratia Rewind [$16]

Stratia Liquid Gold [$24]

Holika Holika Skin and Good Cera Super Cream [$17]

Jojoba Oil [$8 @ Trader Joe's]

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Repairing Balm [$15]

CeraVe Healing Ointment [$3] [Travel Size]

Raw Honey [$7ish]

Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask [$5]

Australian Gold Tinted Sunscreen [$13]

Again these all the same products as before. The three additions I use frequently are the LRP B5, Stratia Liquid Gold, and Stratia Rewind. The Raw Honey and the Queen Helene are masks that I know work for me and are fun to use. I very rarely use the honey buy itself, but it is lovely as a mask mixed with the Klairs (thanks to u/LGBTQBBQ for that tip). I've also included the Stratia Soft Touch here because it is on my list to try. I'm pretty sensitive to actives and I think a 10% Mandelic is something I could handle.

I actually really enjoyed having to think about my routine like this. I really thought I had paired down my routine quite a bit and I suppose I have, but even the $200 budget would not be enough to repurchase everything I use on a monthly basis. This (mostly) doesn't even include things I want to try or things I have around just in case or just because. Realistically I would have a couple more wash off masks, and eye cream (even though it is not at all necessary imo), at least one other kind of sunscreen, and maybe one or two other moisturizers.

But I guess I'm that kind of extra bitch.

...and like its a hobby right? It's ok to spend money on a hobby.

At least that is what I'll tell myself.

Hi, u/mihaelalala7! :)

I would suggest replacing the micellar water with a cleansing oil or a cleansing balm (even though your dermatologist suggested it), as it would do, in my opinion, a much better job at breaking down the gunk that's on your face that your regular water-based cleanser won't be able to dissolve. Even though it might seem strange to put oil on your already oily skin, the excess sebum that builds up on the skin and in our pores cannot dissolve in a water-based formula, and maybe even certain ingredients from your SPF and such. Micellar water does a similar job, but I don't find it as effective. Then I Met You has a nice, fragrance-free cleansing balm.

When building up a skin care routine, the most important things to look for are skin barrier support and sun protection. For your skin to be happy, you have to provide a good SPF, gentle cleansing and proper hydration through a good moisturizer. By looking at the ingredient list of your Isis Pharma moisturizer, I came to the conclusion that you should definitely replace it. It contains a lot of fragrance, which should definitely be avoided in skin care, and it also contains a really harsh surfactant, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, that is just terrible for the face. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is basically the stuff that makes up regular soap, which we all know we should not put on our faces. It really strips the skin, and can definitely lead to skin barrier damage that will worsen your skin concerns (breakouts, comedones, dullness etc.). A much, much better option would be the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, that is fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, MUCH gentler and hydrating. It contains ceramides, compounds that are present in our skin's own moisturizing system. Your cleanser is by far the worst product in your routine and you should replace it in my opinion.

When it comes to the exfoliating acids, I think you'll do a much better job preventing breakouts and smoothing your skin texture by using your Salicylic Acid as a primary exfoliant, since it does basically the same job as the Lactic Acid, but it also has the property of being soluble in oil, thus unclogging your pores while also providing a gentle exfoliation. Salicylic Acid also can help with controlling excess sebum production and it also has antibacterial properties. Be aware that the overuse of chemical exfoliants can lead to irritation, dryness, redness and peeling, so maybe use them a few times a week, and don't apply them on areas where you don't experience congestion. You can switch to using the Salicylic Acid on your breakout-prone, textured areas, 2-3 days a week, and see if your skin tolerates it well. If not, you can go back to the Lactic Acid. Do not use your chemical exfoliants on the sensitive parts of the face, such as the under-eye area, as it's simply unnecessary, and the risk of getting irritated is much higher on the extremely thin skin under our eyes.

I'll have to mention fragrance again when talking about your moisturizer. It's definitely not as bad as your cleanser, but I'd look into other options that are fragrance-free, such as CeraVe's Moisturizing Cream, that is also non-comedogenic and contains ceramides.

The SPF you're using is most likely fine, and you should continue using it if you like the product. La Roche Posay, Eucerin, Cetaphil and CeraVe also provide good sunscreens that you can explore in the future.

The witch hazel may or may not help, you can keep using it if you like it. For sebum production control and anti-inflammatory properties you can also try incorporating Niacinamide into your routine, as it's a proven ingredient that can definitely help with the appearence of breakouts and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (dark spots) from acne scarring. The Ordinary has a great Niacinamide 10% + Zinc serum.

Also, the order in which you apply your products is of utmost importance. There are a lot of sources online where you can find more about this, but generally you should look to apply your products from the thinnest to thickest, starting with your cleansing oil and water-based cleanser, and ending with your sunscreen/moisturizer at PM.

So, to summarize: definitely look to replace your cleanser, you can improve your PM double-cleanse by replacing your micellar water with a cleansing oil/balm, be careful with your exfoliating acids, look to get rid of fragrance and harsh ingredients in your products by paying close attention to the ingredient list of the products that you're buying and doing research on that (Dr. Dray is board-certified dermatologist that has a YouTube channel, her advice is just pure gold, you can learn a lot from her). Our skin is a living, breathing organ, that is perfectly capable of self-sustaining and protecting itself. Our job is to enhance its mechanisms, and not overwhelm it by using too many products, harsh ingredients and fragrance.

Since you're not dealing with really bad skin concerns, having a really good, gentle double-cleanse, potent moisturizer, SPF 30+ sunscreen, using frangrance-free, non-comedogenic products and mildy exfoliating your skin with a gentle BHA (Salicylic Acid product) should really be all you need to get your skin to a good state. I'm glad you asked for advice, I'm extremely happy that you specificed the products you use, because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to identify some of the mistakes in your skin care (and potentially the biggest), and I hope you'll find my advice helpful.

All the best!

(PART 1) I couldn’t fix my painful dehydrated skin until i incorporated urea and lanolin, and regular use of petrolatum into my skin care. But idk how you feel about those... It took me a good year or year and a half to fix my dehydrated skin from overexfoliation.

Also, putting on occlusives right away after you wash and put on humectants is super important. Otherwise it can dry you out more.

So what I do is use a very gentle, non-foaming cleanser (I use LRP Gentle Hydrating) and while my face is still wet, put on all my hydrating toners and serums. Then go into lotions and creams RIGHT AWAY. You can watch Dr. Dray on YouTube who describes why this works.

When my skin was SO full of pain, from extremely dry, tight skin and irritated acne-like cysts everywhere, the only thing that didn’t hurt like a mf was Vanicream. It took me hundreds of dollars and tons of trial and error and babying my skin to get it back to normal. Now I can use AHA, azelaic acid, vitamin c, and even tretinoin and hydroquinone without a problem!!!

It took me hundreds of dollars and tons of trial and error and babying my skin to get it back to normal. Now I can use AHA, vitamin c, and even tretinoin and hydroquinone without a problem!!! 

No one or two products fixed my dehydrated skin. It took a TON of research over the years learning which ingredients were the most healing, moisturizing, how they work, etc.. And an entire routine around hydrating and moisturizing as much as possible. 

And i know everyone raves about the cosrx snail essence, but it didn’t do shit when my skin was that dehydrated. But there IS some evidence of snail healing damaged skin. The point is to put in as much healing and soothing ingredients into your routine as much as possible. 

I always make sure to include ingredients like: panthenol (derivative of vitamin b5), allantoin, urea, hualuronic acid, glycerin, aloe, colloidal oatmeal, ceramides (huge!!!), niacinamide (especially useful for brightening and healing your skin), petroleum (there is NOTHING out there that reduces transepidermal water loss like petroleum can. I tried to be all ~natural is better~ for a while, but realized it wasn't doing anything to help fix my skin), etc.

And not just adding these helped fix my skin, but leaving things out was a HUGE step in finally letting my skin heal. I avoid these like the plague: fragrance, natural (essential oils) or synthetic, alcohol anywhere other than sunscreen, sodium lauryl sulfate (sodium LAURETH sulfate is the gentler one, but I avoid that for my face too anyways. Any surfectants can be aided to be milder by adding cocamidopropyl betaine), all acids until my skin could handle them (interestingly enough, vitamin c serum actually helped my skin hold more water instead of hurting me), and things that I know irritate my skin.

Things that were/are biggest contributors of keeping my skin moist and hydrated, in no particular order:

Thayers Unscented Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel - the first thing that goes on my skin after washing. It's just water, aloe, glycerin and witch hazel. It's so simple but idk why my skin likes it so much, lol. It's HG for me.

Hadalabo Premium Lotion - HG, must have. ALWAYS put occlusives on top, do not wait for it to dry. Hyaluronic acids, urea, algae. This is my one non-negotiable skin care item.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Cream - Super moisturizing. Colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, panthenol, petrolatum, a ceramide, dimethicone. (Also, people demonize silicones, but they are not bad ingredients. They are actually really helpful in keeping in moisture, providing slip, and smooth feel for skin and hair. And no, they don't prevent other things from reaching the skin.) And Aveeno Eczema Therapy Night Time Balm for something heavier but has same ingredients. You can use both.

And of course, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream - ceramides, cholesterol, must have skin-identical lipids that dehydrated skin lacks, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, dimethicone. This by itself didn't help a whole lot, but with an army of all the different gentle, soothing things, it helped tremendously.

CeraVe PM- same as the cream, but much lighter and has 4% niacinamide I believe. Niacinamide has been key to helping my dry-ass skin. It does SO many things. I DIY 6% niacinamide and 5% n-acetyl glucosamine to boost the niacinamide even further. But you can find this ingredient in loads of AB things and Olay products. Make sure the Olay stuff is fragrance-free if you get them. I like the Olay Anti-Aging Face Cream a lot. You can use the CeraVe lotion if you for some reason can't tolerate niacinamide, but want something lighter than the cream.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment - SLUG LIFE is a MUST if you have dehydrated skin. You can use Cerave healing ointment too, but it's redundant if you use the cream or lotion. It's not as occlusive as aquaphor. Aquaphor isn't just a more pricier Vaseline as people suggest. It does have white petrolatum that is oh-so helpful, it also has healing ingredients like panthenol and bisobolol, and also lanolin alcohol and glycerin for humectants. I put on a THICK layer of this when I go to bed.

If you wanna go a step further and go super saiyan, and you aren't sensitive to lanolin, you can use Lasinoh Lanolin before or after Aquaphor. I can't stand the smell of lanolin, but this one is medical-grade and doesn't have a smell. Lanolin is SUPER helpful because of it's crazy humectant properties but it also acts as an occlusive.

For just uber Panthenol healing, you can get something that stars Panthenol as the main star ingredient, like DML Forte Cream or Timeless Skin Care Vitamin B5 Serum. I don't use the cream anymore, but I do still use the serum. It looks expensive, but if you get the refill sale, it's about $7/oz (idk what country you live in, but this is the price for me in the U.S.). I HIGHLY recommend their vitamin c, e, ferulic acid serum as well when your skin can handle it. It works out to about $8 an ounce if you get it during refill sale. It stays good for a while in the fridge. I wrap it in foil and transfer it to a 1 oz dropper bottle for using it in my bathroom. It gives glow to your skin like NOTHING ELSE, and boosts your sunscreen (the antioxidants slow the degradation of sunscreen ingredients, giving a huge boost to your sunscreen) and has helped me with water retention. If you can't get it on refill sale, use the HotandFlashy (I also recommend her Youtube channel) code hf5off to get $5 off. It's a forever coupon code.

Always recommend the cera ve SA renewal cleanser. It’s amazing and events your skin and brightens it. I actually use the SA renewal body wash, you get a lot and I can use it on my face as well. The Cera Ve SA body lotion is also love, sometimes I use it on my face. Makes body super smooth, these two are dream team.

I think the dream routine:

Am:

• cera ve SA acid cleanser
  
• Son&Parks Beauty Water Toner
  
• niod multi-molecular HA serum 15 types of HA.
  
• stratias liquid gold
  
• shishoedo mineral uv gel SPF50++++
  
  Pm:
  
• Sunday Riley Blue moon cleansing balm Blue Tansy for redness OR if you like oils, KOSE softymo SPEEDY cleansing oil
  
• cera ve SA cleanser with Clarisonic
  
• biologique Recherche pm400 or regular p50 toner or cheaper alternative tarte knockout tingle treatment
  
• niode HA serum
  -melazepam 20% important and alternate between this and Retin a, but not everyone can handle either of these. But it goes to say these are anti-aging power horses
  
• Holy Snails Sauce Di Mois in Hangbang/spooky shark or whatever works for you.
  
• an oil, Squalene, seabuckthorn, rosehip, jojoba, rotate what works.
  
• an occlusive, like embroliysse concentrated lait creme , cera ve healing ointment , skinfix 12 hour miracle ointment All of these are better than basic Vaseline or squalor.
  
  Great products:
  
  
• to 10% lactic acid in spheres
  
• skinceutics vitamin c in feurlic acid (super $, results worthy).
  
• timeless vit c serum (affordable)
  
• to 30% bha peel
  
• avene Blue Tansy Oil (knockoff of lapis Blue Tansy Oil for $12 vs $72) helps redness/moisturizes
  
• dr. Jart cicapair serum for redness
  
• Dr. Jart ceramidin serum plus the cream (use together for best results on rebuilding skin barrier if using actives).
  
• hada labo HA lotion/milky lotion or Hada Labo premium HA lotion (more moisture, not great for warmer months).
  Benton snail bee essence (the masks, steam pacts, everything..)
  
• peter Thomas Roth pumpkin enzyme mask (great chemical exfoliating and physical exfoliate mask that works)
  
• niod flavonne mud mask (super detoxing good for congested skin)
  
• kanebo soap powder (good ph, enzyme powered soap powder)
  
• aquaring ampoule mask (good ab face mask)
  
• Paula’s choice bha liquid
  
• cosrx bha blackhead liquid
  
• cosrx aha whitehead liquid
  
  Just a few products to think about. I am by no way saying jump and add any of these to your routine instantly. I’ve looked around and found a lot of, what I’d consider to be talked about products and decided to make it easier and list them for you.
  
  
  I think a basic SA cleanser like cera ve would be a good place to start, a good spf that is non-irritating. Find a moisturizing Oil thst your skin likes and then maybe start trying actives. Don’t go jumping in until you find a routine that calms your skin and that your skin really likes. Then start testing the waters with maybe azelic acid like melazepem (strongest you can get in us is on amazon) or vitamin c. Possible acid peel pads. We kind of have to know your skin type and current routine. Things that have worked and have not, and what you want out of a new skin routine— in order to give you better direction.

My acne is not as severe as yours, so I don't know if what I do would help you but we can give it a shot, right?

• I use CeraVe Foaming Cleanser in both mornings and nights to wash my face
  
• I don't use a BHA anymore
  
• I do use AHA, Alpha Hydrox 10% Glycolic in both morning and night
  
• I use a Salicylic Acid Peel 20% once a week, so far it has helped, I've only used it for two weeks
  
• After the peel, I use a MBD Black Pearl mask, mainly because it's soothing and very moisturizing, which is perfect after a peel.
  
• I moisturize with Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. People here vastly recommend CeraVe Moisturizing Cream because it has ceramides and it's pretty good.
  
• For sunscreen, I tried Cetaphil Dermacontrol, it's too oily and I didn't like it because it stung my eyes. I tried L'Oreal Ideal Moisture with SPF, didn't like it because it was heavy. I tried both Biore Aqua Rich and Biore Perfect Face Milk I loved both thoroughly; they are light, milky, smooth, they feel great on the skin and stay matte like it's nobodies business.
  
• I use the Thayer Cucumber Witch Hazel toner. No reason in special for the cucumber aside from me loving how it smells. It has helped me some with redness and inflammation.
  
  My routine is as it follows:
  
  AM
  
  
• Cleanse with CeraVe
  
• Apply Witch Hazel toner
  
• After it dries, apply AHA, wait for it to absorb 20 min
  
• Apply Cetaphil Moisturizer
  
• Apply sunscreen
  
• Makeup if any
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  PM
  
  
• Remove makeup and sunscreen with Pond's Cold Cream cleanser
  
• Wash with CeraVe
  
• Apply witch hazel
  
• Apply AHA
  
• Moisturize
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Every Friday night each week
  
  
• Wash with CeraVe
  
• Clean face with rubbing alcohol (my face is super oily)
  
• Apply Salicylic acid peel for 2:00 min
  
• Rinse acid
  
• Apply my beauty diary sheet mask for 20 min
  
• Moisturize with Cetaphil
  
• Apply thin layer of Aquaphor
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  And that's it, my skin has gotten way better and something that has also helped millions is that I went on the pill, since my acne is hormonal.
  
  Remember to patch test and to not abuse your skin, the gentler the better!!!! There are things that might or might not work for you, it takes a while to find what's best for your skin. If nothing works, you can always try PocketDerm or a dermatologist around your area, don't be afraid to ask for professional help. Good luck!
  
  

bananapicker, I am so sorry you have suffered so much with such little relief. As to a body skincare routine, I can tell you what I'm using but there is no guarantee that they'll work for you. These are all WB products, and this is what I currently use.

In the shower:

Giovanni D:tox System Purifying Body Scrub with Exfoliating Hydro Gloves to clean body

EO Essential Oil Products EveryOne Soap on the undercarriage and ears; it's also what we use as hand soap

Giovanni Nutrafix Hair Reconstructor doubles as a cleansing conditioner and shaving cream. I have and have used other cleansing conditioners. If you want the full list, pm me. I have curly, porous caucasian hair that was once long and I used different hair products then than I do now that it's short, healthier and easier to take care of. As someone with long, wavy hair I'd recommend you look into the curlygirl method, but that's a whole other rabbit hole to go down.

These are the only AB hair products I've used and I recommend both:

[Lador] Hydro LPP Treatment as a hair conditioner, and LADOR Scalp Scaling SPA ampoule as a conditioner when my scalp gets inflamed.

Out of the shower, I put Weleda Skin Food on my feet and post-shaved legs. I highly recommend this product to everyone, particularly those with skin inflammations. It's crazy magical stuff that works on burns, rashes, and other inflammations but can also be used as an (occlusive) moisturizer anywhere on the body & face.

I moisturize my body post-shower with a blend of fractionated coconut oil, shea nut oil, and avocado oil that I mix myself. I'm kind of experimenting with it right now, but fractionated coconut oil just on its own is great.

As far as other body moisturizers, I do like First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense which does have temporary soothing qualities for me.

For hand cream I like Out Of Africa Pure Shea Butter Hand Cream and Herbacin.

All of that said, since you've had success using Hada Labo products on your face, I'd start trying to heal the skin on your body by using those same products. You might start by using their cleansing oil as an all-over body cleanser, and using their lotion, milk and/or cream as a moisturizer. If those are safe to use on your body, and help to heal your skin, I'd start looking around for other products once you've cleared up your current maladies. I really hope you find some relief soon and I wish you the best.

What's your total routine look like?

If your skin is sensitive, AVOID LUSH AT ALL COSTS. Essential oils and fragrances are terrible irritants - just because it's 'natural' doesn't mean it's gentle.

A basic routine is a cleanser, moisturiser and SUNSCREEN (not negotiable, yes even in the UK), with an optional exfoliant in the evening. You should probably try a double cleanse in the evening, using an oil cleanser first to break down the sunscreen, followed by a water based or foaming cleanser.

There are two kinds of exfoliation: chemical and physical. Chemical sounds scary, but is actually much much gentler on your skin than physical, which is the traditional scruffy, scrubby exfoliant that can super irritate your skin.

Here's what you could try:

AM:

• Cerave is now available in the UK, and it's packed with moisture barrier repairing ceramides. You could try their cleanser. You could try using a konjac sponge - Superdrug has them now - for some extremely gentle physical exfoliation. Basically, you soak this sponge in water and it puffs up into this deliciously squishy, jelly-like sponge. I've recently rediscovered cleansing with konjac sponges and have been loving it.
  
• I'm smitten with Hadalabo Gokujyun lotion, which is basically a giant bottle of pure hyaluronic acid serum. It' s a light, watery lotion that you pat into your skin. It works beautifully under sunscreen.
  
• Go ahead and lock the moisture in with this Cerave moisturising sunscreen. You need a quarter teaspoon to cover your whole face - that's more than you're used to doing. An easy way to make sure you're using enough is to draw a line of product up your index and middle finger, two strips total.
  
  PM:
  
  
• Double cleanse with an oil cleanser - this one by Simple is very very gentle and easy to find. To oil cleanse, pour a good tablespoon of oil into the palm of your hand, then massage over DRY skin. Add a splash of water to emulsify (oil cleansers have added ingredients that allow then to emulsify with water and rinse clean) and rinse with tepid water. Follow with your Cerave cleanser.
  
• Go in with another layer of Hadalabo lotion (I've actually been experimenting with the heavier Premium lotion, which is much thicker and feels like a traditional serum, so you could try that at night), and follow with Cerave in the pot to really lock in the moisture.
  
• OPTIONAL: you could try exfoliating at night. AHAs are good for surface exfoliation/getting rid of flakes; BHAs exfoliate within the pore and are great for preventing breakouts. The very gentlest AHA I have ever used is CosRX, but with your very sensitive skin you should definitely patch test. Just take a tiny bit of the product and dab it on one part of your face - for sensitivity I use my neck - every day for a week. You'll soon know if you have any issues.
  
  If you do choose to exfoliate, pat the product on AFTER you've cleansed but BEFORE you've used serums or lotions. Start using once or twice a week, then build up gradually as your skin gets more tolerant.
  
  Bonus: CosRX's Snail Mucin Essence is absolutely heavenly on irritated skin, so you might want to try that. If you do try it, patch test first, then pat the liquid on after your Hadalabo lotion but before any creams.
  
  Good luck!

I'm no professional, but I've spent some time researching this subject, and lurking in the skincaretalk forums lightening community. There's a lot of noise to filter through, but I managed to find a few things that worked for me in getting rid of my own perma farmer's tan.

The first, and most important step of getting rid of a perma tan is SAP (Sun Avoidance and Protection). This literally cannot be emphasized enough, and aside from getting rid of a perma tan it's good for your skin's overall health. It looks like you've taken steps toward this, so snaps for you. Though it tends to leave a white cast, physical sunscreens (containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) are the best choice if you want to protect your progress, and prevent yourself from tanning again. Unless you're sitting directly in a sunbeam while you're inside, or in the path of direct reflections of sun, I wouldn't worry about sunscreen while inside. I personally wear long sleeves and sunscreen to combat against incidental sun exposure on the daily. If I know I'm going to be outside for more than a few minutes I have a UV umbrella that I use to protect against the sun. Do I look silly? Probably, but at least my skin won't look like an antique football when I'm older

As for actually getting rid of the tan, the first phase should be exfoliation, which it seems you've already started on. Look for products with AHAs like glycolic or lactic acid. Some readily available options you can buy at walgreens/CVS are Alpha Skincare Body lotion (12% glycolic) or Amlactin (12% lactic). The sidebar has recommendations on products more suitable for facial use if you'd prefer a gel or liquid option for this purpose. Do this for 6-8 weeks, and if your tan doesn't budge then add in active lightening ingredients into your routine.

Another user already mentioned some lightening ingredients to look for, and all these serve the purpose of inhibiting your melanin production and shouldn't make you lighter than whatever your lightest natural skin tone is. I personally used Kojie-San soap (containing Kojic acid) with a Salux cloth to great success on my body. I haven't used it, but I've heard Marie France soap has a higher concentration of acid and thus works more quickly than kojie-san. I used a combination of dermatologist prescribed Retin A and 4% hydroquinone on my face and neck, as the soap was too drying to use on my face. I have friends and relatives who have used Maxipeel #3 (which contains both Retin A and hydroquinone) successfully to get rid of their own face/neck tan, as well as acne scars as a bonus. Kojie-San, Marie France and Maxipeel are Filipino products, but in general, lightening products from Asian countries tend to be more trustworthy than products you may find from sub-Saharan African countries, which in my experience and research, stand a larger chance of having steroids in them. Wherever they are from, if you go for foreign products be sure to do your due diligence on the product itself and wherever you're getting it from. Amazon is usually a safe bet, but check the reviews.

There are some American creams available at the drugstore containing hydroquinone Ambi, with 2% hydroquinone, and Nadinola with 3% hydroquinone, the highest you can get commercially without a prescription in America), though without Retin A, these percentages will be largely ineffective for your purposes.

Getting rid of a perma tan will be a commitment, and progress will be slow, but as long as you are consistent and practice SAP, you'll get there.

It sounds like your moisturizer is not sinking into your skin because the whole point of a moisturizer is to lock in moisture.

When you told me your skin feels tight after a shower i automatically think dehydrated skin. SkincareAddiction has a good post on dehydration

What moisturizer do you use?

If I were you id use products with hyaluronic acid, like a serum or toner and then a gel based moisturizer and then at night a layer of moisturizer over that.

I also would take a break from harsh scrubs, cleansers and masks and only use the gentlest products.


Here is what I would recommend (Asian Beauty Skincare Exchange often has decants (aka small samples of products) so you can see and test out what works for you.

