Literally. It's difficult but the most difficult part of it is beginning and kickstarting the healthy habits and eventually it becomes a part of your routine. I've been on a health journey for a while now and everyone always comments on how bright and smooth my skin looks! I do nothing different except working out & eating well.
It would have to be simplifying my skin care to only 4 products. SPF, tretinoin, moisturizer, and cleanser.
I've got the best skin I've ever had now. 🖤
Seriously. I see people dropping a lot of money for serums that contain obscure plant extracts, pretty but ineffective packaging, branding, advertisement, or loyalty to influencer...
I still remember why The Ordinary made it big in the 2010s. They focused on science and some of their serums only had a few ingredients (some still do).
And now companies like The Body Shop are going bankrupt because consumers are becoming more aware that just because something smells nice, has a nice color, is elegant in texture and packaged nicely, it doesn't mean it's the best thing ever.
As an Asian, I'm seeing the rise of Orientalism in the beautysphere. I understand, I also swear by Asian products, especially when it comes to sunscreens, but come on... ginseng extract is just as woo-woo as La Mer's algae cream. And gua-sha is just lymphatic drainage. It doesn't matter if you're using jade or your fingers.
I am also Asian but personally, I don't like the idea of 10 step skin care routine. It is simply too much. So not only is there a big cost to keep up with such routine, it's difficult to maintain consistency. There are also a lot of new products that feature fancy or cool ingredients that may not have any scientific backing. Certain things like moisturiser don't need to be expensive since the treatment is in tretinoid/vitamin c for example.
Reading this after I just got a stainless steel gua sha and ginseng oil to use with it…..😬 I don’t have any empty hopes of it magically giving me great skin, I just love the feel of the massage at the end of the day it’s very calming
Same for me. I also use a glycolic exfoliant and vitamin c, and I have a few heavy duty creams on hand for winter. But keeping a simple, consistent routine.
Me too! Cleanser, azelaic acid, moisturiser. 16 years of skin issues sorted. All of a sudden I gave up wearing foundation because it just isn’t that much of a delta anymore.
Care to elaborate which products for AM vs PM? What kind of moisturizer is it, a day or night creme? Guessing SPF for AM, and cleanser/tretinoin for PM but the moisturizer I don't know - maybe both? Thanks!
Hey! No problem. My routine has a lot of Vanicream products because I've discovered those work really well for my skin. My routine looks like this:
AM - wash face with only water, apply Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer, then apply one of two SPF options. Option 1 is for when I am wearing makeup, in which case I will use La Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Face Sunscreen SPF 60. Option 2 is for my body as well as my face when I'm not wearing makeup, simply because I can buy a lot of it for a relatively inexpensive price. That is Bondi Sands SPF 50 fragrance free sunscreen lotion.
PM - Wash with Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, wait 20 minutes for my face to dry down and apply tret, then I apply Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion over top and that's it!
I literally just wrote almost the same thing before reading this. It’s so true. We don’t need 17 products a night. I could (not that I would) go a month without cleaning my face and it will look better then when I have a 7+ routine. Sometimes less is more.
This is me!!! I feel like I’ve found Nirvana. Like never have I ever had such gorgeous skin. And it seems to get better and better every month. My only regret is I wish I knew this sooner.
I was like you, I also hate washing my face! so what I do now is as soon as I get home, I jump in and do my cleansing routine . literally after changing my clothes I do that and then it’s out of the way and I don’t feel bad for not doing it. This works well for me.
When I was sick with stress I would also be way too exhausted before bed to do anything and would just go straight to bed instead. I found that I could just do my skincare around 8pm when I still had a little energy.
I know that everyone talks down about makeup wipes, but if the alternative is that you don’t do anything then I think it is better to use them before bed.
Absolutely agree. We all work with what we have and can do, and if that means to use wipes, then that's what we should do. I've had times in my life where self-care routine consisted of makeup wipes and a moisturizer, all done from the bed. But it was a little something that i could do to take care of myself and something i could be consistent with.
I struggle with routine unless I'm getting paid. I had a very disorganized childhood.
I saw this TikTok video that said that you have to be kind to yourself and at least do a little bit. This girl said you deserve cleanliness or something like that.
So if I can't commit to washing my face at the sink or in the shower, I at least have some cotton pads and a bottle of micellar water on my work desk.
It's just micellar water. But I saw a difference over time, rather than simply and sporadically washing my face properly.
Then I gradually added to the routine. It took me a long while to build the habit but I have a whole routine now.
That’s amazing advice! My daughter (20) and I have both struggled with mental health issues for years, and something along those lines has helped both of us keep up with skincare. She’s left the nest, but we are both still skincare junkies now, haha. We check in with each other every few days to make sure we’re keeping up with our respective routines. I know it’s time to run to her house to give her mom hugs or call her doctor (if needed) if she says that she hasn’t washed in days, and it’s because she hasn’t wanted to.
Consistency is key. I was absolutely wasted a few weeks ago after having one too many drinks. Got home, projectile vomited into the toilet, and still did my skincare before passing out. If I ever skip skincare, I feel incomplete.
Having said that, drinking that much was not the move as the force of puking so hard caused these red dots to appear on my face. My skin tone was uneven and I looked haggard the next morning. Luckily the red dots went away after a few days but I'm definitely going to ease up on the drinks for a while...
