Acne prone skin - best skincare?

Chia

I feel you on this. What worked for me:

- Exercise. (You may already do this, I know.) This has improved my life SO MUCH. I feel better, I don't get out of breath going up the stairs, I don't get lapped by old people while hiking. It didn't heal my skin but it has helped it look healthier and less congested.

- Natural products. If you read the back of products from most high street brands (Simple, Olay, Nivea, etc), it's a chemical fest. Don't stress your skin with too much of that. I do much better with stuff like Neal's Yard, Aveda and Avalon Organics (internet only on that one as it's a US brand). I try to only use things with a significant proportion of ingredients I don't like if I get really good effects from it.

- Don't overdry your skin even if it's oily. Try different cleansers. I struggled for a long time with oily skin but a dry-looking neck and found out it was down to my cleanser drying me out post-wash.

- NUMBER ONE TIP: If you have large pores, you have to regularly de-gunk. There is no way around this. The sediment has to get scraped outta there. Standard exfoliators won't complete the job for a lot of us. The best thing I've found is Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser - the cloth is the key rather than that specific cleanser, though it is good (if not quite as natural as I'd like). The little muslin fibers sort of dip into the pores (or so goes my muslin cloth physics theory). Second fave is the Olay Pro-X brush. This is another thing you have to order from America, but it's waaaaay cheaper than a Clarisonic and works well. You can use it with whatever exfoliator you have around as long as it's not too rough (e.g. don't use St Ives on your face!).

- Also: for breakouts, benzoyl peroxide is good for me. Get it from the chemist's counter though it's not prescription. You probably don't want 10% gel as it's drying. Try 2.5% or 5%. Ideally gel not cream.

Christina1982

Personally I can't recommend dermalogical enough, not cheap thought but love the products and they suit my skin. Also highly recommend bare minerals since using both brands together my skin is much better.
Make sure your skins not too dry too, and drink loads of water.
Good luck everyone's skin is different so what works for 1 might not work for others

Armchair23

My beautiful 25 year old daughter did the teenage years without a spot in sight. By the time she was 22 she was a permanent zit zone.

Not really acne but persistent spots. I tried saying give up the wipes, but they are so cheap and easy it's hard to persuade.

Finally now she's got a salary she's tried a few different ranges and really got lucky with Clinique anti blemish which works for her. She now looks amazing in comparison to 6 months ago.

I'd come to the conclusion Clinique were overpriced and old hat but I imagine it's just a case of trial and error finding a range that suits you.

I definitely wouldn't start with most expensive first and definitely steer clear of anything too aggressive.

When I could afford it I used Eve Lom - now I just have the aged muslins !

KimberliCraine

Use a moisturizer with sunscreen that is designed for your skin type. For your dry skin, use a cream-based cleanser, and products with salicylic acid for oily skin. If your skin is too sensitive, make sure to use hypoallergenic products.

Anoneemoose

I feel your pain. I have tried most of the methods above and can hand on heart say they did nothing! I am only saying this because it illustrates how individual we all are and what works for one, won't work for all.

The best thing is to use trial and error, unfortunately that can lead to frustration and a lighter bank balance 😞. Also be aware that your skin constantly changes so what works one season might not work in all.

I would also recommend speaking to your g.p. as it could be hormonal (mine is due to PCOS). They can rule out anything underlying.

I am currently using cetaphil cleanser and moisturiser which has been great but I have noticed a lot of congestion lately. I wish I could get rid of all the gunk!!! Bare Minerals make up made my acne horrendous. Not saying it will for everyone as a pp has said it works for them, but it contains an ingredient called bismuth Oxychloride, which is a known acnegenic.

I also spent a fortune on Dermalogica and it didn't have much effect. They used to have a refund policy that if a Dermalogica approved salon recommended the products and they didn't work, you could get your money back. So I did! They might still do it if you fancied trying their stuff.

Good luck though OP, it isn't easy!x

Ickle

I highly recommend you have a look at Caroline Hiron's website. If you google it you will easily find it.

She has cheat sheets for Acne and Cleansing (links are to the right hand side of the website). If you wear make-up in the day you really need to double cleanse at night to ensure you get all the make-up off and then cleanse the skin underneath.

I suffer with breakouts and have tried numerous products. Unfortunately what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. My skin has improved markedly since using Cosmedix Clarity Serum.

purpleducky

I too have spots (at age 30!) due to PCOS.

Echoing what people have already said, what works for me is...

-cutting down on sugar (even 'healthy' ones like fruit juice)
-cleansing with only makeup removing wipes and cold water
-changing my pillowcase every 3 days
-drying my face with a clean flannel not a hand/body towel
-taking MSM tablets from Holland & Barrett (reduces inflammation)
-using mineral makeup (I use Everyday Minerals) instead of foundation