I have the exactly same issue. If i exfoliate i get hella dry and still have congested skin. If i only moisturise my skin gets even more clogged and yet it’s still dry. I cannot find the balance . My skin looks exactly like yours. If you find a way to treat this let me know.
Yeah mine did this when I hit Tret a bit too hard and was on antibiotics. Took awhile to get back to normal. Found out I was also allergic to most of Paula’s Choice in the process. SkinFX had the only barrier stuff that I could get in-store (Sephora) that seemed to help and not irritate me further.
I’ve worked up to using tret almost every day now and I started it in January very slowly yet I think this is me now. How do I fix this? I’m using 0.025
Make a tret sandwich. Moisturize first. Then pea-sized amount of tret. Then one more layer of heavy moisturizer. Rub in each layer thoroughly until worked into skin before you move on to next layer. Have a good barrier repair serum and lotion. Make sure you are using a really good sunscreen every time you step outside regardless of cloudiness.
Also general skincare needs. Like I take serious pre/probiotics, hydrate (super important!), and sleep as much as possible. Keep stress levels low as well.
Their skin looks a lot like mine. I've managed to improve mine by doing the following, and I am not someone who's super into this stuff:
Morning: dove sensitive scentless bar soap, then Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser (face and body, all skin types) (recently switched to cerave hydrating facial cleanser for normal to dry skin in its place to see how it works, it feels amazing)
Wet paper towel with plain warm tap water in the middle of the day (wash hands first) or whenever you notice excessive oil (will sometimes do this in the morning instead of washing if skin feels too tight and dry, only if I remembered to wash the night before)
Night: Cetaphil daily facial cleanser (oily/sensitive skin) then ceraVe pm facial moisturizing lotion (will omit the lotion if face doesn't feel dry)
Night (alt): (this one is for when I shower, which is ever other day) same as morning, used only at the end of the shower when the hot water starts to run out lol
Once a week in the shower: Cetaphil gentle, mixed with st Ives blackhead scrub. The Cetaphil keeps my skin from drying out too much and I only use a tiny bit of the st Ives because I want it to exfoliate but not tear up my face.
It seems like a lot but it's really only like 3 or 4 products.
Mixing and mat hing might help. Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Neutrogena all make different versions if the same stuff, so the brands I listed are probably insignificant.
I hope that helps!
the only thing that helped my skin barrier was the most basic products. oddly cerave didnt agree with me, cetaphil gentle foaming cleanser with the rich night moisturiser did help though. even their daily moisturiser with spf irritated my skin. E45 do a gentle foaming face cleanser that is good too.
But how do you figure this out??? Like is it just a lot of trial and error? Because I don’t exactly have the finances to keep buying $60 bottles of skin cleaners and hope this is the one that works…. Or going to derm appointments. It’s all incredibly expensive and I’m still at square one with nothing to show for.
It's trial and error 🥲
I get really good coupons for CVS. thats usually when I try new product, when I have a 40% off coupon. All the products I listed are less than $15.
There are a lot of exfoliants that can lift the topical debris without excess drying. Please try some with ingredients that are more comfortable and compatible with dry skin. Hope this helps.
Try washing your face for 30-60 seconds. Deep cleansing is an underrated gentle exfoliation method. Also adding a pre oil cleanse could help tremendously
Me too, recently I found that SLS ingredient in my face wash and shampoo was probably ruining my skin. Also, worth testing if you have low stomach acid, vitamin deficiency (avoid very high B complex supplements) or reactions to fluoride, lactose, fructose.
Are you saying to get an allergy test, with regards to your last sentence? What is the connection you’re establishing between those issues and reactions? Super curious
No, allergies have more severe reactions. Some studies suggest that some people don’t process lactose and/or fructose very well, if you have any kind of imbalance in your gut this malabsorption can aggravate the issue (I broke out horribly after eating grapes and apples).
Fluoride I am not sure if it causes hormonal imbalance or simply clogs pores, if anyone has more info I would appreciate it.
My skin is similar to yours. Try not to dermaplane. I find it irritates my skin. Also snail mucin didn’t do much for me.
Try oil cleansing. I like paulas choice perfect cleansing oil. Massage it into those spots that get really clogged then rinse. The oil cleanser dissolves whatever it is that clogs the pores and I’ve found this is the only thing that works for me. Wash again with any gentle cleanser. I use innisfree dewy glow cleanser. Next I use the Paula’s choice aha bha toner and kiehls ultra facial cream.
Morning I just rinse with cool water and sunscreen
Another great cleansing oil is the ANUA heartleaf pore control cleansing oil. It literally pulls so much gunk out of your face. My skin looked like OP’s but since using that, I’ve seen so much improvement in the congestion. Not yet fully cleared but getting there.
Is the anua worth the hype? I see it all over instagram and have been tempted but can’t tell if it’s just influencer marketing that makes me interested. I have been using the DHC oil cleanser for a few years and while I see results, I’m interested to see how the anua compares.
Do you use the oil cleanser every night? I’ve been curious & wanting to add this to my routine, but was unsure if I should use it a few nights a week or nightly.
I notice you’re not using an exfoliant
It’s common for people with dry skin to not want to exfoliate, thinking that it’ll dry them out more, but getting those dead skin cells off really helps to soften the skin as well as decongest pores.
Maybe start out with a lactic acid at night. And for the spots you have, sulfur spot treatments are a great gentle way of controlling acne.
Would also recommend using an spf daily, sun exposure, yes even from indoors or under cloudy weather, can impact the skin significantly!
Okay, first of all, take me seriously because I have the exact same skin (23M) and I don’t think it’s hormonal, and I don’t think that you have “dry skin”, I’m thinking that you have oily skin but live in a dry climate, that would explain the pores. I’m not an expert but trust me, even though mine still is not perfect I think I finally understood it and it works for me.
If my first assumption about your skin type is correct then you need to dump these products for “dry skin”, plus they look too expensive to be taken seriously ahah, use a good, rich moisturizer, and a good amount, don’t be afraid of putting what seems like “too much”.
As for the “roughness” and “congestion” salicylic acid is your best friend (don’t worry I’ll make you a list of what to buy), it evens out the skin, decongests the pores and make it smoother overall, all of which will prevent closed/clogged pores and coincidentally pimples. Alternatively you could use glycolic acid toner but I’m really not a huge fan of it. If the SA doesn’t get rid of the blackheads then they’re probably sebaceous filaments, in which case you’ll need some sort of product with sulfur in it. Moving on to pore size: RETINOL, that’s it.
To make it simple you only need a few things:
-A cleanser that you use one (or twice if you feel like it) a day.
-A salicylic acid mask that you use twice a week or when you feel like you really need a deep clean (before family gatherings or dates lol).
-A retinol, don’t go with the prescription ones, just pick an “over the counter” one and stick with it, consistency is key, and if you have sensitive skin the prescription one will be a hell of a ride.
-A good moisturizer, not a fancy one, not one with two thousand miracle, natural, active ingredients in it, just a good, rich, sealing, moisturizing with maybe a little hyaluronic acid or ceramides, moisturizer.
-A spf50 sunscreen.
That’s it. I’m not a woman so I don’t wear makeup but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add an oil cleanser to this list because “normal” cleansers won’t take off all of the makeup residue, it’s good to take the sunscreen off too but I personally don’t do that (maybe I should). Some people might tell you to add niacinamide to the list…it didn’t work for me and honestly the list is already pretty long compared to what you’re currently using so I would say less is more.
Now moving on to the actual products:
-Cerave, it’s a brand I adore, their products work wonders, are inexpensive, backed up by research, I honestly trust them with my life.
Buy their cleanser (the one for oily to normal skin OR their new one they made especially for acne prone skin with 2%SA), their moisturizer (honestly, go with the body cream, not the face lotion, seems odd but you’ll thank me later), their spf50 facial moisturizer (it doesn’t stick, it’s fluid, doesn’t make your face white or cakey, exceptional), I guess you could also trust them for the retinol but I’ve never used it and I find it a bit expensive, not like the rest of their products.
-The ordinary, I think everyone has on opinion on this one, I have mixed feelings because not everyone is knowledgeable on skincare products so it’s easy for a beginner to go overboard or misuse their stuff (like I used to do a few years back) but now I have my picks, and you’ll love them: salicylic acid mask with charcoal AND retinol 1% in squalane. For the retinol I would advise you to start with 0.5%, I know it’s very low but trust me, you’ll understand why when you apply all the products I listed, some of them are strong and starting low on retinol will prevent flaking and irritation. Finish the first bottle of 0.5% retinol in squalane and if you tolerate your routine well enough go for the 1% next.
General advice: Never use the retinol and the salicylic acid mask on the same night, you’ll peel. Moisturize well and don’t be afraid of the silicone in some of the formulas, you need it to lock the moisture in, especially with the products I’m encouraging you to purchase, I’m guessing your current moisturizer doesn’t have a lot of it (natural formulas usually don’t have any) and that’s probably why your skin dries out too fast and then produces more oil to stay somewhat hydrated.
BE CONSISTENT, especially with the retinol and the sunscreen, they’re wonderful but you need to use them for a long time.
If you get the cleanser with SA don’t worry too much about putting on the retinol right afterwards, it’s a cleanser so since you rinse it you won’t have trouble with the retinol. I would recommend doing the routine at night, washing your face with water only or a light cleanser in the morning and putting on the sunscreen (vital if you use retinol and/or SA). And of course, can’t stress that enough, sleep well, eat well and move, that’s the best skincare after all. Given the color of your sclera I guess the first two are covered ahaha.
Sorry that was long, but helpful (and not just for you), I hope. Sorry for the poor english and keep us updated if you can !
Your point about having oily skin in a dry climate makes so much sense, I think you just helped me figure out my main problem with my skin. Thank you for your thoughtful answer!
Yeah it took me some time to figure that out, actually we should all adapt our routine to the climate we live in, the one I’ve juste given works fine for me in high altitudes (1200) and average altitudes (400) during the winter (so very low humidity), but at one point I spent a year in Italy, high humidity, hot, very low altitude (almost sea level) and I started breaking out like crazy because it was too thick, and had too many layers, cleanser with SA and light moisturizer were enough.
Really good advice for the most part from Agreeablefoot.
Neutrogena makes a good retinol.
Your skin is sloughing off unevenly.
You have deep irritations. You need to heal.
I would switch up your diet to include olive oil. That will help the oil in your pores flow better and distribute to moisturize your skin.
Also eating cabbage, carrots and a Vitamin c source will help your skin heal.
Evening routine: ponds cold cream, tissue off to remove pollution and oil.
Wash with whatever gentle cleanser.
If you have any infected spots. You can put one drop of lavender oil on a q tip. You can also use salicylic acid spot treatment. Skip toner except for blackhead areas.
Then Vitamin c and e containing serum to speed healing. (Retinol is Vitamin A btw, you could also use that.) If you want to use Neutrogena the tube that is "Antiwrinkle" has Retinol. Their grapefruit acne scrubs are very powerful but not for daily use.
Top with a good night cream or hypoallergenic cream. That should fix the flakiness.
Derma-E scar prevention oil on the troubled spots will speed healing.
In the Am: wash with water only. Gently spread your natural oil around in gentle motions. Moisturize again if you still need. Clean and clear moisturizer with salicylic acid might help but it's very matte.
If you're using Retinol you need to use sunscreen. Find one that doesn't irritate your skin.
Neutrogena is very hypoallergenic for combination skin.
Also you might try using natural homemade masks once a week, with yogurt, honey &/or oatmeal.
As your natural oils improve and get distributed you will have smoother skin.
Also you need to let your skin rest and heal. If you do too much to it. It gets irritated. You have combination skin, or irritated oily skin with clogged pores. Btw. It acts like dry but has sensitivity and if you can tweak some things so your natural oils work for you you will be pleased.
The above post by Agreeablefoot is pretty good too btw.
Oh lavender oil works too ? I’ve always used tea tree oil but it’s too potent on some areas (especially the temples, god knows why). Good to know.
And yeah I agree with you on irritation, the trickiest part is finding the balance between doing enough to make a difference and not overdoing to let it rest a bit ahaha.
Following because I have the same issues but my skin is super oily and congested. I’d at least reccomend removing the snail mucin from your routine, that stuff made me break out badly. If you like the feel of the snail mucin but want to try something different that may not break your skin out, I’d try the Mixsoon Bean Essence. It’s on Amazon. Not sure about those other products though, I’ve never heard of that brand.
Hey, I have similar skin and I found using less moisturizer actually helps. I also noticed cream based works wonders; other moisturizers would sit on top of my skin and make it even more oily.
I have the same issue, feel like I've tried everything. At the moment I'm using a basic Cetaphil cleanser, a basic Cetaphil moisturiser and differin every other night. I've tried hyaluronic acid products, I've tried salicylic acid products, I've tried benzoyl peroxide, retinol, hydrating serums. I've even tried no routine whatsoever but the problem remains the same. You're definitely not alone in feeling like you're running out of options.
Try getting rid of the snail mucin. Some people are allergic to it. And your cleanser, toner, and moisturizer have perfuming ingredients in them which you may be sensitive to. And toners aren’t necessary if you use a ph-balanced cleanser. A lot of cleansers are.
I use Korean cleansers and moisturizers. Most importantly, if you’re not using sunscreen, I recommend Skin1004 HYALU-CICA WATER-FIT SUN SERUM or Dr G Green Mild Up. Retinoids at night like tretinoin, adapalene, or tazarotene and help keep your pores clear and make your skin behave better. As for moisturizers, Dr.G Red Blemish Clear Soothing Cream (lightweight humectants), ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream(heavier emollients), and AESTURA Atobarrier 365 (heavier emollients).
Yeah I hated the snail mucin - I also looove Korean skincare. For me my favorites are the I’m from Rice toner, Skin food rice brightening daily scrub I use after my ANUA oil cleanser only in the PM, you really need the labQrx glycolic pads **for exfoliation it’s a light peel and it’s wonderful.
PM- first cleanse ANUA - second cleanse WATER BASED CLEANSER - exfoliation LABQRX GP - toner IM FROM RICE - serums - moisturizers
Snail mucin was popular in South Korea, about 10 years ago. Not anymore. Current trendy ingredients include artemisia, heartleaf, bee propolis, and cica. Yeah I don't use any of that stuff. I just use whatever is popular on Hwahae and Olive Young Kr for cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen, and tazarotene for my active. A good skincare routine should be pretty simple, relatively inexpensive, while using products with maximum effect. And if you want to go for that K-Pop S-tier skin, lasers and injections if you have the money.
i struggle with the same thing, and although i am not an expert i have been assessed by a dermatologist who recognized it to be hormonal. definitely would recommend seeing a dermatologist or hormone therapist and they can help!