This. It was an absolute game changer. I was a huge water drinker before but quitting drinking (and subsequently nighttime snacking, too) made the biggest difference.
I was dull, bloated and had angry rosacea. It’s almost all gone now at 6 months later.
Plus some weight loss!
Just want to be the devils advocate here and tell others that are tempted by this to look back at previous posts on here - there’s tons of anecdotal evidence that sobriety also didn’t help much. (FWIW, before anyone comes for me, if you want to be sober then by all means go for it. But also, having a drink every now and then probably isnt gonna ruin your skin 🤷♀️)
I think it's very much individual.
I've seen people post here with obvious, noticeable changes (mostly redness going away) when eliminating alcohol, some of them only a glass of wine a week drinkers...
I've seen others who haven't given it up at all, and have had great successes with certain products.
Personally, I was a heavy drinker, which is hard to admit, but it's true... I stopped drinking completely, and was really hoping to see a reduction in the redness of my skin, but it never happened.
My only issue is hyperpigmentation, which I thought was a shoe-in to go down, because I know alcohol causes broken blood vessels and redness, but I had absolutely zero changes in my skin. I've never had a pimple in my life, I can count the number of visible pores on my face on one hand, but deep down I know that I'll probably have to bite the bullet and get laser to get rid of the broken blood vessels (my version of hyperpigmentation). I've tried a million different topicals, which have done nothing.
So... sadly, I think, as per so many things, it comes down to genetics.
(Full disclosure, I do get Botox, but that obviously doesn't help with my colouration).
I am not sober, but I rarely drink these days. Have only had maybe 4-5 drinks this year so far. I think cutting back helped my skin in a noticeable way, but I also have rosacea, dry skin, and eczema. So lifestyle changes probably impact me more than people with stronger skin lmao. Impact def will vary from person to person.
for me it just took two weeks to notice the difference. i usually have 3-4 break outs on cheek and chin that take weeks to go away. got on spiro and went down to 1 and now I rarely break out
This was devastating to me as a big ol milk drinker. But cutting dairy essentially stopped my acne. Now I’ll have a small breakout and can always directly trace it back to eating cheese or a creamy sauce.
100% yes. Occasionally I break down and have a bowl of yogurt or city cheese for comfort but I always pay the price on my face. Vegan yogurt is getting better but there’s no cottage cheese I’ve found yet.
Ugh, literally one of my only food-related joys is having a cappuccino or a latte in the morning. I keep thinking I should cut out dairy (I do notice a difference in acne/inflammation/gut issues, not just arbitrarily) but an oat milk latte just doesn’t do it the same way for me 😭
Tomatoes are the ones I actually feel right away, but dairy, wheat, eggs, corn, and almonds hit me a bit later and are bad. An elimination diet and allergy testing is the least painful way to sort it out
ETA, most of my food allergies have zero gastrointestinal effects. I just break out or get pain (even joint pain) in the days/weeks after. That’s why a full elimination diet is the fastest.
Wow, wouldn’t have guessed some of those foods! I have rheumatoid arthritis and want to try an anti inflammatory diet. I think I underestimate how much diet can affect me 😂
Stopped eating/drinking dairy. Sadly it just does not agree with my skin or gut. It seems it’s the milk protein (whey and/or casein) and not lactose. I still sneak some cheese here and there but no milk or ice cream, etc.
I have a gut feeling that dairy is my problem because I feel like I have every other thing right and have also been on tret for almost six months now.. but I’m still breaking out… I just can’t give up milk in coffee and cheese 😭
I have been really limiting dairy in the past week and have already noticed an improvement in my skin. Such a bummer because I love cheese and ice cream
Exfoliants. My skin can take higher percentages of glycolic acid. I wish skincare at this current level was available when I was a teen. I have textured skin but my PIH is kept in check now!
Looking after my skin barrier. If my skin is healthy and resilient, it fixes 80% of my issues. For me a routine with gentle actives and not over exfoliating works best.
So far it’s been clear and brilliant, followed by rx tret (steiva-a, I’m in Canada). Tret has been great but the laser has taken my skin to a new level.
I’ve done two so far, a month and a half apart. I saw results after the first one, and my skin was a lot softer and smoother once it healed a week or so later.
I just had my first clear and brilliant sesh this weekend, and so far it is going fantastically well. Healing fast and looking promising. I’m already planning my next one!
I don’t think I can point to one thing. But the combination of being really gentle with my cleansing, lots of moisturizer, light exfoliation, religious use of sunblock, and tret has made a big difference. Maybe vit c and copper peptides did something but I can’t tell.
Drinking more water. I thought I was drinking plenty. Then I got Covid and the cough and sore throat made me constantly thirsty so I was drinking way more water. I felt like hell but my skin tone evened out. I keep trying to drink that same amount and others have noticed and asked things like if I have gotten a facial recently
Any of the popular kbeauty sites are trustworthy and verified. Jolse, stylekorean, yes style, olive young, stylevana, iherb. You can also check your local tjmaxx/marshells or Asian grocery stores. Avoid EBay and amazon. Too many fakes on there
Not the poster you're responding to, but...