To get your skin back and hydrated :

AM:
Rinse skin with water -I don't know your skin type so if you're oily, use a very gentle cleanser (which i can recommend to you if needed)

Toner/Serum Hada Labo Hyaluronic Lotion Moist - many people on the skincare reddits I am active in rave about this product, because its super cheap for the amount you get and its soooo moisturizing. I personally think it is too light for me (I am veryyy dry and dehydrated, stupid midwestern weather lol) and I use the premium version of it. Some people complain about it breaking them out, but everyone's skin is so different. But I think doing a layer of this morning and night will really help.

Moisturizing Gel - this will add moisture and hydration to your skin. My favorites are Hada Labo Plumping Gel Cream and Mizon Snail Cream
You only need a little of these, but I find they are super hydrating and comforting. The Mizon Snail is an all in one miracle.

Sunscreen- pretty important step (in my opinion), some sunscreens have occlusives in it. Occlusives mean it is holding all the moisture in. Sunscreen choice really depends on your skin type (which I am happy to recommend you as well)

PM:

Double Cleanse but gently. First an oil cleanser (to remove makeup) and then a gentle water based one.

Same as morning

Then seal it all in with your moisturizer. I am so dry that I even put vaseline on my face at night and I wake up comfortable and hydrated.

As far as trying out products, if you're in the US, /u/Gothickornchic sells decants on Asian Skincare Exchange. She ships super fast and is so nice, and helpful. you can find her post here

If you don't want to do that, Amazon and most places have great exchange and return policies. Skin is very weird and its all trial and error :[ but i hope my recs help and if you need more recs let me know!

There are a variety of ingredients, methods, and products that could potentially help you. The problem is everyone is different, so it will have to be a careful trial and error (and patience over a period of time) before you can pinpoint the right solution for you and what the original cause was.

If you're going to try products, I highly recommend you buy small sample sizes if possible and try them out one or two at a time. Be careful and start small, especially with active ingredients. They're quite potent, which means they give powerful positive results, but you can also risk overusing them or using them in a dangerous combination. So do your research about correct application and be careful.

• BHA (salicylic acid), such as Paula's Choice or Stridex. A very popular ingredient with a great track record in preventing/clearing acne, clearing acne scars, and generally improving texture, tone, and color. I would recommend getting sample sizes of these to start.
  
• Azelaic acid is another great way to tackle both acne and scars. Paula's Choice has a great azelaic acid + salicylic acid combo that I highly recommend.
  
• Vitamin C. Can help greatly with acne scars. Paula's Choice, The Ordinary.
  
• Sulphur is known to be antibacterial and a mask containing sulphur can help suppress breakouts. But most likely will not help with scarring. Sunday Riley Saturn mask helped a few people I know with cystic breakouts.
  
• Differin. Contains adapalene which is known to clear and prevent acne. Be really careful and don't use with exfoliants.
  
• Benzoyl peroxide. Pretty commonly used to clear and prevent acne, but it has the unfortunate affect of bleaching clothes/pillows/etc and can be pretty strong. Paula's Choice.
  
• Aquaphor/vaseline/hyaluronic acid. It's possible your moisture barrier is not doing so well right now. Counterintuitively, being too dry can exacerbate acne. Also, if you're using exfoliants or other active ingredients, you'll want to make sure to stay hydrated and moisturized. Aquaphor, HA. Also recommend this Hado Labo HA cleanser and oil cleanser for a very hydrating double cleanse.
  
• Sunscreen. You don't mention it but you should be wearing a daily sunscreen that's non-comedogenic, especially if you are trying any of the products above. La-Roche Posay, Elta MD, Neutrogena.
  
  The list goes on and on but you can start your research here.
  
  To eliminate causes, pay attention to when you have breakouts. Make sure the products you're currently using are a good pH and aren't breaking you out to begin with. Don't eat dairy for a long while until you know it doesn't cause the breakouts.
  
  Hormonal acne is most often clustered on chin and jawline, is often cystic, and often flares up once a month (aka period). If that describes you, you might want to talk to a doctor or dermatologist about whether it's hormonal or not, because there are treatments for that, such as birth control or spearmint tea.

Hi! I don't have a lot of specific knowledge about Japan, but here's some things that will hopefully be helpful:

1. The definition and regulation of cosmetics, functional cosmetics, and medications are different in every country, and I'm honestly not sure where BP or SA fall in Japan or how they're regulated.
   
2. I would look for an essence, serum, lotion, or cream with a known concentration of Niacinamide (usually 4-10%); there should be some good recs if you search the sub. [A quick search yielded a serum from 2Sol, and this MASSIVE list from u/GinsengBear and a Niacinamide wiki on r/SkincareAddiction.] Niacinamide is good for both anti-acne and anti-aging, and it helps support a healthy skin barrier. Making sure your skin is nice and hydrated helps your skin barrier also. You could try a Japanese lotion like Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion Moist, which is loaded with humectants and has the consistency of a lightweight essence. Once you're confident you have a healthy skin barrier, you could add AHAs, BHAs, Vitamin C, and/or retinoids. I personally like Azelaic Acid for acne. Cos de Baha has a serum that a lot of people like on this sub (this might be Korean; I'm not aware of any specifically Japanese Azelaic Acid serums). Note: Before adding any ingredients that increase cell turnover (like acids or retinoids), you need to have your daily sunscreen sorted out; these types of ingredients increase photosensitivity and make you more prone to sun damage if used without sunscreen.
   
3. Are you asking about face or body products? I would say if you're acne-prone, then I would avoid applying pure coconut oil on any areas of your face or body that are acne-prone, as it is highly comedogenic (it rates a 4 for comedogenicity on a scale of 0-5, 5 being the worst), so it can worsen your acne. I believe Nivea is a Japanese brand, and they have an in-shower lotion that I like a lot because I'm lazy about moisturizing my body, and it seems to work really well. There's a few versions that are all basically the same, but I prefer the Cocoa Butter one because the scent is the least offensive to me. Vaseline is a solid product; it's not comedogenic, but it's an occlusive, so you'd want to put something under it that would hydrate and/or moisturize your skin first (like the Hada Labo referenced above) and then put the Vaseline on top to lock it in. Otherwise your skin will still be dry, it'll just have a layer of Vaseline on top.
   
4. Nivea also has a lip balm that's marketed for men. It's supposedly not shiny/glossy, has no fragrance, has SPF 15, and doesn't taste like butt. If it was available to me in a way that wasn't $8/stick on eBay, I would keep it in my purse at all times, because this is exactly what I want in a lip balm. To help keep my lips from drying out over night, I put a little water + Hada Labo on them, let that soak in a bit, and then seal it in with Vaseline or an overnight lip mask on top.
   
   Good luck!

Hello!

I've been lurking on this subreddit for a few months, and while it's helped me put together a routine, I feel like there's more I can do to improve my skin!

To start, here are some pictures! https://imgur.com/a/0JLlV

I'm 31 (32 soon!), and I THINK I have normal/dry skin. Sometimes it feels tight or flaky in the morning, before I wash and moisturize. Overall my face is soft, but there's a tiny bit of roughness. I have the occasional breakout (around nose/chin), but it's never more than one or two whiteheads, and they usually go away after a few days.

My main concern is REDNESS, as well as whatever's going on with my forehead.

The pictures are after I've been up for a while, before I wash my face. This is about how my face looks normally, and I'd really like to reduce the blotches and have a more even skintone. My forehead is a little bumpy, with red spots.

Here's my routine!

AM

Splash some cold water

[MILK Makeup Matcha Toner
]
(https://www.milkmakeup.com/matcha-toner.html)

Mario Badescu Rosewater Spray

Cerave PM
(Brush teeth while it dries)

Shiseido Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++

PM

Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser

MILK Makeup Matcha Toner

Stridex Red (Brush teeth while it dries)

Mario Badescu Rosewater Spray

LUSH Full of Grace serum


Cerave PM

Every once in a while I'll use the FOMO jelly mask from LUSH.
I also have this diy mask powder from WitchBaby that I haven't tried yet, but I was thinking about mixing it with Aloe.

I used the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion like, once. It didn't really do much for the pimple I had, but it could be because it rubbed off. Maybe I'd have better luck if I slapped a hydrocolloid bandage over it after it dries?

I WAS mixing Acure Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Night Oil (new formula) with my moisturizer for a couple weeks, and it made my face feel GREAT, but I started getting more breakouts than usual, in spots that I don't normally break out.

I also tried using CosRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid every other day (alternating with Stridex Red) for about a month, and stopped because I didn't see much difference and I got tired of waiting 20mins to finish my routine.

I've been doing this since early January, and I haven't really seen much improvement. I really like to keep things simple (my PM routine is already on that border of being too much!), so I'd rather replace parts of my routine with things that could work out better, than add to it, unless it's super necessary.

I'm thinking about replacing the Matcha toner (which is kind of meh to me) and the MB spray with some Thayer's witch hazel (cucumber or rose?). I really like the MB spray because it makes it easier to apply moisturizer, but if I can do the same thing with Thayer's (in a spray bottle) then it'd be nice to combine the two steps into one product. And it'd be cheaper!

I'd like to add some sort of oil (rosehip seed? squalane?) that I can just mix with my moisturizer. I liked doing it with the Acure, but something about it broke me out.

I was also considering using Azelaic Acid instead of Stridex. If I did that, my choices would be either TO or Melazepam since I'm in the US.

I was also looking into the possibility of using Curology as a way to just mix all that good stuff into one product.

I'm very lazy.

Anyways, this ended up being REALLY long! I probably should have made this its own post, but I figured I'd try the daily help thread first!

Thanks for any advice!

Okay! I've got some stuff going.

For now, I'd say stop the noxema cleansing cream, and just wash your face with water. I'd also stop the ponds cream for now, as it again may be causing you more harm than good. It's cheap, but I also had a similar burning issue with it when I used it.

I managed to find a Canadian dupe to my moisturizer by scouring the crap out of canadian walmart, canadian amazon, and the drugstore you mentioned.

For your face, I'm gonna recommend Glaxal Base Moisturizing Cream, 100g for $10.42 on Amazon, or 450g for $24.99 on Amazon. This is a very bland (low ingredient, less likely to give you a reaction --- good idea for you) moisturizer that will get the job done hopefully without any sensitivity on your end. It is perfect for your face, and relatively reasonably priced. (I aimed for much cheaper, but I was looking for a really specific, basic moisturizer that was less likely to make you itchy)

A good hyaluronic acid may also help you, so I am recommending a hyaluronic Acid toner. It may seem a little much, but using a hyaluronic acid toner like this can help you get the moisture INTO your face, and then a protective/basic moisturizer like the one I recommend will help KEEP it in. The one I am recommending is amazingly cheap per mL and works really well. I am only just running out of this container exactly one year later (bought it in last May) even with daily, gratuitous use.

I recommend Hada Labo Goku Jyun Moist. Since you'll want to introduce this gradually, you could buy it from amazon here. Shipping takes a while from Amazon, but it's free and it's only $16 for the same thing on this site. Here is the same product at Ebay. The same product is also available at Yes Style with slightly faster shipping, but it's not free shipping.

They have several versions of the product, but I specifically recommend this one, because some of the other VERY similar serums from the line have more irritating ingredient lists.

If you feel like you need a cleanser, I'd recommend Spectro Fragrance Free Facial Cleanser for Dry Skin, 500mL for $11.58 at Walmart.

Since body cream covers a lot more real estate than the face, I looked for a much more reasonably priced body moisturizer.

I'd go with NIVEA Repair & Care Fragrance-Free 72H Body Lotion for Sensitive Skin, 625 mL, $5.98 at Amazon.

For the SPF ideas, honestly, unless you spend a lot of time in the sun, there is no need to start your skincare routine with a SPF. You're not using any topical retinoids or anything that makes you more sun sensitive. There is no rush to find this skincare ingredient.

Oftentime the skin is more sensitive when it's dry and inflamed like your'e describing, so you might have the worst time EVER trying to find an SPF that doesn't leave you itchy and unhappy. I'd say start with the moisturizers and/or the cleanser, and when you get some relief from your dry skin you can try to find a daily sunscreen.

​

Your routine will look like this:

AM

• Wash with water
  
• Hado Labo Goku Jyun Moist (Don't add into routine until 3 weeks after adding the glaxal base moisturizer, so you can make sure you aren't getting a reaction from the glaxal base moisturizer)
  
• Glaxal Base Moisturizing Cream
  
  ​
  
  PM
  
  
• Wash with water (If you get the Spectro Cleanser, only use it at night here)
  
• Hado Labo Goku Jyun Moist (Don't add into routine until 3 weeks after adding the glaxal base moisturizer, so you can make sure you aren't getting a reaction from the glaxal base moisturizer)
  
• Glaxal Base Moisturizing Cream
  
• Nivea Repair & Care Fragrance-Free 72H Body Lotion for Sensitive Skin, all over body.

I've had KP since I was a kid and am finally getting handle on it in my 30s. My current routine is glycolic lotion twice a day, creams on the affected areas 3-4 times a day, and then physical exfoliation and using zinc or sulfur soap a couple times a week to keep the bumps at bay. But since skincare is YMMV, here's the exhaustive list of almost two decades of treatment, in case some of these other things will work for you!

100% of the items can be purchased via Amazon in the US - it's pretty much the only way I shop.

Beginner Level

If your KP has just appeared, focus on physical+chemical exfoliation and moisturizing. Look for lotions with the following ingredients:

• Glycolic Acid [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/GLYTONE-Exfoliating-Body-Lotion-8-4/dp/B002D48QRK/ref=sr_1_7_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069563&sr=1-7&keywords=glycolic+acid+lotion)
  
• Lactic Acid [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/AmLactin-12-Moisturizing-Lotion/dp/B000TTPZQ6/ref=pd_sim_194_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000TTPZQ6&pd_rd_r=VMNB4G7XKMTDC8FCCPPW&pd_rd_w=3Hg0d&pd_rd_wg=6JKTf&psc=1&refRID=VMNB4G7XKMTDC8FCCPPW)
  
• Mandelic Acid [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Wu-4712052501942-Intensive-Renewal/dp/B00KQYJ9TI/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069480&sr=1-4&keywords=mandelic+acid+serum)
  
• Azelaic Acid [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MSSJP9Y/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• Salicylic Acid [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Paulas-Choice-Weightless-Treatment-Antioxidants/dp/B00CS5U172/ref=sr_1_7_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069348&sr=1-7&keywords=paulas+choice+bha) (Or just use [Stridex Pads] (https://www.amazon.com/Stri-dex-Pads-Maximum-Strength-Pack/dp/B004WP0S74/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069393&sr=1-1&keywords=stridex&th=1))
  
• Retinol [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Retinol-Surge-Moisturizer-Cream-2-5/dp/B00OQQLNG4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1493070177&sr=8-1&keywords=body+merry+retinol)
  
• Urea [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Eucerin-Skin-Intensive-Treatment-Lotion/dp/B0098YQH2O/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069275&sr=1-1&keywords=eucerin+urea)
  
  Paula's Choice and Derma Doctor's KP duty both work well because they combine a few of these, but you can also get Amlactin, Eucerin and Glytone which are more focused on a single ingredient. Nearly all of the Eucering, Gold Bond, Cetaphil, etc. creams that work have one of the above ingredients, so take a look at the back of the bottle or on CosDna to figure out what works best for you. Prescription creams include Carmol 40 and Ammonium Lactate in higher concentrations.
  
  Physical exfoliation includes:
  
  
• Salux cloths [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Salux-Nylon-Japanese-Beauty-Yellow/dp/B007IAE5WY/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493068965&sr=1-2&keywords=italy+towels)
  
• Italy towels [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C8DR1U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• Hammam or Kessa mitts [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Zakias-Morocco-Kessa-Hammam-Exfoliating/dp/B0076YIPZU/ref=pd_sim_194_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0076YIPZU&pd_rd_r=XC3PKNKFAM2Z88K10WDT&pd_rd_w=M6c0H&pd_rd_wg=fsKqw&psc=1&refRID=XC3PKNKFAM2Z88K10WDT)
  
• Dry brushing [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DHHJ9S6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• Sugar scrubs [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Tree-Hut-Sugar-Scrub-Moroccan/dp/B01EXDOQZY/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069250&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=sugar+scrub&psc=1)
  
• Salt scrubs [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F7WA2X0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• St. Ives wash [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J4YY4DM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• Lush Buffy Scrub [[Link]] (http://www.lushusa.com/body/body-butters/buffy/02127.html)
  
  My dermatologist also recommended moisturizing CONSTANTLY, which really helped smoothe my arms. According to his instructions, "constantly" meant that I needed to be able to feel the lotion on my skin 24/7 for at least 3 weeks, which for me meant a new layer of cream every hour or two. Pretty much any moisturizing lotion or cream will do. I'm partial to [CeraVe Moisturizing Cream] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013GDK3SQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) (creams are less watered down than lotions, and this one drys down wonderfully, leaveing my skin feeling buttery but not sticky). Lush dream cream and Aveeno are also faves.
  
  Intermediate Level
  
  If a bit of exfoliation and moisture aren't working, you might want to consider if there are other skin conditions making your KP worse. For example, it turned out for me I had some fungal skin issues that made my KP bumps more inflamed. Topical steroids can help, but use with care as they can cause skin thinning. Try adding something with the following ingredients in to see if any of the following work. Also talk with your derm about getting a mild prescription treatment that might include an antibacterial or steroid component.
  
  
• Sulfur (typically sulfur soap, although you can also buy some creams) [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00685KUGA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• 2% Pyrithione Zinc (ZnP) (In [soap] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MWB0ZGE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1) or [cream] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N434AWO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) form)
  
• Tea tree oil [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017L8ZUJE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• Clotrimazole [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Family-Care-Clotrimazole-Anti-Fungal-Cream/dp/B01K51YPCC/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069707&sr=1-1&keywords=clotrimazole)
  
• Hydrocortisone [[Link]] (https://www.amazon.com/Cortizone-Cream-Maximum-Strength-Anti-Itch/dp/B001AZTD52/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493069776&sr=1-1&keywords=hydrocortisone)
  
  As others have mentioned, sunlight also helps. Either give yourself 15 minutes of sun a day or look into UV treatments.
  
  Finally, consider dietary factors – for me cutting out dairy, sugar, and gluten when I really want crystal clear skin makes a big difference. Adding healthy oils and fats to your diet can also improve skin quality.
  
  Advanced Level
  
  I not only have KP, but years of scarring and redness (Post Inflammatory Erythema, or PIE) from picking at the bumps when I was younger. Laser treatments have almost 100% gotten rid of this and made my arms the smoothest and clearest they've been in almost two decades. However, these are pricey (for me, ~$200 a treatment and it took 4) and a serious time commitment. But if nothing else works, consider it.
  
  Other Tips
  
  
• If you pick, use a hydrocolloid bandage right away to make things heal faster.
  
• Vitamin C, niacinamide, honey/propolis, rosehip oil/rosewater, and all those other things this sub and /r/AsianBeauty love can really help reduce redness.
  
• Avoid overly hot showers, as this can be dehydrating. On the other hand, drink lots of water to hydrate internally.
  
• There are a ton of home/natural remedies out there, including using apple cider vinegar and coconut oil, none of which worked for me. These are seriously YMMV. Apple cider vinegar is low Ph, so if that helps, try using a [low Ph cleanser] (https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Foaming-Facial-Cleanser-Ounce/dp/B01N1LL62W/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493070492&sr=1-2&keywords=cerave+foaming+facial+cleanser) or [Ph adjusting toner] (https://www.amazon.com/MIZON-Daily-Clean-Toner-Fluid/dp/B00LUU42NU/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1493070538&sr=1-1&keywords=ph+adjusting+toner), which might be less harsh. Similarly, coconut oil is antimicrobial and moisturizing, so give it a try and if it works, investigate whether you need more moisture or antibacterial/antifungal ingredients in your other products.
  
• Last but not least, don't sweat it! KP is incredibly common and nothing to worry about. I spent years being super paranoid about my arms and keeping them covered up, only to discover none of my friends even noticed my skin or cared at all.
  

Ok, ready yourself for product review bombardment! Also, I thought a fun Christmas idea this year would be to give stockings to my close girlfriends with my favorite new products I've tried out this year.

Tend Skin Aftershave - I actually just recommended this product on the post asking about razor bumps. I will never go without this product again in my life. MY GOD it burns! And it smells like pure rubbing alcohol, but it delivers as promised. I've been using in conjuctions with...

Cerave Renewing SA Cream - I use this all over my body because I get crazy razor bumps AND I have keratosis pilaris (chicken skin) on top of a thyroid problem (so I get dry as the desert skin).

Aquaphor - I realize for some people this is an obvious, but I've always had chapped lips, nonstop, and this seems to be keeping them moisturized better than anything I've tried. It's also helping with my psoriasis on my elbow, when I remember to apply.

Stila Stay All Day Lipstick - I don't know who this stays all day on. I can't even make it to lunch without being lipstick-less. Do I need to set it with something?? I've tried applying different amounts to see if that changes the outcome but nope. Sadness.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - This one I'm kind of on the fence about. I don't hate it. It hasn't broken me out. It's not oxidizing. I still have a nice enough complexion when I take it off at night. But there's just something...thick? pore-y? about it. When I look at myself close up, I see 'bad skin' instead of flawless finish that I want to see...And I don't even feel like I really have bad skin, so much as I just have dry skin.

Shea Moisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo/Conditioner - sigh. I wanted to like this. I needed it to be my holy grail shampoo/conditioner. Sadly it's not anywhere near. My hair somehow managed to feel dry and greasy at the same time after using. Only my hair could accomplish that!

Aussie Moist Conditioner - Frankly I don't know if this does anything good for my hair, but it gives it good slip and it smells AMAZING.

Tresemme Flawless Curls Mousse - I decided to give this a shot for my coarse, dry, wavy hair because I read that alcohol-free mousse helps when you have wavy hair and air dry. SIGH. My hair seems to be...frizzier on top of my head now? I don't know how this happened. The first time I applied, I did just from about my ear/shoulder level down - no good. The next time I did full hair length - no good. Next I waited just a bit so my hair was a little more air dried (not long, maybe 5 minutes longer) - no good. This product is just not for me. Also it leaves a gross residue that doesn't scrunch out.

NEXT UP, I'll be trying out Loreal Air Dry It Spray to see if I can tame the beast!

I also just ordered Joico Ironclad Heat Protectant for when I give up on the poofy beast and straighten it.

I've used Cali White Teeth Whitening Kit for two nights now, technically three, but I paused after the first night to wait for my remineralizing gel to arrive. I will review after enough time has passed to determine if it's working. I chose it because I have crazy sensitive teeth and it doesn't contain peroxide like most teeth whitening systems.

Let me know if you have any questions/want more detail about any of these products!



EDIT: I forgot about my new deodorant! I've been using Donna Karan Cashmere Mist for a few weeks now and love it! I feel so feminine wearing it instead of sharing my husband's deodorant. It works pretty well too cause I'm a sweaty, sweaty girl. It's a very firm texture compared to most solid deodorants, and the scent is sort of baby powder-ish, sort of old-lady, sort of moroccan amber (which is my new fave scent I found thru Nest home stuffs).

After looking at your skincare and assuming you are a dry/normal skin type as you've posted, your routine is very invasive and more suited for an acne prone oily skin. The products you use are excellent because they are dermatologically effective, but you need to cool it with all the chemicals morning and night.

1. You shouldn't be worrying about what kind of cleanser you use but what kind of moisturiser you use for different seasons. Skin is drier during the winter so you need to use a richer moisturiser. And as you have pale skin it is also important you use a fitting moisturiser for the summer. For your skin type I recommend the hydrating cleanser, the foaming cleanser will be too drying.
   
2. BHA/AHA/Retinoids are too invasive for your eye area, stay clear from your eye area unless its an eye cream specifically for your under eyes. The formulation for under eyes and face is slightly different as your under eyes are more sensitive than the rest of your face, do this and you will have less wrinkles in the long run. If you want a good eye cream for dark circles I recommend this french brand.
   
3. Sure you can use BHA and AHA on your body but thats just a waste of money and time. The products you use on your face will have little to no effect on your body because the skin on your body is more thicker and resilient. I recommend exfoliating with a naturally derived product and moisturise your body as well because the moisture in your body's skin is as much important as your face. Mixing a few drops of rosehip oil to your moisturiser should help lighten the acne scars lighten over time.
   
4. I don't know what kind of skin products you mean, but simplicity is best. Use a moisturiser at night and then sunscreen on top during the day.
   
5. You don't need to lotion your whole body because your skin naturally produces oils to protect and moisturise itself. Make sure you do not shower or bathe in hot water because it strips your body from these natural oils, but if you have dry skin use the CeraVe lotion.
   
6. You will be more efficient and less messy as you become used to cleansing, grow a pair and suck it up.
   
7. Never self medicate or diagnose yourself with products you've researched on the internet, if you have rashes on your beard it is most likely because of the type of razor you use. You need to make sure you change your razor as frequently as possible (prevent bacterial infection) and also make sure the razor isn't too rough on your skin. Rashes could also be because your skin is dry (moisturise) or clogged follicles (use tea tree oil with your moisturiser).
   