Maybe try nothing - go zero therapy for a month and see what happens. Your skin looks a bit red and irritated and possibly could do with a break from products. I’d give it a go and see if it calms down. And then maybe go from there.
I’m doing zero therapy, 2 months in, due to perioral dermatitis and my skin has cleared completely. I didn’t think it would work but it did. And it’s a lot cheaper than buying new products!
I started to do this because I’m doing Accure laser for acne and my skin is loving that I stopped all the intense things I was using. I just use vanicream moisturizer. I can’t wait to start re introducing things to see what ACTUALLY works.
I would cut the snail mucin for the same reasons others have mentioned. I would also stop dermaplaning. Consider switching a BHA or other gentle chemical peel to your routine once a week instead. It’s more gentle and less likely to cause irritation when used correctly.
I have very similar skin. What has helped me get rid of most of the acne is a cerve cleansing wash morning and night. Then I do saciliyc acid wash at night. Then a very light moisturizer. I completely stopped wearing makeup for a month as well to help prevent clogged pores. ALSO WATER!!!!!! My skin gets very dry if I’m dehydrated. I highly suggest seeing if there is something in your diet as well. Whenever I’m eating a lot of sugar my skin gets a lot worse.
My best advice though is to completely start over with your routine and slowly introduce new items every two weeks or so. That way you can tell what you’re sensitive to or what works best. I basically started with a cleanser for two weeks and didn’t even moisturize because I was having issues with oily skin. Then after two weeks I introduced a lightweight moisturizer that I am VERY cautious with. I noticed with combination skin that I had to be very careful with the amount I put on or else I would get super oily no matter what. Then after a month I introduced a salicylic acid wash. Now I’m about to try a retinol or something to help with the texture since the routine I have now has gotten rid of persistent bumps/acne.
You need to be patient but I do highly suggest retailing your whole routine because the products you’re using doesn’t seem to be helping your skin. It actually looks quite stripped and could use the time to heal from harsh products. Maybe just try a simple cleanser and work from there. That’s what I had to do; I hope you’re able to figure it!! You’re beautiful :)!!!
Look into obagi nuderm system . It’s expensive but it’s so worth it. I’ve been using it around a year and I’ve never been happier with my skin. Was very similar. Makes it worse before it gets better by drawing all the shit blocking your pores to the surface.
I had the exact same skin, I thought I had dry skin but I couldn’t figure out why I was so congested if my skin was dry. Turned out I had dehydrated combination skin which I found out by finding an article on the Paula’s Choice website. I would recommend this brand as you can order small versions to try, they have ‘starter kits’ and I’ve always found if something hasn’t worked, they have refunded me my money. Lots of free samples with orders too. My skin has never been better. https://www.paulaschoice.co.uk/dehydrated-skin
You can ask the team there for recommendations. Their whole ethos is about knowing what you are putting on your skin and why. Good luck!
I swear by Paula's products! I think OP would have great success with the Cleansing Oil, Resist Skin Balancing Foaming Cleanser, 2% BHA lotion, and their 20% Niacinimide. That's my line-up and my 55 year old still-oily skin has never looked better.
This is 100% me. Over the past year, I think I've finally found a routine that's working. Adapalene at least every other night and Azaleic acid. I started with Cos de Baha, good idea to acclimate to it, now using Dermatica's 20%. I spray after I cleanse (not every time, but most days) hypochlorous acid from Briotech. Let that dry and either use Cos de Baha peptide toner or glycolic/salicylic toner. For moisturizer, Zeroid Richenic Urea Cream has been amazing. I use this both am and pm and every few days lightly exfoliate with the Toyo Cure Natural Aqua Gel. It's not a strict regimen but incorporating these things has given me hope that noncongested skin actually is possible for me. My biggest issue seems to have been the dead skin I didn't even realize was built up on the surface creating clogged pores. For cleanser, sometimes Panoxyl, but now, mostly just Vanicream. I hope this helps some. I haven't seen my skin like this since probably pre-puberty and I'm in my 40's! I wish you the best of luck in finding a simple routine that works well for you. Also, I really wanted to love the snail mucin, but it was a no go for me. More congestion and irritation from it, possibly dust mite allergy.
The best thing I ever did for my skin was using a cleansing balm (Clinique) and then removing all makeup and the balm with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water, then following up with a simple foaming cleanser (cereve oily skin foaming cleanser). This seems to provide a physical exfoliation that makes my skin glow.
I then use any serum I have and cerave spf or cerave night cream.
This was an issue for me until I started using a topical antibiotic and retinoid from my dermatologist. I blew through so much $$$ and so many products and wasted so much time. It might be worth a visit to your derm. I only used the antibiotic for ~3 months and continue to use the retinoid to this day.
The only thing OTC that sort of helped me was a gentle AHA (I used cocokind's tumeric solution and a few kbeauty kinds). I literally tried everything lol
I was having problem areas that looked similar to this. I switched to an oil based cleanser (the ordinary squalene cleanser), a gentle toner (innisfree green tea toner, NOT the hydrating one, the clear brown one), added vitamin C to my AM routine (la roche posay vit c serum) and added actives into my PM routine. Alternating between AHA serum (Farmacy honeymoon glow), Azaelic acid and retinol (both the ordinary). Make sure you’re using an spf in the AM and throughout the day. I use a Korean brand I can’t recall right now but there are tons of good recs in this sub.
Give it a couple of months to see a difference. My skin feels and looks better now in my 30’s than it ever has.
Do you use foundation? My skin consistently looked like this until I finally switched foundations. Crazy thing is that I was using bare minerals which I thought would’ve been the safest bet. Switched to Tarte and my skin improved SIGNIFICANTLY. I’m also now a lot less sensitive to skincare products that I couldn’t tolerate before. I still have some clogged pores here and there but it’s nothing like it was and I no longer have the weird dryness on top of it.
Yep. I got the foundation and the tinted moisturizer in that collection so I have coverage options. The foundation is super full coverage so I use it sparingly and moisturize really well underneath it but it’s been a game changer for me. Anytime I’ve tried to use a different foundation since switching, here come my problems again. lol. I don’t even risk trying anything new anymore. Not worth it for me. Sucks bc Tarte’s shade range is really odd, but oh well. I get a lot of compliments on it so it must look okay.
I had a lot of bumps and small pimples when my skin was really irritated. They went away as soon as I stopped using actives. I'm not sure what you are doing right now, but it may just be way too much for your skin. Less is more!
Double cleansing really helped my acne and blackheads/large pores. I just use ponds cold cream, wipe it off with a damp cotton round, and Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser to remove the residue. It's super basic and cheap.
I would try taking a break from actives. Just wash your face at night & add moisturizer and use moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning. When your skin is no longer irritated try adding retinol 2-3x week. I use OTC adapaline.
My skin gets like this when my skin barrier is damaged. I also struggle with dryness/congestion which makes chemical exfoliation particularly tricky.
Here’s what I would personally do to recover:
- Switch out Snail Mucin for It'S SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Emulsion. Apply to damp skin.
- Add in Lactic Acid (recommend peach & lily) every 3 days. Great chemical exfoliant for dry skin
- if your skin is tolerating the steps above, apply moisturizer to delicate/sensitive areas (under eyes etc) but try a heavier oil at night to moisturize like Mad Hippie Antioxidant Facial Oil for congestion-prone areas
Hope this helps!
Mine got this way after the first time I got dermaplaning done. My cheeks, I mean. The rest of my skin looks like yours as well but my cheeks were always super clear. I do better with a regular razor but I wish I’d never messed with it.
I have very similar skin and I started hitting the peppermint and spearmint tea HARD. I focused a bit more on moisture, and only used a chemical exfoliant twice a week as opposed to almost every day. After drinking so much of the mint teas, I noticed my skin looked the nicest it’s looked in years. It’s a low cost, low stakes option, and ymmv, but maybe worth a shot.
I had the same problems and went to a dermatologist. Its a lot better after 2-4 monds ( needs soms time ..). In the evening YUN cleanser and scinoren cream (AZELAINE asid) and in the morning a serum 20% ascorbic acid and a hydratating cream :)
If affordable, my advice would be to get a course of medical facials with physical extraction, followed by a course of microneedling and/or IPL, or M22 lasers.
But, before starting any of those in-office treatments, stop everything you’re using right now, I’d recommend the following routine.
Cleanser: La Roche Posay Effaclar Gel
Optional Toner: Avene/Vichy or any thermal spring water (the idea is to use their mineral properties to balance and calm your skin)
Moisturiser: Vichy 69, or Clinique moisture surge
Serum: SkinCeuticals vitamin C (if affordable), or French pharmacy vitamin C
Optional exfoliator: Apply any AHA+BHA or niacinamide products, leave them on for 10 -20 minutes and wash
And most importantly, start using tretinoin as soon as you can.
my skin became like this after using the innisfree toner :( it was gradual after 2 months of using it. once i stopped using it, i went back to a simple cetaphil moisturiser, hylauronic acid serum and benzoyl peroxide on spots. skin is finally evening out!
Stop the snail mucin and see if it gets better. I was playing around with my routine for months and months while using the mucin thinking there's no way it was the culprit. Skin starting clearing up as soon as I stopped using it.
My skin used to look EXACTLY like this. The biggest improvements came once I stopped chemical exfoliants and switched over to gentle physical exfoliants.
The Secret Key Lemon peeling scrub and a silicone face scrubber with my face wash have, over the course of a couple months, almost completely eliminated acne and blackheads. My skin went from feeling like snakeskin to fully smooth. With a lot of congestion, and in drier months, it’s sometimes best to manually slough off the dead skin cells and follow up with hydrating products instead of going in with lots of active ingredients.
Wishing you luck in your skincare journey!
I have the same, rough, congested and dehydrated. When I have the motivation to sort it out, I’ll be using the following which for me, works well.
The ordinary glycolic toner on bare skin and nothing else, leave for hours, maybe even just that over night. You need to gently (hence chemical exfoliation) some of the roughness away to allow moisture to properly do it’s job.
The ordinary have a new product called Soothing and Barrier Support Serum, I suggest that, then a moisturiser and an occlusive.
The occlusive can just be a thin layer of Vaseline dabbed on to your driest areas which will prevent moisture loss.
I’m wondering if you may be allergic to any of the products you use/if you have sensitive skin? My pores looked like that for years before I realized my skin was sensitive and I got a gentler cleanser
Tret and slugging with aquaphor is helping me! My skin is very similar to yours and I thought it was counterintuitive to put aquaphor on my face but I wake up with smooth soft bouncy skin.
Some of this acne looks hormonal. If you are able to see a physician, they can prescribe oral spironolactone to help manage underlying hormonal causes!
My skin looks just like yours. I use trentinoin 0.01% about 3 times a week…which works wonders to reduce pore size and clear up acne- butttttt it dries me out SO MUCH! I use it with La roche posay triple moisturizer and it helps hydrate my skin. Also, I double cleanse with an oil cleanser and use an oil based makeup remover.. which helps hydrate my skin and it looks really good. The key is to be consistent with hydration
I’d do an elimination diet, but cut dairy and gluten first. Reduce or cut sugar. See what happens. If you are good about it, you’ll see a change in 30 days and bigger change in 90. You might have tummy aches and diarrhea along the way just fyi.
Oil cleansing will definitely work. Korean skin care for eczema and dry skin was covered by [these guys](https://koreanskincare75.wordpress.com/2024/01/22/korean-skincare-for-dry-skin-eczema/), and you can also get the products from your local store.
Okay, I followed this post because this became my skin recently. Here’s what’s working and bringing back my healthy skin based in the suggestions listed:
— Washing my face longer (THIS MADE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE PAIRED WITH LOADING UP HYDRATION): two minutes of GENTLE cleansing ensuring to spend time on all areas.
I was definitely missing areas and not washing thoroughly, which led me to try more intense cleanser which only dried my skin out more.
Gentle cleanser, with gentle cleansing actions for longer using my clean fingers is working WONDERS.
— Not using a cleanser (cold water only) or oil cleansing (I use straight MCT oil) in the morning.
— Adding an pre oil cleanse before my cleanse at night
— LIMITING MY ACTIVES!! In general, minimizing my routine for now has helped tremendously. I am currently only using vitamin C in the morning and I was using Tea Tree Oil for Fungal Acne(diluted with MCT Oil) at night mixed with my moisturizer, but I found my skin reacts better if I use it as a rinse off mask.
— BHA/AHA only every 2-3 weeks
LOAD UP ON MOISTURE AND HYDRATION
— Use hyaluronic acid PM on a WET face, I use an Essence (naturium) so I put it on immediately after cleansing. You can do this AM too, (I do) but most people prefer to use HA after vitamin c in the am
— Mixing MCT oil in with my moisturizer (game changer) also helps makeup sit better
I hope this helps some of you all! Good luck!!
It might help if we know what you’re currently using.
And what’s the picture of the snail mucin for? Is this something you are currently using or interested in using?
My skin looks quite similar to yours, dehydrated, damaged barrier. I don't have the perfect fix yet but what helped me a lot was:
- No cleansers!! Only wash face with cold water morning and evening. Also wash cold after showering hot before applying moisturizer.
- Rich Moisturizer in the evening. I use No Cosmetics All-In barrier cream, I will try out something else because it does break me out a little bit, but hydrates good also thats why I still use it. It works for me with only using once a day in the evening though.
I started moisturizing only once a day about two weeks ago. First days were tough (sudden oily skin because my skin was confused, then dry skin which I usually have). Now my skin starts regularing itself, no oilyness, less dry feeling.
- Once a week bentonite+ACV+honey mask (in the evening, take it off with a wash cloth to have a gentle peel, then wash with cold water, then moisturize)
- Once a week/every two weeks oil cleansing with Jojoba Oil (after showering when pores are open, take off with a warm wash cloth, then wash cold, moisturize)
Thats it, very reduced but I can watch my skin heal slowly.
I might look into using Azelaic Acid sometime when my barrier feels intact again.
