During my time in quarantine, I did a lot of research, some intentional and some not in which learned a lot about skincare and creating a skincare routine. I have acne-prone skin and I have been struggling with acne since the beginning of high school, so I constantly try to find out ways to improve my skincare and seek out better products to use on my skin. Since quarantine I have been expanding my knowledge by watching many TikToks, YouTube videos, read many articles, and talking to my esthetician about recommendations she has for my skin and just general skin care. Luckily, I compiled a lot of information and was able to create a skincare routine that is more tailored toward my skin and that has been working for me so far. Here’s what I learned.
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1. Wash Your Face and Apply Toner
Twice a day, you should use a cleanser to wash your face. Since I have acne- prone skin, it is recommended to use a product that has either salicylic acid, which works as an exfoliant and assists in keeping your pores clear or benzoyl peroxide, which helps reduce acne causing bacteria. It is important to use a gentle cleanser that is tailored to your skin type and targets the issues you want to work on. Toner is used to restore the PH balance of your skin and often assists in keeping your skin hydrated.
Personally, I use the IMAGE Skincare Clear Cell Salicylic Gel Cleanser, recommended to me by my esthetician, and it is doing a great job at reducing the size of my enlarged pores and it has reduced my frequency of active breakouts drastically.  I am still trying to find a toner that will fit my skin and include in my personal regimen, but I have been recommended to Paula’s Choice Toners, which you can find here: Paula’s Choice: Toner
2. Serums
Serums are used to address your individual concerns with your skin. Since my skincare routine was created to target my acne (and hyperpigmentation), I use The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% because its use is to help reduce congestion and visible sebum activity, and it targets pore size as well (which I definitely have been benefiting from since I added it to my skincare routine). When applying your serums, it is recommended to put the thinnest product first and to use no more than three different serums at a type.Â
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3. Add an Eye Cream
I haven’t added this step to my regime as of yet but according to many dermatologists, applying eye cream is vital, at least once a night in order to improve fine lines, collagen loss, puffiness, and to avoid the dark rings around your eyes that often make you look tired and cause your skin to look dull. Two key ingredients to look for if you are looking for a good eye car are hyaluronic acid, retinol and antioxidants such as vitamin C and E. To learn more about eye creams and to find eye creams that will suit you,that will suit you, click here.
4. Add Spot Treatment and Moisturizer
Spot treatments are good for targeting blemishes or impurities, especially on acne prone skin and it is important to remember to only apply on the spots you need it in order to avoid drying out your skin. A highly recommended spot treatment is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. Shop Now, $17.
“Moisturizer is used to ensure that your skin barrier is maintained, healthy, hydrated and restored,” says Dr. Levin. It is important to maintain the balance in your skin and help replenish it as well, especially if you live in a place where you have to experience cold weather. To find out more about moisturizing and what moisturizer would be best for you, click here.
5. SPF sunscreen
When doing your skincare routine in the morning, make sure you wear SPF at least 20 minutes before heading out for the day, especially if you are going out in the sun. The experts at Paula’s Choice recommend that you use a sunscreen with the SPF of 30 or greater, fragrance-free, and suitable for your skin type in order to maintain your skin’s youthful appearance, protect your skin against skin cancer, hyperpigmentation, and early skin aging. Click here for some dermatologist recommended sunscreen.
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There are steps that you can take out or add to your skincare routine (such as face masks, eye masks, etc.). Just remember that your skincare routine should be specifically tailored to you and your skincare needs. If you do not want to put as much time into researching different products for each individual step of your skincare routine, I would recommend Curology. I also highly suggest doing your own research. An excellent youtuber to watch would be Hyram, he gives amazing skincare advice and is absolutely hilarious as well.
All in all, your options are unlimited. The first step to better skincare is: you. I hope that this was helpful or in the very least, kickstarted your interest in bettering your skincare. Good luck!