My Bumpy Skincare Journey

I had never considered myself to be ugly until my acne was pointed out. Not only pointed out, but in need of professional assistance. The first time I made a dermatologist appointment I was 14 years old, and a freshman in high school. 

My pediatrician was actually the first person to say anything about my acne. I of course knew it was there, and that it was all over my face, but I had never been aware of how bad my skin was until my doctor’s eyes couldn’t reach my own. They were scanning the surface of my face, taking in all the acne I thought I didn’t care about. After I left her office, I had a hard time looking in the mirror for over a week.

It was a weird feeling, this sense that I was a different person than I thought I was. Now no matter what I did when I saw my reflection, or a picture of myself, all I saw was what I thought was wrong with me. 

Interestingly, however, I never noticed it on anyone else. If they did or did not have acne, or if they’re skin wasn’t flawless, I couldn’t tell the difference. I think this is notable, because it pinpoints where my self-confidence started to lack. In the following couple of weeks, I saw a dermatologist for the first time. 

Shortly after my appointment, I was put on Accutane. If you don’t know what Accutane is, first of all, lucky you. Second, it’s a pill that you take to clear up acne, sometimes permanently. It has to be prescribed with regular visits to your dermatologist. Another “fun” part about this was having to get blood work done to monitor my liver and cholesterol levels. I had to do this about once a month. 

Even though Accutane was probably the best thing to ever happen to my skin, the medication was a rough experience. I think I got every side effect there was to offer. These included, but were not limited to, headaches, muscle/joint pain, dry/cracked lips, nosebleeds, easy bruising, and a higher sensitivity to sunlight. 

After I was done with Accutane, which I dealt with for seven months, I didn’t really know what to do. When I saw pictures of myself before the treatment I couldn’t believe I didn’t realise how bad I looked. I saw a young teenager, oblivious to how much of a problem my skin had been. Honestly, I felt bad for her and was a little mortified. 

To my knowledge, my acne was gone and I had no clue how to take care of my new skin. What was I supposed to use? How many products was I supposed to invest in? Did I have to do everything in the skincare process (like do spot treatment and use antioxidant serum)? Well, the simple answer is: I still don’t know. 

I could definitely go back to my dermatologist and get these questions answered for me, but I felt like this should be something I should figure out on my own. So, that’s exactly what I did. 

During my junior and senior years of highschool, I experimented with anything and everything I saw online. These things ranged from oil or water based cleansers, different moisturizers, trying different brands of pimple patches (because no matter how intense your acne treatment may be, you’ll always get the occasional breakout), and testing which sunscreen I liked the best.

If I learned anything from my dermatologist, it’s that sunscreen is a must have in anyone’s skincare routine. This is as non-negotiable as saying the ocean is filled with water. It’s simply a fact. 

It’s safe to say there was a lot of failure before I found any success with products, and I think that it’s key to remember that you’ll never know the effect of something until you use it. 

I fell into the social media skincare trap. What I mean, is that I started trying products because of an aesthetic video or because someone I knew was promoting them. This is not a good thing to do for a multitude of reasons. The biggest, and more important, is that I didn’t know what type of skin these products were made for. 

The best advice I can give someone about their skincare routine, coming from someone who built it on their own, is that you should start reading more about what ingredients are best for your skin type. This will serve you well when shopping for products because you can easily spot what you should stay away from and what you should gravitate toward. 

I am no professional, so if you’re interested in some more in depth reading about your skin type and what could work best for you, click here for an article from Learn Canyon that I have found helpful. There is also a lot of great information on the Bubble Skincare website, including some fun skincare quizzes and activities. 

I started from ground zero. Everything I knew about my skin had been erased, and for a while I had some imposter syndrome because of what the Accutane had done to me. After trying (and mostly failing) many different types of skincare, I finally came up with a routine that works for me. 

I got my everyday routine down to four easy steps. These steps are cleanse, tone, moisturize, and sunscreen. I tried other things like eye cream and spot treatments, but I couldn’t justify those with the amount of money I needed to spend for the little results I yielded. 

If you were wondering what products work for me, I won’t gatekeep. In order, I use the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, BYOMA Brightening Toner, Bubble Skincare Slam Dunk Moisturizer, and Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen. For the occasional breakout, I like to use the Hero Mighty Patch. 

My face wash was where I found the most struggle choosing. I didn’t know whether to buy a more abrasive or gentle cleanser. When I did some research, I found that According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “using a face wash that is too harsh can irritate your skin and trigger increased oil production. Instead, look for a mild, gentle face wash.” This led me to choose my foaming cleanser, because it would be gentle enough for my skin.

I would definitely recommend these products, especially if you’re trying to find/start a new routine. They won’t break the bank and they may even become your new favorite items. 

Everyone’s skin is different, so most everyone’s routine will look different as well. For me, it was hard because I felt completely alone in my process. None of my friends or family had been on Accutane, so they couldn’t guide me to what was right/wrong for my new skin. 

I can say what I wish someone told me: you’re not alone when you feel lost in your process. If you feel lost or stuck on where to go with your skin, turn to the beloved internet to learn more about your skin type and ingredients that would work best for you. Trust me when I say it is not time wasted. 

I can tell that these products (and this revamped routine) have worked well for me because I finally feel like I don’t have to hide who I am. I am confident and proud of my skin, and it is the best feeling in the world. Of course, there are still some other products I want to try, but knowing the ingredients that are best for my skin now gives me the best shot at success. 

• #beauty
• #skincare
• health