8. Your normal moisturiser should be fine.
   
9. We don't actually reapply sunscreen, but we have sunscreen built into our foundation as well, so there is another layer of protection when we go out. Just make sure you carry a hat with you on extremely hot days, and wash your face and reapply sunscreen if you sweat during the day.
   
10. I prefer the pump as tubs are tricky to use in that you could contaminate the whole tub by dipping your fingers in. Pump is more hygienic and you can add a few drops of oil to your lotion if you want extra moisture.

Personally, I'd search for alternatives - not because I don't think the products aren't trustworthy, I'm sure they are!, but in all likelihood you'll be able to find a cheaper and easily accessible alternative. I get why derms push the fancy in-house brands, it's a great way to make money, but they do tend to be overpriced (and certainly aren't the only good & effective version of the product out there!) As long as it's not prescription-only, there are probably a bunch of affordable alternatives.

For cleansers, check out the cleanser wiki for recs

And as long as you're satisfied that the underlying cause has been treated, and since your derm is comfortable moving on to treat hyperpigmentation, you might want to look for alternatives to the cream as well.

> Ban A Tan Cream contains Arbutin Topical, Liquorice Extract Topical and Mulberry Extract Topical as active ingredients.

I know The Ordinary has an affordable arbutin serum! Imo licorice root and mulberry extract are nice gentle 'extras', but probably aren't doing the heavy lifting in terms of treating hyperpigmentation. They're still really nice tho! r/asianbeauty should have lots of good recs :)

If you want to check out other hyperpigmentation treatments, the PIH wiki is a good place to start. For body use, you might be interested in the following products:

Ingredient | Recs
| ---- | ---- |
AHAs | Alpha Skin Care 12% Glycolic Body Lotion - Glytone 17.5% Glycolic Lotion - AmLactin 12% Lactic Acid Lotion - Acne.org's big glycolic acid lotion
Arbutin | Hada Labo Shirojyun Albutin Medicinal Whitening Lotion (150ml (5 oz), so on the small side for body application)
Retinoids | Paula's Choice Resist Retinol Body Treatment (0.1% retinol) - Deciem Retin-Oil (hydroxypinacolone retinoate)

I try to keep mine simple while still doing what I can to prevent further damage. I didn't take care of my skin at all in my 20s so I'm undoing damage now, but the vitamin C serum and sunscreen combo have helped a ton. I have fairly sensitive skin, and it gets easily dehydrated as well.

Morning

• Wash with Clean and Clear Relaxing facewash. If my skin feels clean I skip this step.
  
  
• Spray Thayer's Rose Petal alcohol free toner. I love this toner, it minimizes the craters I have for pores a good bit.
  
  
• Cerave moisturizing lotion I also like Clinique Dramatically different moisturizing lotion but the Cerave works just as well and I get soooo much more for my money.
  
  
• Apply SolScents Clear Face sunscreen I can't find this one in stores and it's pricey so I've ordered a [biore] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SM99KY8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) one from amazon to try out instead, a lot more affordable too.
  
  
  Evening
  
  
• Wash with Clean and Clear Relaxing facewash. It works just as well as the Clinique one for me.
  
  
• Spray the witch hazel toner again.
  
  
• Apply Vitamin C Serum.
  
  
• Followed by the Cerave moisturizing lotion again.
  
  Whenever my skin still gets dehydrated for whatever reason I apply Rosehip oil. Sometimes I do a chick pea flour + Turmeric mask which works great but is a bit drying so the oil helps a lot.

Hey friends! I'm pretty much a sunscreen virgin and I could use some help.

I've read through the sidebar, done a ton of searching through old posts, and have opened probably 100 amazon tabs today, but I still feel lost. Here's some relevant information, if it helps:

• 26 years old female, living in Oregon.
  
• Don't go outdoors much.
  
• Not really concerned with anti-aging stuff, much more concerned with preventing skin damage/cancer and whatnot.
  
• Pretty normal skin, dry/flaky forehead and back/boob acne-prone
  
• I don't THINK alcohol in products is a huge problem for me? The skin around my eyes gets fairly pissy fairly quickly, haha, but it seems unrelated from any skincare products I use.
  
• Rarely wear makeup, not hugely concerned about whitecast but am nervous about looking greasy
  
• Lastly and most pertinent to my current situation, I'd really like to find as big a bottle as I can for a reasonable price (10-15 USD if possible); I really like the idea of the popular Asian products but the bottles are sooo tiny, I can't afford to buy them every month. If I can get a bigass bottle of sunscreen, I have my own little travel bottle that I can put some in for commuting around town.
  
  With all that in mind... is there something I can find? I've heard US sunscreens aren't great, and though it'd be fantastic if I could just go to a local grocery store and grab a bottle, I'm willing to order online if there just aren't any suitable US brands.
  
  Please help? :(
  
  ETA these are the two most promising ones I've found so far:
  Nivea Perfect Water Gel and Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel
  
  Still a little small (around 4 oz, I'd really like to find something AMERICAN-SIZED lol, like 10/12 oz or larger if possible) but better. Would one of these be okay? Are there better options?
  
  (edited to fix formatting)

This is my first post, so I hope everything's right.

• The issue(s) - bought a bunch of products and not sure if I'm using them right. Would love feedback on what I'm doing wrong and if I'm missing anything.
  
• Skin type. Mostly normal, prone to hormonal cystic acne (controlled by meds from my derm) and slightly dry skin, some sun spots and starting to get some crows feet, some hyperpigmentation due to acne, 37 years old
  
• Current routine (I got sucked in at the Trish McEvoy counter at Nordstrom about 2 years ago)
  
  • Face Wash
    
    • Normally use Cetaphil with a Clarisonic Radiance brush head, but currently using Trish McEvoy Gentle Cleansing wash because it was a GWP and I didn't want to throw it out
      
  • Serums
    
    • Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Serum
      
    • Trish McEvoy Eye Serum
      
    • Boots No7 Lash Impact Serum
      
  • Moisturizers
    
    • CeraVe moisturizing cream
      
    • Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Anti-Fatigue Cream SPF 30
      
    • Trish McEvoy Even Skin Vitamin C Cream
      
    • Arcona Eye Dew Plus
      
  • Acids
    
    • The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
      
    • TATCHA Violet-C Brightening Serum 20% Vitamin C + 10% AHA
      
  • Oils
    
    • Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Oil
      
  • Masks
    
    • Glamglow Super Mud (once a week)
      
    • Mario Badescu Super Collagen mask (every few days)
      
      How I'm currently using things:
      
      AM Face wash, Tatcha serum, Trish McEvoy Serums, Arcona Eye Dew Plus, (if my skin is feeling really dry) Cerave + Trish McEvoy BB cream, if feeling normal than just the Trish McEvoy BB cream, Beauty Booster Oil, Boots lash serum
      
      PM Remove make up and stuff with a MAC face wipe, same as morning, but then replace Tacha with The Ordinary Retinoid, no Trish McEvoy BB cream and only Trish McEvoy Vitamin C cream
      
      
• How long About a month
  
• Anything new all products above in bold have been added in the last month
  
• Your location American living in Europe, so it's easy for me to get products from both continents
  
  Thanks so much!

I LOVE AZELAIC ACID. So I pretty well thought I would live with a red face forever along with a severely damaged moisture barrier. The biggest thing that helped me was azelaic acid. I use Melazepam from Amazon. Cheap and works! It's thick at first but smoothes into my skin leaving it kinda matte. At first it itched like crazy and I wasn't using it consistently enough. Then after more research, I decided to use it up and give it a chance. Along with anything high in ceramide, my skin got used to the 20% AzA. Maybe around the 10th day of twice daily use, my skin finally started to look normal. I also switch my oil cleanser to an olive oil based one and saw even more improvement in my redness. I've just added in Vit C to my under eye area and continuing to use Melazepam around the rest of my face and neck and my ENTIRE COMPLEXION is EVEN NOW! Would never have believed that was possible. Melazepam has also minimized my SFs on my nose, has finally stopped this ingrown hair on my neck from forming (I've had it for years!!!), and has cleared all the CCs on my forehead. I repeat: I loooooove azelaic acid, specifically Melazepam!

Current routine:

AM

Garnier Micellar Water - pink cap or Cerave Foaming cleanser

Cosrx Aha/bha Clarifying Treatment Toner

BELITAE Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid to my under eye area and upper cheeks

Melazepam to the rest of my face and neck, especially my nose. Sometimes I wait after the Vit C but not usually since I don't use them in the same spots.

I do wait 15-20 minutes after my actives step.

SCINIC First Treatment Essence 3 skin method. My face loves this more than the Missha FTE.

SCINIC Snail All In One Ampoule or SCINIC Honey All In One Ampoule depending on the day.

CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion

A'PIEU PURE BLOCK Natural Sun Cream SPF45/PA+++ I don't see much sunlight at all but when I do, this one keeps me from turning beet red imediately upon application.

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Derma Green-Cure Solution Recover Cream This is the best thing I've found for redness and skin barrier repair! My skin loves ceramides so much and this soothes like nothing I've found yet.

Medela Tender Care Lanolin Tube on my lips. Yes it's nip cream. I couldn't use it all up while nursing and it causes my skin to redden so it's perfect for a little lip color.

PM

ROHTO Hada Labo Gokujun Cleansing Oil My skin reacted to Holika Holika Soda Pore B.b Deep Cleansing Oil so this is my second one to try and I'm really enjoying it.

Cerave Foaming cleanser with a konjac sponge but waiting on
Hada Labo Rohto Gokujyn Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam in the mail.

Cosrx Aha/bha Clarifying Treatment Toner

BELITAE Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid to my under eye area and upper cheeks

Melazepam to the rest of my face and neck, especially my nose like the AM.

SCINIC First Treatment Essence 3 skin method.

All depending on how I'm feeling that evening:

LJH TeaTree 90 Essence

SCINIC Snail All In One Ampoule

SCINIC Honey All In One Ampoule

Cosrx Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

MIZON Snail Repair Eye Cream

Petitfee Black Pearl and Gold Hydrogel Eye Patch Not sure if I like these or not honestly...

Some or all of these layers followed by CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion and

Guerisson 9 Complex Horse Oil Cream

Pretty sure my shower filter, Mermosis, has also helped my skin and hair.

I also use sometimes REVITABOOST PEEL Anti-Aging Peel Pads or Cosrx Bha Blackhead Power Liquid but I skip my AzA on those days and just go back to my regular routine the following day. These are rare for me though because they make me ridiculously red again.

Things I'm waiting on in the mail:

ROSETTE Aqua Ceramide Gel

Rumase BIFIDA Snail Toner

Hada Labo Rohto Gokujyn Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam

It's Skin Power 10 Formula - PO Effector

Hoping the all work well for me too!

My advice would be to start fresh with a simple routine focused on hydration. You are using way too much harsh active for a sensitive eczema acne prone skin. You have to babysit that shit!

Coconut oil is comedogenic and will exacerbate your acne. Pick a simple oil that is not like Jojoba or Almond.

Tea tree oil directly on skin is a no no.

A wash that has salicylic Acid is very drying, pick a gentle cleanser like Cerave or Vanicream.

Ditch the witch hazel for now. It can be irritating to sensitive skin.

Forgo Vitamin C for now until your have no active acne then you can introduce it again to combat scarring.

Ditch the dragon blood serum, alcohol is listed twice after the water. So you are basically using water+alcohol+glycerin to give it some hydrating effect when in fact it’s just drying you out. The “Dragon Blood” is way down the list and has no effect whatsoever.

I am sorry I am telling you to basically ditch everything and your routine is doing more harm than good but it is the truth.

If you are still with me and don’t hate me yet 🙂 here is a routine that you can start with.

Am:

• Just luke warm water or cold water rinse.
  
• Cerave Am is good for eczema prone skin since it has Ceramides.
  
  Pm:
  
  
• Cleanse with a fragrance free cleanser, Laroche Posay makes a good one.
  
• you can add an oil on the rough patches here.
  
• A calming moisturizer, like La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Repairing Balm is good. Cerave lotion is great too. Avene if you can afford the price tag is excellent for sensitive skin.
  
  Basically, avoid any harsh actives for now. No fragrance, alcohol or dye in your soap, shower soap, shampoo, laundry detergent...etc. it can seem too much but you get used to it. Alas, it is what is!
  
  Good luck and I hope this helped a little. It gets better if you make yourself a priority and think that you deserve it all! You are worth it!
  
  Big hugs from an internet stranger( not in a creepy way 🙂).

Copying from my previous comment from earlier in the thread:

Face lotion alone is NOT providing nearly enough SPF coverage. Come over to r/skincareaddiction! :) There are many sunscreens out there that feel like lotion but are highly protective. I personally use an Asian brand that is SPF 50 and protects against both UVA and UVB rays, something most standard sunscreens don't do. It's only $12 on Amazon and lasts me a couple months. After it dries, I can't even tell I'm wearing sunscreen.

My typical morning routine for my face is:

1. Cleanser (then wash it off)
   
   
2. Toner
   
   
3. Moisturizer
   
   
4. Sunscreen
   
   I also add sunscreen to any exposed skin on the rest of my body. This sunscreen is cheap enough that I feel fine using it for my full body.
   
   I repeat this whole process at night (excluding the sunscreen). I also add Vitamin C serum after the toner, which also helps with anti-aging (promotes collagen growth).
   
   The whole thing takes less than 5 minutes, plus a couple minutes between each stage to let it dry. Wrinkles are SO hard to reverse... the best solution is prevention while you're still young! Plus, as someone whose parents have both gone through cancer, skin cancer is not something I take lightly.
   
   EDIT: I've had many requests for my exact products so I'm adding them here. Everyone's skin is a little different, so I would definitely advise doing your own research to find what works best for you. For reference, I have clear (little-to-no acne) skin, not too dry or oily.
   
   For each product, make sure you do a patch test to ensure you don't have a bad reaction. They're all pretty gentle so you should be okay, but always good to be safe.
   
   Cleanser: Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser
   
   Toner: KLAIRS Supple Preparation Facial Toner
   
   Moisturizer: Trader Joe's Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer (this is cheaper in store)
   
   Sunscreen: Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel pump (SPF50 + PA ++++) (takes like a month to deliver so I usually buy multiple at a time)
   
   Vitamin C serum: Dr. Brenner Vit C parent (small bottle but a little goes a long way)

This is great, I can make better recommendations now. Dove bar soap is great if it doesn't dehydrate your skin, you don't really need a expensive soap; I'd also compare Dove to Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash to see which is cheaper. You said your skin types "dehydrated" so I'd stick to using your CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser only on your face, but make sure this isn't the reason your skin is dehydrated (I don't know if your cleanser foams, but foaming cleansers can further dry out people with sensitive skin). Ultimately, your skin shouldn't feel tight or dry after showering.

If your skin is just dehydrated then you don't really need to add an exfoliant because, yeah they are priced way higher in Canada. Chemical exfoliants are more for evening skin tones and cleaning out pores, but you can check out SN AHA Toner, they should ship internationally. (Even in the US chemical exfoliants can be super pricey)

I personally don't really see a problem with deodorant with aluminum, but I know Lush carries aluminum free deodorant bars and powder that're reasonably priced in Canada, Arm & Hammer has their Essential Deo line, and a lot of vegan deodorants are aluminum free, I have no idea how well any of these products work though :(.

Applying lotion after showering can be really good, doing this seals in moisture. I don't know what CeraVe product your using as a moisturizer, but CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is really good at rehydrating skin due to it having ceramides. If you think that's too expensive/already using it, you can just use it to focus on areas that are really dehydrated; but I'd also check out this lotion. HadaLabo Lotion is a reasonably priced Hyaluronic acid thats great for dehydrated skin and if you use it for full body it should last awhile.

The cocoa butter is more of a cheap alt. for a deep thick moisturizer. Just a warning, I'd be careful with finding a high concentration glycolic acid; those are AHAs and over 15% they verge into chemical peel territory, constant use without having a tolerance can really mess up your moisture barrier. For reference I use Alpha 12% lotion a glycolic acid 2-3 times a week, but it's way more expensive in Canada and this is after using lower concentration acids for about 6 months^^super ^^good ^^for ^^my ^^scars ^^though . My skin types definitely not like yours though so if you can find something cheap I don't want to discourage you, I'd say go for it.

Last thing, I'd look up on humectants and occlusives, you said you use vaseline so I think you have that covered though. I use something akin to vaseline at night after everything else to seal all the moisture in.

I really tried to curate this to you so nothing would be too expensive, but if you use anything recommended it should help a lot. Focus on moisturizing, don't get discouraged we're our own worst critics, post to the sub if you have anymore questions-everyone heres pretty friendly, and good luck!

Hey, I’m a guy with “good skin”. What honestly surprised me was the quality of my skin after using sunscreen regularly — I didn’t realize how much sun affected things. I know you say you have normal skin, but some of the below should hopefully help getting started on a basic routine that’ll become evident in the quality of your complexion.

Pick up a gently cleanser like Cerave Hydrating cleanser or Vanicreams cleanser.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSSDEPK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_164sDbD3WQJP7

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QY1XZ4W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_U74sDbF98WZ87


Wash the face morning and night. It’s helpful to use a little bit of moisturizer since sunscreens are kind of hit and miss in this regard, so I’d suggest Cerave cream in the white tub to apply to your damp face as needed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TTD9BRC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_P84sDb7M4J10J


Afterwards, ideally, slather on a bit of sunscreen on your face, neck, ears, and other sun exposed places. My personal favorite currently is the Jack Black sun guard since it’s not greasy and I use it on my arms and hands too, Otherwise, pick up Cerave’s AM moisturizer. It’s my favorite drug store type sunscreen. A nicer one too are the EltaMD sunscreens.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CR4KRM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_V94sDbQXPSZ8R

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F97FHAW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_b.4sDbR7T9R88


If your face is shiny after some of thing I’d suggest picking up something like Magical Moringa from Lush that’s mattefying. A shine control powder to dab lightly on can work good too — doesn’t look like you have anything on while still taking care of your skin.

https://www.lushusa.com/face/moisturizers/magical-moringa/07218.html

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Neutrogena-Shine-Control-Powder-Invisible-10-37-Oz/21009034?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1150&adid=22222222228015245274&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=40843087352&wl4=pla-78656555792&wl5=9014228&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112549851&wl11=online&wl12=21009034&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzIWmraTy4wIVhZ-fCh0RsQczEAUYASABEgJquPD_BwE


At night I really see a difference in the brightness and luminosity with my skin with this “overnight mask”.

COSRX Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask, 60ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N13W31F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Qf5sDbYFN01FC

That’s basically my suggestions at least. At night just use moisturizer and the mask after washing.


As far as the back acne, in the shower let some salicylic acid sit on the area for a minute or two and rinse it off. I use Zapzyt. The other thing I would recommend after the shower is to apply some Differin to the affected area — Differin used to be what a dermatologist prescribed me years ago and it now available over the counter fortunately. Should be cleared up in no time.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BG92E26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dn5sDbJDAXBTV

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L1PHSY9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ip5sDbBCQ71AW

Bio-oil has mineral oil, mineral oil isn't harmful at all. A lot of people even use it to oil cleanse their face.

A lot of people here think bio-oil is overpriced, the main ingredient, mineral oil, is actually pretty cheap. I personally love bio-oil though. I haven't used Mederma, but they have an excellent reputation.

I've used neosporin to help fade scars, I noticed some improvement, but it took MONTHS. Like half a year. My advice is to use glycolic acid (a toner, serum, or lotion) wait 20 minutes then apply either neosporin, bio oil, or mederma. Really the choice is up to you, all would help. I'm recommending glycolic acid because it works by exfoliating the top layer of skin, it breaks the "glue" that holds the cells together. I think it would really help to kind of dissolve or wear down the top layer of the scar. Alpha Hydrox is great brand, I've used Mederma Glycolic Acid products and really like it.

I think your best bet is to get into a habit of using whatever products you choose everyday, and don't expect instant results. In a few months the appearance should be reduced.

edit: Applying sunscreen in the morning would also help discoloration. UV light will darken the scars.

No worries! I should clarify, AB toners are different in that they're made to be hydrating and more for prepping skin to absorb the next steps. They're not stripping or exfoliating like other toners. Basically treat it like a watery moisturizer. So after you wash your face (both am and pm) give yourself a spray of it, or soak a cotton round and use it on your face. Let it dry then continue your routine. AB will also call toners lotions sometimes, but again they're very light water/milky feeling. After cleansing you layer from thinnest to thickest. Add a toner to routine and see how your skin likes to see if you want to add anything else. Also add a new product to your routine one at a time waiting a week or two in between. That way it's easier to identify the culprit in case anything breaks you out.

For your pore issue I think you're just lacking moisture which led your skin to being a bit over exfoliated. I would just take the benzoyl peroxide out of your routine for a few days. I did that with the aha and just moisturized heavily and when my skin looked normal i slowly incorporated it back into my routine starting only once a week then bumping up to 2x. Now it looks good and I realized 2x weekly was all I needed.

I've actually used the ordinary niacinamide and zinc, it worked ok for the occasional breakout but didn't do much else and didn't do anything for oil control. TBH me switching to An and really giving my skin some love with extra hydrating toners and sleeping packs made a much bigger change in my oil production.

For your chin/mouth area I'd check out something like this I haven't used it personally (my issue is closed comedomes) but I've heard really good things. And you can use it just on your problem areas so you don't risk drying out the rest of your skin. Also hydrocolloid bandages are awesome for overnight healing, you can find them at Target, CVS,pretty much wherever. Lastly snail is known to be anti inflammatory and good for healing acne, so this essence might work well for you. Essences are to be applied after your toner and followed by your moisturizer. Congrats if you got to the end of this! Haha, but hopefully this helps :)

Hey! I have super sensitive, dry, breakout prone skin with some intense hair growth on my chin. Before I got to this routine people were asking me what was wrong and someone told me it looked like I must wear a chin strap (charming!), and now I have little to no breakouts or irritation.

I've found shaving to be the least irritating method (I'm prone to ingrowns so plucking, waxing and threading made for even bigger problems). I use a 5 blade razor that is ONLY for my face and gets switched out to be my pits/legs razor as soon as it starts getting dull at all. I'll also rinse it with alcohol after every couple of shaves, every time if I've been having skin problems (note: let it dry completely, the drying process is what kills everything).

My best tip is to shave with a super mild face wash. I really like the hada labo hydrating face wash, it's extremely mild and really thick and foamy so it makes a nice cushion for the razer (like a men's shaving soap does).

After shaving I pat my face dry and slap on some BHA - huge game changer right there. BHAs exfoliate and reduce redness and inflammation and I find them to be waaaaaay more effective and less irritating than any manual exfoliation. I really like The Ordinary's salicylic acid but it's pretty heavy duty, they recommend using it as a spot treatment (I slather my whole face with it, but my skin loves acids). If my skin has been feeling dry I'll do Cosrx's BHA power liquid, it's a milder form of BHA combined with niacinamide, a holy grail ingredient for many, it brightens skin and reduces acne (and I think it's anti-aging? I lurk on /r/asianbeauty but I don't have it all down!), though it can interact badly with some forms of vitamin c (causes flushing)

Next steps are all about hydrating and soothing. My skin breaks out from being sad and dry, and it makes any irritation or ingrowns a million times worse. I've found I get my best results from layering my products. I really like cosrx's snail serum, and right now I'm topping it with 2 moisturizers (again, very dry skin, plus it's a very dry winter where I am). First moisturizer is The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors, then Cerave in the tub.

I then top it with sunscreen, either clinique super city block, biore water essence, or cotz sensitive depending on how my skin is feeling.

Sometimes I'll wear makeup too, I've found bareminerals hydrating gel and any of dermablend's products go over my freshly shaved skin just fine (as long as I use a good makeup remover in the evening!)

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions :)

For dry hands, I recommend Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter by LUSH. It is hands-down (pun intended) the most moisturizing product I've used on my hands. If that's out of your price range, or if you don't like strong lemon scents, Trader Joe's has a nice balm for a fraction of the price. Still a bit lemony, but fades faster.

For body wash, I've been loving Dove's deep moisture line. All my old body washes and soaps became so drying on Accutane, so I had to make a change.

For face, Aquaphor is a godsend, and is required nightly to seal in all my moisturizer and oils. Moisturizer and oils are pretty personal, I just use coconut oil and CeraVe, but I highly recommend having an open mind and being prepared for some different products. My whole routine changed for Accutane, and that's the case for many people!

Also: SUNSCREEN. Sephora will let you try samples of any products, so I'd advise you go get a bunch of sunscreen samples and see which ones you like. Some leave a white cast; some felt a bit burny due to increased sensitivity of skin on Accutane. I eventually settled on CeraVe's SPF 50--it has white cast, but didn't burn or sting.

Overall, your skin will be super sensitive. I recommend shopping at places with solid return policies, and being patient with your skin. Good luck!