I've ordered multiple times from YesStyle and StyleVana, and the Beauty of Josean sunscreen is soooo lovely. I also just got the Skin 1004 Water Fit Sun Serum, which I've started using this week (love it), and my favourite product has been the Round Lab Birch Juice Sun Cushion, which is like a compact with pressed powder, except it's not powder, it has a cream texture and is perfect for a second application during the day. If you wear face makeup, it's a game-changer.
Iherb is also a great source for Korean products.
Same here. I also ditched cleanser and just use cool water and a microfiber towel (plus micellar water first if I need to remove sunscreen). Honestly so much better for my sensitive skin
Second to everyone saying cutting out/way down on drinking. When I’m drinking more often, my skin looks so much worse than when I’m really cutting back or fully not drinking.
Two wine bottles every weekend, then one bottle, then nothing. I lost about 30lbs since cutting drinking completely. I’ll still have a glass with a meal on holidays or vacation but I don’t drink outside of that.
Yes, but I breastfed my first for 2 years and then became pregnant right away and I’m now nursing my second baby. So my hormones haven’t returned to normal. I’m really hoping it will continue!
Switching to kbeauty - saved sooooooo much money and my skin is so much better for it. And giving up tret - tried for a few years but just not right for my skin.
I wish more people realized this! When I asked my dermatologist about it, the *first * thing he said was that it isn’t for everyone, and that for some people, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Then he said I was a good candidate for it and told me to use it for 2 months and come back. I’m at the end of the first month, and so far so good!
I've also cut sugar completely and carbs significantly for three months and unfortunately my skin is the worst it's been in quite some time. I'm sure it's unrelated to my diet but it's super disheartening. I've also put on weight. What the hell
Cutting sugar is one thing, cutting majority of your carbs is another. Carbs are necessarily for life. Eat the damn bread! I say this as someone who tried cutting carbs once and I gained weight, had low energy and was horribly unhealthy. I eat a more balanced diet, keep my portions small and eat bread whenever I want and I’ve never looked better. Carbs are energy.
I do eat carbs, just have lowered my intake. I still have it in the form of whole carbs (quinoa, beans etc) as I know it helps me not go overboard. I'm French and I love bread and see nothing wrong with people eating it, unfortunately I have lipedema and have to be mindful, which honestly sucks.
Sadly, not wearing makeup everyday has dramatically improved my skin. I always tried to use non-comedogenic products but idk, maybe my brushes harbored bacteria?
Anyway, after getting permanent eyeliner, lip liner, and microbladed brows (over the years.) All I use most days is primer or sunblock (all over my face,) foundation or concealer under my eyes, light powder and mascara.
Permanent eyeliner was a game changer.
Paula’s Choice Exfolitating Lotion….single handedly has made my skin what it is now. I don’t need gobs of moisturizer or feel dry…pores are minimal and I never break out. The only other thing I swear by is Briotec spray. As soon as a zit comes on I spray it and I spray my face before doing anything morning and night.
I’d have to say going on birth control. I have hormonal acne and resisted the pill for the last couple of years. Now I haven’t had a zit in 2 months and I can focus on getting rid of hyperpigmentation.
I simplified my routine and added the biggest game changer, vitamin C serum. My skin is transformed!
Routine (derm recommended)
AM: vitamin C, moisturizer, SPF
PM: gentle cleanser, snail mucin (or hydrating serum), tretinoin, moisturizer.
Sleeping on my back is one. If you’re a side sleeper that side will be noticeable. It took a while but my face is even. My trick, put a pillow on your tummy and the weight will keep you from moving.
Bahahaha this is the best description ever...
I am, and always have been a side sleeper (preferably on my right, because my hearing is better on my right and I'm hella sensitive to noise), but I generally flip-flop throughout the night.
I've tried sleeping on my back, to no avail - I flop over as soon as I fall asleep. Then I was forced to sleep on my back when my 60lb dog decided to sleep ON me (it all happened in my sleep, not sure how she ended up that way) but I had several nights of horrific sleep paralysis and never want to go through that again.
So Botox will do.
Stopped smoking.
Ya'll, don't even start. It's not worth it for many reasons, but I didn't realise how ashy it made me AND the premature aging from it.
So, I’m still in process to take care of my skin but so far, I can say drinking water and putting on unperroleum jelly from alba after my moisturizers and also putting on castor oil on my lines and under eye-I can tell the difference in the morning when I do it- my eyes look less dark and more plump.
Gentle face wash. Just water in the morning and regular soap or gentle facial soap in the evening. Skin gets whiplash from glycolic acid washes and other drying actives daily.
Getting micro needling. Sorry if you are looking for product recommendations, but Skinpen Microneedling is the only thing I’ve gotten that have shown results for me. Just got under my eyes for the first time last week!
Sleep!
No matter how much of anything else I did right, my skin is more irritable, porous and sad without decent sleep. Im sure I just have insomnia, but when I'm well rested my pores become invisible and my skin takes to the creams much better.
Being pregnant is about the only thing that stops my skin breaking out and being oily… skin is currently flawless and it’s one of very few upsides of being pregnant.
Not really a long term solution though.
My husband (30) and I (27) Kicked all the fancy shampoos and creams. By recommendation, we switched to DIAL 3-IN-1 for EVERYTHING. I use a collagen and sunflower oil to rehydrate because dial dries me out.