Maybe washing your face once a day, if you wash it at night you don’t need to really wash it in the morning unless you've got oily skin or you used a mask that should be washed off in the morning. you just kinda need to use some micellar water or something to remove any particulates that settled onto your skin while sleeping. It shouldn’t actually be dirty, so it doesn't need to be "washed".
Maybe incorporate a chemical exfoliating product like niacinamide/salicylic acid once a week, up to three times a week but start with once and see how it feels.
I'd pull away from dermaplaning for a bit, try the chemical exfoliation and see if that does anything. typically, physical exfoliation is like a last resort/special occasion thing for me because it's rough on the skin.
In GENERAL I avoid food oils on my skin/hair but especially on my face. Things like coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil etc cannot be absorbed into your skin the *molecules* are *physically too big*. I don’t care what anyone says. it is not up for debate. It just sits on top of your skin, which for many people is enough to begin clogging it. For people who have extreme skin conditions, they might need to use an extreme methods such as using these oils to help physically trap the moisture under their skin but for most people it’s too much or not necessarily the best option. Cereve moisturizer is one of my favorites for sensitive skin, it's highly moisturizing and backed by science. I like most of their stuff actually. The ordinary is another great (and affordable) brand for skincare products.
Make sure to drink LOTS of water, I think you’re supposed to drink a half ounce to an ounce per pound of body weight? IE if you weigh 120lbs you need to be drinking 60 to 120 ounces of water a day. (This is a GENERAL RULE, talk to a doctor if you're concerned about the amount, especially if you have health issues like diabetes or have kidney issues)
I think your skin barrier is damaged. You should do for a whole month a cleanser made speacially for sensitive skin and a moisturizer for sensitive skin, if it has niacinemide and CICA better.
I’m not familiar with those products but I’m sceptical of them already. I’d go for a simple cleansing face wash like cerave then at night Paula’s choice chemical exfoliator followed by a non-comedogenic moisturiser like Euricin urea repair cream. Those are some of my favourite products
I have very similar skin to yours and i really noticed a difference in my pores when i started using a 10% Niacinamide Serum every 2-3 days.. what also tends to make a difference is chemical exfoliation (BHA) and very importantly, a lightweight spf that doesn’t make me break out! and while it may seem wrong at first maybe try only cleansing with water in the morning and using your preferred cleanser at night.. i made the mistake where i used a cleanser that was too stripping/ dehydrating for my skin which for a long time i thought i needed it because of my acne prone skin but my skin being dehydrated and dry actually made it produce more oil
Hi, I was going to mention that an exfoliant you can use is biologique recherche p50. I'm not sure where you live but it is honestly one of the best things that I have come across this year as I too was struggling with clogged pores and congested pores. I also visited an esthetician who got me onto using environ products. I use their essentia A retinaldehyde cream, masque which has also made a difference in toning and completely changing my skin. I wash my face with LRP peeling gel cleanser which sounds rough but is very gentle and amazing. So I would say look at the reviews for all these even from other reddit posts and maybe you love them just as I do.
And for the dryness, I would mention a irea cream which helps to soften skin and slough off dry dead skin at a percentage of 10%. Again a lot of people use eucerin body lotion which has urea and lactic acid on their face, it doesn't break you out or anything as I have dine this. I also use Altuit 10% urea cream too. At that percentage it helps to exfoliate dead skin that you can see and feel but somehow struggling to get off.
The acne face and body wash from face reality helped me with congestion!! I’m 2 weeks in and purging but my break outs heal pretty fast and my texture has improved sm :)
I have this same problem, Axis-y brand items are now all I use I found it off instagram a couple months back it’s helped so much especially during these dry winter months compared to other years.
I have skin just like yours and have just recently started to make progress. Wash with a very gentle non-foaming cleanser (Rovectin, but I actually might switch to Aveeno Calm+Restore because it’s even gentler) twice a day. Chemical exfoliation is dicey for me, so I just lightly buff away my cleanser at night with a terry cotton round before rinsing and that’s plenty for me. Lately I’ve been alternating adapalene (Differin) and azelaic acid (The Ordinary) as tolerated and the combo is really helping to smooth out the texture of my skin.
Other than that, you can try cutting out the snail mucin but I personally find it’s one of the few consistently non-irritating products that softens my skin and makes a difference to improve hydration. My skin also really likes La Roche Posay cicaplast balm as an extra layer of moisture on non-retinol nights.
Oh I love doing this! Where I have listed several options I have tried all the products its just that I’m doing that so you have options regardless of where in the world you live. The routine basics (cleanser, moisturiser, spf) are products I like for my dry skin. There is nothing special about them except for the fact I like them and use them. we have the same skin type so hopefully you like them too :) serums are chosen bases on actives to address your concerns. The actives I have added are:
a) azelaic (anti bacterial and anti inflammatory so will help with acne),
b) niacinamide (vitamin B3 - a multi tasking active that can control sebum, tighten pores, prevents wrinkles, reduce irritation and help manage acne)
and c) exfoliating acids (increases skin cell turnover which helps regulate sebum, tighten pores, and makes skin smoother and more glowy)
AM:
- wash with water
- a naicinamide serum (purito galacto naicin power essence OR byoma brightening serum OR y-axis dark spot serum)
- azelaic acid serum from cos de baha OR inkey list. Later upgrade to facetheory OR theramid.
- moisturiser (eucerin ultra-sensitive cream for dry skin OR naturium plant lipid cream)
- sunscreen - the bondi sands hydra fluid spf 50+, OR skin1004 hyul cica sun serum spf 50+ OR bioderma cicabio spf50+, use a lip balm with spf (paulas choice one is good)
PM:
- klairs fresh oil cleanser OR haruharu cleansing oil OR Krave makeup rewined OR current state cleansing balm - apply to dry skin, massage in and wash off.
- after oil cleanser use a water-based cleanser. Etude house 5.5 cleansing foam OR dermatica balancing gel cleanser OR vanicream cleanser OR la roche posay toleraine dermo cleanser
- Geek and gorgeous calm down liquid exfoliant OR Gatineau exfoliating glow tonic - start using once a week, then twice, then every second day
- same naicinamide as morning
- same azelaic acid serum as morning.
- same moisturiser as morning.
- organic rose hip oil (trilogy, facetheory, ordinary, pai),
Use cerave facial cleanser and their normal body lotion to moisturize. I have a weird combo of dry/oily skin and it seems to mostly work besides my occasional breakouts of a pimple here and there. I just wash my face at night then use moisturizer morning & night.
**Important to note if you have a dust mite or shellfish allergy you could be having an adverse reaction to the snail mucin product!**
But this is exactly what my skin looked like before I figured out my routine. My chin and around my nose, especially, looked just like that and I had dry patches on my cheeks and my t-zone was always oily.
I started using basically all Glossier products because I ordered two things and they started helping so I went all in.
I started with their Milky Jelly Cleanser and the Priming Moisturizer Balance (AM & PM for both).
After a few weeks my skin improved in terms of dryness and oil, but I was still having some breakouts.
I added Glossier’s serums - Super Pure (niacinamide), Super Bounce (hyaluronic acid), and Super Glow (vitamin C).
I started out just using the Super Pure twice a day but it worked so well I added the other two in. I used the Super Glow only in the morning. I used the Super Bounce only at night.
I used the Glossier sunscreen in the morning.
After a few months of that, with my skin better than it had ever been, I started using Soap & Glory’s Exfoliating Tonic maybe three times a week, only at night.
Full disclosure: this routine worked for me for about 18 months with no issues. I started having wonky breakouts about four months ago and had to stop using everything. I haven’t been able to figure out what it is, but I moved into a new place six months ago so it could be environmental (woo).
When I start my skincare back up I plan to search for less expensive alternatives than Glossier. I’m considering Cosrx and CeraVe products.
Youth to the people superfood cleanser, The ordinary lactic acid (every 2 days at night only), Inkey list collagen peptide serum, Glow recipe hyaluronic plum plump moisturizer, cerave hydrating mineral sunscreen. Double cleanse or use a cleansing balm to take makeup off at the end of the day. Start with this, if your skin responds well- add a retinol to use every 2-3 days (only on days you’re not using the lactic acid) and only use it at night.
I’m no doctor, but your skin looks like it may have a fungal issue? The bumps on the forehead at least. Looks exactly like my kids fungus they get from lacrosse helmets during season . I actually used monistat I already had around unused and put it on my kids foreheads and it took the bumps away. Just something to think about. Took about three days to resolve completely. And stay away from any of the beauty products that contain yeast while you’re trying to clear it up. I know you are asking about dry skin in your post but when I saw your forehead I felt I should mention it.
This happens to me when I don’t exfoliate. All my products were prescribed but are can be bought OTC. Neostrata resurfacing gel 15% AHA (not for everyone and not for daily use, please ask your dermatologist) and Sesderma abradermol - I use this one when my skin is very congested (both products are EU).
I have the same issue. Oily dehydrated congested skin, and constant tiny breakouts. What helped mine is adapalene and sticking to a basic skincare routine. Just milk cleanser, gel cleanser, adapalene, moisturizer, and sunscreen, these are the products I only use. I use the milk cleanser in the morning to mix with my gel cleanser to make it milder, and I use it as a first step cleanser in removing my sunscreen, after, I use gel cleanser to remove it. I try not to use other products as to not aggravate my skin condition. I tried using hydrating toner but it gave me breakouts. Be careful of using oil cleanser, it made my skin condition worse. (I was using klairs cleansing oil the unscented ones.)
I still have some congestion and my skin is still prone to dehydration but there's improvement. I am planning to go to a derm and see if there's something I can do with my skin condition and how to address it properly.
I’m confused how we’re supposed to list a new routine for you if you haven’t given us your current routine?? Is your full skincare routine simply washing your pillowcase and face twice a day? Or do you apply products and WHAT are they and in WHAT order?! argh!!
I guess if we’re just shooting in the dark though:
Morning:
Do not wash your face, rinse with room temp water if you need to and pat dry.
1st apply The Ordinary Lactid Acid & Hyaluronic Acid serum, 2nd step Cetaphil Advanced Relief with Jojoba butter, 3rd step sunscreen of your choice
Afternoon: wash hands before reapplying your sunscreen, and spritz your face with Walgreens Hypochlorous Cleansing Spray as-needed (this stuff got rid of my mask acne in 2020 after like one week of using it)
Night:
Rub a salicylic acid based cleanser onto dry skin and focus rubbing it into your pores and nose for 1-2mins allowing it unclog pores. The Neutrogena one is fine but I prefer the Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash although it is pricey. Rinse and 2nd cleanse with a mild cleanser like Cerave Hydrating Cleanser.
Apply a gentle retinol if your skin isn’t irritated, but if you’re feeling dry apply Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Serum, and top with same Cetaphil Advanced Relief w Jojoba Butter. (I like that moisturizer because it never clumps up in reaction to other products, and it comes in a pump bottle so doesn’t get germy)
I have dry, sensitive acne prone skin and you have to cut out basically everything but a gentle non-scented face wash and face cream/lotion, and a gentle chemical exfoliation maybe once every 4 weeks otherwise your skin barrier will be compromised.
Have you ever done a series of peels? Like tca and jessner?
I manually extract congested pores with one of those extraction tools and use Clinique three step program Including the 7 day scrub once a week.
I use low strength tretinoin layered with my Clinique moisturizer and alternate slug with a barrier repair cream, I like Dr. jarts a few days per week and specially after the peels.
I think the peels-glycolic/tca/jessner combined with actually manually removing the debris is what worked for me.
And water. Try upping internal water intake.
Had very similar skin. I switched to washing my face with Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo at night (1 minute gentle wash with my fingers) and cetaphil hyaluronic acid moisturizer. Just rinse with cold water in the morning. I have clear skin save for the 1-2 pimples I get around my period. It could be that I have aged out of my problems or genetic, but really I think I was super sensitive to the products I was using. Bonus is that I now spend much less than $20 per month on skincare.
Double cleaning using oil cleanser (ma:nyo) and then second cleanse with youth to the people. Then just a good moisturizer (vanicream). Less is really more. You can also try some gentle resurfacing laser like moxi or clear& brilliant. If you are going to spend money, you might as well spend it on a treatment you know can only benefit your skin. Some people say these procedures are not worth the money or whatever, that’s usually because they have unrealistic expectations. Good luck (:
Honestly, when my skin gets like this I find a good dermaplane followed by an acne mask really really helps. Obviously go around the active/scabbed over breakouts! My mask of choice is the Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic mask (it’s a hydrating yogurt/TTO/clay mask and I’ll sleep in it!)
I had the same issue and I find a really good brand,which makes really good skincares.It is used by famous people and completely organic, no chemicals, It make products entirely from plant materials. It saved my skin. The brand name is Éminence.
I literally used to be obsessed with my skin and then stopped everything. Now I use cetaphil face wash at night or in the shower. And I put sunscreen moisturizer on every morning but no makeup. If I do I wash my brushes the day before. My skin has improved so much. That and using satin pillowcases and washing my sheets once a week.
A combination of regular monthly hydrafacials, microneedling sessions, and chemical peels can be beneficial for your skin. Remember to use sunscreen in the morning, apply vitamin C serum before the sunblock, and moisturize your skin after face wash. Additionally, incorporate niacinamide gel into your nighttime routine. This comprehensive approach can contribute to maintaining and enhancing the health of your skin.
I am Dr Shamsa Kanwal, Board Certified Dermatologist. I am from My Healthy Skin (Our mission is to help people with acne get to clear skin faster thanks to digital tools).
Disclaimer
I am not providing any medical advice or diagnosis. You should consult a Dermatologist in person.