Hey, new here to ScA. I saw this thread was active even after being posted some days ago; so I signed up with hopes to become an active member of the community :)

Little about me: I haven't been doing skincare stuff all that often. In fact, I'm quite new to it. In addition, I'm currently rather young, and pursuing skincare in the hopes that once all of the 'problem areas' of my skin are clear, I can establish a daily 'up-keep' routine; preferably as minimalistic as possible (anti-bacterial soap & moisturizer).

Anyhow, the below is the information relative to my current situation. Feel free to flame me for what I'm doing incorrectly; although I would greatly appreciate hearing the reasoning behind your opinion(s). Looking forward to hearing some feedback and, hopefully, contributing at a later point (perhaps when I'm more informed on the matter).

Skin type: Blemish Prone (per my take on the guide)

Current routine:

• Morning:
  
  • [Shower] Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash (excluding facial application) (https://www.amazon.com/Dove-Deep-Moisture-Nourishing-Ounce/dp/B001ECQ4WQ)
  
  • [Shower] Neutrogena Rapid Clear Foaming Scrub (SA 2% - facial application only) (https://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Rapid-Clear-Foaming-Scrub/dp/B003YCF4XO)
  
  • Equate Beauty Spot Treatment (BP 10% - facial application only (spot treatment)) (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Beauty-10-Benzoyl-Peroxide-Acne-Treatment-Gel-1-oz/43436404)
  
  • Neutrogena Rapid Clear Daily Leave-On Mask (BP 2.5% - applied everywhere spot treatment wasn't - facial application only) (https://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Rapid-Clear-Stubborn-Leave/dp/B0195I8UMM)
  
  • CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion (Hyaluronic Acid - face & neck application) (https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Moisturizing-Lotion-12-Ounce/dp/B000YJ2SLG)
  
  
• Evening (12hrs later):
  • Same as the morning
  
  
• Occasionally used:
  • Hibiclens (Chlorhexidine gluconate solution 4.0% w/v - Spot treatment applied via directions on bottle with q tip - tested extensively via separate patches of skin) (https://www.amazon.com/Molnlycke-HIBICLENS-LIQ-8-OZ/dp/B00E5R65SA)
  [?] Applications are extremely conservative, but becoming less-so over time
  
  Note: In addition, I'm changing bedding, towels, and wash-cloths often.
  
  How long: I've been using the above routine consistently for around two to three months now. And although my skin is getting better, the transition has been extremely slow. At times it causes me to wonder if there are things I can be doing differently. My motto when doing this has resembled something of "Rome wasn't built in a day". In that time I've effectively reduced all cysts, nodules, and pustules down to papules and open/closed comedones. I am happy with the progress that's been made thus far, but I am working towards clear skin altogether.
  
  Anything new: Pimples will appear (and re-appear, respectively) from time to time, but I usually am able to eliminate said blemishes within the realm of a week (or sooner). I figured this was a good sign. Other than that, I speculate that I have found some instances of staph infection on the surface of my skin, and am planning an appointment to the dermatologist when I get the chance.
  
  Location: Arizona (aka the surface of the sun). I feel this will prompt quite a few responses regarding sunscreen, and I have recently embraced the idea of including it within a routine; especially in my recent quest to eliminate the vestigial red-marks (PIH?) lingering on my skin.
  
  Matters of concern:
  I'm very liberal in my application of the above BP 10% 'spot treatments'. This my be irritating my skin unnecessarily, but I haven't experienced any obvious irritation. I'm also considering purchasing more Hibiclense with the intent of wide-spread usage (in an effort to clear the additional acne from my chest and back), but I don't know how effective that would be considering it wouldn't penetrate the skin like BP.
  
  Of course, thank you all again for the (potential) input. I greatly appreciate anyone who puts in the time to help a new-comer like me. <3

[MOISTURIZER HELP] Hi! Also a longtime lurker first time poster! I need some helps with dry flaky skin, particularly around my nose and under my eyes.

​

AM

PC Hydrating Cleanser

PC 4% BHA

PC 8% AHA

Biore 50+ Sunscreen

**moisturizer help**

​

PM

PC Hydrating Cleanser

Tretinoin .05

**moisturizer help**

​

Moisturizers I Have

I currently have the cerave tub, but it stings when I put it on at night after the tret. I also have TO HA 2% serum, TO Niacinimide 10% serum, TO natural moisturizing factors +HA lotion, Eucerin Advance Therapy clear ointment (thick occlusive) and I really just don't know what to use to get enough moisture for all day. I've found that adding the TO HA serum just 'rolls' off into jelly bits into my hands if I touch my face or put makeup on it (the makeup or eyebrow pencil just rolls it off, it's very unattractive haha).

​

Moisturizers I'm Interested In Trying

I was thinking about which of the below to get and how to incorporate them into my routine! (i have bothersome sebaceous filaments by my nose and no real acne problems). If you have tips for the small black dots near my nasal folds too that would be great :)

- TO Squalene / Hemi Squalene / Fruit Oil (favorites?)

- Hadalabo Moisture Plumping

- DR Jart Cream - seems a bit expensive

- Hadalabo Premium Hyaluronic Solution - could I just use my TO HA Serum differently instead of buying this. or would this solve the makeup issue. I don't wear foundation but just under eye concealer and eyebrow pencil

- Stratia Liquid Gold

- Eucerin Urea Repair Cream 5%

- Cerave Healing Ointment - better that the Eucerin Advance Therapy clear ointment (thick occlusive) I already have?

​

What do you all think? Which is worth getting? Please let me know which new products you guys have discovered and solved your flaky skin (and in which order to use AM and PM)? I would so so appreciate it :)

Wow! Firstly, you look beautiful as is. I would kill for my breasts to look that good! Secondly, I had very similar stretch marks on my breasts and sides after I gained weight. I used this stuff called Bio-oil and it worked like magic! I used it twice a day and after I went swimming or took a shower during the day. I saw a difference in weeks and the marks started fading by month two!!

The only other thing I'd like to suggest is that you put a little more effort into accepting your body as is. Trust me I know acceptance doesn't come in a bottle and it's way easier said than done, but it's important. I know I spent a lot of time, money, and energy fixing things that I thought were "wrong" with my appearance; as soon as I got one issue under control I would just find something else to be unhappy with. It's a nasty cycle. I don't know if you can relate, but I just hope you are prioritizing acceptance because our bodies are depreciating assets anyway. Invest your energy inward.

That being said, you should do whatever makes you happy cuz I wish you lots and lots of happy :-)
Good luck!

YAY! I love being an aunt! Congratulations to you and your family.

I ain't birthed no babies! But I do have stretch marks that need to be gone before my tropical vacation, and that would make me super happy. :D

Happy Birfday! I would certainly have to recommend A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! The series is super awesome. :)

Have fun at school!

Okay, so I think you need to build a routine based on moisture. Some products I recommend that are easily available at Target/Walmart/Amazon/drugstores:

Cleansers:

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gentle Cleansing Lotion *

Cerave Hydrating Cleanser

Toners:

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist *

Thayers Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner

Moisturizers:

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream *

Cerave Moisturizing Cream (aka Cerave in the tub)

Actives for texture/acne improvement:

The Ordinary Azealic Acid Suspension

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

I provided two options for each product. Note that the products with a * next to them are products I personally use and really love. The others are ones that I've seen highly recommended on this subreddit (and I also really want to try that Azealic Acid lol). I honestly think that with a simple routine like this your skin will clear right up and look really lovely, because your acne is minimal. All of these are non-comedogenic and gentle. Make sure to add only one product a week to make sure they don't break you out, and patch test on your wrist to make sure you aren't allergic to them. I hope this is helpful!

I use AHA a couple of times a week, I notice the effects of it pretty much right away. However after I posted this I remembered that one of the bigger things that helped get rid of my forehead bumps was my CeraVe SA Renewing Cream (this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D7BZNT2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that really helps to smooth out your skin and get rid of bumps. The AHA is great for exfoliating and smoothing your skin in general, but I think that the Cerave SA cream helps a lot more. I use both of them regularly so I think the combination of the two helps as well. I probably use AHA a couple of times a week (don't overdo it with exfoliating), and the Cerave I use daily, usually at night, and in the morning I'll use a lighter moisturizer (my personal favorite is the Cerave Moisturizing PM Lotion, despite the fact that is says "PM" you can use it any time, it's super lightweight). But yeah, I highly recommend the SA Renewing Cream for bumps as well as AHA. Best of luck!

I've been trying soooo many different sports bras, trying to find one that is easy to take on and off, gives awesome support, and doesn't chafe on long runs. So far, this one is my favorite. I'm normally a AA, but I'm a D now and probably still going to grow a bit more.

I've also been hunting around for an everyday bra that comes in the sizes I need, is lightweight, free of padding, and gives a natural shape under clothing. If you've hung out on /r/abrathatfits, you've read about the elusive "That 70s Bra." I think I found it...right here on Amazon. I got a D, which fits amazingly now, and a DD to save for later on.

I got this skin soothing balm in the Amazon maternity sample box and it's like a miracle. It got rid of all the irritated, flaky red skin around my mouth and nose. I bought the full size package immediately. I can't recommend it enough. I've also been using 100% rose hip seed oil every night, and it has calmed things down significantly. So far, pregnancy has made my dry skin drier, and my oily patches even more of a mess. Great.

I'm in love with the ASOS high-waisted maternity leggings, and still have several pair left over from my first pregnancy. I'm wearing them already. They are so soft, and no chance of a wardrobe malfunction.

I guess my only other lifesaving products at this point are my pour over coffee setup, Greek yogurt, and Triscuits, haha.

There's lots of things to remember, but your main concern will (obviously) be what happens if you fall. So you need to know how to control a fall but more importantly you and your buddies need to know how to spot and have the equipment to do it effectively.

If I were you, my first port of call would be the staff at your bouldering gym. Chances are, they are experienced climbers outside as well as in. They should be able to give you good first hand advice on bouldering outdoors and answer any of your questions. My gym even hires out bouldering mats.

You might also want to check out this article. It's got some genuinely good advice. The only other thing I would say is take it easy when you go first time. Climbing outside is obviously different to inside, but you might be surprised how much. On plastic I can do most 7b/7c grades, but you can knock a whole number off that sometimes when outside. Rock can also be a bit of a shock on your hands. The first time I climbed outside was on gritstone and it literally tore my fingertips off. I was cleaning blood off the rock at one point. So yeah, take it easy and buy some climb on.

Most important thing though - enjoy yaself!

I have been in Korea for the past 6 weeks (normally live in Scotland) and I have been really trying to take advantage of Asian products and improve my skincare routine, with a major focus on hydration as I have very dry & dehydrated skin.

My skin hasn't really gotten any better or worse appearance-wise since I've been in Korea, but my hydration levels have improved somewhat.

I recently have been testing different products such as the COSRX Low-pH good morning cleanser and the Hanskin PHA cleansing oil, and have since gotten crazy amounts of whiteheads which won't go away no matter what I do :(


About me: 19M, Fair skin, started seriously trying to improve my skincare routine a year and a half ago, although I have had a skincare routine for maybe 4/5 years since I started getting acne.

Skin type: Dry; dehydrated; acne-prone (still have current whitehead breakouts every day on the lower 3rd of my face, mostly around my mouth, chin and nose area)

Climate: Currently hot & humid, but I normally live in Scotland which is cold, wet and windy most of the year.

Main skin concerns: Acne, dryness & PIE/PIH/acne scars

​

Current skincare routine

AM:

• Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Wash
  
• HADALABO Gokujyun Hyaluronic Lotion
  
• COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
  
• The Simple Daily Lotion (Scinic)
  
• Etude House Sunprise Must Daily SPF50+ PA+++
  
  ​
  
  PM:
  
  
• Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Wash
  
• HADALABO Gokujyun Hyaluronic Lotion
  
• COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
  
• The Simple Daily Lotion (Scinic)
  
• TactuPump (0.1% adapalene / 2.5% benzoyl peroxide) <<NO LONGER USING>>
  
  ​
  
  I also use:
  
  
• SLS-free toothpaste
  
• Vaseline lip balm
  
• Nexcare acne-patches
  
  ​
  
  I have been using TactuPump since November 2018, and it has mostly cleared my skin, however I still get several new whiteheads around my mouth/nose/chin area (occasionally other random places too e.g. jawline, neck forehead) every day and I use the acne-patches to help with those, but that is an adaptive method, not a preventative one.
  
  Although I really like this routine, my skin still feels a bit dry after everything is layered on in the morning. A lot of my dryness is of course due to the TactuPump, but I can't stop using it because I break out like crazy if I don't use it.
  
  I also find that the moisturser that I use is a little bit greasy and takes ages to sink in to my skin.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTE I stopped using TactuPump a few weeks ago and my skin initially improved, probably due to less drying effects of the tactupump, so maybe my current breakouts are due to not using TactuPump, but whenever I use it I always have loads of nasty whiteheads all over the lower third of my face.
  
  
  ​
  
  I'm broke too so pls give me affordable recommendations that I can buy in the UK/Korea lol
  
  ​
  
  Thank you very much for taking the time to read my post, I hope you have a lovely day, I would really appreciate if you could help me out, acne is ruining my self-esteem, I just want to get rid of it, it has tormented me enough for the past 4.5 years, I just want to be normal :(

For bacne:

1. Change to a salicylic body wash. I recommend Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash.
   
   
2. Use a salicylic acid exfoliant on the back, once or twice daily. I recommend Stridex Med Pads.
   
   
3. Finish with a salicylic moisturizer. I recommend CeraVe Renewing SA Lotion.
   
   
   You’ll notice the trend here: salicylic acid.
   
   Salicylic acid penetrates the skin, causes a softening and sloughing of the top layer of skin, and helps unclog pores to resolve and prevent acne. This acid is also lipophillic, which means it can even penetrate oily skin and already clogged pores, resulting in a deep cleaning. Salicylic acid can reduce sebum secretion, which is another way it can help reduce acne. Lastly, it's also an anti-inflammatory, which can help calm inflamed acne and promote healing.
   
   
   As a final note, unrelated to the bacne.. please stop using R+F products. The products are of average quality at best, way over-priced, and even more overrated. Not least of all that MLM schemes should be avoided. If you need help with your skin care, the community info in this subreddit has a really excellent FAQ and wiki, and members are more than happy to answer questions.
   
   
   Best of luck.

I have redness from drying out my skin/ destroying my moisture barrier (used Differin without moisturizing properly omfg why). I think your routine is simple, but could do with more hydration layers!

I got rid of all actives for 2 months. I simply washed my face with Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, Hada Lobo Hydrating Lotion, CosRX 97% Snail Mucin Essence, The Face Shop Rice Ceramide Cream, and then Etude House Soonjun Recovery Barrier Cream.

I think the red marks are there as inflammation and irritation. I would add some sort of Hyaluronic Acid (Hada Lobo Hada Lobo Gokujun Hylaronic Acid Moist) to help attract water and promote hydration instead of drying out the skin. Put this in the morning and night after cleansing, and then layer your serums, essences, and moisturizer on top of it.

In addition, maybe changing Cetaphil to Cerave Hydrating Cleanser (if you are interested- I personally found Cetaphil way too drying and exacerbating my redness).

Finally, I would also look into Innisfree Green Tea Serum to reduce redness. Many MANY people have said great things about Rosehip Oil. For me, Rosehip Oil was the game changer- it reduced redness dramatically (it's still there, but I don't look like I'm wearing red pain on my cheeks- and I'm a brown-skinned girl, so redness just stands out). I'm thriving off a sample of Pai Rosehip Oil. It's $40, so once my sample runs out, I think I'm going to hop on the Radha Rosehip Oil train.

Finally, you should add some sort of sleep mask to help with restoring your skin barrier. I just got Laneige Sleep Mask to help with hydration.

The Etude House Soonjung Line is really good for calming redness- I'm personally thinking about adding the Pathenoside Cica Balm to help with redness.

In addition, I've heard great thing about Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream.

P.S.: Don't add all of these products at once. I'm on month two of restoring my moisture barrier after eliminating all actives. When I added in a new product, I focused on adding one product per week. If I saw after the week my face got worse, I eliminated it.

No promises that these are THE cheapest, but these are the cheapest ones I know of. No guarantees about finish, skinfeel, staying power, etc, as I haven't used most of them.

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel Pump, 140g - $10.22

Rohto Skin Aqua Sarafit Essence UV, 80g - $7.14

Shiseido Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen, 50g - $7.75. I actually have used this one, and on me it's good for dry skin days but has an EXTREMELY shiny finish.

Shiseido Senka Mineral Water UV Gel, 40 mL - $7.58. Subject of this extraordinarily scathing review, but also has a bunch of positive reviews on Amazon, so... YMMV?

Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish Milk - $14.49 on Amazon or $10.50 on Beautytap, where I purchased it. Unsure of the size on this one but it appears to be quite generous compared to, say, Biore Perfect Face Milk. I've heard great things about this one and my bottle is en route to me now, though I'm not a fan of the ~45% markup on Amazon.

I had a badass skincare routine going before pregnancy that is totally not pregnancy friendly; I’m talking BHA/AHAs, special face washes, and rags, everything...

I got some pretty bad acne when I had to stop my routine, probably just because my skin was oily and I hadn’t looked into how to handle it while gestating just yet. But I’m getting MUCH better in the 2nd trimester, and now it’s just healing the scars left from the hell trimester. Here we go:

Face:
• Garnier Clean+ Clarifying Cleansing Gel Sensitive Skin - Takes off my makeup easily. Mostly used in the shower because washing faces in sinks is brutal in the bad way.
• Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water for Oily Skin - Takes off eye makeup easily if your having trouble with your thick black eyeliner smearing down your face because you “insist on doing your makeup like a ‘vam-per’” according to your parents.
• MISSHA Time Revolution Clear Toner - Expensive as shit toner that I paid over $18 for and is now listed at $15, WTF Amazon. But it’s good stuff, pregnancy safe, toner is good stuff anyway, and it’s helping with evening my skin tone back out from the acne scars.
• Triple Vitamin C Serum L-Ascorbic Acid - Vit C oil to help you fake that “pregnant glow” that we were all promised...
• Bio-Oil Liquid Purcellin Oil - I use an off brand that I got on clearance but omg...like...I know this stuff is expensive but it’s a miracle. You just dab some on your scarred places, like the acne marks, or where your stupid fucking cat decided your hand was a snack and ripped a hole on your hand, or dark spots on your legs because you’re still bad at shaving leg hair and not leg skin, and I swear it fades SO FAST. Also rub it all over your boobs and belly. Like pretty much I would bathe in this from the neck down if it wouldn’t bankrupt my family.
• Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for Dry/Sensitive Skin - Old faithful, the moisturizer. A tiny bit goes a long way. Also tends to make its way to my boobs when I’m tired and dont feel like using other lotions.

Body:
• NIVEA Q10 Skin Firming Hydration Body Lotion - Bought pre-pregnancy. I used to use it every single morning and night on my thighs and it totally does reduce the appearance of cellulite. Now I use it lazily but it’s there and smells ok so it’s my go-to body lotion.
• Lansinoh Hpa Lanolin Nipple Soothing Cream - my nipples are pierced and those things get dry in the winter. Baby may not be here yet but I went ahead and decided to try this stuff out. Seems legit. It’s super thick, moreso than Vaseline but I dig it.

I also use special toothpaste (not because pregnant, because shit teeth), a special washcloth (because I developed keratosis pilaris (sp?) and I wasn’t having it. The special rag put a stop to it FAST), lady-bits wash (because I get self conscious about sweating and smelling funky), special “sensitive skin” lube, and well I guess that’s about it. I sound like an amazon ad for many products. I’m not. Just a researcher/lover of my husband describing me as “so soft” when he touches me. 🤗

Hydrating Face Wash in pump bottle: Just started using this and I really like it so far. I keep meaning to see if it can take off sunscreen but I keep forgetting not to do a 1st cleanse. LRP Toleriane Gentle Hydrating Cleanser was my HG, but this might be better. Will repurchase unless it runs out fast. Only $9, but my $14 ($9 on sale) LRP has lasted forever.

Gokujyun Lotion Moist: Love it, use it every AM. Much thinner than premium, sets quickly. Plays well under sunscreen. Might repurchase, but my try a different gokujyun lotion in its place.

Gokujyun Premium Lotion: Love it, use it every PM. Sometimes apply a lesser amount with wet hands to help the small amount spread better and find that it sets well (same with Kiku High Moist). Have already repurchased, will continue to do so.

Has anyone used the green ones? The Blemish & Oil control lotion or face wash? I'm tempted. idk why.

Here is a collection of good advice that made all the difference for my L.L Bean ragwool sweater. Takes 2-3 days of tending to, but I only repeat once or twice a season.

Soak in luke warm water with Eucalan per instructions. Do not agitate as this causes more pilling and shedding. Drain. Add a pea size amount of liquid lanolin to a cup of very hot water, best shaken. Add this to luke warm water and soak overnight. Drain. Keeping in a lump, allow it to drain until only dripping wet. Lay flat on a towel and roll, pressing gently. Unroll and lightly shape the sweater laying flat. Flip onto a dry towel after about 12 hours. Once dry, use a de-pilling wool comb held straight up and down to brush off loose fibers. It took 2-3 washes to completly get rid of the strong gasoline like chemical smell (much different from the lanoline) from this new sweater, and after the 3rd wash much less pilling and shedding.

Eucalan: https://www.amazon.com/Eucalan-Lavender-Fine-Fabric-Ounce/dp/B001DEJMPG/

Lanolin: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00028MLKC/

Depilling comb: https://www.amazon.com/Cashmere-Wool-Pilling-Sweaters-Clothing/dp/B01MSTN5QU/

I do like the L.L. Bean ragwool sweater for softness and fit, but it's definitely not BIFL durability. I too tried the TW Kempton from a seller on Amazon, but it was unbearably itchy and unmanageable fitting...but so warm. Will find something new to try this season.

Salux wash cloths are great, they’ve got a fine-but-scratchy texture:
SALUX Nylon Japanese Beauty Skin Bath Wash Cloth/Towel - Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CSDDDG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZaeXCbQH3VAJ9

If you’ve got a bathtub, doing an acidic vinegar bath will help loosen up all the skin gunk:
https://wellnessmama.com/60094/vinegar-baths/

Separately, baking soda baths are also effective:
https://helloglow.co/baking-soda-bath-soak/

For body washes, try using one formulated for body acne — there will usually be a couple in most drugstores or Target. You will want something with salicylic acid in it.

Try moisturizing with something that has an AHA like glycolic acid in it, that way you will be gently exfoliating skin buildup even when not in the shower:
Alpha Skin Care - Renewal Body Lotion, 12% Glycolic AHA, Supports Healthy Radiant Skin| Fragrance-Free and Paraben-Free| 12-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FX1FAH8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MfeXCb2BJQMGH

Also consider booking yourself a spa day — most cheap Korean massage/spa places will give you a full body exfoliation-scrub-down option, and they’re THOROUGH.

Good job pulling out of a rough month. I’ve been there (lack of bathing and all) and it isn’t easy.

Hada labo premium is my HG! The moist version is good too, but the premium is just amazing. It's cheap, effective, and I will repurchase it forever. I do the asian beauty thing of layering humectant products up when my skin is really dry, and the moist version is better for that since the premium can get sticky if you apply more than 2 layers and takes longer to absorb. I also like sheet masks (I'm not fussy about which, and I've had good experiences with making my own with a mix of hada labo moist and thayers toner) to get hydration quickly when I've overdone it with exfoliation or slacked on skincare for a few days :)

stock up HEAVILY on cotton gauze, paper tape, aquaphor, and steri strips. steri strips are amazing. my surgeon placed inch long pieces all along my incisions, and told me to keep them on until they fell off. as they fell off i replaced them with longer pieces because the swelling made me feel like i was going to pop open. i pulled them off in the shower every few days to replace with clean pieces and i wore them for a few weeks after i had my stitches taken out, really until i felt like my skin had come back together. i liked to put bandaid brand gauze pads over my regular thin gauze for cushioning under clothing and to keep aquaphor on the skin. aquaphor will be really helpful in keeping incisions moist so they don't scab but also will help the gauze not stick to any pus or blood within the incisions.
also a nice fan will help keep you comfy and is great for air drying your skin after showers before reapplying tape and gauze (:

i found this bra to be the absolute comfiest. the fabric is thick and soft and the back is mesh for ventilation.

Howdy, skin twin! This is what my skin looked like before I started taking care of it, and if I fall off the skincare wagon, that's what it goes back to.

The main issues here are that your skin needs some exfoliation, and you need both a source of moisture, and a way to keep it in.

With exfoliation, you have two options: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliation is stuff like facial scrubs, pore brushes, etc. It's a popular method, but it can be harsh to your skin. I like chemical exfoliation - specifically, and Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), which works by breaking down the bonds between dead skin and living skin, so the dead crusty bits can be gently washed off.

After that, you need to tackle the dehydration. Dehydrated skin gets that rough, uneven orange-peel appearance, and makes large pores more obvious. This is true even if your skin is oily - you can be oily and dehydrated at the same time, and dehydrated skin can actual trigger more oil production.

