Skin care!

[xSuperMario64x]

Edit: I should mention that I do in fact have a skin care routine now! I had to start a better one since I found out that my old "drug store" face wash had fragrance in it and was making me break out really bad

my current skin care routine involves me rinsing with warm water, using CeraVe SA Renewal Cleanser, rinsing with cool water, and then using a spot-treatment that my dermatologist prescribed to me. once that's all done I use a regular CeraVe brand daily moisturizer. it's been working pretty well for me, I definitely feel a lot more clean and I couldn't imagine not washing my face twice a day now haha

Original Post:
so I've been thinking about starting a skin care routine, specifically for my face since I deal with a bit of acne (though I'd appreciate thoughts about any routine). I've actually thought about this for a while, but the more time goes on the more conscious I am about my skin and I realize that I really need to do it wayyy more often than I have been orz
with that, I have questions. what do you guys do for a skin care routine? what kinds of products do you use? are there brands you tend to gravitate towards? are there brands that you flat-out avoid? do you read any articles or follow people on social media to get info on stuff like this?

I'm kinda embarrassed to admit that I just use some generic drug store face wash stuff, I really would like to invest in something that I know will help me. I'm also thinking about getting a exfoliating pad since just using my hands isn't enough, I feel like. there's a lot to think about and I'm a bit lost, would appreciate some help besties

 

[kayleee]

There’s nothing wrong with drugstore products! I would advise against anything harsh/exfoliating on your face though, your hands are sufficient for cleaning it. It’s a misconception that scrubbing your face = cleaner, it actually can damage your skin and exacerbate acne. A gentle cleanser and moisturizer morning and night might help! I’ve had luck with neutrogena products personally! I’m not an expert though, I just know from personal experience that sometimes less is more when it comes to skincare if it’s feasible, I would also recommend visiting a dermatologist - I’ve had acne struggles and a dermatologist really helped point me in the right direction for which products I should/should not be using. Unfortunately there is a bit of trial and error involved but I’d start with very gentle ‘daily’ products and go from there

 

[nightglow]

I use Ivory unscented or dove liquid body wash. I don't like bar soap if I can avoid it. I feel like liquid just cleans skin better than bars.

I do like this salicylic acid grapefruit wash for my face, or other parts if I was outside sweating a bunch. It helps break down oil, dead skin, and salt crystals out of pours. I just feel like it cleans skin really well when you were outside and gross vs regular body wash.

Spoiler: Pic

 

[Kitsuragi]

One of the first things I recommend is learning about your skin type and try out samples of products. When starting our skincare, it can be easy to go overboard and buy a bunch of stuff at once and then not use it, not like it, or it just doesn't work for you.
Buy one product at a time. A good start is a cleanser. I personally double cleanse, use a AHA/BHA toner, serum, niacinamide and then a Moisturizer with SPF. You do NOT have to do all of these or really any of these except cleansing, cleansing is a very important start to cleaning.
I would highly recommend staying away from facial wash scrubs, i.e saint ives apricot scrub. They're bad for you, bad for the environment, and they're just not worth it.
If absolutely possible, talking to a dermatologist or an esthetician is a great start but it's not feasible/affordable and sometimes dermas can be too "clinical" or just opt to put you right on accutane which is horrific. Watch videos online, maybe take some skin care quizzes, ask around about what products work for other folks and go from there

The subreddit skincareaddiction is really good and so is koreanbeauty if you're looking to try Asian skincare products. You do not have to be Asian to use Asian products.

Edit: forgot to add. Exfoliating does not need to be done every time to do skincare, that's too abrasive. Your hands are plenty but you can also consider using a non exfoliating, gentle brush. If you want to be as gentle as possible, use your pinky fingers when you wash your face. It's the weakest finger on your hand so it won't be as easy to press and pull your skin as hard. You have to be very gentle with your skin so you don't get abrasions, but not so gentle that nothing happens. Makes sense?

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I have to use ointment on my hands twice a day because of psoriasis. I too seems to have gotten worse since the temperature changed from summer.

 

[Gabby]

I have combination skin that leans towards dry. I prefer to keep my skincare simple rather than over-complicate it.

AM:
Sunscreen (Biore UV Aqua Rich SPF 50 PA+++++)

PM:
Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizer

Aaaand that's it. I don't really get too much acne unless I forgot to wash my sunscreen off. I've heard Tretinoin is really good for people who experience chronic acne (and it prevents wrinkles!)

 

[thatawkwardkid]

At first, I started with just a basic cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. But soon after I started expanding it to include other things like exfoliants and toners. I would say just start with the first three products I mentioned. Even if you have oily skin (for example) moisturizer is still necessary.

You shouldn't feel embarrassed for using drugstore skincare! I use it and many people I know use it as their holy grails (CeraVe, Cetaphil, Neutrogena, etc.). Plus, skin care can be expensive af and you have to start somewhere.

Also, please be aware (you most likely already know this) that not every product will work for you. You have to really know your skin, which could take time. Make sure to do patch tests first, especially if you generally have sensitive skin. I learned the hard way that some of the well-known skincare brands I just listed break me out really bad.