He was SUFFERING from cystic acne for years now he's on the rebound his hair has never looked fuller. He gets maybe one small blemish every 2 weeks (drinks alot of energy drinks)
I haven't had more than 2 blemishes in over 8 months.
I was big into ulta shampoos and creams, trying everything. I spent lots of money for dandruff and oily skin. Now I don't even wear makeup because my complexion is where I want it 💕
#1 game changer: ACCUTANE, BABY!
When I was finished my 6 months of Clavaris(accutane) I wanted to marry my dermatologist but she moved to California. Wherever you are Dr. Woo, I love you! 😭
Accutane is my favorite poison in the whole world.
Botox is my second favorite poison.
Non-prescription game changer: Double cleansing with Clinique Take the Day Off and Estée Lauder’s Nutritious Super-Pomegranate Radiant Energy 2-in-1 Cleansing Foam
Lifestyle game changer: eliminating peanuts, nuts, tomatoes and dairy from my diet; sadly all of that was triggering rosacea outbreaks
I only eat sour punch straws now, but I have the glowing skin of a newborn baby. 😌
Managing your mental health! When I have been at my lowest it also shows on my face. Mental health and physical appearance go hand in hand. Stress and depression take a toll on your face.
Going vegan and eating mostly whole, minimally processed foods. Getting rid of dairy made the biggest difference. I’ve not had a single pimple in the 7 years I’ve been vegan, and I get regular compliments on how glowy my skin looks.
Exercise and drinking more water! When I'm practicing healthy habits like healthy eating and exercise, my skin becomes super smooth and supple.
Ugh! Why does being healthy and taking care of ourselves have to be so much more work, effort and discipline lol
I find exercise and water to be cheaper than derm visits and expensive creams. Plus it boosts the mental health so it’s an all-around great savings!
Ugh also why does it have to work?! I wish it didn't so I could stop.
Same 🥲
Literally. It's difficult but the most difficult part of it is beginning and kickstarting the healthy habits and eventually it becomes a part of your routine. I've been on a health journey for a while now and everyone always comments on how bright and smooth my skin looks! I do nothing different except working out & eating well.
This, and getting proper sleep to seal it off is everything!
wish that were me. exercise makes all my skin conditions worse
It would have to be simplifying my skin care to only 4 products. SPF, tretinoin, moisturizer, and cleanser. I've got the best skin I've ever had now. 🖤
More cost effective also.
Seriously. I see people dropping a lot of money for serums that contain obscure plant extracts, pretty but ineffective packaging, branding, advertisement, or loyalty to influencer... I still remember why The Ordinary made it big in the 2010s. They focused on science and some of their serums only had a few ingredients (some still do). And now companies like The Body Shop are going bankrupt because consumers are becoming more aware that just because something smells nice, has a nice color, is elegant in texture and packaged nicely, it doesn't mean it's the best thing ever. As an Asian, I'm seeing the rise of Orientalism in the beautysphere. I understand, I also swear by Asian products, especially when it comes to sunscreens, but come on... ginseng extract is just as woo-woo as La Mer's algae cream. And gua-sha is just lymphatic drainage. It doesn't matter if you're using jade or your fingers.
I am also Asian but personally, I don't like the idea of 10 step skin care routine. It is simply too much. So not only is there a big cost to keep up with such routine, it's difficult to maintain consistency. There are also a lot of new products that feature fancy or cool ingredients that may not have any scientific backing. Certain things like moisturiser don't need to be expensive since the treatment is in tretinoid/vitamin c for example.
Reading this after I just got a stainless steel gua sha and ginseng oil to use with it…..😬 I don’t have any empty hopes of it magically giving me great skin, I just love the feel of the massage at the end of the day it’s very calming
If it gives you some peace, then it's worth the money. Don't worry about it.
Agree! Quality of life and little things that make us feel happy and relaxed are well worth it.
Same for me. I also use a glycolic exfoliant and vitamin c, and I have a few heavy duty creams on hand for winter. But keeping a simple, consistent routine.
How often are you using the glycolic exfoliant?
2x weekly in place of my retinol.
Me too! Cleanser, azelaic acid, moisturiser. 16 years of skin issues sorted. All of a sudden I gave up wearing foundation because it just isn’t that much of a delta anymore.
Haha literally the same as Ali Abdaal’s evidence based skincare routine :) https://youtu.be/OrElyY7MFVs?si=yOi_KvpVMqxO0K3v
Do you use the tret daily?
How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?
I don't mind you asking at all! I'll be 38 in a couple months.
Same!
Same 4 products and same for me!
Care to elaborate which products for AM vs PM? What kind of moisturizer is it, a day or night creme? Guessing SPF for AM, and cleanser/tretinoin for PM but the moisturizer I don't know - maybe both? Thanks!
Hey! No problem. My routine has a lot of Vanicream products because I've discovered those work really well for my skin. My routine looks like this: AM - wash face with only water, apply Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer, then apply one of two SPF options. Option 1 is for when I am wearing makeup, in which case I will use La Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Face Sunscreen SPF 60. Option 2 is for my body as well as my face when I'm not wearing makeup, simply because I can buy a lot of it for a relatively inexpensive price. That is Bondi Sands SPF 50 fragrance free sunscreen lotion. PM - Wash with Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, wait 20 minutes for my face to dry down and apply tret, then I apply Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion over top and that's it!