In addition to a moisturizer, you'd benefit from an occlusive to keep the moisture from evaporating, especially if you live in a dry climate or are exposed to air conditioning all day.

So here's a really basic routine you could try out. I use a lot of Asian products because they're cheap and work well, but you can find similar products local to you.

1. Oil cleanse

"Normal" face washes can be really drying, especially the ones marketed towards men, for some reason. If your face feels tight and plasticky after you wash it, your cleanser is to blame. I use an emulsifying oil cleanser.

You put it on your dry face, rub it around to get it to stick to the gunk in your pores, and then rinse with water, which makes it emulsify and become un-oily. Cool!

It doesn't actually have to be an oil cleanser - any hydrating, non-drying cleanser will work fine.

Some folks use a secondary cleanser after this, but unless you wear makeup, you probably don't need it, and it risks drying you out more.

2. Acid exfoliation

Now that you have a clean face, it's time to get rid of the dead stuff that makes your skin lumpy. For this, we'll use an AHA - I like this one from CosRX, even though it smells like dog piss on a mushroom.

This is a step you'll only do every other day, maximum. Start with every 2-3 days and go from there. Do this step at night, as AHA will make your skin less resistant to UV (more on that later).

Put a couple drops in your hands, massage it into your face, and then wait. It takes at least 15 minutes for the acid to fully break down that "glue" holding dead skin onto your face.

Rinse it off with water, dry, and move on to the next step.


3. Hydrating toner

The next thing you need is a thin moisturizer, something that can sink right into your skin to plump and de-leatherify it. These are typically going to based on hyaluronic acid, a "goo molecule" that your body uses in every squishy part of your body, from skin to eyeballs to bones. I like this one by Hada Labo, but there are good options from Klairs, Paula's Choice, etc.

Put a few drops on your hands and pat/squish into your face. Give it a minute to dry. If your face feels tight, you can repeat this step a couple times.

4. Ceramide lotion

Ceramides help to "waterproof" your skin from the inside, to prevent loss of all that moisture you just added. Cerave PM is pretty much the best bang for your buck - despite the "PM" in the label, you can use it day and night.

5 (Daytime). Sunblock

Before you go out for the day, you need sunblock. Damage from the sun is a huge contributor to crappy dehydrated skin, and now that you're exposing fresh new skin with the AHA, you're going to be even more sensitive to it.

Due to some weird laws surrounding what we can use in sunblock in the US and some other Western countries, it's likely that the only sunblock you can get in stores is that thick, oily, gross, white stuff.

The Japanese have the rest of the world pretty much beat when it comes to sunblock - Biore Aqua Rich is a solid choice, although you'll need something heavier for days when you're going to be sweating or swimming.

5 (Night). Occlusive

Now that you've done all this work to moisturizer your skin, you don't want it to just evaporate overnight. That's where an occlusive comes in - a thick outer layer that protects your skin and all the stuff you just put on it. Aquaphor is great for this.

So there you go - a solid starting routine! Try that out for a week and see if your skin doesn't start to look better - if you're not doing anything to your skin right now, you're bound to see some improvement with this.

Note that there is some risk of bad reactions whenever you're using new face stuff. The oil cleanser and lotion might give you a breakout of small white bumps, the AHA might feel to harsh and make your face red, you might be allergic to an ingredient in the toner, etc. If that happens, stop using everything, and start adding each item back into your routine slowly until you identify the culprit.

Good luck, and happy moisturizing!

There's a pretty easy way to avoid this:

1. Take a warm bath with some bath salts. After about 10 minutes of soaking or so, exfoliate your skin, try this: (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001POYT16/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) That's just an example, you can get some epsom salt (same stuff) at Walmart for half the price.
   
   
2. Exfoliating the skin first prevents ingrown hairs. Super important. The first time I did this, I did not know how to shave my body properly and I ended up being way too vigorous and getting lots of nasty razor bumps. To exfoliate I used:
   
   
3. Loofah or Pouf (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CTQMIC/ref=oh_details_o02_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) again check Walmart, it'll be cheaper. The main idea here is that you want to exfoliate dead skin and loosen up any hairs that are growing.
   
   
4. St. Ives Exfoliating Body Wash (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JLGC12/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) This is a really great natural exfoliant that you can put on the loofah/poof while you scrub
   
   
5. After exfoliation, you shave. I shave against the grain with a good Gillette razor using this shaving cream: Cremo Cream (http://www.amazon.com/Cremo-Astonishingly-Superior-Shaving-Creams/dp/B003FVWRCK/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=191FPDNMEKJB5PRZXF94) Which does a really tremendous job. You only need to spread a little bit of it around and it helps to give a really great shave without any irritation (great for both men and women). Plus it last a long time.
   
   
6. Moisturize with your favorite skincare lotion, brand doesn't really matter. You just want to keep that area moist and healthy.
   
   
7. LAST STEP. Most important, DO NOT DO THIS THE SAME DAY YOU SHAVE. DO IT EITHER A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE OR AFTER. Use an acid-based lotion like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TTPZQ6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002D48QRK/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   The basic idea here is that through chemical exfoliation they'll smooth the red bumps and give you a very smooth look.
   
   
   This is my skincare routine and I don't get any of those ingrown hairs or razor bumps. I used too, though. That's why I do this.

Asian sunscreens! My bf is the same way and i bought a bunch of stuff for him but I finally got him by letting him use my $17 from amazon sunscreen! Figured he wouldn’t like it because it’s what I use and is spf 50++++, but the UV skin aqua moisture gel sunscreen works for both of us now :) he says “wow it’s really like water!” All the time lol. Linked on amazon below- takes 1-2 weeks to get but comes with cool Japanese postage stamps :)

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel pump (SPF50 + PA ++++) 140g https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BM1USNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_erA6Cb7H5RX3Z

Hey man try "CeraVe SA Cream" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7BZNT2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ao5MAbD837WBR

You can also find it at your local CVS or Walgreens.

I just started using it for 5 days now and it cleared up my dermititis almost completely on the sides of my nose. I've been applying it once at night after splashing my face with water and it does wonders. At first the flakes didn't go away but on the 4th day after washing my face in the morning and seeing the annoying flakes visible after I went to try and pick some off and instead of them being hard and crusty like usual and painful to peel off, they came off very easily and gently to reveal healthy skin underneath. It's amazing. I'm just hoping it'll keep working.

I think what makes it work so well is the Salicylic Acid which helps to exfoliate the flakes and hydrate your face.

Hope you give it a try and it works as well for you as it did for me! Because your dermititis looks very similar to mine so I have hope!

P.S. shaving also helps a lot too. And try using an electric razor to not irritate your face.

Sooo these are just suggestions 😁 you could pick one from each category...or just do it however you'd like lol

_


Cleanser:

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser 16 oz for Daily Face Washing, Dry to Normal Skin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSSDEPK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TVQdBb4ADMMB7

__

"after shave":

this shit is AMAZZZZZING
seriously if you get NOTHING else, I'd say get this Paula's Choice toner. It feels like you're extinguishing a fire when you put it on (pour it into your palms and lightly pat on your face...then do it again).

Paula's Choice-SKIN RECOVERY Calming Toner-for Sensitive Facial Skin and Dry, Rosacea Prone Skin-Reduces Redness and Fine Lines-1-6.4 oz Bottle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00949CII0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SCQdBbJEW9ERM

HADALABO Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074GX619Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZGQdBb8FG4AHW

Bioderma Sensibio Moisturizing Toner for Normal to Dry Sensitive Skin
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4OSYIS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yyQdBbMFZD2P2

_____

Moisturizer/hydration:

Hada Labo Rohto Goku-jun Hyaluronic Milky Lotion, 140ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS3Q0XE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AKQdBbA8G3KB4

Skinfix Gentle Lotion - Fragrance Free - 12 oz
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RZN22ZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yAQdBb1CNHZ6T

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM 3 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F97FHAW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TTQdBbQZ6KK4S

Squalane Oil is terrific. Yes, it's oil, so you may be apprehensive, but it's an oil that your body produces naturally and it absorbs extremely well and quickly. Next to the PC toner above, this is probably my most useful product. (It's way cheaper on their website directly btw.)
Always apply any oil after everything else (except sunscreen, which must always go last).

The Ordinary 100% Plant-derived Squalane 30ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HWGWST/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2LQdBb8XVFN70

__

POSSIBLE treatment:

I don't use any topical treatments for acne per se, but here is one you could certainly try (sparingly):

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution (30ml) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FJBVZP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FQQdBbT93GWQ8

___

Sunscreen (mandatory! 😁):

Cotz Spf 40 UVB/UVA Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin, 3.5 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008U2Y5ME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6SQdBbWB9V26G

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM 3 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F97FHAW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TTQdBbQZ6KK4S

__

Hope this helps!! :)

Hello!

I'm super new to skincare and I just wanted to know if this routine will be good enough for me. 20 year old male w/ acne prone skin for reference. Doc also prescribed amoxicillin for cystic acne


AM:

Cleanser: Hada Labo Tokyo Gentle Hydrating Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid

Moisturizer: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Sunscreen: SKIN AQUA Super Moisture Milk Pink (SPF50 PA ++++)

Clindamycin



PM:

Cleanser: Hada Labo Tokyo Gentle Hydrating Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid

Wait 15-20 min

Tretinoin: 0.1%

Moisturizer: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream



Thanks :)

You mentioned wanting hydration, but aside from a bit of water and hyalauronic acid in the products that are intended to be used sparingingly (your AM actives) you only have a dedicated moisturizer. Additionally, your evening routine only has moisturizers and no hydrators, and tret can be pretty drying. I’d recommend adding a dedicated hydrator that you can really layer on before your moisturizer. I usually pat in 3-4 layers of hada labo moist and perhaps a spiritz of water before my moisturizer. Other thank that your vit c and the tret are good for dark spots/wrinkles respectively as long as you are giving them time to absorb/work before the next steps of your routine. Maybe consider getting a script for a higher percent tret from your dr if your skin can handle it. A humidifier in your bedroom if you live in a dry climate is also a good idea and will complement the hydrophilic nature of the hyalauronic acid.

For sure. A lot of people have luck with the CeraVe moisturizing cream, this product works for me and I have dry sensitive skin. A lot of people also recommend Vanicream moisturizer (I personally have not used, but I see a lot of people on here recommending it). These are both supposedly basic and calming products to repair the moisture barrier. They are also not super expensive which is nice.

Right now I am using the Purito centella unscented sunscreen as my daily moisturizer. It is very very moisturizing and my sensitive skin likes it. During night I am using the Purito green cream. Both these products contain centella asiatica which is supposed to decrease redness.

EDIT: Another gentle moisturizer I've read that people recommend on here and r/SkincareAddiction is Cosx ceramide comfort cream.

EDIT2: If you are just starting out with a skincare routine, you should really go check out the bountiful resources at r/SkincareAddiction. For example go on the right hand panel and they have a lot of stuff. Check out the HG (holy grail) threads for moisturizers, etc. They have a whole wiki devoted to

• Rosacea too.
  
• Info on moisturizers
  
• Routine steps

One thing that happens in some cases that the neck grain is other than assumed, so map that grain carefully: guys sometimes shave against the grain on the neck thinking that they are shaving with the grain. You know that, but I repeat so others will know.

Good prep is highly important with irregular grain: wash beard with a high-glycerin soap---and consider Jlocke98's pre-shave: mix 1/4 c liquid Dr. Bronner's soap (any fragrance) with 2 tsp oil (lanolin oil is what I like best, but olive oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, etc., also work). Shake well and was beard with about 1 tsp of the mix before shaving, rinse partially with a splash, and apply lather, working it in well.

Read this post on blades: you might try a different brand. But use the first brand that works for you for at least two months. By keeping the brand of blade constant, variation from shave to shave is (probably) due to prep and technique, so you can focus more on perfecting those by not changing the razor or brand of blade. Also, after two months, you'll really know what that brand of blade feels like so when you try a new brand the differences are highlighted.

Note the four most common mistakes cartridge shavers make when switching to a DE razor.

You can take a look at the reader reviews of my introductory guide and decide from those whether the book is likely to be helpful to you. It's available from all Amazon sites.

Try CeraVe products - they have a Salicylic Acid (SA) line (Cleanser & Lotion) that would help with your acne, and they also have a Hydrating cleanser + amazing Moisturizer creme and moisturizing lotion too.

http://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Renewing-SA-Cleanser-Ounce/dp/B00U1YCRD8

http://www.amazon.com/Cerave-Sa-Renewing-Lotion-Pack/dp/B009TWF80M/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

CeraVe's moisturizing products are amazing if you have solely dry skin + no acne, but I've heard reviews about it helping clear acne too even without the Salicylic Acid. CeraVe has some sort of patent in their products that help encourage your skin to renew its cells and encourage natural facial oils to emerge and help moisturize your skin without causing pimples.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/
^ You can read more reviews about CeraVe and see if it works; it worked really well for my horrible dry face rash that I got as a result of radiation + my bone marrow transplant. (Face was basically peeling and couldn't breathe/felt "stuck" because I stripped all the oil away from my face using too many harsh cleansers to get rid of the dead skin and rash. I used the hydrating cleanser and noticed a difference in 3 days with the moisturizing creme + lotion - creme for the really extra dry/flakey skin and lotion for my hands/other dry skin.

I used these products:
http://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Moisturizers-Moisturizing-Cream-Ounce/dp/B001V9SXXU/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1453793769&sr=1-2&keywords=cerave

http://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Hydrating-Cleanser-12-Ounce/dp/B000YJ2SKM/ref=dp_ccx_cts_image_beauty_1

http://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Moisturizing-Lotion-12-oz/dp/B000YJ2SLG/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1453793769&sr=1-1&keywords=cerave)

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/a/CeraVe/Skin-Cleansers/_/N-1z13ozbZ2794?categoryId=cat80170&ciSelector=leaf <--Read up the reviews here too for the different cleansers and see which ones would be best for your skin. You might be able to get a sample of these too if you went to a local Ulta store or contact CeraVe.

It's hypoallergenic and Dermatologist recommended for Eczema too.

CeraVe also has a $2 coupon on their website too :) I bought mine at a local CVS when they were having a great sale on it.

BQ: Shit. My favorite place to travel is a really hard question - I did love Portugal but I also loved London and I love Munich and Prague and Venice and Las Vegas. Somewhere I'm dying to go is also a long list... I think Morocco is at the top though. I'm really excited to go Northern Lights hunting in Finland next spring but I'm more giddy/excited for Morocco or Croatia.

Yesterday:

• Weigh in
  
• Run 30 minutes
  
• Journal
  
• Lotion | Whiten Teeth
  
• Log all food
  
• Read
  
  Had a super productive day yesterday. I kicked butt at work even though I still dislike this job, I journaled and read, I'm trying to make a point of dry brushing my arms and applying lotion to ease my kp. It definitely works (if anyone struggles with redness and bumps on their upper arms - this stuff works for me!) but I have to be consistent. I'm getting a spray tan when I'm back in the USA so I can see if I like it before just going in and getting one before the wedding in September (though if I spend as much time as I'm planning already on the beach I might not need one!) and I think having less abnormalities on my skin will help that.
  
  
  Today:
  
  
• Run 20 minutes
  
• Yoga for runners 10 minutes
  
• Journal
  
• Lotion | Whiten Teeth
  
• Read
  
  
  This Week:
  
  
• Lose 2 pounds [SW: 165, CW: 165, GW: 163]
  
• Night routine: [X][][][][][][]
  
  • Wash face
    
  • Read
    
  • Dry brush
    
  • Lotion
    
• Journal every day [X][][][][][][]
  
• Run/Gym 30 minutes [X][][][][]
  
• Send invitation suite to printer
  
• Update wedding budget
  

if you're still on prednisone, well, there's your acne cause. 100%

whenever i go on bowel rest (i.e. stop eating food and just drink fluids), my skin clears up beautifully. i'm not sure if it's simply the extra hydration, or if i have dietary triggers. dairy and greasy foods have a reputation for causing acne, but i haven't read any science on that. (props on the vegan diet!) wash your face after you eat, if you get food stuffs or grease around your face. i use this, though there's also a foaming version that lots of people like.

wear sunscreen. hydrate by drinking lots of water and applying moisturizer. this stuff is good. with the pump so you don't get weird crap in your lotion. wear sunscreen.

these product recommendations are pretty reliably loved by r/skincareaddiction. good ingredients, unscented, work to rebuild your skin's protective barrier against infection and inflammation. but everyone is different, so ymmv of course.

also, i'm a huge fan of curology. it's 20 bucks a month. you send pictures of your face and problem areas, and a dermatologist is basically of at your beck and call to answer all your questions online. you get a prescription face cream to use every night, and recommendations for products, routines, etc. the prescription creams almost all use tretinoin, which treats acne and signs of aging. (wear suncreen!) but you'd probably get some other antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients as well.

I use this one which I guess is the gel:

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel pump (SPF50 + PA ++++) 140g https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BM1USNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_n73IBbTGJWNX2

It really doesn't feel like a gel to me, but it does sink in great. I layer it over Hada Labo gyokijyun hydrating toner and a single pump of stratia liquid gold so I'm not sure how it would do on its own in terms of feeling stiff or drying, but over that it's fantastic. I will say it smells strongly of...alcohol i think? at first, but it evaporates quickly. You need 2.5 pumps to get the full 1/4 teaspoon you need for full sun protection but the bottle is a nice size. I love Asian sunscreens!!!!

Haha yeah, it doesn't have a lot of slip, so it's hard to spread it out.

What moisturizer do you use? Try to find Vanicream. It comes in a large, inexpensive pump bottle and they sell it at most drug stores. That's what I use most of the time.

I wouldn't apply the oil yet, but that would be the first thing I would add on to your routine when it's time. The fewer things you apply at first the better.

You should always wear sunscreen. The sun damages and ages everyone's skin. The most effective thing you can do to improve your skin as you age is to wear sunscreen regularly.

Sunscreens in the USA are pretty terrible due to a classification issue that makes it difficult for new sunscreen ingredients to be approved by the FDA. I use Japanese sunscreens. They sell them on Amazon, but they ship from Japan. They are non-greasy and better at protecting skin from the sun. Many of them, even the inexpensive ones, include things like hyaluronic acid. They're awesome. Some examples: here, here, here.

So, the 10% lactic acid would exfoliate your skin, but if you can find a glycolic acid product at that concentration with proper pH, the glycolic would be more effective. The ability of the AHA to penetrate your skin is determined by the size of the acid molecule, among other things. Glycolic is smaller than lactic acid, so it will penetrate deeper into your skin and be more effective at exfoliating.

Another potential thing to think about is product size. The 30 mL bottle of lactic acid won't last very long at all. Since your body has so much more area than your face, generally you would want to get a larger bottle, like at least 4 ounces (body products are typically 8-16 oz. in size).

The glycolic acid 7% toner might work better for your needs. (240 mL)

http://theordinary.com/product/rdn-glycolic-acid-7pct-toning-solution-240ml?redir=1

Edit: also, just wanted to say that Alpha skincare 12% glycolic is a popular product for body PIH on this sub. Is this out of your price range?

https://www.amazon.ca/Alpha-Skin-Care-Renewal-Glycolic/dp/B01FX1FAH8/ref=sr_1_1/140-0849304-6381167?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1518750897&sr=1-1

I didn't do any price comparisons, so there might be more affordable options for you.

Just started Accutane (Claravis), 60mg/day yesterday, and have changed up my routine recently based on lurking around this sub and r/Accutane. Any general comments/feedback would be much appreciated!

Skin type: Oily for sure, but I am positive it's about to become dry with the Accutane. In changing up my routine a few weeks ago, I tried to pick products that seemed to work for people with both skin types generally (maybe just with different frequencies of use) so I could use them before and after I finish the course.

Current routine:

AM

Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel Cleanser to cleanse

Klaris Supple Preparation Facial Toner for toner

Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Multi-Purpose Balm Cream for moisturizer

Sun Bum SPF 30 fPVNM Sunscreen, Original Face Stick -- I know it's not the best, but I live in Portland/Seattle so the need is not as dire as in other places

PM

Lush Ultrabland to remove makeup
Remove makeup

Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel Cleanser to cleanse

Usually after cleansing I use a mask -- I had been using more acne-targeting masks, but since I am switching to sheet masks, which I used to only use occasionally. Right now, I have Benton Snail Bee High content Sheet Mask Pack and Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Full Face Facial Mask Sheet, but I also really like Origins Drink Up-Intensive and Cosrx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Mask. When I need spot treatment, I am obsessed with Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch

Then I go back and do -- Klaris Supple Preparation Facial Toner for toner

Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Multi-Purpose Balm Cream for moisturizer

Edit: I used to use (and still have left some) of Lush's Herbalism. I am not sure I should keep using it on Accutane, since it exfoliates, but any commentary on that would be appreciated!

I have mild KP on the backs of my arms and serious KP on my legs. I have found a few products that have helped considerably.

Products

KP Duty Body Scrub by DermaDoctor ($50 USD): This is a body scrub containing Glycolic and Lactid Acid. Since it is rinsed off, I'm not sure how important those ingredients are. It is expensive and there may be less expensive dupes out there, but it has been the most effective and least irritating scrub I have ever used. I only use it once per week, so one jar will last for 6 months.

Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion ($17 USD): This is a 12% Glycolic acid lotion. It is very thick, so I only apply it at night, before bed. When I wake up in the morning, my skin is so hydrated and smooth. It is truly an amazing product. I love this stuff!

Routine

I typically use the body scrub on my arms and legs once per week. It should be applied on dry skin, and then rinsed off in the shower.

I typically use the body lotion on my arms and legs every night after I shower. Whenever I shave my legs, I use the body lotion immediately after. This helps prevent ingrown hairs by removing dead skin cells before they have chance to cover the hair follicle.

When I follow this routine consistently, my KP is barely there, but if I slack off, it will reappear.

(Just finished writing this...INC wall O' Text - sorrrrrryy)

Hello all! I'm extremely new to SCA, but holy cow I've learned a lot. I learned that I most likely have KP on my arms, which I thought I'd have to live with forever. Also, my entire life I thought I had impossible to remove (without biore pads, which was mega temporary) black heads on my nose, but I'm pretty sure it's SF now. You guys are like miracle workers.

So, I have a couple of questions.

First, I read the sidebar info on dark circles. I'm 26 years old, and I've had dark circles under my eyes since I can remember, I mean...I can usually lighten them with my makeup routine, but..if it's possible to correct this I'd love to. The skin under my eyes doesn't seem very thin, so I'm thinking that it might be hyperpigmentation and if it is...what AHA would you suggest?

Next question, and tagging on to my first one. I also read over the SF sidebar information and the suggestion to fix this seemed to be using AHA pads. Could I possibly kill two birds with one stone and get something for the hyperpigmentation and the SF? If so, what do you suggest? In the past my skin has always been pretty resistant to things like this helping...it's not quite...oily, but still feels...I guess moist...in a gross way? So, from the comments people tend to use St.Ives AHA, but a lot of them said they needed something stronger and without even trying it, I can almost guarantee, I'd need something at least 10%..I just know my evil skin...

What product would you recommend? I prefer to shop in person or on Amazon (free 2 day shipping, yay), but the only linked thing I could find in that post were these:

GoW Fruit Acid™10% Exfo Pads 50ct

I'll go with those if need be, but I was wondering if they may solve problems one and two?

Okay, sorry for the wall of text...last question!

*For the KP, which is 90% on my arms and on a bit on my legs, but mostly arms. What product would you suggest? I saw this linked, but I want to go with what you guys think is awesome sauce.

Gold Bond Rough & Bumpy


Again..sorry for the long post..but honestly my SO talked me into coming here and so many things that I thought I was stuck with...I've now realized might be something that could go away, so I could be less self conscious .

Oh, and I'm probably wrong, but I suppose you could consider me a blemish prone skin profile. I mean, my skin isn't gushing oil, but you can feel it and it never quite feels..."clean". I still get pimples and bumps on my face, almost permanently, but they do go away only to be replaced by others.

Thank you for this amazing subreddit.
Edit: And in case you need it, I live in Washington State. :)

My all-time favorite cleanser is this one if you're interested. Don't order it right now though, it's usually $10 and the price will go back down

That Avene sunscreen is good on sun protection but has two major cons - it's expensive and it's gonna leave a white caste. If you have even a bit of melanin in you, trust me it's gonna leave a caste. Btw don't wear multiple sunscreens at once, there are some ingredients that don't work well together and can degrade each other. Pick one and apply liberally. A really great Japanese sunscreen that I recommend like this one is cheaper and will look much better on your skin. I also thought I couldn't access Japanese sunscreen because I didn't know I could order it on Amazon. I seriously couldn't recommend them enough. They're affordable, look better on the skin, and have FAR better sun protection.

She might be allergic to zinc oxide. It's uncommon, but some people figure out they have it because they react badly to diaper cream.

So, I'd avoid sunscreens containing avobenzone and zinc oxide. This leaves you with European or Asian sunscreens. Some mild ones include:

• Biore Carefree Kids Milk Water and sweat resistant. Best for dry skin.
  
• Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel NOT water or sweat resistant. Best for normal to dry skin.
  
• Nivea Super Water Gel NOT water or sweat resistant. Best for normal to dry skin.

Honestly keep your skincare minimal with the holy trinity: gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

• Aquaphor is a definite yes!!
  
• love the Cerave Moisturizing Cream too
  
• A gentle cleanser (I use Cetaphil)
  
• SUNSCREEN! Honestly don't even think you can get away from not wearing sunscreen, especially on Accutane. You're going to be super sensitive to the sun and sun exposure may lead to sun burns or worse: permanent sun damage
  
  Freebies:
  
• If your scalp starts getting itchy, I recommend picking up dandruff shampoo
  
• If you start experiencing joint pains, fish oil supplements help
  
• Your eyes might dry out too (happening to me) so you might want to get eye drops
  
• Some people have reported getting nosebleeds and dry nostrils (me for the dry nostrils) so nasal spray and moisturizing the inside (Ik gross) may help by using a Q tip and Vaseline
  
  Hope this helps xx

Using my beauty account for this-

I've had bacne problems since highschool and recently decided to stop being shitty and really tackle it. General washing helped but here are two products that I think you should try out:

AmLactin "12% lactic acid neutralized with ammonium hydrox". I bought this exact bottle from Amazon. Here's what you do- shower with soap and warm water (using water that's too hot for too long will actually strip the good oils and make your breakouts worse) then get out, pat your back/shoulders dry, and rub a thin layer of AmLactin lotion all over until it's absorbed. Then put on a clean cotton T-shirt and go to bed.

So that's the lactic acid route, which has had quite good results for me. It went from 7/10 severity to 3/10.

The other thing I recommend, which I am waiting for in the mail currently, is Neutrogena Body Clear Body Spray, which is the Salicylic acid route and as far as I know can be used in conjunction with the AmLactin or by itself, though with this one you want to start with only a little bit and gradually increase the dosage to 1-3 times per day to see if it dries out your skin too much. I've only heard good things about this.

Other than medications, what you can do is use "gentle" everything that touches your back. For me, it had a lot to do with general sensitivity to the harsh stuff. When I use dryer sheets or heavily scented soap or laundry detergent, my body acne is worse. Using this "natural" laundry soap and "scent-free" stuff helped out on the clothing front. Even if you don't think you're allergic to anything, I've found that hypoallergenic bathing and laundry products help a lot, actually.

Good luck, bacne really hurts the ego sometimes.

Some things that might help:

Anything that goes near your chin (hands, chinstraps, jacket collars, pillows, etc) needs to be washed regularly and thoroughly. Try to touch your face as little as possible!

A good cleanser and chemical exfoliant can help you out. Some commonly recommended products here on SCA are CeraVe's foaming cleanser and Stridex pads (the red box, not green box). Both will help keep your skin clean and remove any bacteria that are causing you problems. It is important when using an exfoliant that you use a lotion afterwards so your skin doesn't get too dry, moisturized skin feels and looks better! Another common product here is CeraVe's lotion (there's a pump kind that's thinner, and a jar kind that's thicker and creamier).

Hydrocolloid bandages are a godsend if you have any active acne! If the blemish is 'open', cut off a small portion of the bandage and put that on the offending zit after you wash and moisturize your face for the night. By the time you wake up, most (if not all) of the fluid from the acne will be absorbed into the bandage, leaving the blemish flat and less red.

I hope this information is helpful to you! Acne can be so painful and embarrassing, but it can be managed and fixed. Best of luck! :)

yup its all in the link happy to answer any questions you have but it all starts with food safe vegetable glycerine heres a link... you can also save money by mixing your own cig e juice actually and you can flavor it your self. these links are the majority of what you need. the rest a minute with the doc i linked before and you should be good to go.

Edit: use only that glycerine. dont go to wallgreens and think that you can vape the glycerine they have there or you might end up in the hospital. =) dont let that scare you, but use this glycerine and you will be a ok and being much safer than smoking.
http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Glycerine-Vegetable-16-Fluid-Ounces/dp/B0019LWU2K

https://www.lorannoils.com/c-202-new-natural-flavors.aspx

It could be a variety of things causing the breakout. Hormones, a body wash/lotion, unclean sheets, or even an old loofa/sponge can be your downfall. Clean your bed spread with sensitive detergent and then start on your skin.



Get yourself a new loofa/sponge. Get in the shower and gently cleanse with a body wash that doesn't have a lot of irritants. I recommend VaniCream personally, but if you think something else will work better for you, well you know your skin best.



After your shower I would put on an AHA based lotion. I like Alpha Skincare. You'll have to remember to put on sunscreen when going outside. The AHA will make your skin sensitive to the sun.



If doing this for 3 weeks doesn't help any I would make an appointment with a dermatologist.



Good luck!

I smashed my face last year when I fell down a mountain. Thanks to the following, my face is back to the exact same with the exception of a teeny scar. Mederma, a tad expensive due to SPF but worth it cuz it was my goddamn face, triple antibiotic ointment linked here but cheaper when purchased as a generic, and Cocoa butter with vitamin E, also available in Walmart/Target places for half the price as listed here. Basically what you're looking for is lotions with vitamin E. I've had luck looking in the "ethnic" hair/lotion/body products section, and there's a whole variety of oils and lotions and rubs. Personally, my favorite is this one and it's usually $2 in store. Bio Oil can be a bit expensive, but a great and comparable product is Africa's Best Moroccan oil, or generic Baby Oil. Again, most of these products are available at Walmart/Target for a fraction of the price. They're all fairly pricey online because of the weight/shipping prices, despite it being shipped via Prime.

I would be very careful with using Vaseline as an occlusive. Definitely patch test it for a prolong period (like 2 weeks) before going all out. Better to have a small patch of blemishes than a face full of it. It does sound like your skin might benefit from something exfoliating like the C20 to help with dullness, but without some good hydrating & occlusive products, that will just land you in trouble.


My HG hydrating & moisturizing 'products':


DYI Witch Hazel, HA, & Glycerin toner (sometimes I add a few drops of high linoleic facial oil or tea tree oil to the mixture). This is my, 'I screwed up my face using too much acne medication/trying a new product that it hates' savior. I know for a fact my skin response very well to these 3 items mixed together & I can always turn to this DYI toner without risk of a reaction. It isn't hydrating enough for me just to use it without a cream of some sort, but it is the figurative lifejacket of skincare routine.



Carezone Doctor's Solution Dematology Hydra Toner, this the most hydrating toner I've ever come across that doesn't break me out.


Carezone Doctor's Solution Dematology H.A. Cream, this cream is on the heavier side, but damn if it doesn't hydrate & moisturize my skin without causing a bad reaction.


Mediheal Mediental Balhyo-Jinjeong Healing Mask is the best damned face mask I've ever used (thank you, Snow White & Asian Pear!) Comfortable to use, crazy moisturizing, & soothing as all get out. The blue, yellow, & purple versions are extremely nice, but the green one has my heart!

I tried to go with cheaper, more accessible Asian & Western products, & soooooo much regret, especially in regards to the toner & cream. As long as they make that those 2 Carezone products & that Mediheal mask, I will be a loyal customer! My only regret is they aren't the easiest to buy. I usually get all 3 off Koreadepart but I may try another vendor the next time I need to order them.


If you're not sensitive to snail, the COSRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence might be the way to go. It's got a pretty limited ingredient list & it's easy to get a hold of without breaking the bank.

Wow, thank you for the lengthy reply. I'll look into some products that you mentioned in the first few steps and see how they work out for me. I definitely agree it will be something to do with un-moisturized skin, I just need to find the right products that help my skin as opposed to creating another problem. Since making this post and reading your response, I have ordered this, [this]
(https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B074W8S1RN/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), [this] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003YMJJSK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and this.

As for the Lotrimin Ultra, would something like this work?
It contains Terbinafine Hydrochloride 1%, not sure if that's similar to Butenafin Hydrochloride by any chance? If not I have found the exact product you mentioned, although it is a bit more on the expensive side in comparison to what I'm used to. But I will definitely give it a try.

Thank you again for your response, I will hopefully report back soon with positive results!

There are a lot of really good options for KP as well - some ridiculously high % of the population has it in some way or another so you are not alone! I would suggest U Lactin or AM Lactin from the drugstore (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Etc), or Makeup Artist's Choice has a glycolic acid body lotion.

Something like this or some people prefer this one a little more. Or from Makeup Artist's Choice they have this one is a nice pH and they are offering 25% off right now with the code 'peek' in all lowercase letters. Your skin will let you know if it likes lactic or glycolic acid better! Try a few things.

You're welcome, glad to help :)

Ouch - that does look painful.
Sorry to hear you're suffering.

Sometimes we really do just need to whine and complain a bit. No worries. I think we've all been there.

I'm sure you've probably tried all different kinds of things but have you gone for some oily options? Something like coconut oil, aquaphor or something similar?

I've been very pleased recently with the Eucerin Daily Hydration lotion. It goes on easily, isn't greasy, really has no smell (not like many others that have a faint scent, this has NO smell) and it has a very light weight feel on my skin....which I LOVE. I use it often and it's really helping.

Anyways, just some ideas for ya. Hope you feel better soon.

I have pretty typical eczema all over, but it is profoundly itchy on my upper calves, breasts, and nipples. While steroidal ointments and creams help, the fastest relief has been a lactic acid lotion. It burns like crazy on broken/irritated skin, but really helped a lot. This is what I use daily - http://www.amazon.com/AmLactin-12-Moisturizing-Lotion/dp/B000TTPZQ6

Good luck! I hope you find relief soon.

First of all, I agree with the suggestion that you check out r/skincareaddiction. More specifically, without knowing more about your skin, here is what I'd recommend for you:

• A very simple facial cleanser like this CeraVe one - or check out the list they have on the sidebar in Skincare Addiction. Use this once in the morning and once at night before bed
  
  
• Stridex pads in the red box. These will help with your acne/ingrown hairs. You can use it on your face, arms, wherever. Start off using this once every day or every other day...You don't want to stress your skin out by doing too much too fast.
  
  
• A simple moisturizer like this. Use it after washing your face (or after using your Stridex pads).
  
  For your lips and nails I highly recommend getting Aquaphor Healing Ointment to use on both your lips and your cuticles. Aquaphor has a different product designated for lip treatment but IMO the healing ointment works much better on dry lips (plus it's multi-purpose).
  
  Also, if you can afford it, go get a manicure (yes it is possible for men to get manicures...they can clean up your nails for you). Then try to maintain the work they've done on your own with your nail clippers/scissors.
  
  For your hair since you haven't told us too much about it... If you can afford it, go get your hair (and beard?) cut professionally and ask the stylist for very specific tips and product recommendations. Ask them how you should be styling your hair and how often you should be washing it and getting it cut.
  
  Good for your for working on self-improvement! Good luck!

Agreeing with u/jademalachite but wanted to also add, I had to go down to a very basic routine with tret and stopped use of an bha/ahas and can only use 2-3 times a week or else my skin looks the same! I still buffer after years of using it as well. Once my skin gets dry that like I usually become over exfoliated and it takes weeks for me to repair my moisture barrier. I always hear good things about Ucerin urea repair cream and i recently bought it and really love it. In the past I have tried using Kiku Masamune, cosrx honey cermaide, vaseline, but this has worked better than anything. My only other tip is finger patting foundation with a light layer. Good luck!

Edit: Was putting on tret and forgot to add, if you aren't already, wait 20 minutes after washing your face before adding tret! This makes the biggest impact on whether or not my face gets dry and irritated.

Okay, so a while ago I said I was going to make a gummy bear tutorial and I never did so I thought it was about time I at least made a write up for them. This recipe will get you right around 200 gummy bears.

Tools:

• Small non stick pot with a lid
  
• medium non stick pot
  
• 60ml Syringe - Here
  
• stiff silicone spatula - Here
  
• 2 small pyrex dishes - Here
  
• Candy theremometer - Here
  
• Fork to stir with
  
• Gummy bear molds (or any other you like) - Here I also just found these
  
• Measuring Cup
  
• Measuring Spoon
  
• Strainer - Here
  
• Medium/large bowl
  
• Partchment paper
  
• A few large tupperware containers
  
• Dram droppers for the flavorings - Here
  
  Ingredients:
  
  
• 1 Package of Jello (85 grams if you have a scale) in the flavor of gummies you want
  
• LorAnn oils concentrated flavorings - Here
  
• LorAnns oils mold Inhibitor - Here
  
• LorAnns oils Preserve-it Antioxidant - Here
  
• 5 Tbsp plain gelatin powder - low quality / less chewie here High quality / more chewie here
  
• 1 tsp of Soy lecthin powder - Here
  
• 1/2 cup of Real Fruit juice of the flavor you want to make, get creative here, needs to be cold. Cold water can also be used but the flavor is not as good.
  
• 1/4 cup of sugar
  
• Glycerin - Here
  
• 6 grams of Concentrates (AKA: BHO, Shatter, Wax, Oil, Hash oil, etc)
  
• 1 Tbsp Coconut oil
  
• Cornstartch
  
  Decarbing
  
  Pre-heat your oven to 250F - 260F, use the digital theremometer to keep an eye on the temp to make sure it stays around there and does not get above 260F. I like to place my concentrates into the small pyrex dish and decarb in that. Put the dish with your concentrates in the oven for 30 minutes. You can check it around the 30 minute mark and see if it is fully decarbed. Look for it to be pretty clear of all little "carbination" like bubbles. When those are mostly gone you are done decarbing. It will take around 30 minutes. Go a little longer if you want couch lock / sleepy time gummies.
  
  When it is done decarbing pull it out and set it to the side for a minute.
  
  Infusing the coconut oil
  
  Grab your medium sized pot and put a few inches of water in it. get it to a boil then turn the temp all the way down to a very low heat. When the water is ready place your dish with the freshly decarbed oil into the water bath and add the 1 Tbsp of coconut oil to the dish.
  
  Let the two mix for a few minutes until they are nicely combined. It shouldn't take long maybe 10 minutes max.
  
  Grease your molds
  
  At this point if you dont have silicone molds (I do and I still grease mine for precautions) grease your molds so you don't forget to do it before adding your gummies.
  
  Preping fruit juice (or water)
  
  In the second small pyrex dish pour your real fruit juice / water or whatever base liquid you are using for your gummies. I havent tried much besides fruit juice and water but you can experiment with other liquids, but don't do an experiment on a batch with THC in it just in case something doesn't work out.
  
  To the fruit juice / water add 1 tsp of soy lecthin and stir with the fork. Place the dish in the fridge for 5 minutes or so and stir again. Let it sit in the fridge stirring occasionaly until the soy lecthin is fully desolved.
  
  This liquid mixture NEEDS TO BE COLD for the blooming process to work so make sure to keep it cold.
  
  Mixing the dry ingredients
  
  In your small non-stick pot mix the following together: 85 grams of Jello, 5 Tbsp of Gelatin, 1/4 cup of sugar. Completely mix them all together and dont let any of them get wet yet. Stir and stir until they are completely mixed.
  
  Blooming
  
  Take your mixed dry ingredients and pour in your friut juice (water) soy lecthin mixture. Stir it and get everything evenly mixed and make sure there are no lumps. When everything is evenly mixed place the lid on the small pot and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  
  This is called "blooming" the gelatin and allows the gelatin to absorbe the water. The water needs to be cold because gelatin activates at about 120F and after that will start to set when it cools. We don't want it setting right now.
  
  

A lot of people swear by the Rohto gel sunscreen, which supposedly has no white cast (I've never used so I can't comment): https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Aqua-Super-Moisture-SPF50/dp/B01BM1USNO

Personally I use the Rohto Moisture Milk sunscreen (also on Amazon) because I have drier skin and I love it. It blends in easily and I don't notice a white cast, but then again I'm very fair. But I'd definitely recommend checking both out because they're pretty cheap and have great protection!

1. do not pop zits! dry them out, with honey or there are so many products you could use. Try [this one] (http://www.amazon.com/Mario-Badescu-Drying-Lotion-fl/dp/B0017SWIU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427372694&sr=8-1&keywords=mario+badescu) Just dip a q tip to the bottom and apply it to the pimple and let it sit for a while.
   when you pop a pimple you can push the bacteria further back into your skin.
   
   
2. try a body wash with salicylic acid in it to get rid of that on your back.
   
   
3. you really should wash your face. You go through the entire day collecting things from the envirnment on your face including bacteria and mold.. then you go to sleep and put it on your pillow.. It's really important. if you're not wearing make up then any gentle face wash will do, just cater it to your skin type.
   
   
4. not much you can do about that. moisturizing will help delay wrinkles, but if your face is animated it won't matter too much. I'm 23 and have tons of facial expressions so I have them too. Don't worry about that though, they're not wrinkles just lines, we all have them! :)
   
   any questions let me know :) I'm trained in skin care so I'd be happy to answer any questions.

> Like, if I made a pass once over a certain area, I couldn't go over it again.

Be sure to re-lather between passes. I know it's easy to get into the habit of doing repeated strokes over the same area, but you're going to avoid irritation by only making passes over lather. There are some techniques (e.g., Blade Buffering) that require repeated passes over the same area, but if you're getting any irritation, stick to passes over fresh lather.

> Would liquid glycerin work? Like I could put it in a soap dispenser pump and squirt a little onto the brush/bowl before applying the shave soap?

Yes! That's definitely possible. Some people call it an "uberlather" (technically, an uberlather should contain cream, soap, and glycerin; however, others call anything that has added liquid glycerin an uberlather too). I sometimes use this combination too. I use this liquid glycerine from Amazon. You might be able to find it locally.

Some people say that adding gylcerine to a soap/cream is a crutch since you should just use a better quality soap to begin with. While they aren't wrong, I think it's a fine solution. If it improves the shave quality, it's okay in my book.

I'm not a professional so just know that this worked for me but might not work for you and might make things worse depending on what is really going on. The best thing you can do is talk to a dermatologist and try to get an actual diagnosis.

If you do try the cerave, hopefully it helps you like it has helped me. I use the cerave moisturising cream (different than the cerave moisturising lotion). I believe the cream is better suited for faces. It's also better to use it with the pump as opposed to scooping the lotion with a finger because you might be spreading any fungus or bacteria into the tub.

I'd recommend using it every morning and night and within two weeks, you'll know if it's making a difference or not. Hopefully everything works out!

I completely second a fragrance free shave cream/soap, as well as the hyaluronic acid moisturizer afterwards. Here are some products I've used and highly recommend:

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave (Unscented) - Lathers great, non drying, very slick
Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Lotion - Wonderful after a shave; doesn't sting in the least. Non-greasy, liquidy gel-like. If you have more dry skin, a drop or two of your fave oil (I like sea buckthorn, argan, or rosehip) mixed in is great.

These are creamy/non-foaming face washes, but double wonderfully as a shave lotion. Both unscented:

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser

​

​

good for scars: https://www.amazon.com/Rohto-Melano-Intensive-Anti-Spot-Essence/dp/B0188CAZKQ

good for acne: https://www.amazon.ca/Cosrx-Blackhead-Power-Liquid-Remover/dp/B00OZEJ8R8

good for acne: https://www.amazon.ca/Cosrx-Acne-Pimple-Master-Patch/dp/B00PBX3TN6

2 toners that are generally good for everyone: https://www.amazon.ca/HADALABO-Gokujun-Hyaluronic-Lotion-Moist/dp/B074GX619Q/ref=dp_ob_title_hpc and https://www.amazon.com/Hadalabo-Skin-Institute-hyaluronic-solution/dp/B013HHJV0C/ref=pd_cp_194_1?pd_rd_w=xuxTj&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=PNCEQPAYJ01D5T4G188R&pd_rd_r=69c57dac-5630-11e9-9f4e-dfdbc4ec4f80&pd_rd_wg=cEyQ3&pd_rd_i=B013HHJV0C&psc=1&refRID=PNCEQPAYJ01D5T4G188R

any tonymoly handcream because theyre cute and fun and everyone likes hand cream: https://img.grouponcdn.com/deal/3oZiBVh4T96HJsd7rGaHJtkpXXZq/3o-1500x900/v1/c700x420.jpg

• Hada Labo Moist is one of the cheapest and most effective hydrating toners.
  
  
• A good starting AHA is lactic acid, which is gentle and moisturizing (but still effective!). TO's Lactic Acid 5%/10% + HA is your best bet for affordability.
  
  Not sure what you want in a night serum? And I'd ditch the clay cleanser, simply because you already have an effective BHA product (Stridex) and you don't want to over-exfoliate your skin long-term.
  
  You also need a stronger, separate sunscreen!

Hey! The one thing I wish I knew when I was a teenager was to stop using the harsh stuff specifically made for acne. The proactive is probably irritating your skin and causing more acne, especially since you said you have dry skin. I whole heartedly believe the more simple the routine, the better. Acne is really just caused by dirty/dehydrated skin. Once the acne is there, it can be treated with certain harsher topicals, but starting with a routine that will gently clean your skin and keep it hydrated will keep the acne popping up in the first place.

tbh I would trash the proactive and that neutrogena moisturizer. I've used both, Proactive ruined my skin and that moisturizer didn't moisturize nearly enough for me. I would get the cerave foaming face wash and the cerave daily moisturizing lotion. I was having skin issues last year and started using just these two products and my skin made huuuuuge improvements. I still use them daily. (I'm only 22 btw) Moisturizing is really the key to clear skin.

https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Moisturizing-Lotion-Hyaluronic-Ceramides/dp/B000YJ2SLG?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Foaming-Facial-Cleanser-Washing/dp/B01N1LL62W/ref=pd_sim_194_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N1LL62W&pd_rd_r=7VT2B2DQ1QNP0T9NG1JZ&pd_rd_w=AoZex&pd_rd_wg=w6lZS&refRID=7VT2B2DQ1QNP0T9NG1JZ&th=1

Also, I know this is super annoying to hear, but just drink a shit ton of water. It's the easiest thing you can do to help your skin and it truly does make a difference. If you can, stay away from dairy. Dairy is literally just loaded with cow hormones meant for a baby cow to grow. Humans don't need cow hormones, and thats why dairy makes a lot of people break out (including me) but thats a rant for another time.

Hope this helps!!

Lanolin! It's an occlusive like petrolatum, but it also absorbs through the skin. It's chemically very similar to the moisturizing layer our skin naturally produces. It's AMAZING. It gets me through my crazy-dry winter lips every year and got me through a course of accutane this summer.

One caution!: Lanolin comes from sheep (it's a waxy layer on sheep wool that's removed as a part of the woolmaking process) and if you buy unrefined lanolin, it'll kinda smell like farm animals. I think it's subtle enough, but if you're sensitive to smells you can buy refined lanolin, which is marketed to breastfeeding mothers, so you're going to have to deal with a tube that says "chapped nipples" on it.

Amazon links: Unrefined lanolin, refined lanolin


edit-- I just use lanolin at night. It keeps my lips nice and moisturized that they can take a long day of lipstick. When I was on Accutane, or occasionally in the depths of winter, I do lanolin all day and it has a nice gloss.

Here is my routine with items and products that work for me.

DAILY Morning:

1. Scrape tongue; rinse with water; brush teeth for 2 minutes; floss; rinse 1 minute with alcohol-free mouthwash and then gargle 30 seconds with a little more mouthwash; brush tongue with vegetable glycerin.
   
2. Shower with warm- not hot- water; shampoo (every other day) and condition (every day); wash pits, feet, in between toes, crotch and crack with antibacterial soap and washcloth; wash rest of body with loofah and body wash of choice.
   
3. Wash face with warm water and a gentle face cleanser; shave; apply witch hazel to face, neck, and forehead; apply moisturizer with SPF
   
4. Dry off completely, especially pits, in between toes, crotch, and crack; apply Fresh Balls , deodorant, foot cream or powder , and hand cream (as necessary).
   
   DAILY Night:
   
   
5. Step 1 of morning routine
   
6. Wash hands and clean under finger nails * with antibacterial soap
   
7. Wash face with warm water and face cleanser; apply moisturizer.
   
   WEEKLY Sat or Sun: (In addition to daily routines)
   
   
8. Use a face scrub in the shower, gently, especially to the areas you will be shaving; clean under toenails with a nail brush*
   
9. Soak feet, particularly in summer and/or you have to wear work boots;
   
10. While feet are soaking trim fingernails * and clean under them with pointed end of a nail file*, carefully; dry feet.
    
11. Trim toenails* and clean under them with nail file*.
    
12. Check nose, ears and eyebrows for any hairs that need to be trimmed or anything in between eyebrows that needs to be removed.
    
13. Shave back of neck and around ears
    
    * Use separate tools for hands and feet to avoid spreading any potential fungus to your hands
    
    BI-WEEKLY Sat or Sun:
    
    
14. Manscape after the morning routine.
    
    I have a few resources that have specific guides, I will post them later. I hope this is somewhat helpful and if you have any questions, let me know.