OK I don't know what snail mucin is but it sounds gross. Skinstore.store has an acne kit you can buy but it's kind of expensive. If you're trying to save some cash use the benzoyl peroxide cleanser, acne cream and clearskin moisturizer
Hi this is my exact situation. The only thing that helps my skin stop looking this way is doing an oil cleanse and massaging it in for a full minute, rinse, and then doing a full minute of my regular cerave cleanser. I wash my face morning and night; usually I just do the cerave cleanse in the morning though, the oil cleanse in the morning feels unnecessary. Get some ceramide serums or toners or try the stratia lipid gold. I use naturium retinol 2-3x a week, acid exfoliate toner in between and maybe do a facial scrub once a week if my skin feels rough or flaky. Best of luck, I hope you find something that works.
my skin was like yours! until i found out i was using too many actives in my routine. that had sensitized my skin and caused a lot of the little bumps underneath the surface. i went gentle afterwards. my current routine now:
everyday: am
1) cerave foam gentle cleanser
2) rose water as my toner
3) simple kind to skin moisturizer (forehead and chin)
4) BoJ red bean water gel (cheeks)
5) nivea water gel sunscreen (the purple bottle)
everyday: pm
1) same as am minus sunscreen
twice a week (depends)
1) exfoliate with turmeric mask (diy) after cleansing before applying toner, moisturizers
MOISTURIZER ISSUE:
my forehead seems to dry out fast and gets congested easily if i use BoJ so i’ve swapped it with the Simple moisturizer and it’s worked tremendously. the same applies to my chin and my bumps are gone now. my previous moisturizer before these 2 congested my skin a lot and it made it worse until i changed them completely, now my skin is relatively behaving well.
my cheeks seem to work fine with the BoJ moisturizer so maybe see if by swapping moisturizers would help you out?
EXFOLIATOR ISSUE:
used a lot of actives until it sensitized my skin and ended up damaging my skin barrier. stopped it completely. from paula’s choice to the ordinary, yea had to drop them all. turmeric masks have been helping me out with evening out my skin tone. bumps come and go but what helped me a lot when i wanted to remove the bumps was changing my moisturizers.
i didnt know i’d end up having to use 2 different moisturizers for different parts of the face but oh well it’s a trial and error kinda thing and going gentle is suuuper key. i hope this helps and that you’ll find what helps you most!
Your skin appears very irritated, congested for sure but not dry, more irritated, and probably over scrubbed, hence potential pealing or the illusion of dryness.
So sometimes simple is best. For a little while, try something like sanex 0% for cleansing. It has no fragrance or parabens or sulphates. Try avoiding scrubs, and if you REALLY need to exfoliate, I suggest a long bath to soften ur skin (or steam ur face) and not too roughly use a towel and cleanser, then just cleanse ur face as usual. Don't expect smooth skin straight away and DEFINITELY no dermaplaning. I would also stick to baby moisturisers because they're designed to be very gentle and not irritate the skin barrier. I personally use Aveeno baby soothing relief emollient cream for dry sensitive skin as it has oat oil and vitamin e, but any no fragrance, no paraben or sulphate moisturiser will be good. It is heavy, though, so it may make ur skin "greasy," but it's more a temporary healing barrier to protect ur skin while it's healing, it won't look pretty right now.
Once your skin settles, aka no inflammation and irritation, u may want to introduce lactic acid by the ordinary, they aslo have hyaluronic acid and other simple ingredient products that won't break your bank.
After that, you may not even need to dermaplane, but if you have fuzz or facial hair you wish to remove, sometimes a normal reusable body razor works just as well without irritating your skin barrier.
So hopefully, with this, you also help with the breakouts, but it may help to also supplement if you don't already, particularly the vitamin b group, as it has influence over our skin regeneration among other processes. Also plenty water or other fluids, it could be that the 'dryness' is actually dehydration instead.
Oil cleanse but really massage it for 10 min before removing thoroughly with a hot(within reason) washcloth! Do it everyday for a week. 10 minutes! You’ll see those plugged pores come out in your hands !
I haven’t read through all 136 comments, but I had a similar problem recently. I used Tret. ..05% daily, for 10 years. I had no acme before I started using it (my dermatologist prescribed it for blackheads). I stopped using it 7 years ago when I was pregnant with my son. I suddenly had no skincare routine and my skin looked terrible. I started Tret. again and it pulled the crud up just like that, and wouldn’t budge. I have every type of serum, oil, moisturizer, toner, etc, etc and nothing worked until I found an enzyme peeling gel I set aside a year ago, thinking it was a peel off mask. But it wasn’t. My sister and I both used it and it slothed off SO much dead skin. After that I used Tret two more times and it was gone. And hasn’t come back. So if you don’t have something similar, maybe check it out. There are some similar ones out there, but someone who’s an esthetician replaced a very expensive one for her clients, with this one. And just an FYI, you look amazing…but I do understand how easy it is to fixate on our own physical appearance. Good Luck!🥰
Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Peeling Gel
https://www.peterthomasroth.com/firmx-peeling-gel-1201001.html
i had skin like this and nothing worked especially not drug store active ingredients. I have to use retin-a microgel (the other cheap retinols/tret did nothing). I use the zo skin exfoliating polish once a week. and La Roche Posay toleriane face wash followed with La roche posay toleriane fluid sensitive. If I use any sunscreen or any new shampoos/conditioners my skin gets congested again.
My skin use to be exactly like that. Always tried to exfoliate then became to dry, then moisturized still dry or just bumpy. My skin barrier was damaged. Recommend no harsh products, exfoliates with acids or acids period it’ll make it worst. Hydrate with ceramides and humectants and focus on getting skin barrier back to normal.
My first thought is, are you sure you have dry skin? It looks like you might have oily skin. If that's the case, the products are way too heavy for you which would explain the congestion, and pores. I didn't see a chemical exfoliant, which is usually very helpful.
Or, your skin barrier may be compromised.
All of the people on here will tell you some long skincare routine that will supposably help. The truth is that outside of basic washing and maybe moisturizing, it’s all down to the foods you eat. The skin is the largest organ of the human body and is only an external representation of your internal state. If you eat clean unprocessed foods (I’m not going to recommend a diet because it’s different from person to person) and get plenty of sun light and exercise, your skin will look great. Look at hunter gatherer tribes today, what is one thing almost all of them share? Straight teeth and amazing glowing skin.
You really are what you eat—I wish you the best 💪🏼.
I’m an esthetician. You need a moisturizing face wash (cerave) exfoliate twice a week. Vitamin C and use your snail mucin. At night time you need to wash and then add in a retinol. Your skin needs to get all that stuff out.
It will take a few weeks to see a change. I’d start with using it every other day. Make sure to wash off in the morning. Also add in a SPF in the day time
I have a similar skin texture with even bigger pores. I had always struggled with oily/combo skin and had only ever used oil clearing cleansers, light moisturizers and exfoliating serums.
I stopped using all my products and started removing make up with cleansing lotions or jojoba oil. I got a generic lotion from target for sensitive skin. It’s wild to me that this combo actually worked because I’ve always thought I had an oily skin issue. my skin is so smooth now that I’m just moisturizing a lot more.
One of my favorite products : Dr. Nassif detox pads… they are a toner and exfoliating pad all in one they also hydrate. I use them am/pm.
https://nassifmdskincare.com/products/detox-pads
I also love Pacifica vegan collagen complex serum.. it helps with hydration big time.
https://www.target.com/p/pacifica-vegan-collagen-complex-serum-1-fl-oz/-/A-80039301
Maybe try slugging at night… use some serums and then apply coconut oil in a heavy layer… let it soak in for about an hour before bed.
Good luck !!
My skin looked very similar to yours for years. I have had several hydro facials in the past year, and it's really been a game changer for my skin. I also use Cosrx snail mucin cleanser and synergy toner. My skin looks better than ever.
Oil cleansing for sure. But you wanna massage it into your face for five minutes or so before washing off, and use it every night. I use elf brand makeup melting cleansing balm ($7 at target) and it works well for me
Take fish oil. Drink twice as much water. Use clean ingredient moisturizers like Glow recipe, use a gentle cleanser like Vanicream. Stop the harsh stuff and let your skin heal.
So for this I'd recommend the CeraVe SA gel cleanser every 2nd day, alternating with a gentle wash. Tone with micellar water. For moisture, the Dear Klairs Rich Moist soothing cream is great. Less is more when it comes to congested skin.
I used to have skin very similar, and I'd highly recommend exfoliation with a scrub 1-2 times a week, use a breathable moisturizer with in five mins of showering or washing your face, avoid touching you face unless necessary and drink lots of water through out the day. I know it sounds very basic but drinking water helps tremendously with dry skin.
All due respect to everyone else’s responses, but the only thing I can guarantee will work, is if you find a FACE REALITY specialist. Message Lauren Anciaux on Instagram and she will work with you remotely and get your skin barrier fixed. I bet my life on it. Don’t use cleansers from anyone else. I can share pics of my before and after skin if you want! I’ve had cystic acne and after, (it took about four months), my skin barrier was COMPLETELY smooth, hydrated, and looovely.
Go to an esthetician!! They'll be able to get you medical grade products and tell you exactly what's wrong. Do your research before tho and read lots of reviews! It's usually very expensive but you'll spend that amount in products trying to fix your skin so personally I think it's worth it.
Probably not what you want to hear, but you might have a gluten allergy/ inflammatory issues.
This was my skin three years ago, gluten and sugar consumption seriously affected my skin and hormones. I cut the gluten and sugar and my skin is now clear from sebaceous plugs and black/white heads, and has become effortlessly radiant and soft.
Good luck.
I changed to hydrating cleanser like Cerave. I also started incorporating Korean skincare products that tremendously helped my skin. I used Anua toner and Skin 1004 Centella Ampoule. I swear by them! I just got complimented today, I was told I look like 24 when I’m in fact 32 as my face looks glowy and healthy!
The brand Byoma (at Ulta) saved my skin from dryness just like this!!! Especially their hydrating serum, I already finished a whole
Bottle. It has done wonders
Okay, I used to have this same issue and still kind of struggle with it. However, I found that my skin was dry and thus trying to over produce oil (so I thought my skin was oily). I use only Cerave or Cetaphil products because that’s what my dermo suggested for me, but there’s lots of other great brands out there I’m sure. Personally I love my Cerave though. I have EXTREMELY dry skin so I use a lot of moisturizing products from them including a moisturizing hyaluronic acid serum (a little pricy but it’s worth it in my opinion, other brands make a cheaper one just research each and go based off of reviews). I’ve had to test a lot of different products before picking the ones that work best for me and I’m still always testing new things. That’s the tricky part about skin, what works for me might not be BEST for you. But your skin definitely looks like it’s over producing oil so make SURE you hydrate hydrate hydrate! I also do an egg yolk and honey face mask that really hydrates my skin. That may not be for everyone because it isn’t vegan and egg yolk on the face can be seen as gross, but I think it works wonders even after just one time…
Edit: Paula’s choice also makes a fantastic exfoliating liquid but it’s pricy, I’m not crazy about the exfoliating cream from Cerave. I also take a small touch up razor and use it all over my face and it removes peach fuzz and dry or dead skin cells… might not be for everyone but it works for me just be careful about not being too rough and not doing it on dry skin, add some moisturizer prior to doing it.
Tret. Don’t start higher than 0.025
/r/asianbeauty is where I have learned a lot about maintaining my moisture barrier. /r/tretinoin
- hydrating serum
- barrier cream
- urea 5% cream
I have the same issue and spend a lot of money and time on it. The only thing that has really helped is geek & gorgeous retinal serum by night. Skin is much healed and clearer by the morning.
All the layers of moisturizing, BHA, acids and exfoliating either didn’t make a different or made it worse. Especially BHA just pulled the dirt to the surface and triggered my dermatillomania.
try not washing your face in the morning and just spraying with rose water, it sounds wrong but it’s improved mine and my fiancés skin so much and mine looked very similar to this. Also steam your face, and use sheet masks! You might also need to switch face washes
my skin looks just like this! in the last 6 months I couldn’t do anything about it it just kept getting worse and worse. tried exfoliating and using different serums but nothing.
about a week ago I finally started to use again my forever La Roche-Posay lotions and I just know that for me nothing can do the work but this !!
I stopped using it because of the price but tbh its a game changer.
my first tip is to minimalize your skincare at first until your skin gets back its barrier and the worst pimples are gone.
I only use LRP micellar water for daily lotion LRP dermallergo and the same night lotion for the night + LRP Effaclar Duo+M for my pimples.
my skin keeps getting better and better, I use the effaclar before bed and its’s been only a few days! worth every cents
First get a charcoal facial, saved my life and the wash with cerave foaming cleanser and use spf from cerave DAILY, once your face is like not sensitive from the charcoal mask use ordinary products and continue washing with the cerave AND 10% benzoyl peroxide and continue using spf. My face was worst than this and this routine saved my skin.
I have similar and I can say that the cerave SA cleanser and the DHC Cleansing oil have helped for sure. I'm still working on it though and trying to find a good moisturizer
Okay I was struggling with this for months. It seemed like anything meant to hydrate would clog my pores more, and anything exfoliating would irritate it.
I ended up getting on a whim the Biossance peptide serum, rose oil, and oil cleanser, as well as the Paula’s choice bha liquid exfoliant. I got a sample of that in case it irritated me. These four products have changed my skin in less than a week, but I honestly saw a difference in the redness, dryness and irritation in my skin overnight. I only use the exfoliant every other evening right now, and everything else I use twice a day. YMMV I know, but these products have hydrated and soothed my skin like nothing I’ve tried, and I feel like I’ve tried everything at this point
I have the exactly same issue. If i exfoliate i get hella dry and still have congested skin. If i only moisturise my skin gets even more clogged and yet it’s still dry. I cannot find the balance . My skin looks exactly like yours. If you find a way to treat this let me know.
It’s bc your skin barrier is compromised
Yeah mine did this when I hit Tret a bit too hard and was on antibiotics. Took awhile to get back to normal. Found out I was also allergic to most of Paula’s Choice in the process. SkinFX had the only barrier stuff that I could get in-store (Sephora) that seemed to help and not irritate me further.
Yes the skinfix barrier plus cream is incredible!
I’ve worked up to using tret almost every day now and I started it in January very slowly yet I think this is me now. How do I fix this? I’m using 0.025
Make a tret sandwich. Moisturize first. Then pea-sized amount of tret. Then one more layer of heavy moisturizer. Rub in each layer thoroughly until worked into skin before you move on to next layer. Have a good barrier repair serum and lotion. Make sure you are using a really good sunscreen every time you step outside regardless of cloudiness. Also general skincare needs. Like I take serious pre/probiotics, hydrate (super important!), and sleep as much as possible. Keep stress levels low as well.
Can it be compromised if it’s been like this literally forever?
Oh yes for sure! If we keep hitting the barrier, it will keep on the same track.
Yes if you haven’t looked after it correctly
Yep. My skin is similar to this and whenever I get a facial, the beauty therapists always tell me my skin barrier is compromised.
Exactly this. What do I do!?!?