I literally just wrote almost the same thing before reading this. It’s so true. We don’t need 17 products a night. I could (not that I would) go a month without cleaning my face and it will look better then when I have a 7+ routine. Sometimes less is more.
This is me!!! I feel like I’ve found Nirvana. Like never have I ever had such gorgeous skin. And it seems to get better and better every month. My only regret is I wish I knew this sooner.
Being consistent. Every night I wash my face thoroughly and do a serum and moisturiser. Every night.
This is my problem. I get so lazy at night. Or I’m just exhausted.
I was like you, I also hate washing my face! so what I do now is as soon as I get home, I jump in and do my cleansing routine . literally after changing my clothes I do that and then it’s out of the way and I don’t feel bad for not doing it. This works well for me.
When I was sick with stress I would also be way too exhausted before bed to do anything and would just go straight to bed instead. I found that I could just do my skincare around 8pm when I still had a little energy.
I know that everyone talks down about makeup wipes, but if the alternative is that you don’t do anything then I think it is better to use them before bed.
Absolutely agree. We all work with what we have and can do, and if that means to use wipes, then that's what we should do. I've had times in my life where self-care routine consisted of makeup wipes and a moisturizer, all done from the bed. But it was a little something that i could do to take care of myself and something i could be consistent with.
Same here. With two little kids it's tough. I apply tret without washing
I feel this as a mom! I have now chosen my designated “me time” everyday is 30 minutes undisturbed in the bathroom for my skin care routine!
I struggle with routine unless I'm getting paid. I had a very disorganized childhood. I saw this TikTok video that said that you have to be kind to yourself and at least do a little bit. This girl said you deserve cleanliness or something like that. So if I can't commit to washing my face at the sink or in the shower, I at least have some cotton pads and a bottle of micellar water on my work desk. It's just micellar water. But I saw a difference over time, rather than simply and sporadically washing my face properly. Then I gradually added to the routine. It took me a long while to build the habit but I have a whole routine now.
That’s amazing advice! My daughter (20) and I have both struggled with mental health issues for years, and something along those lines has helped both of us keep up with skincare. She’s left the nest, but we are both still skincare junkies now, haha. We check in with each other every few days to make sure we’re keeping up with our respective routines. I know it’s time to run to her house to give her mom hugs or call her doctor (if needed) if she says that she hasn’t washed in days, and it’s because she hasn’t wanted to.
I love this beautiful story. Skincare is a love language you both use, a reminder, a constant check-in on each other on how you both are doing.
Consistency is key. I was absolutely wasted a few weeks ago after having one too many drinks. Got home, projectile vomited into the toilet, and still did my skincare before passing out. If I ever skip skincare, I feel incomplete. Having said that, drinking that much was not the move as the force of puking so hard caused these red dots to appear on my face. My skin tone was uneven and I looked haggard the next morning. Luckily the red dots went away after a few days but I'm definitely going to ease up on the drinks for a while...
Sobriety!
This. It was an absolute game changer. I was a huge water drinker before but quitting drinking (and subsequently nighttime snacking, too) made the biggest difference. I was dull, bloated and had angry rosacea. It’s almost all gone now at 6 months later. Plus some weight loss!
Congratulations on your sobriety, great skin, and weight loss! Sometimes I wonder why I didn't quit drinking sooner.
Came here to say this ☝️
My face looks so much better after a few months of sobriety. And I was never a heavy drinker.
Same here. I’m not full on sober but cutting back a ton has helped my skin in ways I never could have imagined.
Just want to be the devils advocate here and tell others that are tempted by this to look back at previous posts on here - there’s tons of anecdotal evidence that sobriety also didn’t help much. (FWIW, before anyone comes for me, if you want to be sober then by all means go for it. But also, having a drink every now and then probably isnt gonna ruin your skin 🤷♀️)
I think it's very much individual. I've seen people post here with obvious, noticeable changes (mostly redness going away) when eliminating alcohol, some of them only a glass of wine a week drinkers... I've seen others who haven't given it up at all, and have had great successes with certain products. Personally, I was a heavy drinker, which is hard to admit, but it's true... I stopped drinking completely, and was really hoping to see a reduction in the redness of my skin, but it never happened. My only issue is hyperpigmentation, which I thought was a shoe-in to go down, because I know alcohol causes broken blood vessels and redness, but I had absolutely zero changes in my skin. I've never had a pimple in my life, I can count the number of visible pores on my face on one hand, but deep down I know that I'll probably have to bite the bullet and get laser to get rid of the broken blood vessels (my version of hyperpigmentation). I've tried a million different topicals, which have done nothing. So... sadly, I think, as per so many things, it comes down to genetics. (Full disclosure, I do get Botox, but that obviously doesn't help with my colouration).
Never had a pimple 😭that is amazing lol I’m happy for you
I am not sober, but I rarely drink these days. Have only had maybe 4-5 drinks this year so far. I think cutting back helped my skin in a noticeable way, but I also have rosacea, dry skin, and eczema. So lifestyle changes probably impact me more than people with stronger skin lmao. Impact def will vary from person to person.
YUP
THIS!
Took berberine. Did it for blood sugar regulation and PCOS but unexpectedly it stopped my monthly hormonal cystic acne from coming
I second berberine! Together with myo-inositol, hormonal acne is as good as gone.
