I have to say my skin got me incredibly down at times. I just did not understand why I went from having the occasional spot to full on chin acne. It affected my confidence now and again, making me feel like I didn’t even want to leave the house. I now know, looking back, that it actually wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but I still felt confused and frustrated that it wouldn’t go away. I thought I would never get my clear skin back. Not even my super-duper trusty concealer was able to cover some of the blasted spots.
I then did my research and purchased proper skincare. I was determined to use it religiously and see what happened. Now, thanks to the mini skincare investments I have made, my acne is virtually gone (hopefully) and I wanted to share the products that did the job. Obviously, everybody’s skin is different, so what works for me may not work for you. However, I would recommend these products even if acne isn’t a problem for you. These products can most definitely just be used to look after your skin in general, and nothing I have used is specifically targeted purely for acne.
First off is a cleanser. I have actually used this Body Shop camomile cleansing butter on and off for quite some time. This cleanser is loved by the world and his wife as it is SO good at getting rid of stubborn makeup. For me, it’s a much gentler way of removing makeup, compared to scrubbing at your skin with a makeup wipe. It leaves your skin feeling super soft, and the balm just melts into your skin like a dream. I would make sure you clear away any residue, as leaving oily substances on your skin may clog up your pores further. I just make sure I’m thorough when rinsing it off and it works fine for me. I feel that this cleanser has helped my acne because it is so gentle on the skin. The less you have to wipe your spots, the better, as you don’t want them to become irritated and inflamed.
Pixi Glow Tonic is the bomb.com. This product has such a great reputation worldwide, so it was kind of a guarantee that it would treat me well. Now, for anyone who isn’t into skin care it may sound intense when I say this is an ACID toner. Why on earth would anyone put acid on their face? Tbh I thought the same thing before I learnt more about skincare. Turns out Glycolic acid is incredibly great at clearing and brightening the skin. This toner contains 5% glycolic acid, which is a great starting point if you are new to acids like I was. I must admit it stung the first two times, but my skin adapted quite quickly and I could see the benefits after just a few days. This product exfoliates the skin while combating the clogged pores that could possibly become spots in the future. A few drops of this toner on a cotton pad swept over your face will leave your skin feeling squeaky clean and dirt free. I also like to use this to ensure there is no cleanser left on my face.
This moisturiser is a fairly new addition to my routine, but I am loving using it right now. I have heard of rituals as a brand before, but never really looked into it, and when I came across a shop in Stansted airport I was quite intrigued. I was drawn to this Hydrating Gel Cream because it didn’t seem too heavy but also felt very hydrating. The one thing I keep in mind when finding a moisturiser is that I don’t want it to clog my skin further and add even more problems that I don’t need. For me, a lighter but effective moisturiser works best when dealing with acne for this precise reason. From using this product, I have noticed that the remaining dry patches from old spots are also healing rapidly, which is a massive plus. It also sinks in super quickly, feels cooling on the skin, and smells loooovely. 10 out of 10. Would recommend.
This little bottle from The Ordinary right here Is the main reason my acne has decreased. Firstly, I love how scientific and clean it looks. Secondly, this is the cheapest and most effective product I have used. Similar to the Pixi Glow Tonic this product exfoliates and combats congested skin, but instead of Glycolic acid, it contains 10% Lactic Acid. This is definitely a step up in terms of acid intensity, and The Ordinary recommend introducing it slowly into your routine. The consistency is like a thin gel texture and you only need a few drops to wipe over the entire face. For something that costs about £6, I was not expecting such drastic results. There were a few stages that my skin went through before reaching the point that it is now. Basically, this product made my skin worse to make it better. The proper term is purge. So, all the clogged pores that were lurking under the skin came out to say ‘HI THERE’. I must admit, I was horrified when I had more acne than I had chin. I just thought ‘OH HEEEELLL NO’. However, I am so glad that I persisted, because about 10 days later the spots were fading. If it wasn’t for The Ordinary speeding up the process, I would still have consistent spots over a longer period of time. I still use this to attack clogged pores, as it now gets to the route of the cause before it gets worse. When I use this product, I wake up with brighter looking skin which is so soft. The Ordinary recommend wearing sunscreen after use to avoid skin irritation, so bare that in mind. They also do a 5% lactic acid, which is great as a starting point if you are new to acids and is also the same price.
Kiehl’s is a widely loved skin care brand that I have been using for just over a year now. The Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery facial oil is applied at night to improve the appearance of the skin and act as a moisture boost. I use a few drops only on my dry areas, which works well as I can always see a noticeable improvement the next morning. I feel a little bit hesitant to use this oil on my chin for the fear that I’ll just clog more pores with oil, so after I have applied this I use my moisturiser on my chin and over the top of the oil. I find that it helps promote my skin to soak up my moisturiser, and it never leaves my skin feeling wet or slippery. It also smells of lavender which helps me drift off to sleep, and reminds me of cute old people. In a good way. As this is one of the more expensive products I use, I want to point out that I am only half way through the bottle and that’s after over a year’s worth of use. So, for me, it has been well worth the money.
Rosehip oil is known for reducing the appearance of “imperfections” such as scars, sun damage, and fine lines. When dealing with scars left from acne, rosehip oil works a treat. I am particularly enjoying Pai’s Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil. Again, I love the scientific aspect of the packaging. The dropper application actually works really well as this oil is quite slippery and could easily turn into a messy job. I usually alternate between this oil and Kiehl’s, which is a routine that my skin seems to enjoy. I would recommend rosehip oil to anyone that has acne scarring as I have noticed my red marks fading really well over the past month. There are lots of other cheaper rosehip oil alternatives that may work just as well so it may be worth looking around online. For now, I am really enjoying using this rosehip oil by Pai.
Last but not least I wanted to mention a concealer that I use to cover my spots/ acne scars. The makeup forever full cover camouflage cream is really great at covering highly pigmented spots. It is a thick concealer that has unbelievable coverage. This little tube packs a punch and lasts forever. The colour I have blends really well on my skin, which I usually struggle with as a pale ginger. It does claim to also be waterproof, which I can actually comment on as I have used this on various holidays. I would say it lasts longer than an average concealer, but maybe not as well as you would expect a product that claims to be waterproof. Regardless of whether it is waterproof or not, this is such a great blemish concealer that lasts well throughout a general day. I would suggest to moisturised before use, as it may cling to any dry patches you may have. In summary, I know that this concealer is one that I can rely on time and time again, and it would have to take something pretty amazing for me to replace it with another.
So, that is it! Congratulations for making it to the end. I hope this has helped any of you that might be in a similar skin situation to what I was in. As I said earlier, none of these products are exclusively for treating acne. I would recommend any of them for just generally looking after the skin. If there are any products that I haven’t mentioned which you think also work great please do let me know, as I would love to hear your suggestions!
That’s all from me today!
Take care,
Em