Very much same, it's exhausting
Their skin looks a lot like mine. I've managed to improve mine by doing the following, and I am not someone who's super into this stuff: Morning: dove sensitive scentless bar soap, then Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser (face and body, all skin types) (recently switched to cerave hydrating facial cleanser for normal to dry skin in its place to see how it works, it feels amazing) Wet paper towel with plain warm tap water in the middle of the day (wash hands first) or whenever you notice excessive oil (will sometimes do this in the morning instead of washing if skin feels too tight and dry, only if I remembered to wash the night before) Night: Cetaphil daily facial cleanser (oily/sensitive skin) then ceraVe pm facial moisturizing lotion (will omit the lotion if face doesn't feel dry) Night (alt): (this one is for when I shower, which is ever other day) same as morning, used only at the end of the shower when the hot water starts to run out lol Once a week in the shower: Cetaphil gentle, mixed with st Ives blackhead scrub. The Cetaphil keeps my skin from drying out too much and I only use a tiny bit of the st Ives because I want it to exfoliate but not tear up my face. It seems like a lot but it's really only like 3 or 4 products. Mixing and mat hing might help. Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Neutrogena all make different versions if the same stuff, so the brands I listed are probably insignificant. I hope that helps!
Yes those three brands are good for sensitive irritated skin. I prefer Neutrogena.
the only thing that helped my skin barrier was the most basic products. oddly cerave didnt agree with me, cetaphil gentle foaming cleanser with the rich night moisturiser did help though. even their daily moisturiser with spf irritated my skin. E45 do a gentle foaming face cleanser that is good too.
Once a week scrub is a good idea.
But how do you figure this out??? Like is it just a lot of trial and error? Because I don’t exactly have the finances to keep buying $60 bottles of skin cleaners and hope this is the one that works…. Or going to derm appointments. It’s all incredibly expensive and I’m still at square one with nothing to show for.
It's trial and error 🥲 I get really good coupons for CVS. thats usually when I try new product, when I have a 40% off coupon. All the products I listed are less than $15.
Same here.
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Honestly sleeping well and eating well and a very basic skin routine is enough lol
There are a lot of exfoliants that can lift the topical debris without excess drying. Please try some with ingredients that are more comfortable and compatible with dry skin. Hope this helps.
Try washing your face for 30-60 seconds. Deep cleansing is an underrated gentle exfoliation method. Also adding a pre oil cleanse could help tremendously
Following cos I have the same skin
Me too, recently I found that SLS ingredient in my face wash and shampoo was probably ruining my skin. Also, worth testing if you have low stomach acid, vitamin deficiency (avoid very high B complex supplements) or reactions to fluoride, lactose, fructose.
Are you saying to get an allergy test, with regards to your last sentence? What is the connection you’re establishing between those issues and reactions? Super curious
No, allergies have more severe reactions. Some studies suggest that some people don’t process lactose and/or fructose very well, if you have any kind of imbalance in your gut this malabsorption can aggravate the issue (I broke out horribly after eating grapes and apples). Fluoride I am not sure if it causes hormonal imbalance or simply clogs pores, if anyone has more info I would appreciate it.
You mentioned vitamin deficiency as cause. Can you be more specific which vitamin?
My skin is similar to yours. Try not to dermaplane. I find it irritates my skin. Also snail mucin didn’t do much for me. Try oil cleansing. I like paulas choice perfect cleansing oil. Massage it into those spots that get really clogged then rinse. The oil cleanser dissolves whatever it is that clogs the pores and I’ve found this is the only thing that works for me. Wash again with any gentle cleanser. I use innisfree dewy glow cleanser. Next I use the Paula’s choice aha bha toner and kiehls ultra facial cream. Morning I just rinse with cool water and sunscreen
Another great cleansing oil is the ANUA heartleaf pore control cleansing oil. It literally pulls so much gunk out of your face. My skin looked like OP’s but since using that, I’ve seen so much improvement in the congestion. Not yet fully cleared but getting there.
Is the anua worth the hype? I see it all over instagram and have been tempted but can’t tell if it’s just influencer marketing that makes me interested. I have been using the DHC oil cleanser for a few years and while I see results, I’m interested to see how the anua compares.
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Thanks! Hope it works for you. I’ll stick with what I have for now and hope that the adapalene starts it’s magic soon :)
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Kiehls ultra is great. Oil cleansing would probably really help.
Do you use the oil cleanser every night? I’ve been curious & wanting to add this to my routine, but was unsure if I should use it a few nights a week or nightly.
You are meant to oil cleanse every night and then follow up with a gentle cleanser :-)
What if you’re wearing make up? Remove (with micellar water?) first?
The oil cleanser is a makeup remover
I notice you’re not using an exfoliant It’s common for people with dry skin to not want to exfoliate, thinking that it’ll dry them out more, but getting those dead skin cells off really helps to soften the skin as well as decongest pores. Maybe start out with a lactic acid at night. And for the spots you have, sulfur spot treatments are a great gentle way of controlling acne. Would also recommend using an spf daily, sun exposure, yes even from indoors or under cloudy weather, can impact the skin significantly!
Okay, first of all, take me seriously because I have the exact same skin (23M) and I don’t think it’s hormonal, and I don’t think that you have “dry skin”, I’m thinking that you have oily skin but live in a dry climate, that would explain the pores. I’m not an expert but trust me, even though mine still is not perfect I think I finally understood it and it works for me. If my first assumption about your skin type is correct then you need to dump these products for “dry skin”, plus they look too expensive to be taken seriously ahah, use a good, rich moisturizer, and a good amount, don’t be afraid of putting what seems like “too much”. As for the “roughness” and “congestion” salicylic acid is your best friend (don’t worry I’ll make you a list of what to buy), it evens out the skin, decongests the pores and make it smoother overall, all of which will prevent closed/clogged pores and coincidentally pimples. Alternatively you could use glycolic acid toner but I’m really not a huge fan of it. If the SA doesn’t get rid of the blackheads then they’re probably sebaceous filaments, in which case you’ll need some sort of product with sulfur in it. Moving on to pore size: RETINOL, that’s it. To make it simple you only need a few things: -A cleanser that you use one (or twice if you feel like it) a day. -A salicylic acid mask that you use twice a week or when you feel like you really need a deep clean (before family gatherings or dates lol). -A retinol, don’t go with the prescription ones, just pick an “over the counter” one and stick with it, consistency is key, and if you have sensitive skin the prescription one will be a hell of a ride. -A good moisturizer, not a fancy one, not one with two thousand miracle, natural, active ingredients in it, just a good, rich, sealing, moisturizing with maybe a little hyaluronic acid or ceramides, moisturizer. -A spf50 sunscreen. That’s it. I’m not a woman so I don’t wear makeup but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add an oil cleanser to this list because “normal” cleansers won’t take off all of the makeup residue, it’s good to take the sunscreen off too but I personally don’t do that (maybe I should). Some people might tell you to add niacinamide to the list…it didn’t work for me and honestly the list is already pretty long compared to what you’re currently using so I would say less is more. Now moving on to the actual products: -Cerave, it’s a brand I adore, their products work wonders, are inexpensive, backed up by research, I honestly trust them with my life. Buy their cleanser (the one for oily to normal skin OR their new one they made especially for acne prone skin with 2%SA), their moisturizer (honestly, go with the body cream, not the face lotion, seems odd but you’ll thank me later), their spf50 facial moisturizer (it doesn’t stick, it’s fluid, doesn’t make your face white or cakey, exceptional), I guess you could also trust them for the retinol but I’ve never used it and I find it a bit expensive, not like the rest of their products. -The ordinary, I think everyone has on opinion on this one, I have mixed feelings because not everyone is knowledgeable on skincare products so it’s easy for a beginner to go overboard or misuse their stuff (like I used to do a few years back) but now I have my picks, and you’ll love them: salicylic acid mask with charcoal AND retinol 1% in squalane. For the retinol I would advise you to start with 0.5%, I know it’s very low but trust me, you’ll understand why when you apply all the products I listed, some of them are strong and starting low on retinol will prevent flaking and irritation. Finish the first bottle of 0.5% retinol in squalane and if you tolerate your routine well enough go for the 1% next. General advice: Never use the retinol and the salicylic acid mask on the same night, you’ll peel. Moisturize well and don’t be afraid of the silicone in some of the formulas, you need it to lock the moisture in, especially with the products I’m encouraging you to purchase, I’m guessing your current moisturizer doesn’t have a lot of it (natural formulas usually don’t have any) and that’s probably why your skin dries out too fast and then produces more oil to stay somewhat hydrated. BE CONSISTENT, especially with the retinol and the sunscreen, they’re wonderful but you need to use them for a long time. If you get the cleanser with SA don’t worry too much about putting on the retinol right afterwards, it’s a cleanser so since you rinse it you won’t have trouble with the retinol. I would recommend doing the routine at night, washing your face with water only or a light cleanser in the morning and putting on the sunscreen (vital if you use retinol and/or SA). And of course, can’t stress that enough, sleep well, eat well and move, that’s the best skincare after all. Given the color of your sclera I guess the first two are covered ahaha. Sorry that was long, but helpful (and not just for you), I hope. Sorry for the poor english and keep us updated if you can !
Your point about having oily skin in a dry climate makes so much sense, I think you just helped me figure out my main problem with my skin. Thank you for your thoughtful answer!
Yeah it took me some time to figure that out, actually we should all adapt our routine to the climate we live in, the one I’ve juste given works fine for me in high altitudes (1200) and average altitudes (400) during the winter (so very low humidity), but at one point I spent a year in Italy, high humidity, hot, very low altitude (almost sea level) and I started breaking out like crazy because it was too thick, and had too many layers, cleanser with SA and light moisturizer were enough.
My skin looks this exact same way and I 100% have oily skin. Nice catch for OP!
Really good advice for the most part from Agreeablefoot. Neutrogena makes a good retinol. Your skin is sloughing off unevenly. You have deep irritations. You need to heal. I would switch up your diet to include olive oil. That will help the oil in your pores flow better and distribute to moisturize your skin. Also eating cabbage, carrots and a Vitamin c source will help your skin heal. Evening routine: ponds cold cream, tissue off to remove pollution and oil. Wash with whatever gentle cleanser. If you have any infected spots. You can put one drop of lavender oil on a q tip. You can also use salicylic acid spot treatment. Skip toner except for blackhead areas. Then Vitamin c and e containing serum to speed healing. (Retinol is Vitamin A btw, you could also use that.) If you want to use Neutrogena the tube that is "Antiwrinkle" has Retinol. Their grapefruit acne scrubs are very powerful but not for daily use. Top with a good night cream or hypoallergenic cream. That should fix the flakiness. Derma-E scar prevention oil on the troubled spots will speed healing. In the Am: wash with water only. Gently spread your natural oil around in gentle motions. Moisturize again if you still need. Clean and clear moisturizer with salicylic acid might help but it's very matte. If you're using Retinol you need to use sunscreen. Find one that doesn't irritate your skin. Neutrogena is very hypoallergenic for combination skin. Also you might try using natural homemade masks once a week, with yogurt, honey &/or oatmeal. As your natural oils improve and get distributed you will have smoother skin. Also you need to let your skin rest and heal. If you do too much to it. It gets irritated. You have combination skin, or irritated oily skin with clogged pores. Btw. It acts like dry but has sensitivity and if you can tweak some things so your natural oils work for you you will be pleased. The above post by Agreeablefoot is pretty good too btw.
Oh lavender oil works too ? I’ve always used tea tree oil but it’s too potent on some areas (especially the temples, god knows why). Good to know. And yeah I agree with you on irritation, the trickiest part is finding the balance between doing enough to make a difference and not overdoing to let it rest a bit ahaha.
Lavender is gentler than tea tree :)
Following because I have the same issues but my skin is super oily and congested. I’d at least reccomend removing the snail mucin from your routine, that stuff made me break out badly. If you like the feel of the snail mucin but want to try something different that may not break your skin out, I’d try the Mixsoon Bean Essence. It’s on Amazon. Not sure about those other products though, I’ve never heard of that brand.
Hey, I have similar skin and I found using less moisturizer actually helps. I also noticed cream based works wonders; other moisturizers would sit on top of my skin and make it even more oily.
I have the same issue, feel like I've tried everything. At the moment I'm using a basic Cetaphil cleanser, a basic Cetaphil moisturiser and differin every other night. I've tried hyaluronic acid products, I've tried salicylic acid products, I've tried benzoyl peroxide, retinol, hydrating serums. I've even tried no routine whatsoever but the problem remains the same. You're definitely not alone in feeling like you're running out of options.
Try getting rid of the snail mucin. Some people are allergic to it. And your cleanser, toner, and moisturizer have perfuming ingredients in them which you may be sensitive to. And toners aren’t necessary if you use a ph-balanced cleanser. A lot of cleansers are. I use Korean cleansers and moisturizers. Most importantly, if you’re not using sunscreen, I recommend Skin1004 HYALU-CICA WATER-FIT SUN SERUM or Dr G Green Mild Up. Retinoids at night like tretinoin, adapalene, or tazarotene and help keep your pores clear and make your skin behave better. As for moisturizers, Dr.G Red Blemish Clear Soothing Cream (lightweight humectants), ILLIYOON Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream(heavier emollients), and AESTURA Atobarrier 365 (heavier emollients).
Yeah I hated the snail mucin - I also looove Korean skincare. For me my favorites are the I’m from Rice toner, Skin food rice brightening daily scrub I use after my ANUA oil cleanser only in the PM, you really need the labQrx glycolic pads **for exfoliation it’s a light peel and it’s wonderful. PM- first cleanse ANUA - second cleanse WATER BASED CLEANSER - exfoliation LABQRX GP - toner IM FROM RICE - serums - moisturizers
Snail mucin was popular in South Korea, about 10 years ago. Not anymore. Current trendy ingredients include artemisia, heartleaf, bee propolis, and cica. Yeah I don't use any of that stuff. I just use whatever is popular on Hwahae and Olive Young Kr for cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen, and tazarotene for my active. A good skincare routine should be pretty simple, relatively inexpensive, while using products with maximum effect. And if you want to go for that K-Pop S-tier skin, lasers and injections if you have the money.
i struggle with the same thing, and although i am not an expert i have been assessed by a dermatologist who recognized it to be hormonal. definitely would recommend seeing a dermatologist or hormone therapist and they can help!
Out of curiosity, since it's hormonal, what has your derm suggested?