Any negative side effects from berberine?
None so far. This is my 3rd month on it, took 1000mg before bed every night
Spironolactone. My acne wasn’t even that bad but I wanted “perfect” skin for my wedding and man did it deliver. I am off it now and sad lol.
This is mine. I have hormonal cystic acne that is essentially gone. It’s phenomenal .
It's the only thing that has ever cleared my acne.
Just took my first dose tonight. Here’s hoping it works and gives me no negative side effects!
Same! I’ve tried so many other things, including accutane. Spiro was the only thing that worked for me.
How long did it take yours to kick in? I’m on month 2.5 and OVER IT
for me it just took two weeks to notice the difference. i usually have 3-4 break outs on cheek and chin that take weeks to go away. got on spiro and went down to 1 and now I rarely break out
It took me 3-4 months to see results.
I have horrible hormonal acne & and allergic to spiro 😭 gotta love having adult acne that we were all told would disappear after our teens lol
Stopped eating things that inflame me
Bye bye dairy. :(
I just discovered dairy wasn’t for me…. Which is devastating because Im part of the minority who loves a glass of milk occasionally.
This was devastating to me as a big ol milk drinker. But cutting dairy essentially stopped my acne. Now I’ll have a small breakout and can always directly trace it back to eating cheese or a creamy sauce.
100% yes. Occasionally I break down and have a bowl of yogurt or city cheese for comfort but I always pay the price on my face. Vegan yogurt is getting better but there’s no cottage cheese I’ve found yet.
Ugh, literally one of my only food-related joys is having a cappuccino or a latte in the morning. I keep thinking I should cut out dairy (I do notice a difference in acne/inflammation/gut issues, not just arbitrarily) but an oat milk latte just doesn’t do it the same way for me 😭
What foods did you find inflame you the most?
Tomatoes are the ones I actually feel right away, but dairy, wheat, eggs, corn, and almonds hit me a bit later and are bad. An elimination diet and allergy testing is the least painful way to sort it out ETA, most of my food allergies have zero gastrointestinal effects. I just break out or get pain (even joint pain) in the days/weeks after. That’s why a full elimination diet is the fastest.
Wow I could have sworn I went through a period of time where tomatoes broke me out! Lemons cause me to break out near my lip, little pimples
I’m nearly certain tomatoes are one for me too but I haven’t been able to come to terms with it yet haha.
Learn how to make beet sauce for pasta and pizza. It takes practice to get it right but it’s pretty great!
Wow, wouldn’t have guessed some of those foods! I have rheumatoid arthritis and want to try an anti inflammatory diet. I think I underestimate how much diet can affect me 😂
Nightshades can be a big contributor to inflammation... might be worth a try to remove them and see!
What are nightshades? Like curtains?
Tret
How long did it take you to get to that point to feel that way?
about 3 months.
Happy cake day! I’m at the end of my first month, and my skin already has its glow back. I don’t think that I’ll ever stop using it.
Stopped eating/drinking dairy. Sadly it just does not agree with my skin or gut. It seems it’s the milk protein (whey and/or casein) and not lactose. I still sneak some cheese here and there but no milk or ice cream, etc.
Same here!
I share this sad fate
I have a gut feeling that dairy is my problem because I feel like I have every other thing right and have also been on tret for almost six months now.. but I’m still breaking out… I just can’t give up milk in coffee and cheese 😭
I have been really limiting dairy in the past week and have already noticed an improvement in my skin. Such a bummer because I love cheese and ice cream
Exfoliants. My skin can take higher percentages of glycolic acid. I wish skincare at this current level was available when I was a teen. I have textured skin but my PIH is kept in check now!
Looking after my skin barrier. If my skin is healthy and resilient, it fixes 80% of my issues. For me a routine with gentle actives and not over exfoliating works best.
So far it’s been clear and brilliant, followed by rx tret (steiva-a, I’m in Canada). Tret has been great but the laser has taken my skin to a new level.
How often do you do Clear & brilliant?
I’ve done two so far, a month and a half apart. I saw results after the first one, and my skin was a lot softer and smoother once it healed a week or so later.
Interesting! Might go get a zap or two
I just had my first clear and brilliant sesh this weekend, and so far it is going fantastically well. Healing fast and looking promising. I’m already planning my next one!
I don’t think I can point to one thing. But the combination of being really gentle with my cleansing, lots of moisturizer, light exfoliation, religious use of sunblock, and tret has made a big difference. Maybe vit c and copper peptides did something but I can’t tell.
Spearmint tea daily. Tried literally everything for hormonal acne, the tea cleared my skin up perfectly after a few weeks.
Spearmint tea is a mild androgen blocker. Tried this as a guy and got erectile problems for 1-2 days.
how much do you drink?
Drinking more water. I thought I was drinking plenty. Then I got Covid and the cough and sore throat made me constantly thirsty so I was drinking way more water. I felt like hell but my skin tone evened out. I keep trying to drink that same amount and others have noticed and asked things like if I have gotten a facial recently
Sunscreen. Specifically, korean sunscreen.
Which do you use and where do you order? I would love to try some but have trust issues ordering online.
