Over the past year, I’ve had a lot more time to practice self-care. There are a bunch of different ways that one can practice self-care. Something that I had struggled with in the past is acne. To be fair, I had switched birth controls at least twice, so that alone was enough for my skin to really act up. On top of that, I didn’t have a solid skincare routine. To be honest, I didn’t have one at all. I got fed up with the mountains on my face and started doing research on how to take care of my skin. This is just based on the research I have done on my skin type. I am not a professional and it might not work for all skin types.
The first thing that I did when I started to research how to take care of my skin was to figure out what I wanted the routine to do. Personally, as I said before, I was looking to clear up my acne and stop it from starting. Next, I had to figure out what type of skin I had. This was a little bit difficult. Since I had changed some things that affect my body, my skin type changed too. I used to have very sensitive skin that was super dry. Now, I have combination skin with an oily forehead. So, I really had no idea where to begin.
I started searching for a face wash that would help combat the oil. A face wash with oil in the ingredients, from what I understand is great for dry skin, but not oily or combination skin types. On top of finding an oil-free face wash, I wanted the same face wash to have something to fight acne from starting. I found that salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are great ingredients for fighting acne. Because of this, I found a face wash that is both oil-free and has salicylic acid as an active ingredient. I also had to keep it within a certain budget because realistically I am a college student with very little extra spending money. I did some searching on amazon and after looking at hundreds of reviews both from Amazon and all over the internet I chose these two face washes. The first one is the Vichy Normaderm Acne Treatment Face Wash. It is recommended for twice-daily use for best results. I use it almost every day, but I am still working on the twice-a-day aspect. The only issue that I have had with this face wash was that it sometimes feels like it dries out my face a little too much. If that happens, I switch to the Pacifica Cosmic Hemp Balancing Face Wash. This is a much lighter face wash that still gets rid of the excess oil without drying my skin out.
After washing your face, toner should be the next step. A toner is going to help remove any last bits of dirt or residue from your day and also balance your skin out to a more natural state. Personally, I use an all-organic witch-hazel toner that I found at my local superstore. Witch-hazel isn’t for everyone and it definitely has an interesting smell, but it really helped keep my skin from producing excess oil throughout the day. It also makes my skin feel nice and firm. I have found that if I use it after every face wash, that it dries out my skin a little too much. Next, I apply a serum. I bet you can guess what I was looking for in a serum. I was in an Ulta when I stumbled upon an item called Juicy Kitten by I Dew Care. There’s a whole list of vegan ingredients in the serum that seem to all help fight acne in one form or another. What I really like about this serum is the fact that it adds healthy moisture and glow to my face. I rub it in until it’s dry so I never feel like it leaves a tacky, sticky feeling on my face. The last step of my routine is to add a moisturizer. I use a moisturizer that is combined with an SPF. I use the Neutrogena Oil-Free Daily Moisturizer. What I like about this product is most important, the SPF. Since I’m not leaving the house as much, I didn’t think sunscreen would be important to include every day. Sun rays still affect you when you’re inside. That’s why truckers will get tans on just one of their arms. It is important to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays no matter what the circumstance. On top of the moisturizer having an SPF, it really does leave me with all-day silky skin that doesn’t look oily in person or in photos.
I’ve been doing this routine since the middle of January and my skin has improved so much. I don’t feel embarrassed for not wearing makeup anymore. My skin has cleared up immensely. That’s not to say that it is perfect by any sort of means, but I feel comfortable and finally in control of skin and acne. I’m not perfect and I don’t do this routine twice a day every day. Sometimes I do bits and pieces of it. Other days I don’t touch my skin at all. But I think all the products that I have found work really well for me and they make me feel my best. Anyone can take control of their skin and create a routine that works for them. The most important part is finding what makes you feel comfortable, confident, and what works best for you.