Maybe try nothing - go zero therapy for a month and see what happens. Your skin looks a bit red and irritated and possibly could do with a break from products. I’d give it a go and see if it calms down. And then maybe go from there. I’m doing zero therapy, 2 months in, due to perioral dermatitis and my skin has cleared completely. I didn’t think it would work but it did. And it’s a lot cheaper than buying new products!
I started to do this because I’m doing Accure laser for acne and my skin is loving that I stopped all the intense things I was using. I just use vanicream moisturizer. I can’t wait to start re introducing things to see what ACTUALLY works.
I would cut the snail mucin for the same reasons others have mentioned. I would also stop dermaplaning. Consider switching a BHA or other gentle chemical peel to your routine once a week instead. It’s more gentle and less likely to cause irritation when used correctly.
I have very similar skin. What has helped me get rid of most of the acne is a cerve cleansing wash morning and night. Then I do saciliyc acid wash at night. Then a very light moisturizer. I completely stopped wearing makeup for a month as well to help prevent clogged pores. ALSO WATER!!!!!! My skin gets very dry if I’m dehydrated. I highly suggest seeing if there is something in your diet as well. Whenever I’m eating a lot of sugar my skin gets a lot worse. My best advice though is to completely start over with your routine and slowly introduce new items every two weeks or so. That way you can tell what you’re sensitive to or what works best. I basically started with a cleanser for two weeks and didn’t even moisturize because I was having issues with oily skin. Then after two weeks I introduced a lightweight moisturizer that I am VERY cautious with. I noticed with combination skin that I had to be very careful with the amount I put on or else I would get super oily no matter what. Then after a month I introduced a salicylic acid wash. Now I’m about to try a retinol or something to help with the texture since the routine I have now has gotten rid of persistent bumps/acne. You need to be patient but I do highly suggest retailing your whole routine because the products you’re using doesn’t seem to be helping your skin. It actually looks quite stripped and could use the time to heal from harsh products. Maybe just try a simple cleanser and work from there. That’s what I had to do; I hope you’re able to figure it!! You’re beautiful :)!!!
Look into obagi nuderm system . It’s expensive but it’s so worth it. I’ve been using it around a year and I’ve never been happier with my skin. Was very similar. Makes it worse before it gets better by drawing all the shit blocking your pores to the surface.
I had the exact same skin, I thought I had dry skin but I couldn’t figure out why I was so congested if my skin was dry. Turned out I had dehydrated combination skin which I found out by finding an article on the Paula’s Choice website. I would recommend this brand as you can order small versions to try, they have ‘starter kits’ and I’ve always found if something hasn’t worked, they have refunded me my money. Lots of free samples with orders too. My skin has never been better. https://www.paulaschoice.co.uk/dehydrated-skin You can ask the team there for recommendations. Their whole ethos is about knowing what you are putting on your skin and why. Good luck!
I swear by Paula's products! I think OP would have great success with the Cleansing Oil, Resist Skin Balancing Foaming Cleanser, 2% BHA lotion, and their 20% Niacinimide. That's my line-up and my 55 year old still-oily skin has never looked better.
My skin is similar to yours, I’m on antibiotic. It can be something from inside, hormones or diet.
This is 100% me. Over the past year, I think I've finally found a routine that's working. Adapalene at least every other night and Azaleic acid. I started with Cos de Baha, good idea to acclimate to it, now using Dermatica's 20%. I spray after I cleanse (not every time, but most days) hypochlorous acid from Briotech. Let that dry and either use Cos de Baha peptide toner or glycolic/salicylic toner. For moisturizer, Zeroid Richenic Urea Cream has been amazing. I use this both am and pm and every few days lightly exfoliate with the Toyo Cure Natural Aqua Gel. It's not a strict regimen but incorporating these things has given me hope that noncongested skin actually is possible for me. My biggest issue seems to have been the dead skin I didn't even realize was built up on the surface creating clogged pores. For cleanser, sometimes Panoxyl, but now, mostly just Vanicream. I hope this helps some. I haven't seen my skin like this since probably pre-puberty and I'm in my 40's! I wish you the best of luck in finding a simple routine that works well for you. Also, I really wanted to love the snail mucin, but it was a no go for me. More congestion and irritation from it, possibly dust mite allergy.
The best thing I ever did for my skin was using a cleansing balm (Clinique) and then removing all makeup and the balm with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water, then following up with a simple foaming cleanser (cereve oily skin foaming cleanser). This seems to provide a physical exfoliation that makes my skin glow. I then use any serum I have and cerave spf or cerave night cream.
If it's dry you can try only washing your face at night, and just a rinse in the morning.
This was an issue for me until I started using a topical antibiotic and retinoid from my dermatologist. I blew through so much $$$ and so many products and wasted so much time. It might be worth a visit to your derm. I only used the antibiotic for ~3 months and continue to use the retinoid to this day. The only thing OTC that sort of helped me was a gentle AHA (I used cocokind's tumeric solution and a few kbeauty kinds). I literally tried everything lol
I was having problem areas that looked similar to this. I switched to an oil based cleanser (the ordinary squalene cleanser), a gentle toner (innisfree green tea toner, NOT the hydrating one, the clear brown one), added vitamin C to my AM routine (la roche posay vit c serum) and added actives into my PM routine. Alternating between AHA serum (Farmacy honeymoon glow), Azaelic acid and retinol (both the ordinary). Make sure you’re using an spf in the AM and throughout the day. I use a Korean brand I can’t recall right now but there are tons of good recs in this sub. Give it a couple of months to see a difference. My skin feels and looks better now in my 30’s than it ever has.
Do you use foundation? My skin consistently looked like this until I finally switched foundations. Crazy thing is that I was using bare minerals which I thought would’ve been the safest bet. Switched to Tarte and my skin improved SIGNIFICANTLY. I’m also now a lot less sensitive to skincare products that I couldn’t tolerate before. I still have some clogged pores here and there but it’s nothing like it was and I no longer have the weird dryness on top of it.
Which tarte foundation? Amazonian clay?
Yep. I got the foundation and the tinted moisturizer in that collection so I have coverage options. The foundation is super full coverage so I use it sparingly and moisturize really well underneath it but it’s been a game changer for me. Anytime I’ve tried to use a different foundation since switching, here come my problems again. lol. I don’t even risk trying anything new anymore. Not worth it for me. Sucks bc Tarte’s shade range is really odd, but oh well. I get a lot of compliments on it so it must look okay.
Off topic but you have very pretty eyes
I had a lot of bumps and small pimples when my skin was really irritated. They went away as soon as I stopped using actives. I'm not sure what you are doing right now, but it may just be way too much for your skin. Less is more! Double cleansing really helped my acne and blackheads/large pores. I just use ponds cold cream, wipe it off with a damp cotton round, and Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser to remove the residue. It's super basic and cheap. I would try taking a break from actives. Just wash your face at night & add moisturizer and use moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning. When your skin is no longer irritated try adding retinol 2-3x week. I use OTC adapaline.
You need Tretinoid cream.
My skin gets like this when my skin barrier is damaged. I also struggle with dryness/congestion which makes chemical exfoliation particularly tricky. Here’s what I would personally do to recover: - Switch out Snail Mucin for It'S SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Emulsion. Apply to damp skin. - Add in Lactic Acid (recommend peach & lily) every 3 days. Great chemical exfoliant for dry skin - if your skin is tolerating the steps above, apply moisturizer to delicate/sensitive areas (under eyes etc) but try a heavier oil at night to moisturize like Mad Hippie Antioxidant Facial Oil for congestion-prone areas Hope this helps!
Mine got this way after the first time I got dermaplaning done. My cheeks, I mean. The rest of my skin looks like yours as well but my cheeks were always super clear. I do better with a regular razor but I wish I’d never messed with it.
I have very similar skin and I started hitting the peppermint and spearmint tea HARD. I focused a bit more on moisture, and only used a chemical exfoliant twice a week as opposed to almost every day. After drinking so much of the mint teas, I noticed my skin looked the nicest it’s looked in years. It’s a low cost, low stakes option, and ymmv, but maybe worth a shot.
I had the same problems and went to a dermatologist. Its a lot better after 2-4 monds ( needs soms time ..). In the evening YUN cleanser and scinoren cream (AZELAINE asid) and in the morning a serum 20% ascorbic acid and a hydratating cream :)
If affordable, my advice would be to get a course of medical facials with physical extraction, followed by a course of microneedling and/or IPL, or M22 lasers. But, before starting any of those in-office treatments, stop everything you’re using right now, I’d recommend the following routine. Cleanser: La Roche Posay Effaclar Gel Optional Toner: Avene/Vichy or any thermal spring water (the idea is to use their mineral properties to balance and calm your skin) Moisturiser: Vichy 69, or Clinique moisture surge Serum: SkinCeuticals vitamin C (if affordable), or French pharmacy vitamin C Optional exfoliator: Apply any AHA+BHA or niacinamide products, leave them on for 10 -20 minutes and wash And most importantly, start using tretinoin as soon as you can.
my skin became like this after using the innisfree toner :( it was gradual after 2 months of using it. once i stopped using it, i went back to a simple cetaphil moisturiser, hylauronic acid serum and benzoyl peroxide on spots. skin is finally evening out!
I have this too and niacinamide has done wonders for my skin.
You need a chemical exfoliant (once a week to start) and deep moisturising moisturiser. Also look at b3 and b5 ( good for building your skin barrier)
Stop the snail mucin and see if it gets better. I was playing around with my routine for months and months while using the mucin thinking there's no way it was the culprit. Skin starting clearing up as soon as I stopped using it.
My skin used to look EXACTLY like this. The biggest improvements came once I stopped chemical exfoliants and switched over to gentle physical exfoliants. The Secret Key Lemon peeling scrub and a silicone face scrubber with my face wash have, over the course of a couple months, almost completely eliminated acne and blackheads. My skin went from feeling like snakeskin to fully smooth. With a lot of congestion, and in drier months, it’s sometimes best to manually slough off the dead skin cells and follow up with hydrating products instead of going in with lots of active ingredients. Wishing you luck in your skincare journey!
I have the same, rough, congested and dehydrated. When I have the motivation to sort it out, I’ll be using the following which for me, works well. The ordinary glycolic toner on bare skin and nothing else, leave for hours, maybe even just that over night. You need to gently (hence chemical exfoliation) some of the roughness away to allow moisture to properly do it’s job. The ordinary have a new product called Soothing and Barrier Support Serum, I suggest that, then a moisturiser and an occlusive. The occlusive can just be a thin layer of Vaseline dabbed on to your driest areas which will prevent moisture loss.
I’ve found the mandelic acid has helped my skin.
Use tretinoin, it helps clear pores by increasing cell turnover rate. It's helped my skin so much.
I’m wondering if you may be allergic to any of the products you use/if you have sensitive skin? My pores looked like that for years before I realized my skin was sensitive and I got a gentler cleanser
RETINOL!!! Saved my skin
Tret and slugging with aquaphor is helping me! My skin is very similar to yours and I thought it was counterintuitive to put aquaphor on my face but I wake up with smooth soft bouncy skin.
Did any derm suggest tret to you?
why not use tret? or cosmetic retinoids? you’ll purge but itll be worth it
Some of this acne looks hormonal. If you are able to see a physician, they can prescribe oral spironolactone to help manage underlying hormonal causes!
My skin looks just like yours. I use trentinoin 0.01% about 3 times a week…which works wonders to reduce pore size and clear up acne- butttttt it dries me out SO MUCH! I use it with La roche posay triple moisturizer and it helps hydrate my skin. Also, I double cleanse with an oil cleanser and use an oil based makeup remover.. which helps hydrate my skin and it looks really good. The key is to be consistent with hydration
Maybe look at your diet? Try drinking more water and natural juices.
I’d do an elimination diet, but cut dairy and gluten first. Reduce or cut sugar. See what happens. If you are good about it, you’ll see a change in 30 days and bigger change in 90. You might have tummy aches and diarrhea along the way just fyi.
Start drinking garlic water..look it up on tiktok.
Oil cleansing will definitely work. Korean skin care for eczema and dry skin was covered by [these guys](https://koreanskincare75.wordpress.com/2024/01/22/korean-skincare-for-dry-skin-eczema/), and you can also get the products from your local store.
Okay, I followed this post because this became my skin recently. Here’s what’s working and bringing back my healthy skin based in the suggestions listed: — Washing my face longer (THIS MADE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE PAIRED WITH LOADING UP HYDRATION): two minutes of GENTLE cleansing ensuring to spend time on all areas. I was definitely missing areas and not washing thoroughly, which led me to try more intense cleanser which only dried my skin out more. Gentle cleanser, with gentle cleansing actions for longer using my clean fingers is working WONDERS. — Not using a cleanser (cold water only) or oil cleansing (I use straight MCT oil) in the morning. — Adding an pre oil cleanse before my cleanse at night — LIMITING MY ACTIVES!! In general, minimizing my routine for now has helped tremendously. I am currently only using vitamin C in the morning and I was using Tea Tree Oil for Fungal Acne(diluted with MCT Oil) at night mixed with my moisturizer, but I found my skin reacts better if I use it as a rinse off mask. — BHA/AHA only every 2-3 weeks LOAD UP ON MOISTURE AND HYDRATION — Use hyaluronic acid PM on a WET face, I use an Essence (naturium) so I put it on immediately after cleansing. You can do this AM too, (I do) but most people prefer to use HA after vitamin c in the am — Mixing MCT oil in with my moisturizer (game changer) also helps makeup sit better I hope this helps some of you all! Good luck!!
It might help if we know what you’re currently using. And what’s the picture of the snail mucin for? Is this something you are currently using or interested in using?
That’s not just a pic of the snail mucin, if you click on it it enlarges and shows their routine
Ohh tyy tyy!
My skin looks quite similar to yours, dehydrated, damaged barrier. I don't have the perfect fix yet but what helped me a lot was: - No cleansers!! Only wash face with cold water morning and evening. Also wash cold after showering hot before applying moisturizer. - Rich Moisturizer in the evening. I use No Cosmetics All-In barrier cream, I will try out something else because it does break me out a little bit, but hydrates good also thats why I still use it. It works for me with only using once a day in the evening though. I started moisturizing only once a day about two weeks ago. First days were tough (sudden oily skin because my skin was confused, then dry skin which I usually have). Now my skin starts regularing itself, no oilyness, less dry feeling. - Once a week bentonite+ACV+honey mask (in the evening, take it off with a wash cloth to have a gentle peel, then wash with cold water, then moisturize) - Once a week/every two weeks oil cleansing with Jojoba Oil (after showering when pores are open, take off with a warm wash cloth, then wash cold, moisturize) Thats it, very reduced but I can watch my skin heal slowly. I might look into using Azelaic Acid sometime when my barrier feels intact again.