When I was 11 my mom said that instead of a birthday party I could take 3 friends with me for a spa day at her salon and that after we could eat and have dessert at the resturaunt next door. So flash forward to the lunch we're at and I'm drinking a sprite because I'm 11 and I like to pretend that sprite and ginger ale are champagne, and my best friend is sitting across from me, and for the life of me I can't remember what she said, but whatever it was caused me to like fire hose spray sprite from my nostrils directly into her open mouth, drenching her entire face. There was a moment of calm and then oh my god did she scream.

She's still my best friend though. So, things work out..

I pick/chew/lick my lips a lot. Here's what has helped me (and maybe it'll help you?):

• Stopped using lip products with camphor or menthol (no more Burt's Bee's!)
  
  
• Stopped using lip products with flavors OR heavily scented (bye bye Lipsmackers and Eos). Even if the lip balm wasn't sweet tasting, if it smelled sweet I would subconsciously chew on my bottom lip.
  
  
• Started slathering on Aquaphor before bed, after brushing my teeth, at school, in the car, on a train, in a plane--you get the idea! I keep a big tub on my bedside table, a tube in my backpack, and there's always at least one small tube in each purse.
  
  
• Started ocassionally (maybe once a week?) exfoliating my lips. I don't want to over do it. I usually do this while I'm doing OCM--just put some of the oil on your lips and use a soft bristle tooth brush to gently buff your lips. It takes 10 seconds.
  
  
• Started being more conscious of my water intake and carrying a water bottle with my everywhere. I don't really think to myself, "Ok I need to drink at least 2 of these before lunch today" or keep track of how many oz I'm drinking. I just always keep my bottle handy and find I drink a lot more without thinking about it. The benefit is more than just less chapped lips, of course. EDIT: If you use one of those products but want to make the finish matte, just lightly pat on a little bit of transluscent powder with your finger.
  
  
• Ignore if you don't wear makeup: I try to avoid overly drying lip products, such as matte lipsticks (MAC Russian Red you are the love of my life but you're KILLING my lips!) and overly slippery products like lip glosses (I tend to rub my lips together constantly when I'm wearing one). I like lip products that kinda melt into your lips, like NYX butter lipsticks, MAC lustre finish lipsticks, and those Revlon lip crayons. They're moisturizing but not overly so like a gloss, so I tend to forget that there's anything even on my lips.
  
  
• Alternate strategy if you wear makeup: Wear a really bold lip color in a long lasting formula (I'm thinking something like the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks or the cheaper Sephora brand version). Whenever you're tempted to start picking or chewing your lips, just remember that you're rocking that awesome purple/coral/vampy red lip color today and you absolutely do not want to mess it up.

Hello all. 21 year old male here and need some help.

So my skin is super messed up. It's super dehydrated. I drink 2 liters of water throughout the day.

I posted and got recommended to use the following:

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% - I don't think this has done much for me, and don't plan to purchase this again.

The second was a moisturizer with Ceramide [This one from Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Beauty-Intense-Hydration/dp/B0065I0UMO?th=1)

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser - [This one from Amazon] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/CeraVe-Hydrating-Cleanser-Packaging-Vary/dp/B000YJ2SKM/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1523994801&sr=8-1&keywords=hydrating+cleanser+cerave)

So far the cleanser is the only good one I've used. I also purchased Vit C serum to help rid of pimple scars and forehead wrinkles.

Also used Rosehip Oil, but don't think it's worked.

I'd appreciate any advice. I've heard Rose Water works well, how well can anyone confirm? Thanks!

former trapeze person here: I'd get a LOT of callouses and had to manage them so that I'd keep some protection but not get rips.

Before each session I would use a foot file to take down any edges and smooth out my hands (similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S89QX2?sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1)

After every session: repeat above and add a hand conditioner. I happen to like ClimbOn! that's made for climbing. It will last a long time and smells good (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017TK2TC?ref_=sr_1_1_s_it&s=beauty&qid=1499425262&sr=1-1&keywords=climb%20on&sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1)

Total time (before & after) = less than a minute

Good luck!

I like the Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion 12% Glycolic (Amazon Link), but only tend to get it on sale. I like the Alpha Skin Care one better than any of the Amlactin products, but I know a lot of people like Amlactin. YMMV.

My legs and arms also like some physical exfoliation every now and again, for which I usually use a basic sugar scrub.

I mix a very basic Lactic Acid exfoliant for my body. I use this sparingly a few times a week, and it has worked for me. The end formula has, aside from distilled water, 20% Lactic Acid, adding glycerin as a humectant, baking soda to adjust the ph, and Liquid Germall Plus as a preservative. If you check out r/DIYBeauty, you can find some resources.

Product name: Bioil

Price (range): $12.49 for 14.2 fl. oz

Country of purchase: USA

Skin info: All skin types, Stretch marks, pregnancy

Ingredient list: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, PurCellin Oil, Calandula Oil, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Oil, Chamomile Oil


Special info: Hypoallergenic, anti-aging, hydrating. Has won over 126 skincare awards since introduction in 2002.


Experience & opinion: Smells great, works great. I’m on my second baby and I put on 65lbs with the first one. Not a single stretch mark. I’m halfway through my second pregnancy and I use it religiously. Great for scars, uneven skin, any problems really because it doesn’t clog pores.

Issue: Getting on the wagon, need help and recommendations/etc.

Skin Type: Oily, Blemish-Prone (Not completely sure, pics attached below can give more info/etc. I sweat like a pedo in daycare and shine^bright^like^a^diamond, so there's that.)

Previous Routine/Experience?: Only skin routine or care I do is washing my face with water couple times throughout the day. I used this cleanser/whatev they gave us at school for 4 or so months (PM only) half a year ago (Was quite harsh, but kinda adjusted to it. I think?), and that's about it.

About: Young lad, live in [very] hot environment (Soon to move out, <1year) and lead an active lifestyle. Crazy beakouts couple years ago coupled with cocaine hands got my face fucked up for life.

Location: UAE, will be buying my shit from Amazon US and shipping it here. Don't worry too much about this unless you know some local stuff that's of appropriate price.

Other/Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/C0YLw


///Routine

Cleanser:
Went with the recommendations and chose Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser, 12oz. Best price, ships here, generally well received. Not much.

Moisturizer:
Went with CeraVe Moisturizing Cream w/ Pump, 16z. Good price, ships, got a pump (Hey!), well received. Same old.

Sunscreen:
Sweat a lot and lead an active lifestyle, so need a waterproof sunscreen for the morning-noon/school period. Considered a lot of options, but I constricted it to these as they are the only ones that are waterproof, ship here and are priced reasonably (Not so).
However, I will surely not get anything with Octinoxate due to it's link with Endocrine disturbances (Something which I need very less of, especially currently) and all. Will also not get the All-Chemical Paula's Choice because it's just fucked.
That leaves the EltaMD and the CeraVe. The CeraVe has a greasy texture that doesn't go away (Or so they say) and leaves a very pronounced white tint, and the EltaMD has better UVA protection and is tinted to somewhat my skin tone, so I decided to get it. If you have any suggestions/recommendations/etc., please do drop them below.

Exfoliant:
Went with a BHA cause it's simpler and is recommended for oily skin. Problem is I'm afraid Stridex Maximum Strength Pads will be too harsh and unusable (Big no-no, can't return it and shipping rates are crazy).
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion, 1.7oz and Olay Age Defying Classic Night Cream, 2oz ship here too but I don't know man.

OCM:
To remove waterproof sunscreen not else. Found this quite cheap baby oil called Corine De Farme Baby Massage Body Oil (Ingredients: Paraffinum Liquidum, Parfum, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil), but I honestly don't know anything about this so I just want some input.


AM: Cleanse->Moisturize->Put sunscreen

PM: OCM/Remove sunscreen->Cleanse->Exfoliate->Moisturize

I started seeing a dermatologist about a year and a half ago. Since then, I have done very little experimenting.

I follow the same routine day and night.

• Clearasil daily facial cleanser. (over the counter) I find that it helps my skin heal and grow back very fast around the areas that I have been...abusing. I used to have a bad picking problem. I've used it for years and it has always helped my skin, though, it did dry it out a bit.
  
• (Derm Prescribed) Cetaphil Oil Control Foam Wash. (over the counter) Really great for acne prone skin.
  
• (Derm Prescribed) 1% Clyndamyacin wipes.(Pharmacy) Helps heal broken or inflamed pores.
  
• (Derm Prescribed) Benzoyl Peroxide. (Pharmacy) NIGHT TIME ONLY. I get a specific generic brand, as others have dried my skin out immensely or are very sticky. I only wear it to bed and only if I feel a break out coming or after I have already broke out. It helps even my skin tone as well.
  
  Aside from that, the only things I have added to my routine are: moisturizer, sunscreen, and face masks. The moisturizer I use, I started wearing in the winter, since I just moved way up north from a super tropical climate. It's a great formula, not greasy, and I use on my face, as well as the rest of my body. I may have to change it once the spring rolls around, though. I bought this suncreen because of the recommendations, and bc it's Japanese. It's really light, not greasy, milky, thin, and dries fast. Moisturizes too. Truly s lovely as everyone says it is.
  
  My face masks are kinda just a fun thing I do. They are not on my priority list and I use them sparingly. And I do a different sheet mask every time. I only use Korean masks because they know what they are doing. Never had a problem with K masks.

Ok! (I have melasma too. Grrrr, I hate it!)

Have you always been on the 0.05%? Did you start at a lower dose and work up? I use tret too, and it is ferocious when you first start using it, it has kind of a long acclimation period. How long have you been using it?

For your routine, I have a few thoughts. You've got some potent products going on, which is ok.

Right off the bat, I'd suggest switching to a non-foaming cleanser. Foaming cleansers generally have an ingredient in them to produce a lather (it's normally an SLS) and they can dry your skin out extra. Look for a gentle hydrating facial cleanser. Since you are using a CeraVe now, you can try the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser. I would recommend this one from Cetaphil though. It's super gentle, AND! You can get a travel-sized bottle from the mini's section at Target for under $2 to try it out.

I like the silicone scrubbies! It's nice for tret users because of the peelies. Just be gentle with it, and maybe even switch to every other day use.

Are you using the oil control moisturizer because you're oily? You definitely want a moisturizer in the AM. You may want to find something with ceramides and/or niacinamide and/or hylauronic acid to really help your moisture barrier during the day. This would go under your sunscreen and after your hydroquinone.

Ok, then the next big thing I think will really help, is adding a good moisturizer at night. You don't even have to use a fancy one. Both CeraVe PM or CeraVe moisturizing cream are good options. The former has some extra goodies in it (niacinamide), but the later is really creamy and rich (you can also but it all over your body. It also comes in a smaller "travel size" tube for less $$$ if you just want to try it out).

Since you are on a kinda beefy dose of Retnin-A I would recommend mixing a pea-sized amount for your entire face into a dollop of the moisturizer you chose and apply it that way. This won't change the potency of the retnin-A at all, it just provides a bit of a buffer for your moisture barrier.

Personally, I take this a step further and wait 15 minutes for everything to sink in, apply a little more moisturizer, then apply vaseline ALL OVER my face before I go to sleep. This may or may not help you out-- I don't know how your face and your acne responds to occlusives. But, the vaseline step is what was crucial for my skin to stop being so red and peely on retnin-A, because it locks the moisturizer in while you sleep.

Edit: Sorry, this post was getting long so I figured I'd send it. I know we haven't even talked sunscreen yet! But, I strongly suspect the sunscreen isn't the root of the problem, so I wanted to talk about your routine first.

I suggest oils like rosehip and marula for moisture but I know the folks over at /r/asianbeauty looove their CORSX snail essence! so definitely give it a try and see if you like that or any of the aforementioned oils better under your nightly cream!

hydrating lotions (they’re called lotions but are basically the same as toners) like this one from kikumasamune or this one from hada labo could work! but try the COQ10 spray! it might work just fine for you. (:

I have the exact same problem. I’ve been lurking r/skincareaddiction for years and war fairly overwhelmed by the mountains of products to try on a limited budget and sensitive skin. The few products that I tried were expensive and gave me allergic reactions. I started following r/asianbeauty, and I’ve had a but more luck. im only about a week into my new regimen, but i picked up Hadalabo moisturizing toner and COSRX snail cream that have seemed to help a lot.

Basically, i wash my face at night with my usual gentle wash, apply toner, let dry, apply snail cream, let dry, then apply regular moisturizer.

The last couple of days, ive had some flakes coming back, so tonight i put paulas choice AHA (exfoliating acid) on top of everything.

In the morning, I’ll either splash my face with water, or use micellar water and nothing else. Maybe a touch of my moisturizer with spf if i need it. i know i should use the spf every morning but im still figuring things out so im taking it slow.

I dont think im quite ready for foundation, but my face feels so much better so far. hope this helps!

note: on mobile and phone stopped autocorrecting so sorry for mistakes. amazon links below

COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LEJ5MSK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

HADALABO Gokujun Hyaluronic... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074GX619Q?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

TONYMOLY I'm Real Avocado... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HN8P3JU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share — i didnt mention this but i really love this korean sheet mask

Is there an chance wrinkles are from aging and not just dry skin? If they are medium-sized, I would think it might be aging related. This may not be tolerable by him, but you can google short contact therapy for retinoids which allow for some of the anti-aging benefits without the irritation and give it a try.

I had super sensitive rosacea and psoriasis prone skin for awhile. Every single lotion I've ever tried irritated my skin, but for non irritating moisture, HADALABO Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist is unbeatable. It's not a lotion, it's a clear serum that is super mild but very moisturizing.

​

On top of that I use vaseline for extra moisture and it helps with psoriasis somewhat.

​

Hope some of this helps.

Not AB sunscreen, but I'm currently trying Sunsense Ultra SPF50+ as a body sunscreen. My nose doesn't detect any typical sunscreen smell, though it does have a very slight chemical smell, but none too distracting. It comes in 50ml, 125ml, 200g and 500ml bottles. It has a light consistency (compared to most non AB sunscreen I've tried) and is not too greasy once applied. I took a leap of faith and purchased the 500ml bottle haha. So far so good. The pump bottle is handy.

P.S. My current face sunscreen is Kose SUNCUT UV Protect Gel SPF50+ PA++++. This is my second AB sunscreen, which I like more than my first, Etude House Sunprise Mild Watery Light (SPF50+/PA+++). The EH Sunprise has a rather distracting smell for me. Will try Skin Aqua Sarafit Essence UV (SPF50+ PA++++) and Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel (SPF50 + PA ++++) next.

The issue(s) you need help with: I feel like a skin care disaster, I definitely need help developing a routine.

Skin type: Combo I guess? I have no idea. Some parts of my skin are dry and sensitive, like my eyelids. Others can be oily like my forehead. The pores on my nose are humongous and I'd like to reduce them. I was told my arms have keratosis pilaris but I never followed up with that.

Routine: I shower exclusively at night, occasionally using Public Goods Moisturizer and Lotion afterwards. I had been using Cerave but i got suckered into good marketing. I switch between using Ivory Aloe, Public Goods Body Wash, and Public Goods Bar Soap on Salux Wash Cloths. I was using a new loofah every month but I switched to the wash cloths and saw an improvement. Since I have three I was going to rotate them every few months but I realize i should probably wash and rotate them more often. I was also considering getting the Super Hard ones because my skin doesn't seem to be clearing up like it did when I first started using the cloths.

Location: Texas, USA

PM me for photos cause I don't wanna put my face on the internet

It's definitely dry, what I don't know is if it's dry and oily or just dry cause it's winter, I don't remember it being this dry couple of months ago but atm it hurts to frown etc. my cheeks feel normal most the problem is forehead.

I was using Simple Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash and sebamed clear face care gel (which tbf doesn't feel very moisturising but works great at fighting spots).

either way if it's just dry and not dehydrated a softer cleanser such as Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser - 200ml (which apparently is non foaming according to SCA) and a new moisturiser; CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion (which is apparently good for dry to normal skin will help)

I don't have a sunscreen yet but I live in the UK and dont use an AHA so not hugely worried.

Issue: acne breakouts among face, neck, chest, and back

Skin type: combination, very oily T-zone

Current routine:

AM: Cleanse with kaolinite clay, BP wash on face, Selsun Blue on body. Moisturize face with Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion and Murad Oil and Pore Control. Moisturize body with Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion or B&BW Body Cream

PM: Same as morning. Night face moisturizer is just Cerave Night Cream.

Now, this routine is working pretty well, and I definitely attribute that to the Murad products. I was wondering if there was anything similar that I could use for my body and/or in place of the Cerave Night Cream. One thing I noticed was that the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion has retinol in it and I feel like that makes the biggest difference for me. Any combination of products doesn't seem to work as well if there isn't some sort of retinoid present.

Edit: Ahhh, YES, use sunscreen! This def shouldn't be skipped

Hey there! I'm on Epiduo Forte (Adapalene 0.3% & 2.5% BP) so I understand where you're coming from.

I'd recommend taking it slow with applications. Have you used it every single night for 5 days straight? Don't do that!! You will damage your moisture barrier. I actually was put on Epiduo 5 days ago as well and I have only done 3 applications. The first week should be 2-3 applications to build your tolerance.

Use a bit of moisturizer before your Epiduo application. I personally use Cerave PM because my skin is dry and this is a nice lightweight "prep" for me. I also use a hydrating toner (there is a difference between hydrated and dry skin) immediately after washing my face and before the Cerave PM which helps immensely.

After I apply the Epiduo, I wait a little bit and use Vanicream - which is most likely similar to the La Roche creams you mentioned. You want something thick. Then I finish everything off with a pea sized amount of Cerave balm (basically like Vaseline/Aquaphor) and run my humidifier at night.

Despite ALL of that, I still woke up with dry patches. I think it's inevitable. Give your skin a 2 or 3 day break and focus on moisture. I do not have oily skin so that is out of my wheelhouse, but your skin could possibly be oily because it's dry and/or dehydrated. Here is the hydrating toner I use if you're interested. This will definitely help your skin.

My current routine:
wet face

apply CeraVe Foaming Cleanser(https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Foaming-Facial-Cleanser-Washing/dp/B01N1LL62W/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1543554976&sr=1-4&keywords=cerave%2Bfoaming%2Bfacial%2Bcleanser&th=1)

After having applied cleanser to all of face I use this brush for approximately one minute anad then I rinse my face with water(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071DZG44Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

After using the brush/finishing the cleansing process I use one of these pads and I apply it to all of my face
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074GF1PNL/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1#customerReviews)

I let my face air dry for like 30 seconds after using the stridex pad and then I apply this moisturizer lotion (https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Moisturizing-Lotion-Hyaluronic-Ceramides/dp/B000YJ2SLG/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1543554993&sr=1-5&keywords=cerave+moisturizing+cream)

I believe that I need to start using some sort of sunscreen, no? If so what should I go for? I don't really know where to look for them just by searching "facial sunscreen" on amazon. (https://www.amazon.com/EltaMD-Clear-Facial-Sunscreen-Broad-Spectrum/dp/B002MSN3QQ/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1543555607&sr=1-4&keywords=elta+sunscreen) This one looks good based on the reviews but 1.7 ounces for $25 is kinda pricey considering that I'll be using the same amount of sunscreen as I would for my lotion. I have normal skin. Any advice on my current routine or input on what sunscreen I should get that's great for the price would help. Thanks.

I just use a washcloth but there may be better things out there. I used to find glycerin in the grocery store (might carry it in drug stores too?) but now I just get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Solutions-Vegetable-Glycerine-16-Ounce/dp/B0019LWU2K/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538168604&sr=8-3&keywords=now+foods+glycerin

​

You're welcome, hope it helps!

Hi! I'm looking for some routine help/ transitioning into a winter routine. I wanted to add some more moisture into my routine, so I purchased HADALABO Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist since it was pretty highly recommended here. My question is when do I use it? In watching YouTube how-to videos, they say to use it immediately after cleansing, as a "lotion" in Japanese skincare is what Americans refer to as a "toner." But... I'm already using Thayers toner, and I use a few actives, and my thought is that if I put the hylauronic acid lotion on first, my actives will have a harder time soaking in (?). I'm pretty new to this skincare game, so any help would be appreciated.

As far as skin type, I think I have oily skin or maybe it's normalish? I don't know. My forehead feels oily by the end of the day. I don't know if any oil on the skin constitutes having an oily skin type, or if this happens to everyone. I occasionally get breakouts, but they aren't that bad, but I'm a picker (shocking? Is my anxiety showing? Oh my god am I doing this right?!?!?!), so I make them worse.

​

Here is my routine:

​

AM:

Oil Cleanse (dear, Klairs gentle black deep cleansing oil)

rinse off with lots of water in the shower

Tone (Thayers alcohol-free rose petal witch hazel toner)

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc (The Ordinary)

Moisturizer (Glossier priming moisturizer)

SPF (Supergoop! Smooth and Poreless 100% Mineral Matte Screen)

​

PM:

Oil Cleanse (dear, Klairs gentle black deep cleansing oil)

Water (aqueous? Am I saying this right?!?) Cleanse: Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser (Once I run out of this, I want to switch to something with a lower pH.)

Tone (Thayers alcohol-free rose petal witch hazel toner)

BHA (The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution)

Retinoid (The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane)

Moisturizer (CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion)

​

I've been following this routine since probably June, and everything seems fine. I think my skin is pretty resilient. I'm just looking to have a more of a "glow" and keep breakouts to a minimum (which also just means I need to keep my hands off of my face).

​

Again, main question is when to add in Hada Labo hyaluronic acid lotion. And should I even bother with Thayers? Any suggestions are appreciated.

​

Thank you!

​

Hi! It sounds like your boyfriend could use an AHA for both the dark spots and the KP. The AHA will likely help the acne as well but you can also try a BHA formula for breakout-prone areas. He'll probably want to cleanse his back if he doesn't do that already (a back brush with a gentle head will help to reach); I used Cetaphil's cleanser on my shoulders years ago when they used to break out. The exfoliation is liable to help with the ingrown hairs but be careful not to overdo it so his skin doesn't dry out (I imagine it's hard to moisturize the back without help). I used to have dark spots from acne scars and KP on the back of my arms but using the AHA and BHA I linked on my face and this on my arms mostly cleared them all up. You can find information on all of these issues in the wiki.

Might I also recommend this?

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel pump (SPF50 + PA ++++) 140g https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BM1USNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kAcXBbD73VN3T

It's so light I honestly can't even remember if I've applied it sometimes. Spreads with no effort, absorbs INSTANTLY and there's none of that typical sunscreen smell. No greasy residue at all. It's also graded SPF 50 for added bonus.

I can guarantee it works. I have a sun sensitivity and have never gotten hives while using this. It's also cheap enough to use on your body if you only want to bring one item while traveling. Super super highly recommended.

I purchased a tub of lanolin last night, and it's the best thing. It's a little hard to spread, but I think leaving it near the radiator might help it. It's incredibly nice for chapped lips- and so far makes them feel great even after the 'lip balm' feeling wears off. AND it's not quite as sticky as Bag Balm.

I don't have pics to show, but I just thought I'd share my skincare routine that has worked perfectly for me over the past year or so.

Mornings:

Clean & Clear Continuous Control

[Cerave Foaming Face Wash] (https://www.amazon.com/CeraVe-Foaming-Facial-Cleanser-Ounce/dp/B003YMJJSK/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1484241816&sr=1-2&keywords=cerave)

[Some sort of gentle anti-fatigue/illuminating moisturizer] (https://www.amazon.com/Garnier-SkinActive-Anti-Fatigue-Hydra-Gel-Moisturizer/dp/B016855X98/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1484241883&sr=1-1&keywords=anti+fatigue+moisturizer) (I use this one now, but have used others in the past)

Evening:

Stridex in the Red Box

Bio Oil

Cerave Moisturizing Cream

On Occasion:

Something with Retinol

Aztec Clay Mask

And when it's sunny/if you are spending a lot of time outside, make sure to use a morning moisturizer with SPF in it.

I personally use Nivea Double action Q10 Balm after shaving and haven't had an issue with dry skin afterward.

On days I don't shave, I use Cerave Moisturizing lotion. It has ceramides and hyaluronic acid, super lightweight, absorbs fast, and won't leave you feeling greasy at all. PH balanced and non-comedogenic (so it won't break you out).

Before I apply my balm/lotion, I apply some Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel as it'll help your skin better absorb the lotion/balm.

If neither of those looks like good options, I'd suggest heading over to /r/SkincareAddiction and hopefully they can help you out!

Check out r/skincareaddiction if you're looking for a moisturizer that works for you! It saved my skin. Everyone reacts to skincare differently and a nice expensive brand that is great for one person might cause someone else to break out. I was buying so many expensive brands thinking they would work and finally settled on a cheap drugstore brand that I love.

(In case it's helpful, I have sensitive/acne prone skin, and the moisturizer I use now is CeraVe. If you want to try it out most Walgreens have smaller sizes in their travel section.)