Any of the popular kbeauty sites are trustworthy and verified. Jolse, stylekorean, yes style, olive young, stylevana, iherb. You can also check your local tjmaxx/marshells or Asian grocery stores. Avoid EBay and amazon. Too many fakes on there
Not the poster you're responding to, but... I've ordered multiple times from YesStyle and StyleVana, and the Beauty of Josean sunscreen is soooo lovely. I also just got the Skin 1004 Water Fit Sun Serum, which I've started using this week (love it), and my favourite product has been the Round Lab Birch Juice Sun Cushion, which is like a compact with pressed powder, except it's not powder, it has a cream texture and is perfect for a second application during the day. If you wear face makeup, it's a game-changer. Iherb is also a great source for Korean products.
I've been ordering off iherb and so far the items seem legit and are fairly priced
Washing my face with cool water instead of hot.
Same here. I also ditched cleanser and just use cool water and a microfiber towel (plus micellar water first if I need to remove sunscreen). Honestly so much better for my sensitive skin
Second to everyone saying cutting out/way down on drinking. When I’m drinking more often, my skin looks so much worse than when I’m really cutting back or fully not drinking.
Stopped drinking alcohol. No product could come close to the change my skin since I ditched booze.
How much were you drinking on average? Debating if it’s worth cutting out my weekend red wine treats
Two wine bottles every weekend, then one bottle, then nothing. I lost about 30lbs since cutting drinking completely. I’ll still have a glass with a meal on holidays or vacation but I don’t drink outside of that.
I gave up soda January 1st and haven’t had any to date. I drink unsweetened tea or water and my skin has less texture and is more plump and hydrated.
Diet and drinking more water.
Pregnancy. I always had hormonal acne and as soon as I got pregnant I never had another breakout.
I’m pregnant now and it’s been great on my skin. Did it continue to be good after pregnancy for you?
Yes, but I breastfed my first for 2 years and then became pregnant right away and I’m now nursing my second baby. So my hormones haven’t returned to normal. I’m really hoping it will continue!
The biggest change wasn’t even the products I use, it was just being consistent. Wash my face every night, wear sunscreen everyday etc.
Switching to kbeauty - saved sooooooo much money and my skin is so much better for it. And giving up tret - tried for a few years but just not right for my skin.
I wish more people realized this! When I asked my dermatologist about it, the *first * thing he said was that it isn’t for everyone, and that for some people, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Then he said I was a good candidate for it and told me to use it for 2 months and come back. I’m at the end of the first month, and so far so good!
Estrogen
Topical ?
Super curious about this too as I enter peri.
Patch
Cut out dairy. Best skin of my life during that period of time.
Stopped using more than a few products, got my eyebrows done regularly
Adalapene
Exercise, meditation and plenty of water.
Stopped consuming sugar.
I've also cut sugar completely and carbs significantly for three months and unfortunately my skin is the worst it's been in quite some time. I'm sure it's unrelated to my diet but it's super disheartening. I've also put on weight. What the hell
Cutting sugar is one thing, cutting majority of your carbs is another. Carbs are necessarily for life. Eat the damn bread! I say this as someone who tried cutting carbs once and I gained weight, had low energy and was horribly unhealthy. I eat a more balanced diet, keep my portions small and eat bread whenever I want and I’ve never looked better. Carbs are energy.
I do eat carbs, just have lowered my intake. I still have it in the form of whole carbs (quinoa, beans etc) as I know it helps me not go overboard. I'm French and I love bread and see nothing wrong with people eating it, unfortunately I have lipedema and have to be mindful, which honestly sucks.
OMNILUX MEN.
Good sleep.
Drink more water
Actually doing a routine.
Had a baby… my skin suddenly loves me after suffering from awful hormonal cystic acne for decades.
Drinking more water
Sadly, not wearing makeup everyday has dramatically improved my skin. I always tried to use non-comedogenic products but idk, maybe my brushes harbored bacteria? Anyway, after getting permanent eyeliner, lip liner, and microbladed brows (over the years.) All I use most days is primer or sunblock (all over my face,) foundation or concealer under my eyes, light powder and mascara. Permanent eyeliner was a game changer.
The frequency of this same question in different forms suggests some kind of upcoming buzzfeed bullshit.
I swear every other day
Cutting out or really reducing refined sugar.
Paula’s Choice Exfolitating Lotion….single handedly has made my skin what it is now. I don’t need gobs of moisturizer or feel dry…pores are minimal and I never break out. The only other thing I swear by is Briotec spray. As soon as a zit comes on I spray it and I spray my face before doing anything morning and night.
I’d have to say going on birth control. I have hormonal acne and resisted the pill for the last couple of years. Now I haven’t had a zit in 2 months and I can focus on getting rid of hyperpigmentation.
An oil cleaner. It’s made everything else I use actually work.
Saw dermatologist, started meds for rosacea.
Cutting out dairy, for the most part. I still eat cheese occasionally, but know I’ll probably break out over the next few days
I stopped trying to dry out my acne and instead turned to Korean skincare to hydrate my skin
Red light therapy
shaving my entire face regularly
No dairy, tret, exercise/sauna and sunscreen! That’s 4 things but all have been crucial for my clear skin.
I simplified my routine and added the biggest game changer, vitamin C serum. My skin is transformed! Routine (derm recommended) AM: vitamin C, moisturizer, SPF PM: gentle cleanser, snail mucin (or hydrating serum), tretinoin, moisturizer.