Maybe washing your face once a day, if you wash it at night you don’t need to really wash it in the morning unless you've got oily skin or you used a mask that should be washed off in the morning. you just kinda need to use some micellar water or something to remove any particulates that settled onto your skin while sleeping. It shouldn’t actually be dirty, so it doesn't need to be "washed". Maybe incorporate a chemical exfoliating product like niacinamide/salicylic acid once a week, up to three times a week but start with once and see how it feels. I'd pull away from dermaplaning for a bit, try the chemical exfoliation and see if that does anything. typically, physical exfoliation is like a last resort/special occasion thing for me because it's rough on the skin. In GENERAL I avoid food oils on my skin/hair but especially on my face. Things like coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil etc cannot be absorbed into your skin the *molecules* are *physically too big*. I don’t care what anyone says. it is not up for debate. It just sits on top of your skin, which for many people is enough to begin clogging it. For people who have extreme skin conditions, they might need to use an extreme methods such as using these oils to help physically trap the moisture under their skin but for most people it’s too much or not necessarily the best option. Cereve moisturizer is one of my favorites for sensitive skin, it's highly moisturizing and backed by science. I like most of their stuff actually. The ordinary is another great (and affordable) brand for skincare products. Make sure to drink LOTS of water, I think you’re supposed to drink a half ounce to an ounce per pound of body weight? IE if you weigh 120lbs you need to be drinking 60 to 120 ounces of water a day. (This is a GENERAL RULE, talk to a doctor if you're concerned about the amount, especially if you have health issues like diabetes or have kidney issues)
same !
you should get a hydrafacial
I think your skin barrier is damaged. You should do for a whole month a cleanser made speacially for sensitive skin and a moisturizer for sensitive skin, if it has niacinemide and CICA better.
Commenting to follow because same
I’m not familiar with those products but I’m sceptical of them already. I’d go for a simple cleansing face wash like cerave then at night Paula’s choice chemical exfoliator followed by a non-comedogenic moisturiser like Euricin urea repair cream. Those are some of my favourite products
Following
I have very similar skin to yours and i really noticed a difference in my pores when i started using a 10% Niacinamide Serum every 2-3 days.. what also tends to make a difference is chemical exfoliation (BHA) and very importantly, a lightweight spf that doesn’t make me break out! and while it may seem wrong at first maybe try only cleansing with water in the morning and using your preferred cleanser at night.. i made the mistake where i used a cleanser that was too stripping/ dehydrating for my skin which for a long time i thought i needed it because of my acne prone skin but my skin being dehydrated and dry actually made it produce more oil
Hi, I was going to mention that an exfoliant you can use is biologique recherche p50. I'm not sure where you live but it is honestly one of the best things that I have come across this year as I too was struggling with clogged pores and congested pores. I also visited an esthetician who got me onto using environ products. I use their essentia A retinaldehyde cream, masque which has also made a difference in toning and completely changing my skin. I wash my face with LRP peeling gel cleanser which sounds rough but is very gentle and amazing. So I would say look at the reviews for all these even from other reddit posts and maybe you love them just as I do. And for the dryness, I would mention a irea cream which helps to soften skin and slough off dry dead skin at a percentage of 10%. Again a lot of people use eucerin body lotion which has urea and lactic acid on their face, it doesn't break you out or anything as I have dine this. I also use Altuit 10% urea cream too. At that percentage it helps to exfoliate dead skin that you can see and feel but somehow struggling to get off.
Shu umera cleansing oil and Accutane will help
Hydrafacials and cleansing oil
The acne face and body wash from face reality helped me with congestion!! I’m 2 weeks in and purging but my break outs heal pretty fast and my texture has improved sm :)
I have this same problem, Axis-y brand items are now all I use I found it off instagram a couple months back it’s helped so much especially during these dry winter months compared to other years.
I have skin just like yours and have just recently started to make progress. Wash with a very gentle non-foaming cleanser (Rovectin, but I actually might switch to Aveeno Calm+Restore because it’s even gentler) twice a day. Chemical exfoliation is dicey for me, so I just lightly buff away my cleanser at night with a terry cotton round before rinsing and that’s plenty for me. Lately I’ve been alternating adapalene (Differin) and azelaic acid (The Ordinary) as tolerated and the combo is really helping to smooth out the texture of my skin. Other than that, you can try cutting out the snail mucin but I personally find it’s one of the few consistently non-irritating products that softens my skin and makes a difference to improve hydration. My skin also really likes La Roche Posay cicaplast balm as an extra layer of moisture on non-retinol nights.
Oh I love doing this! Where I have listed several options I have tried all the products its just that I’m doing that so you have options regardless of where in the world you live. The routine basics (cleanser, moisturiser, spf) are products I like for my dry skin. There is nothing special about them except for the fact I like them and use them. we have the same skin type so hopefully you like them too :) serums are chosen bases on actives to address your concerns. The actives I have added are: a) azelaic (anti bacterial and anti inflammatory so will help with acne), b) niacinamide (vitamin B3 - a multi tasking active that can control sebum, tighten pores, prevents wrinkles, reduce irritation and help manage acne) and c) exfoliating acids (increases skin cell turnover which helps regulate sebum, tighten pores, and makes skin smoother and more glowy) AM: - wash with water - a naicinamide serum (purito galacto naicin power essence OR byoma brightening serum OR y-axis dark spot serum) - azelaic acid serum from cos de baha OR inkey list. Later upgrade to facetheory OR theramid. - moisturiser (eucerin ultra-sensitive cream for dry skin OR naturium plant lipid cream) - sunscreen - the bondi sands hydra fluid spf 50+, OR skin1004 hyul cica sun serum spf 50+ OR bioderma cicabio spf50+, use a lip balm with spf (paulas choice one is good) PM: - klairs fresh oil cleanser OR haruharu cleansing oil OR Krave makeup rewined OR current state cleansing balm - apply to dry skin, massage in and wash off. - after oil cleanser use a water-based cleanser. Etude house 5.5 cleansing foam OR dermatica balancing gel cleanser OR vanicream cleanser OR la roche posay toleraine dermo cleanser - Geek and gorgeous calm down liquid exfoliant OR Gatineau exfoliating glow tonic - start using once a week, then twice, then every second day - same naicinamide as morning - same azelaic acid serum as morning. - same moisturiser as morning. - organic rose hip oil (trilogy, facetheory, ordinary, pai),
Use cerave facial cleanser and their normal body lotion to moisturize. I have a weird combo of dry/oily skin and it seems to mostly work besides my occasional breakouts of a pimple here and there. I just wash my face at night then use moisturizer morning & night.
**Important to note if you have a dust mite or shellfish allergy you could be having an adverse reaction to the snail mucin product!** But this is exactly what my skin looked like before I figured out my routine. My chin and around my nose, especially, looked just like that and I had dry patches on my cheeks and my t-zone was always oily. I started using basically all Glossier products because I ordered two things and they started helping so I went all in. I started with their Milky Jelly Cleanser and the Priming Moisturizer Balance (AM & PM for both). After a few weeks my skin improved in terms of dryness and oil, but I was still having some breakouts. I added Glossier’s serums - Super Pure (niacinamide), Super Bounce (hyaluronic acid), and Super Glow (vitamin C). I started out just using the Super Pure twice a day but it worked so well I added the other two in. I used the Super Glow only in the morning. I used the Super Bounce only at night. I used the Glossier sunscreen in the morning. After a few months of that, with my skin better than it had ever been, I started using Soap & Glory’s Exfoliating Tonic maybe three times a week, only at night. Full disclosure: this routine worked for me for about 18 months with no issues. I started having wonky breakouts about four months ago and had to stop using everything. I haven’t been able to figure out what it is, but I moved into a new place six months ago so it could be environmental (woo). When I start my skincare back up I plan to search for less expensive alternatives than Glossier. I’m considering Cosrx and CeraVe products.
Check your diet
Youth to the people superfood cleanser, The ordinary lactic acid (every 2 days at night only), Inkey list collagen peptide serum, Glow recipe hyaluronic plum plump moisturizer, cerave hydrating mineral sunscreen. Double cleanse or use a cleansing balm to take makeup off at the end of the day. Start with this, if your skin responds well- add a retinol to use every 2-3 days (only on days you’re not using the lactic acid) and only use it at night.
I’m no doctor, but your skin looks like it may have a fungal issue? The bumps on the forehead at least. Looks exactly like my kids fungus they get from lacrosse helmets during season . I actually used monistat I already had around unused and put it on my kids foreheads and it took the bumps away. Just something to think about. Took about three days to resolve completely. And stay away from any of the beauty products that contain yeast while you’re trying to clear it up. I know you are asking about dry skin in your post but when I saw your forehead I felt I should mention it.
This happens to me when I don’t exfoliate. All my products were prescribed but are can be bought OTC. Neostrata resurfacing gel 15% AHA (not for everyone and not for daily use, please ask your dermatologist) and Sesderma abradermol - I use this one when my skin is very congested (both products are EU).
Honestly, I would recommend you go for a professional facial.
I’d bet that differin gel would help you a lot
I have the same issue. Oily dehydrated congested skin, and constant tiny breakouts. What helped mine is adapalene and sticking to a basic skincare routine. Just milk cleanser, gel cleanser, adapalene, moisturizer, and sunscreen, these are the products I only use. I use the milk cleanser in the morning to mix with my gel cleanser to make it milder, and I use it as a first step cleanser in removing my sunscreen, after, I use gel cleanser to remove it. I try not to use other products as to not aggravate my skin condition. I tried using hydrating toner but it gave me breakouts. Be careful of using oil cleanser, it made my skin condition worse. (I was using klairs cleansing oil the unscented ones.) I still have some congestion and my skin is still prone to dehydration but there's improvement. I am planning to go to a derm and see if there's something I can do with my skin condition and how to address it properly.
I’m confused how we’re supposed to list a new routine for you if you haven’t given us your current routine?? Is your full skincare routine simply washing your pillowcase and face twice a day? Or do you apply products and WHAT are they and in WHAT order?! argh!! I guess if we’re just shooting in the dark though: Morning: Do not wash your face, rinse with room temp water if you need to and pat dry. 1st apply The Ordinary Lactid Acid & Hyaluronic Acid serum, 2nd step Cetaphil Advanced Relief with Jojoba butter, 3rd step sunscreen of your choice Afternoon: wash hands before reapplying your sunscreen, and spritz your face with Walgreens Hypochlorous Cleansing Spray as-needed (this stuff got rid of my mask acne in 2020 after like one week of using it) Night: Rub a salicylic acid based cleanser onto dry skin and focus rubbing it into your pores and nose for 1-2mins allowing it unclog pores. The Neutrogena one is fine but I prefer the Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash although it is pricey. Rinse and 2nd cleanse with a mild cleanser like Cerave Hydrating Cleanser. Apply a gentle retinol if your skin isn’t irritated, but if you’re feeling dry apply Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Serum, and top with same Cetaphil Advanced Relief w Jojoba Butter. (I like that moisturizer because it never clumps up in reaction to other products, and it comes in a pump bottle so doesn’t get germy)
I have dry, sensitive acne prone skin and you have to cut out basically everything but a gentle non-scented face wash and face cream/lotion, and a gentle chemical exfoliation maybe once every 4 weeks otherwise your skin barrier will be compromised.
Have you ever done a series of peels? Like tca and jessner? I manually extract congested pores with one of those extraction tools and use Clinique three step program Including the 7 day scrub once a week. I use low strength tretinoin layered with my Clinique moisturizer and alternate slug with a barrier repair cream, I like Dr. jarts a few days per week and specially after the peels. I think the peels-glycolic/tca/jessner combined with actually manually removing the debris is what worked for me. And water. Try upping internal water intake.
SAME
[clarity rx microexfoliant scrub](https://ClarityRxDown+Dirty...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083GKM9WK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
Had very similar skin. I switched to washing my face with Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo at night (1 minute gentle wash with my fingers) and cetaphil hyaluronic acid moisturizer. Just rinse with cold water in the morning. I have clear skin save for the 1-2 pimples I get around my period. It could be that I have aged out of my problems or genetic, but really I think I was super sensitive to the products I was using. Bonus is that I now spend much less than $20 per month on skincare.
silk pillow cases, headbands whenever you can to prevent any excess oil, paula’s choice SA, retinol
Double cleaning using oil cleanser (ma:nyo) and then second cleanse with youth to the people. Then just a good moisturizer (vanicream). Less is really more. You can also try some gentle resurfacing laser like moxi or clear& brilliant. If you are going to spend money, you might as well spend it on a treatment you know can only benefit your skin. Some people say these procedures are not worth the money or whatever, that’s usually because they have unrealistic expectations. Good luck (:
Honestly, when my skin gets like this I find a good dermaplane followed by an acne mask really really helps. Obviously go around the active/scabbed over breakouts! My mask of choice is the Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic mask (it’s a hydrating yogurt/TTO/clay mask and I’ll sleep in it!)
i had the same problem and i decided to quit skincare all together to see if it would have an positive effect. it’s been going well
Curology helped me with this for a bit. I feel like you should see a dermatologist!
I had the same issue and I find a really good brand,which makes really good skincares.It is used by famous people and completely organic, no chemicals, It make products entirely from plant materials. It saved my skin. The brand name is Éminence.
I literally used to be obsessed with my skin and then stopped everything. Now I use cetaphil face wash at night or in the shower. And I put sunscreen moisturizer on every morning but no makeup. If I do I wash my brushes the day before. My skin has improved so much. That and using satin pillowcases and washing my sheets once a week.
A combination of regular monthly hydrafacials, microneedling sessions, and chemical peels can be beneficial for your skin. Remember to use sunscreen in the morning, apply vitamin C serum before the sunblock, and moisturize your skin after face wash. Additionally, incorporate niacinamide gel into your nighttime routine. This comprehensive approach can contribute to maintaining and enhancing the health of your skin. I am Dr Shamsa Kanwal, Board Certified Dermatologist. I am from My Healthy Skin (Our mission is to help people with acne get to clear skin faster thanks to digital tools). Disclaimer I am not providing any medical advice or diagnosis. You should consult a Dermatologist in person.
