#bc i'm too much of a homebody and its' not really my scene

[pega-chan]

past relationship trauma makes me unintentionally feel wary and uneasy about conventionally attractive people (specifically women) even though i myself am a conventionally attractive afab person

[thedeliverygod]

My skincare routine

making a post about this mainly because I've had a huge improvement in acne over the past few months and I'm really happy about it and just want to share the products that helped me because I've struggled for YEARS to get it under control. I'm still not sure if my all this progress would be reversed if I were to go off of birth control because a lot of it is hormonal but bc alone has only done *so* much, you know?

All links are provided are just for your reference, I don't get any money from anything (I wish I would as I could use it but lol). Target is going to be the main source for most things as that's my preferred store but there are like 2 things that will be at Amazon. Products could be available at other retailers like Walmart, Walgreens, etc but generally Target has the best coupons and Amazon in general has best prices for things that you can only find at Ulta/Sephora otherwise.

Step 1: Cleanser

Garnier's micellar water was basically the vehicle that enabled me to get started with a skincare routine. Past cleansers I only ever used in the shower or sparsely because I hated having to wash my face in the sink, getting water/chemicals in my eyes and also everywhere else. Not to mention a lot of cleansers are really drying. Not micellar water! You just put some on a cotton pad and wipe your face and done. I've been using the mattifying one for oily/sensitive skin for a long time but I recently switched to the vitamin C version as I have some stubborn acne scars that don't want to go away. There's a variety of versions so you can find the kind that matches your needs!

Step 2: Toner

I recently got this rice based toner and I love it. It's thick, smells great & is moisturizing. Tbh I didn't realize I got a scented version but there's also a scent free version!

Step 3 for AM: Acne based treatment

Cerave Acne Control Gel is my daily acne treatment. I feel like it's more gentle than the general spot treatments you buy because you're supposed to put it all over your face but because you're using it daily it's helping to prevent new acne from forming which is a big deal. So it may feel like it's "not working/taking forever" but its working behind the scenes. Also tbh if I have really bad spots I'll use spot treatments on top of this lol.

Step 3 for PM: Acne Scar Treatment

So I got this Stubborn Marks treatment like a month ago and tbh the verdict is still out for me as to whether its really helping or not? I have old acne marks above my lip that are taking forever to go away so idk. But it feels nice and I feel like the retinol at the very least is helping with any sort of wrinkles or whatever else I have going on so lmao.

Step 4: Serum (I only use this in the AM because I feel like there's not much of a point in using it at night and because I'm trying to save product due to money even though this is only like $6)

This serum by the Ordinary helps you produce less oil so if that's a thing for you, it's a great choice. Again, The Ordinary has hella options for serums and they're all really affordable so you can find whatever fits you the best.

Step 5 for AM: Moisturizer

So I use the neutrogena hydroboost if I plan to go outside because it has sunscreen built into it. It feels like regular moisturizer but this way you don't have to worry about sunscreen too. My sister borrowed it one day and complained about the smell of the sunscreen I guess but I don't really notice it personally. If I'm being a homebody (aka most days) I use Rael barrier cream. Even though it's kind of a small jar a little goes a long way! Also to note, even though this is on Target's website it's only available for shipping for whatever reason so I also buy it on amazon a lot.

Step 5 for PM: Moisturizer

The Cosrx Snail Mucin Cream I posted about the other day; it kind legit feels like mucus but it is really refreshing lmao. But because it is kind of sticky-ish in terms of texture I only use it at night.

Bonus acne/blackhead steps:

Hydrocolloid patches are the holy grail for acne; I'm so glad they've become a thing in recent years. Honestly the brand doesn't really matter, just find the type that's best for your situation. The general patches are best for white heads but there's also some for acne that's still under the skin, etc. In my opinion, stay away from expensive brands for these; spending extra money literally makes no difference in the quality unlike other skincare products. Earlier this year I got zitsticka killa deep zit microdart patches for like $16 for 4 patches for a deep deep zit that hurt very badly and would not go away and it didn't do anything more than cheaper brands. Really the only difference was it came with like a 'prep pad' to cleanse the area.

After you've used a hydrocolloid patch and your acne has leaked out all of its gross goo, use some Hero rescue balm! Lately I've just been buying the travel size since I don't have many zits anymore but if you have more acne going on, the medium & jumbo sizes are worth the money because they last for a long time. There's also the red correct version but I only recommend it if you want a balm that's more of a like medicine and makeup in one? It starts off green but then morphs into your skin color as it sits. When you wipe it off at the end of the day it'll pretty much look like you applied makeup as well.

Tonymoly's Tako blackhead scrub stick; it's viral for a reason. I use this lil guy on my nose/the sides of it after I get out of the shower. I've also had this for forever now and it doesn't seem to be low either so lol.

Last bonus tips from me: As someone who suffers with acne, I've found the "acne focused" products are kind of the worst? Like I tried Hero's acne focused moisturizer as well as ELF's acne focused moisturizer. Hero's was like anti-bacterial which sounded great and ELF's just had more acne medicine built into the moisturizer and neither helped me. I also tried out Rael's miracle clear toner since I really liked the barrier cream but that also didn't work as well for me as tonymoly's mochi toner (which I also recommend; it's pricey but it's a giant ass bottle so it lasts forever).

Lastly & most importantly: give each new product you've never tried before at least a month. Especially when you're just starting out. Your skin has to do a "purge" which generally means things get worse before they get better which I thankfully read about before I started my process. A lot of things also just take time. Of course if you have a reaction, stop ASAP.