As someone who has dealt with acne for years now, I pay very close attention to what I put on my skin and the routine I follow. Last year I made a post on my skincare routine at the time, but since then my skin has changed (for the better!). Skin can go through cycles because of hormones, seasonal weather, even your diet or lifestyle changes. The changes in my skin I am sure have much to do with my (slight) change in diet and the products I’ve begun using.

I still have pretty sensitive, oily, more acne prone skin, but since adding benzoyl peroxide to my routine, my pores are less clogged, my oil levels have decreased, and the texture of my skin has improved as well. On top of this product change, I have become a pescatarian, but more often than not I don’t eat fish either. I have focused on drinking more water as well!

Since many of you deal with acne, I wanted to show you what I do with my skin. So check out my list of updated products and my daily routine below and hopefully I will help someone dealing with the same struggle I am!

Products

1. Makeup Remover:
2. • The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover – Even though it’s an eye makeup remover, I use it all over my face. It’s extremely gentle and gets even the most stubborn makeup off! I really just use any gentle makeup remover if I can’t find this product (any store brand remover works for me, I’m not picky).
3. Face Washes:
   • Liquid African Black Soap – This is the absolute best face wash I have ever used in my life! (and trust me, I’ve tried a ton.) It makes your face and/or body feel squeaky clean without feeling tight and uncomfortable, while also providing it with beneficial nutrients.
   • Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub – This scrub is the bomb-diggity. I used to be obsessed with St. Ives’ Apricot Scrub (which is still a pretty good scrub, I must say) until I found this. I didn’t think I could find any better, UNTIL I FOUND THIS. Its smaller particles more gently, but more effectively buff away dead skin cells and it’s also supposed to diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars.
4. Toners:
   • Witch Hazel – Using a toner tightens pores, smooths and beautifies skin, balances skin’s PH, all while moisturizing and protecting it from airborne impurities. I like Thayer’s Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera because it has aloe vera which has benefits such as reducing acne and dark spots, but I will use any witch hazel I can find if not this one. I like having a bit of alcohol in my toner because it cuts through the oil on my skin and kills bacteria which are both beneficial in fighting acne.
   • SK-II Facial Treatment Essence – We know how great toner is for the health of your skin. This essence has over 90% Pitera, which is a vitamin-rich liquid that helps to improve the appearance of spots, wrinkles, texture, firmness, and radiance. Its formula gently exfoliates the face and helps moderate the skin surface renewal cycle. It is expensive though, so I use it two to three times a week, not only on my face, but I rub the cotton round on the rest of my body as well, hoping to get its benefits in multiple places.
5. Acne Treatment:
   • Vivant Skincare 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Gel Medication– This treatment has changed my skin for the better. I didn’t realize that the salicylic acid in some of the other products I was using was clogging my pores. Benzoyl peroxide pushes oxygen into your skin, keeping your pores less clogged. For oily skin it works wonders!
6. Face Lotion:
   • Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with sunscreen – Everyone knows by now that you should be wearing sunscreen. But do we always do it? No. No one likes walking around smelling like a 6-year-old at the beach. So, I like it when it’s already in my face lotion. It’s really gentle and is fragrance-free as well. Who can beat that?
   • Dr. Lin Daily Hydrating Gel – My dermatologist, Dr. Lin (the man himself!), suggested I use this hydrating gel. It contains hyaluronic acid and soothing aloe vera to saturate dry, irritated skin. Hyaluronic acid is great for any skin care routine helping to reduce inflammation under the skin and securing its moisture, giving you a more youthful appearance.
   • Ponds Clarant B3 Dark Spot Correcting Cream – I consistently get dark spots from acne, even if I don’t touch the pimple. It is beyond frustrating! I’ve tried multiple fade creams and none have worked on the problem area without drying my skin out or clogging my pores. This cream definitely works, but you must use it consistently. Twice a day is optimal to see results, but at LEAST once a day.
7. Eye Cream:
   • Superfoods + Science Eye Cream – I’m in my early 20’s so I don’t really have to worry about wrinkles yet, but I wanted to start my prevention early. This eye cream from Youth to the People has a superfoods blend of Kale, Aloe, Sunflower Oil, and Tripeptide 5. It helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, boost collagen, improve elasticity, prevent the signs of aging, and crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid plumps and locks in your skin’s natural moisture.
8. Night Cream:
   • Berry AHA Bright Peel Sleeping Pack – I use this on nights that my skin is feeling rough, bumpy, and a bit dry. The next morning my skin feels so revitalized. It’s smoother, softer and I can’t stop touching it! (don’t touch your face though. You don’t know where your hands have been… ew.)
   • Andalou Naturals Heavenly Night Cream – This is the best night cream I’ve used so far (but to be fair I haven’t tried that many). This rich cream, with Alpine Rose Stem Cells, delivers deep cellular support to soothe, nourish, and transform sensitive skin. Pomegranate tones and tightens as hyaluronic acid and aloe vera revive skin’s hydro-lipid barrier for a naturally flawless complexion.
   • Honey Cera Emulsion– This product feels SO good on my skin. It is a nourishing and firming emulsion that provides rich nutrition and strengthens the skin’s oil-moisture balance. It smells delicious too! With 180 mL in the bottle it will last me a long time, and it’s affordable.
   • Glow Potion – This facial oil has been a great addition to my routine. It is handmade and the main ingredient is the potent, nourishing Maracuja Oil. Check out my post, Sephora Beauty Oil DUPE! for more information! I also may use vitamin E or coconut oil, but I like this one best because it’s lightweight!

Routine

Morning:

My morning routine is super simple. I don’t wash my face most days – because why would I wash off all the goodness I put onto my skin the night before? – I just rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Then, I use the 10% benzoyl peroxide and a tiny bit of the Ponds Correcting Cream. After, I typically use the Cetaphil face lotion with sunscreen because sunscreen is something you should be wearing EVERY DAY to prevent sun damage, wrinkles, free radical damage, and more.

All done!

Night:

If I was wearing makeup that day (which I probably wasn’t because I like to let my face breathe, and my skin has been looking FLAWLESS lately) I will remove it with my makeup remover.

Then, I will wash my face with one of my two face washes. I most often use my african black soap, but about three times a week I will use the scrub. To wash I love using my Ultimate Skin Spa System from VanityPlanet. Here is the link and if you look up any youtuber that uses anything from this website you can use their coupon code to get 70% off! (Say whaaaat!) Also, check out my review on the system if you haven’t yet!

Next, I tone and moisturize. After I tone with either the Witch Hazel or the SK-II Treatment Essence, I put on the Benzoyl Peroxide. Then, I use the Ponds Correcting Cream, then the Honey Cera Emulsion. For my night cream I most often use the Andalou Natural Night Cream and then if my skin really needs some moisture I will pat on a bit of my facial oil. And maybe about twice a month I will use the overnight peel, but this I use on it’s own immediately after washing my face.

Although this sounds like a lot of products (and it lowkey is), I make sure to use a light hand! I don’t use massive globs of each product. I apply them in thin layers so I don’t clog my pores.

After I pat on my eye cream and moisturize my lips with Vaseline it’s off to sleep! Check out how I keep my lips soft if you need some tips. If you need a better description of why I put on my products in the order I do (or why I have so many!), check out my posts: Why the Korean Skincare Routine Works and How To Layer Skincare Products.

I hope you all found this post helpful! Let me know of any products you think I might like, if any of these products have helped you, or if you just have any questions! Thanks for reading!

xoxo, Arielle