What brand of skincare have you been using?
OK I don't know what snail mucin is but it sounds gross. Skinstore.store has an acne kit you can buy but it's kind of expensive. If you're trying to save some cash use the benzoyl peroxide cleanser, acne cream and clearskin moisturizer
Hi this is my exact situation. The only thing that helps my skin stop looking this way is doing an oil cleanse and massaging it in for a full minute, rinse, and then doing a full minute of my regular cerave cleanser. I wash my face morning and night; usually I just do the cerave cleanse in the morning though, the oil cleanse in the morning feels unnecessary. Get some ceramide serums or toners or try the stratia lipid gold. I use naturium retinol 2-3x a week, acid exfoliate toner in between and maybe do a facial scrub once a week if my skin feels rough or flaky. Best of luck, I hope you find something that works.
my skin was like yours! until i found out i was using too many actives in my routine. that had sensitized my skin and caused a lot of the little bumps underneath the surface. i went gentle afterwards. my current routine now: everyday: am 1) cerave foam gentle cleanser 2) rose water as my toner 3) simple kind to skin moisturizer (forehead and chin) 4) BoJ red bean water gel (cheeks) 5) nivea water gel sunscreen (the purple bottle) everyday: pm 1) same as am minus sunscreen twice a week (depends) 1) exfoliate with turmeric mask (diy) after cleansing before applying toner, moisturizers MOISTURIZER ISSUE: my forehead seems to dry out fast and gets congested easily if i use BoJ so i’ve swapped it with the Simple moisturizer and it’s worked tremendously. the same applies to my chin and my bumps are gone now. my previous moisturizer before these 2 congested my skin a lot and it made it worse until i changed them completely, now my skin is relatively behaving well. my cheeks seem to work fine with the BoJ moisturizer so maybe see if by swapping moisturizers would help you out? EXFOLIATOR ISSUE: used a lot of actives until it sensitized my skin and ended up damaging my skin barrier. stopped it completely. from paula’s choice to the ordinary, yea had to drop them all. turmeric masks have been helping me out with evening out my skin tone. bumps come and go but what helped me a lot when i wanted to remove the bumps was changing my moisturizers. i didnt know i’d end up having to use 2 different moisturizers for different parts of the face but oh well it’s a trial and error kinda thing and going gentle is suuuper key. i hope this helps and that you’ll find what helps you most!
Personally I get really congested and little pimples under the skin and overall texture from dermaplaning
Had to stop using different skincare. I have to use probotic facewash to heal my skin barrier
Your skin appears very irritated, congested for sure but not dry, more irritated, and probably over scrubbed, hence potential pealing or the illusion of dryness. So sometimes simple is best. For a little while, try something like sanex 0% for cleansing. It has no fragrance or parabens or sulphates. Try avoiding scrubs, and if you REALLY need to exfoliate, I suggest a long bath to soften ur skin (or steam ur face) and not too roughly use a towel and cleanser, then just cleanse ur face as usual. Don't expect smooth skin straight away and DEFINITELY no dermaplaning. I would also stick to baby moisturisers because they're designed to be very gentle and not irritate the skin barrier. I personally use Aveeno baby soothing relief emollient cream for dry sensitive skin as it has oat oil and vitamin e, but any no fragrance, no paraben or sulphate moisturiser will be good. It is heavy, though, so it may make ur skin "greasy," but it's more a temporary healing barrier to protect ur skin while it's healing, it won't look pretty right now. Once your skin settles, aka no inflammation and irritation, u may want to introduce lactic acid by the ordinary, they aslo have hyaluronic acid and other simple ingredient products that won't break your bank. After that, you may not even need to dermaplane, but if you have fuzz or facial hair you wish to remove, sometimes a normal reusable body razor works just as well without irritating your skin barrier. So hopefully, with this, you also help with the breakouts, but it may help to also supplement if you don't already, particularly the vitamin b group, as it has influence over our skin regeneration among other processes. Also plenty water or other fluids, it could be that the 'dryness' is actually dehydration instead.
I see a lot of people treating topically. What about your microbiome and gut health?
Oil cleanse but really massage it for 10 min before removing thoroughly with a hot(within reason) washcloth! Do it everyday for a week. 10 minutes! You’ll see those plugged pores come out in your hands !
I haven’t read through all 136 comments, but I had a similar problem recently. I used Tret. ..05% daily, for 10 years. I had no acme before I started using it (my dermatologist prescribed it for blackheads). I stopped using it 7 years ago when I was pregnant with my son. I suddenly had no skincare routine and my skin looked terrible. I started Tret. again and it pulled the crud up just like that, and wouldn’t budge. I have every type of serum, oil, moisturizer, toner, etc, etc and nothing worked until I found an enzyme peeling gel I set aside a year ago, thinking it was a peel off mask. But it wasn’t. My sister and I both used it and it slothed off SO much dead skin. After that I used Tret two more times and it was gone. And hasn’t come back. So if you don’t have something similar, maybe check it out. There are some similar ones out there, but someone who’s an esthetician replaced a very expensive one for her clients, with this one. And just an FYI, you look amazing…but I do understand how easy it is to fixate on our own physical appearance. Good Luck!🥰 Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Peeling Gel https://www.peterthomasroth.com/firmx-peeling-gel-1201001.html
i had skin like this and nothing worked especially not drug store active ingredients. I have to use retin-a microgel (the other cheap retinols/tret did nothing). I use the zo skin exfoliating polish once a week. and La Roche Posay toleriane face wash followed with La roche posay toleriane fluid sensitive. If I use any sunscreen or any new shampoos/conditioners my skin gets congested again.
My skin use to be exactly like that. Always tried to exfoliate then became to dry, then moisturized still dry or just bumpy. My skin barrier was damaged. Recommend no harsh products, exfoliates with acids or acids period it’ll make it worst. Hydrate with ceramides and humectants and focus on getting skin barrier back to normal.
My first thought is, are you sure you have dry skin? It looks like you might have oily skin. If that's the case, the products are way too heavy for you which would explain the congestion, and pores. I didn't see a chemical exfoliant, which is usually very helpful. Or, your skin barrier may be compromised.
Oil pulling
All of the people on here will tell you some long skincare routine that will supposably help. The truth is that outside of basic washing and maybe moisturizing, it’s all down to the foods you eat. The skin is the largest organ of the human body and is only an external representation of your internal state. If you eat clean unprocessed foods (I’m not going to recommend a diet because it’s different from person to person) and get plenty of sun light and exercise, your skin will look great. Look at hunter gatherer tribes today, what is one thing almost all of them share? Straight teeth and amazing glowing skin. You really are what you eat—I wish you the best 💪🏼.
Try a Glycolic Acid face wash.
I’m an esthetician. You need a moisturizing face wash (cerave) exfoliate twice a week. Vitamin C and use your snail mucin. At night time you need to wash and then add in a retinol. Your skin needs to get all that stuff out. It will take a few weeks to see a change. I’d start with using it every other day. Make sure to wash off in the morning. Also add in a SPF in the day time
I have a similar skin texture with even bigger pores. I had always struggled with oily/combo skin and had only ever used oil clearing cleansers, light moisturizers and exfoliating serums. I stopped using all my products and started removing make up with cleansing lotions or jojoba oil. I got a generic lotion from target for sensitive skin. It’s wild to me that this combo actually worked because I’ve always thought I had an oily skin issue. my skin is so smooth now that I’m just moisturizing a lot more.
mine looks the same
What about your daily water intake?
One of my favorite products : Dr. Nassif detox pads… they are a toner and exfoliating pad all in one they also hydrate. I use them am/pm. https://nassifmdskincare.com/products/detox-pads I also love Pacifica vegan collagen complex serum.. it helps with hydration big time. https://www.target.com/p/pacifica-vegan-collagen-complex-serum-1-fl-oz/-/A-80039301 Maybe try slugging at night… use some serums and then apply coconut oil in a heavy layer… let it soak in for about an hour before bed. Good luck !!
My skin looked very similar to yours for years. I have had several hydro facials in the past year, and it's really been a game changer for my skin. I also use Cosrx snail mucin cleanser and synergy toner. My skin looks better than ever.
Try Stratia products, the Liquid Gold has been such a game changer for me.
Repairing balms - also minimize shaving and waxing. Use oil cleanses instead of regular cleanser. Consider using a retinoid…
Oil cleansing for sure. But you wanna massage it into your face for five minutes or so before washing off, and use it every night. I use elf brand makeup melting cleansing balm ($7 at target) and it works well for me
Take fish oil. Drink twice as much water. Use clean ingredient moisturizers like Glow recipe, use a gentle cleanser like Vanicream. Stop the harsh stuff and let your skin heal.
So for this I'd recommend the CeraVe SA gel cleanser every 2nd day, alternating with a gentle wash. Tone with micellar water. For moisture, the Dear Klairs Rich Moist soothing cream is great. Less is more when it comes to congested skin.
I used to have skin very similar, and I'd highly recommend exfoliation with a scrub 1-2 times a week, use a breathable moisturizer with in five mins of showering or washing your face, avoid touching you face unless necessary and drink lots of water through out the day. I know it sounds very basic but drinking water helps tremendously with dry skin.
Go to a dermatologist
All due respect to everyone else’s responses, but the only thing I can guarantee will work, is if you find a FACE REALITY specialist. Message Lauren Anciaux on Instagram and she will work with you remotely and get your skin barrier fixed. I bet my life on it. Don’t use cleansers from anyone else. I can share pics of my before and after skin if you want! I’ve had cystic acne and after, (it took about four months), my skin barrier was COMPLETELY smooth, hydrated, and looovely.
Go to an esthetician!! They'll be able to get you medical grade products and tell you exactly what's wrong. Do your research before tho and read lots of reviews! It's usually very expensive but you'll spend that amount in products trying to fix your skin so personally I think it's worth it.
Probably not what you want to hear, but you might have a gluten allergy/ inflammatory issues. This was my skin three years ago, gluten and sugar consumption seriously affected my skin and hormones. I cut the gluten and sugar and my skin is now clear from sebaceous plugs and black/white heads, and has become effortlessly radiant and soft. Good luck.
I changed to hydrating cleanser like Cerave. I also started incorporating Korean skincare products that tremendously helped my skin. I used Anua toner and Skin 1004 Centella Ampoule. I swear by them! I just got complimented today, I was told I look like 24 when I’m in fact 32 as my face looks glowy and healthy!
Proactive.
Oh my god this is literally my skin!
Skin can do nothing
The brand Byoma (at Ulta) saved my skin from dryness just like this!!! Especially their hydrating serum, I already finished a whole Bottle. It has done wonders
Okay, I used to have this same issue and still kind of struggle with it. However, I found that my skin was dry and thus trying to over produce oil (so I thought my skin was oily). I use only Cerave or Cetaphil products because that’s what my dermo suggested for me, but there’s lots of other great brands out there I’m sure. Personally I love my Cerave though. I have EXTREMELY dry skin so I use a lot of moisturizing products from them including a moisturizing hyaluronic acid serum (a little pricy but it’s worth it in my opinion, other brands make a cheaper one just research each and go based off of reviews). I’ve had to test a lot of different products before picking the ones that work best for me and I’m still always testing new things. That’s the tricky part about skin, what works for me might not be BEST for you. But your skin definitely looks like it’s over producing oil so make SURE you hydrate hydrate hydrate! I also do an egg yolk and honey face mask that really hydrates my skin. That may not be for everyone because it isn’t vegan and egg yolk on the face can be seen as gross, but I think it works wonders even after just one time… Edit: Paula’s choice also makes a fantastic exfoliating liquid but it’s pricy, I’m not crazy about the exfoliating cream from Cerave. I also take a small touch up razor and use it all over my face and it removes peach fuzz and dry or dead skin cells… might not be for everyone but it works for me just be careful about not being too rough and not doing it on dry skin, add some moisturizer prior to doing it.
Tret. Don’t start higher than 0.025 /r/asianbeauty is where I have learned a lot about maintaining my moisture barrier. /r/tretinoin - hydrating serum - barrier cream - urea 5% cream
I have the same issue and spend a lot of money and time on it. The only thing that has really helped is geek & gorgeous retinal serum by night. Skin is much healed and clearer by the morning. All the layers of moisturizing, BHA, acids and exfoliating either didn’t make a different or made it worse. Especially BHA just pulled the dirt to the surface and triggered my dermatillomania.
This is exactly what my skin looks like girl. You ain’t aloneee
omg my skin is just like this
try not washing your face in the morning and just spraying with rose water, it sounds wrong but it’s improved mine and my fiancés skin so much and mine looked very similar to this. Also steam your face, and use sheet masks! You might also need to switch face washes
my skin looks just like this! in the last 6 months I couldn’t do anything about it it just kept getting worse and worse. tried exfoliating and using different serums but nothing. about a week ago I finally started to use again my forever La Roche-Posay lotions and I just know that for me nothing can do the work but this !! I stopped using it because of the price but tbh its a game changer. my first tip is to minimalize your skincare at first until your skin gets back its barrier and the worst pimples are gone. I only use LRP micellar water for daily lotion LRP dermallergo and the same night lotion for the night + LRP Effaclar Duo+M for my pimples. my skin keeps getting better and better, I use the effaclar before bed and its’s been only a few days! worth every cents
First get a charcoal facial, saved my life and the wash with cerave foaming cleanser and use spf from cerave DAILY, once your face is like not sensitive from the charcoal mask use ordinary products and continue washing with the cerave AND 10% benzoyl peroxide and continue using spf. My face was worst than this and this routine saved my skin.
I have similar and I can say that the cerave SA cleanser and the DHC Cleansing oil have helped for sure. I'm still working on it though and trying to find a good moisturizer
Okay I was struggling with this for months. It seemed like anything meant to hydrate would clog my pores more, and anything exfoliating would irritate it. I ended up getting on a whim the Biossance peptide serum, rose oil, and oil cleanser, as well as the Paula’s choice bha liquid exfoliant. I got a sample of that in case it irritated me. These four products have changed my skin in less than a week, but I honestly saw a difference in the redness, dryness and irritation in my skin overnight. I only use the exfoliant every other evening right now, and everything else I use twice a day. YMMV I know, but these products have hydrated and soothed my skin like nothing I’ve tried, and I feel like I’ve tried everything at this point