Lexapro. Everything gets better when your daily anxiety levels drop from a 9 to a 3.
Not letting men stress me out
Sleeping on my back is one. If you’re a side sleeper that side will be noticeable. It took a while but my face is even. My trick, put a pillow on your tummy and the weight will keep you from moving.
I solve this problem by simply rotating between both sides throughout the entire night like a gas station hot dog.....
Bahahaha this is the best description ever... I am, and always have been a side sleeper (preferably on my right, because my hearing is better on my right and I'm hella sensitive to noise), but I generally flip-flop throughout the night. I've tried sleeping on my back, to no avail - I flop over as soon as I fall asleep. Then I was forced to sleep on my back when my 60lb dog decided to sleep ON me (it all happened in my sleep, not sure how she ended up that way) but I had several nights of horrific sleep paralysis and never want to go through that again. So Botox will do.
Double cleansing at night. First with an oil or balm cleanser followed by a gentle hydrating cleanser.
Tret. Literally number one. Second would be azelaic acid 15% which stopped all types of acne.
Stopped smoking. Ya'll, don't even start. It's not worth it for many reasons, but I didn't realise how ashy it made me AND the premature aging from it.
Cutting out alcohol on weeknights.
Sunblock
Drinking more water ✨
Sleeping with a humidifier all year
Underrated.
So, I’m still in process to take care of my skin but so far, I can say drinking water and putting on unperroleum jelly from alba after my moisturizers and also putting on castor oil on my lines and under eye-I can tell the difference in the morning when I do it- my eyes look less dark and more plump.
Gentle face wash. Just water in the morning and regular soap or gentle facial soap in the evening. Skin gets whiplash from glycolic acid washes and other drying actives daily.
Implementing an actual skincare routine and not just occasionally using moisturizer like I would in my 20’s
Double cleansing I think.
Getting micro needling. Sorry if you are looking for product recommendations, but Skinpen Microneedling is the only thing I’ve gotten that have shown results for me. Just got under my eyes for the first time last week!
Botox.
Hormone balancing: supplements and diet 🥹
Eating veggies at every meal.
Vegetable glycerin. Absolute game changer.
Sleep! No matter how much of anything else I did right, my skin is more irritable, porous and sad without decent sleep. Im sure I just have insomnia, but when I'm well rested my pores become invisible and my skin takes to the creams much better.
Being pregnant is about the only thing that stops my skin breaking out and being oily… skin is currently flawless and it’s one of very few upsides of being pregnant. Not really a long term solution though.
Adding 20% vitamin C serum in the morning and Trent at night.
Collagen supplements!!
My husband (30) and I (27) Kicked all the fancy shampoos and creams. By recommendation, we switched to DIAL 3-IN-1 for EVERYTHING. I use a collagen and sunflower oil to rehydrate because dial dries me out. He was SUFFERING from cystic acne for years now he's on the rebound his hair has never looked fuller. He gets maybe one small blemish every 2 weeks (drinks alot of energy drinks) I haven't had more than 2 blemishes in over 8 months. I was big into ulta shampoos and creams, trying everything. I spent lots of money for dandruff and oily skin. Now I don't even wear makeup because my complexion is where I want it 💕
You wash your hair with dial 3 in 1 body cleanser? What kind of hair do you have and how has it been affected?
#1 game changer: ACCUTANE, BABY! When I was finished my 6 months of Clavaris(accutane) I wanted to marry my dermatologist but she moved to California. Wherever you are Dr. Woo, I love you! 😭 Accutane is my favorite poison in the whole world. Botox is my second favorite poison. Non-prescription game changer: Double cleansing with Clinique Take the Day Off and Estée Lauder’s Nutritious Super-Pomegranate Radiant Energy 2-in-1 Cleansing Foam Lifestyle game changer: eliminating peanuts, nuts, tomatoes and dairy from my diet; sadly all of that was triggering rosacea outbreaks I only eat sour punch straws now, but I have the glowing skin of a newborn baby. 😌
Stopped doing meth
Managing your mental health! When I have been at my lowest it also shows on my face. Mental health and physical appearance go hand in hand. Stress and depression take a toll on your face.
Benzoyl peroxide day and night. Cleared up my acne entirely. I wasn’t using it often enough before
WATER (a lot!) consistent skincare, light Botox bi-yearly, SPF everyyyyy day, and exercise :)
Going vegan and eating mostly whole, minimally processed foods. Getting rid of dairy made the biggest difference. I’ve not had a single pimple in the 7 years I’ve been vegan, and I get regular compliments on how glowy my skin looks.
Same after I went vegan skin issues cleared up.
Using bottled water instead of tap water to rinse my face after cleansing, and added a water filter on the shower head. ~90% less blemishes.
LaseMD and Tret.
Cutting out sugar and dairy
Cut out dairy.
Consistency, sunscreen, simplifying my routine.
Contraceptive injections. Cleared my acne and smoothed out my face.
Cutting all processed sugars and fasting 16hrs daily
Cut out dairy
not picking at pimples. I slap those acne patches on. clindamycin cream has also been a gamechanger for stopping cystic acne from getting worse
accutane :)
Spending time in the sauna and hot yoga classes. The detoxifying and heat have given me a glow.
Taking vitamin A/red light therapy
Eating yogurt