I would add for the Natural Moisturizing Factors some products that have the hygroscopic ingredients (specifically urea for ones I've listed), because for me a dupe of the Natural Moisturizing Factor would be products that contain actual NMF:

• Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel Cream: price varies, I bought it a few weeks ago for $12. Has 5% urea
  
• Hada Labo Premium Lotion: 3% urea
  
• Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Cream with 5% Urea
  
• Sebamed Extreme Dry Skin Relief Face Creme: 5% urea
  
  I mention this because the only reason NMF performed well for me was because of those ingredients, and my body lotion that works best for me has similar ingredients (hygroscopic ingredients like urea, lactic acid, sodium pca, and amino acids like arginine, alanine, threonine, histidine, serine...). The CeraVe products do not function the same because they don't have any significant NMF (hyaluronic acid and glycerin are the significant ones), and the star ingredients are ceramides, which are important emollients and serve a different function.

Try this: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Repairing Balm, 1.35 Fl. Oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060OUV5Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VAhwDbJZBF83M

I also struggle with painful cysts that take FOREVER to heal no matter what i treat them with. I incorporated this balm on a whim cause I’d just seen it recommended on this sub a lot, and I swear it soothes my breakouts like nothing else has. I didn’t research much on it, but I’m pretty sure the zinc+other moisturizing ingredients it has provided an amazing combo for helping the cysts heal more quickly and healthily. Give it a shot!!

No problem.

I had some issues where I kept changing something in it and messing all my progress up. Been doing much better now that I realized I was the problem. Seems like a lot in writing, but it really isn't much.
__
AM:

• Wash hands
  
  
• Wash face with Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser gently using kojac sponge
  
  
• Pat dry with washcloth
  
  
• Apply Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera with a cotton square/circle
  
  
• After shaking to mix, pat on CeraVe Moisturizing Cream to which I had previously added almost .5 fl oz/15mL of 100% pure tea tree oil. (I think I read that it should be no more than 10% tea tree oil.) Last time I used Now tea tree oil but I have also used Jason.
  
  
• Wait a while and sunscreen before going out, added to help scarring. Not sure if the one I had been using was good for my skin though so I won't put a brand here.
  
  I mainly use the kojac sponge because it cuts down on me picking the flacky skin off my face which tended to be the gateway to me picking acne or peeling off scabs.
  
  __
  
  PM:
  
  (I do my face wash last step in the shower even though places tend to recommend against it because of the heat; if I turned up the heat a lot during my shower, I turn it down to wash my face. It seemed to me that I used more heat in the sink after showering since my hands can stand heat better than the rest of my body.)
  
  
• Wash face and neck with Hado Labo Rohto Gokujyn Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing Foam (Harsher so I prefer it at night.)
  
  
• Pat dry with towel before drying any other part of my body. (I go face, hair, upper back, rest of me and don't lay a towel on my back after showering since that seemed to cause acne.)
  
  
• Apply Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera with a cotton square/circle
  
  
• After shaking to mix, pat on Differin Gel
  
  
• Pat on same CeraVe Moisturizing Cream as above to face and neck.
  
  __
  Shower details:
  
  I use shampoo/conditioner that doesn't contain sulfates. I know my one friend realized that sulfates in her shampoo were likely what was causing her back to break out. I use this which is expensive but it lasts me a year even though I tend to overuse it.
  
  I also wash in the following order: shampoo, conditioner (leave in), private areas with water, wash my hands with my body soap (Dr. Bronner's), then my shoulders/back before any other part since that seemed to cut down on back acne as well. Last, in order, I wash my armpits, groin (not the inside of genitals, I mean my groin pit?? [Where my leg bends] I cover my genitals to keep soap out of that area.), feet. Then I rinse out the conditioner and do my face wash routine.
  
  Edit: Also forgot to mention that I avoid letting soap sit on my skin. Trial and error seems to show that that causes me to breakout as well so I rinse it off as I go.
  
  I don't change my pillowcase every night but I flip them. I have two pillows I sleep on and I sleep once on each before changing the pillowcase.
  ____
  
  I would definitely recommend changing one thing or adding one thing at a time and patch testing if you can.
  __
  
  ETA: If your acne is severe, I'd still recommend a dermatologist when you can go. Or maybe talking to your primary doctor even. My HRT prescriber, for my acne, prescribed me Doxycycline and Tretinoin at one point. I don't use either, currently, but you can try using a non-dermatologist if you don't have any other option.
  
  Edit2: Clarified some minor things.

I had moderate acne pre-HRT, and blackheads basically covering my nose area that just refused to go away regardless of my efforts. It got somewhat worse just after beginning HRT, which is rather common for anyone starting Spironolactone. After about a month, things started improving. My nose area is now essentially free of blackheads, and the zits I get are both much less common and far less intense.

I don't know what your skincare routine is like, but make sure you (a) wash morning/night with a cleanser appropriate for your skin type and (b) follow-up with a non-comodegenic moisturizer. After trying a few things, I've had success for my mixed skin with CeraVe's Foaming Cleanser and their Moisturizing Cream (found here - I got that first for the pump :)) I use a toner as well between the two of those, but that is likely too personalized for my recommendation to help you.

> Although my skin looks hydrated, it doesn’t feel hydrated, if that makes sense?

That does make sense. While you don't think you have dehydrated skin, I'm pretty sure you do. If you smile or make weird expressions, your skin probably pulls or feels tight. That's classic dehydration. To fix dehydration, you need hydrating ingredients, which are classified as humectants. It's really unfortunate that you can't use hyaluronic acid, but you can use glycerin and urea still! I'm not that familiar with non-hyaluronic acid toners, but the Eucerin 5% urea cream is pretty well liked. I recommend reading reviews on it!

Personally, i have found this cream to be extremely effective: Cerave Sa Renewing Skin Lotion.

I used to have pretty severe redness and itchiness, but I lather it on really well after a shower, and it seems to do the trick.
If i don't take good care of myself (no excercise, heavy partying, etc), it tends to flair up pretty bad. Also, i lather up pretty good now before lending myself a helping hand...

Check out the /r/SkincareAddiction side bar. Here are some favorites they rave about (and I use myself with good results):

• CeraVe oil-free moisturizer - this shit makes your skin feel so soft and good. I literally smile when I apply this.
  
  
• Elta MD oil free sunscreen - sun screen that doesn't leave a white residue after applying, doesn't clog pores, etc.
  
  
• Cetaphil gentle cleanser - I don't personally use this, but it's a very gentle cleanser and shouldn't hurt your skin. Good way to get rid of the dirt on your face at the end of the day.
  
  You should go and read the side bar and do your own research before you use anything though.

Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion :) you’re very welcome! Hope it helps!!

I really, really love my Skin Aqua UV gel. This guy here. Comes in a good sized bottle, sinks in quick, good protection (SPF50+ PA++++), and moisturizing without being greasy or overly dewy. Pretty sure it's not an extended use or "outdoor" sunscreen though, so be aware of that.

I think this makes me "bougie" (is that still the word the kids use?) but for me ain't nothing else but L'Occitane 20% shea butter hand cream. Expensive as hell for lotion, but it sinks right in and doesn't turn into silicone-based slime when you wash your hands.

There are probably cheaper alternatives, but feeling like a fancy old french lady a few times a day is worth a few bucks, too.

Or, any lotion with some AHA is great for brightening up skin tone and smoothing things out. I use this on my feet and elbows.

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Milk - It doesn't make my skin feel tight and I haven't experienced any build-up yet, which is a huge problem with my skin and using some cleansers without exfoliation. I use micellar water after this if I'm using foundation because it doesn't get everything by itself, but for morning and non-makeup use, it's perfect. I rinse it off with water but it says you can also just wipe it off.

Heritage Store Rosewater - THIS SHIT RIGHT HERE. I don't care if it's a placebo effect, it feels wonderful on my skin, it smells magnificent, and it doesn't make me break out. I use it under Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion, which has hyaluronic acid, and together they moisturize my skin much better than with the lotion alone. (Pretty sure I've been drying my skin out by not moistening my skin first XD)

Cosmetic cornstarch - Brah. If your sunscreen and/or makeup leaves you looking like an oil slick, get this. It's super cheap ($1.50!!!) and is the main ingredient in a lot of makeup setter powders anyway. (I also tried the rice powder but it made my foundation weirdly patchy.)

So I have this issue too, especially on chrome. My skin is super dry but sometimes my palms are way too sweaty if I'm trying new stuff out or it's hot. If my palms are sweaty, I do tite grip 30 mind before and then dry hands during practice.

BUT, for my dry skin, I bought glycerin and cut it with 50% water at first - later I went to 75% water and found I liked that better.

You need to give it time to dry and get used to the pole burn again, but I can actually grip the pole now lol. I would highly recommend it 100%. I moisturize with corn huskers oil on pre-pole days.

When you say he washes his face with soap and water, do you mean hand soap? Depending on the type, that can be pretty harsh. For skin that is already inflamed and sensitive due to active breakouts, using a cleanser that is too harsh will just aggravate the problem. A good first step for him might be to find something more gentle, that's formulated to be used on the face.

Two ingredients to look for that can be very effective at reducing acne and blackheads are salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. There are cleansers that contain them, as well as other forms of product (lotions, serums, etc.) You can find low-cost products containing these ingredients. One popular one on this sub is Stridex pads. There's a lot more information about these two treatments in the sidebar, including more product recommendations.

A good routine almost always includes some type of moisturizer, especially if the person is using salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which are both known to be drying. A good basic one that is unlikely to break him out further is Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion. I think this one also comes in a small travel size, if he wants to get that to start with to test it out.

You may want to try posting this in r/tretinoin as well. They also have a pretty in-depth Wiki.

Also, I know that on r/tretinoin and on r/accutane, the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 is pretty popular for red, irritated skin, so you may want to give that a try.

You could also try switching to the microsphere version of tret which comes in .04%, .06%, .08% (the one I use), and .1%. I think a couple of the strengths don’t have a generic yet though.

As well I just wanted to ask, how do you like that Murad sunscreen? I’m currently trying to find a new sunscreen, like last night I was going through some problem sets on this website called HackerRank studying for a job interview (who as part of the interview process have a coding test through HackerRank), but it took me like 3x as long because I kept getting stuck looking at sunscreens multiple times lmao.

Yay! Just shave them down just a bit so that they are smooth and not too thick, then use a pumice stone to smooth out any remaining rough edges. Find a good moisturizer, two I love are Climb On (great for when I actually tear) and Swedish Dreams (smells amazing, and makes my hands smooth and touchable).

Sure! I like to keep my AM routine pretty simple because after my first period class I work out for an hour so I have to wash my face again anyways (I use micellar water)

Cleanse:

DIY water soluble oil cleanser or

CeraVe hydrating cleanser (with/without konjac sponge)

Actives:

Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C Plus E Ferulic Acid

Wait 15 minutes

Sunscreen:

La Roche Posay Anthelios xl spf 50 fluid ultra light (PPD 42)

Moisturizer:

Depending on how dry my skin is I use either Trader Joes nourish antioxidant facial moisturizer (super underrated in my opinion, has lots of beneficial ingredients)

Or CeraVe moisturizing lotion

I recently discovered I have KP on my legs as well. I tried Tend Skin a few years ago with no results really. I started using CeraVe Renewing SA CREAM. This is the stuff that comes in a tub instead of a pump. It's so thick and creamy. It's amazing. I've been using it daily for about a month now. The bumps completely disappeared in about a week or two. The dark spots are lightening, but not completely gone yet. Honestly wish I had taken a before picture because I'm really happy with the results so far. I can't recommend this enough.

Try adding in something with hyaluronic acid or a serum step.

I'm also prone to dry skin and I love Hada Labo Lotions. (It's not a lotion, it's a hydrating toner. It's from overseas and they call it lotion.)
The moist is the most popular. I love the premium.

You may find experimenting with an occlusive at night helps lock the moisture into your skin.

I really like using Vanicream as a moisturizer. It's heavy but sinks in. If my skin is super chapped, then I use lanolin as an occlusive at night. Some people also like using Vaseline, but lanolin sinks in better for me.

Use a derma roller. For stretch marks around the body use something at least 1 (up to 1.5) mm long. This thing is basically a bunch of needles penetrating your skin, it damages your skin to stimulate new skin growth and collagen production.

Do this daily for at least a month to see some progress. Make sure your skin is dry and clean before rolling. Roll up and down and both sides diagonally. It’s normal to see blood. After you’ve rolled the area you can apply something like bio oil to better aid in diminishing the scars. Using this oil alone may not work because the vitamin E won’t penetrate down to the dermis layer (where stretch marks appear.)

I used this approach before and it helped tremendously! Most have faded completely and other have been most diminished, you can only see them if you’re looking for it.

I found this lotion on r/skincareaddiction and it’s my holy grail product. I’ve always struggled with backne and have tried washes, changing routines, etc and this is the only thing that made any difference. Its a little expensive but it lasts a while. I just use it every morning after I shower (I don’t do anything special in the shower). It doesn’t bleach my clothes. I think it works better than special washes because it stays on your skin longer. Highly recommend!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FX1FAH8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0YLODbHJA7TRD

CeraVe Lotion is lightweight and fragrance free. It has good ingredients too. The cream version (in a tub) is heavier so be aware of that.

Gold Bond Men's Essentials is good too. It has a nice scent to it, but it's not too strong. It has a bunch of nice ingredients like urea, vitamin C, niacinamide, and peptides.

Here are some ideas, from someone whose skin is very resistant to acne treatments:

1. That face wash just gets rid of grease, but is only a start. I recommend getting 5% Benzo Peroxide or 2% Salicylic Acid washes first if your skin is oily, or something with glycolic acid if you have dry skin.
   
   
2. Moisturize your face more often. The first step is not washing with soap more than once a day. Cerave's great for not clogging your pores. You don't need the face lotions; IMHO they're over priced when the body lotions do just as good a job.
   
   
3. A light acid peel (35% lactic or 10% glycolic if you have dry skin, 20% salicylic if oily) with a fan brush can be used once a week for one minute. Increase the time as you get used to it. Don't wash your face with more than just a splash of water on these days.
   
   
4. If most of the acne is not superficial (cystic or otherwise deep) or it's persistent in spite of acid peels, go to a dermatologist for options.

Yes! I have dyshidrotic eczema that flares up on my hands, elbows, knees and feet along with eczema (not sure on the type) on my eyelid. Mine is synced to my cycle at the moment which absolutely sucks. Anyway, I use this...well the nz version of it which is for dry skin. When its really bad, I apply a thick layer on the eczema and wait for it to dry. It seems to help more when I apply the thick layer and it gets rid of the redness. I also top it with vaseline when its super bad. It heals in a week rather than ten days or more. Mine isn't chronic (as in I get flare-ups rather than having it all the time but it is chronic in the sense that I have it for the rest of my life) so maybe thats why it heals with just normal moisturiser.

I'm also looking at amlactin which has lactic acid in it. Supposedly its good for eczema. Also eucerin makes pretty good stuff for eczema. /r/eczema has more recommendations.

Honestly? My advice is to get saniderm/tatuderm/tegaderm. It's a transparent waterproof dressing. You just slap it on and let it heal. It heals much better, and you don't have to wash and goop it all the time. You can buy it for yourself. My last artist didn't use it, so I just got some myself and applied it when I got home.

Here is the one I got off amazon, but they all have it in Walgreens. It is used for non-tattoo wounds/scrapes.

If you are gonna do it though, make sure you watch some application instructions.

If you don't want to do this, instructions are:

1. Wash with gentle soap 2-3 times a day. Dr. Bronner's is great.
   
   
2. Let air dry. DO NOT DRY WITH A TOWEL. The fibers can be irritating and carry bacteria.
   
   
3. When it is COMPLETELY dry, apply a thin layer of Aquaphor. Do NOT use neosporin.
   
   
4. Do this in the morning, when you get home from school/work, and before you go to bed. Try not to rub your tattoo on anything, and let it breathe.
   
   Talk to your artist too.

it's been said to you already but a ton of people have success with CeraVe products. I was in a very similar situation as you, in terms of skin and what I wanted out of a product, and their hydrating cleanser and their moisturizing lotion have done wonders for me. 100% recommend them both.

For what its worth, I use Stridex Red exfoliating pads as well (after my shower, 20 minutes before I apply the lotion).

Thank you but I purchased this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000TTPZQ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is that good or better maybe? :)

NAD, but looks like some type of dermatitis (eczema or psoriasis?). I get something similar on my neck. Avoid wrist watches or bracelets since those can exacerbate or even cause rashes. Try to keep it clean (avoid soaps if possible) and use emollients (I use https://www.amazon.com/Aquaphor-Healing-Ointment-Moisturizing-Protectant/dp/B006IB5T4W/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=aquaphor&qid=1565935777&s=gateway&sr=8-6 ).

For the following, you should really consult a doctor first: If you don't think it's scabies or some other infection, hydrocortisone cream can reduce itching and redness. You can get these at any pharmacy over the counter.

Do you have any issues with the joints in your wrist? Swollen? Painful? Warm? Diminished range of motion? These might be important for your doctor to know.

Good luck!

I recommend using a hydrating toner. This stuff helps the moisturizer sink in better. A popular recommendation is Hada Labo gokujyun lotion. I'm on my second bottle and I will keep repurchasing it. It's also fragrance-free.

Another recommendation would be using an occlusive after moisturizer. It locks in the moisture so it doesn't evaporate from your skin. There's good ol' Vaseline, Aquaphor, and CeraVe healing ointment (which is my personal favorite). They're all fragrance-free. You only need a small amount to cover the face. I use like... a dime size amount.

Body Skin Type: Normal-to-dry, Keratosis Pilaris on arms, upper stomach, and thighs, occasional body acne

Shower Routine (every other day):

• Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar w/ Salux Exfoliating Cloth, focusing on my upper arms where my KP is the worst
  
  Post-Shower Routine:
  
  
• Alpha Skin Care 12% Glycolic Acid Renewal Body Lotion, every other day. I love this stuff. It smooths out my KP quite a bit, and leaves my whole body feeling so soft. Calloused areas become noticeably softer with continued use for me, as well. I've been using it for about 3-4 months, now, and will definitely repurchase when the I run out.
  
  
• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, every night. I wait 30 minutes on nights that I apply my AHA to apply this. My skin loves the extra moisture, but the AHA lotion is very moisturizing on its own, so this step could probably be skipped, if necessary.
  
  I'm still looking for a solution to the mild redness caused by my KP on my arms, but other than that I'm pretty content with my routine, as is. So soft!

1. Pick up a can of Climb On. SKINourishment climbOn Bar 1 oz - Original https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017TK2TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0vvvDbTD1BAXA
   After you shower or wash your hands, disinfect any hangers and apply this stuff. Also apply before bed. It helps the skin to heal.
   
   
2. Watch this video on how to tape a hanger: https://youtu.be/Bg7h_zjU6h8 typically after I tape up, I move to the vertical wall and try to climb things with good crimps instead of jugs, just to give the tear a break.
   
   
3. Blisters: disinfect a needle, disinfect the skin (I stole some alcohol pads from the first aid kit at work). Poke a hole going from the edge of the blister through to the middle of it. Drain the fluid into a tissue. Disinfect the skin again. Let that heal up.
   
   
4. Sanding down calluses to avoid hangers: I picked up a sanding block yesterday, coarse grade. I sanded a callus before it started. Eventually it tore but it wasn't a bleeding gash, I was actually able to keep climbing on it after I taped it. That's my only feedback, only tried this once.
   
   From what I read, everyone does things differently, so I'd experiment with all of these. After 3 weeks of climbing, my skin seems to have toughened up enough to where I'm not tearing/bleeding after every session. It sucks, but the best thing you can do is take 2 days off to heal if you've got a bleeder. On those days I'd work out legs or abs just to make sure I did something.
   
   Have fun! I'm learning along with you!

I've been trying to get rid of ingrown hairs myself but this is what I've read so far:

• 1- exfoliate the area with BHA. Everyone recommends Stridex (red box) for this
  
• 2- I've heard that Gold Bond Rough & Bumpy can help with ingrown hairs. It's targeted for bumpy skin and it contains salicylic acid, among some other ingredients I don't remember.
  
• 3- I haven't looked into this product, but it's supposed to be amazing for ingrown hairs. It's called Tend Skin The Skin Care Solution For Unsightly Razor Bumps. I just started using Stridex & the Gold Bond cream for my ingrown hairs (on my legs), but if they don't work out, I'll be purchasing this product.

Aww I'm sorry to hear that! I really wanted the OCM to work because it seems like everybody on /r/SkincareAddiction has had such wonderful results from it sigh. I wash my face with the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser and I gently exfoliate with a facial brush (this one is my favorite). I apply CVS Acne Treatment Gel to my larger, more recent pimples. I then apply two acne treatments prescribed by my dermatologist, Acanya and Retin-A-Micro. And finally I moisturize with either Ponds Dry Skin Cream or CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion. I've just recently been trying out the CeraVe moisturizer and it's been working out pretty well (:

I do this routine twice a day. Haha sorry that list was so extensive but it doesn't take that long actually. What's your routine like?

I want any of the lip balm making supplies on my hobbies list. I make my own lip balm because it works better and I can tailor it, but I can't justify that I "need" any of it because chapstick exists. And it's way more expensive and totally unnecessary but i'm a perfectionist.

• Lanolin because i'm low and it's heaven in oil form
  
  
• beeswax because I want less runny balms so I can take them with me
  
  
• cocoa butter because it's soft and creamy :3
  
  
• Sweet almond oil because it will smell great with the coconut oil I have
  
  Fun Fact: I wrote a series of books when I was younger. No I will not say which ones or my name.

I have very sensitive dry skin as well.

I use Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream on my face. It's non-comedogenic, fragrance free, and has colloidal oatmeal for redness/irritation and ceramides for moisture.

I got it as a dupe for the expensive First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, which has irritants like eucalyptus oil.

I highly recommend the Eucerin. It's the only heavy cream I can use that doesn't break me out and calms my tretinoin induced redness and irritation.

In terms of a facial oil: Timeless Squalane 100% Pure is a non-comedogenic, bland, non-greasy option that would be a great place to start. I use it as well and it does not break me out or cause any irritation.

Hello.

I'm trying to surprise my wife for her birthday with some AB products. My only reference point is that she has sensitive to breakout oily/combination skin and has pinned some items on Pinterest.

Here's what I have so far:

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, 12 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YMJJSK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_2OMmraOvVHpYA

belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb [Korean Import] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H4GOAZO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_E8213xrgbYSfV

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, 1 fl. oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017SWIU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_TBxTTig7H3qSs

Elizavecca 24K Gold Waterdrop 2hsam Cream Mask https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZDKOVE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.5mNzb3QFYZMG

Also some Stridex pads (she loves to use mine)

Is this enough to create a routine? If so what would the routine be? If not what am I missing?

Any and all help would be appreciated.

This is a basic routine that I think is great for anybody
Cleanser: you said you have dry skin so you need a more hydrating cleanser

Chemical exfoliant: I recommend a AHA exfoliant from Paula's choice AHA's are generally good for dry skin and not as drying as salicylic acid

Sunscreen: in the AM is a definite must for anything wrong with your skin really I recommend the cerave am moisturizer (make sure weather you pick that or not you get a sunscreen with at least spf 30)

Moisturizer: I also recommend you get the cerave moisturizing lotion
I said mainly all cerave products cause they have great ingredients and are pretty affordable for most but try them out for your self and see how u like it idk about a hydrating cleanser though

For skin irritation/burning/itching I use Aquaphor.
http://www.amazon.com/Aquaphor-Healing-Ointment-Irritated-Protectant/dp/B006IB5T4W

For sores or other issues that are a tad more severe I might just use vaseline.

If I am in real pain whilst using the toilet, instead of using toilet paper I'll use a toilet Sitz bath.
https://shop.riteaid.com/rite-aid-sitz-bath-8014670

Probably one of the best thing's I've used to help treat issues down there. Usually What I'll do is after you're done going, fill the bath with as much water as you can, preferably as hot/warm as you can take it. Then pour some epsom salt into it. Next you just have the bag filled with hot water, and it circulates the water in the tub. The water just drains out the back into the toilet. It makes wiping a lot easier and makes your bottom feel a lot better. I highly recommend trying this if nothing else.

Best of luck!

FAB ultra repair cream is the only thing that can keep my peely forehead skin in check! I absolutely love it and you can buy a big tub on Amazon for $30!

Edit: here's the link if anyone is interested. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0065I0UMO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_t8uxxbT9B5H71

I use [Eucerin 5% Urea cream] (https://www.amazon.com/Eucerin-Skin-Replenishing-Cream-Urea/dp/B000KU93FS) and it's really moisturizing, highly recommend.

I've not tried it myself, but the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is also a frequent recommendation on this sub for a rich moisturizer.

This product should fix it - https://www.amazon.com/Aquaphor-Advanced-Therapy-OintMent-Protectant/dp/B006IB5T4W

I started using Aquaphor on my daughter when she developed a very similar neck rash. It's all I use on her neck, and it's primary ingredient is Vaseline. I do not use lotions, powders, or body washes. All I do is put a fingertip full of it in her neck folds on each side twice a day (sometimes three times if it gets wiped off/she's sweaty/etc). The improvement I saw after a few days was DRASTIC. I swear by this stuff now. Best of luck and I hope your LO feels better!