Skin update – How do I treat my acne?

I’ve been really open about my skin struggles. I wrote about birth control pills and how they affected me here. I also wrote about my acne here. Since then my skin has actually gone even worse and finally I decided to go to the doctor.

First of all: there is only so much you can do about acne. You need to have a good routine but not use too much products and constantly wash your face. You need a good gentle cleanser, a toner and a lotion. Serums, mask and exfoliators also help. You should exfoliate and do mask about once per week. Depending on the serum you can use it daily or couple times per week. For oily skin and acne I recommend a serum that has salisylic acid or other BHA in them.

That said, I noticed that I wasn’t getting anywhere with my routine. So my doctor prescribed me acnatac to try at first. It has tretinoin in it to help heal the impurities. I have to apply it on my skin every evening for 12 weeks. Now is my third week of using it and actually I see some improvement already.

The gel makes me more sensitive to the sun and I have to use SPF30 everyday on the areas I apply it. That’s not a problem since I’m already using sunscreen and I’ve found ones that work for me. The only downside to this is that since the gel is exfoliating me every night there’s really no use in using self tanners. I’m used to them so it’s a shame I’ve had to kiss them goodbye for now. I’m definetely gonna start using them again in the fall though! I love Eco By Sonya’s products.

After starting to use acnatac I’ve become ridiculously oily and dry at the same time. I really don’t mind since I know I’m getting rid of my acne but it’s been a struggle. Luckily I’ve found some great moisturisers to be used in the morning and great makeup products that don’t become cakey on me and they actually help with the oiliness. More about them later!

Also my routine has become simpler. I’m not allowed to exfoliate my skin or use any harsh chemicals on it. I’m even doubtful of using a purifying mask – I may need to find a new gentle yet effective mask for that. I have some moisturising sheet masks that I got from Bearel so I will be trying them soon to help with the dryness. For now my products are here (+moisturisers that I will talk about later):

Coconut oil (to take off makeup & sunscreen in the evening)
EkoPharma Purifying Gel Cleanser (In the evening & in the morning)
Acnatac (In the evening)
Biosolis SPF30  (In the morning)

Are there anyone else on some tretinoin?

Sensai Silky Design Rouge

sensai silky design rouge

Sensai’s products are luxurious and of good quality in my experince. Sensai comes from Japan and it utilises Asian skincare philosophies like double cleansing. I think Sensai has one of the best cleansers – especially if you’re used to double cleansing already.

I have used Sensai’s cleansers and tried their lotions but I haven’t tried their makeup. Usually high-end makeup is better than drugstore ’cause the ingredients are better and they have more skin caring properties. So it was nice to get this Sensai’s Silky Design Rouge lipstick from the importer.

The packaging is simple yet beautiful. This lipstick comes in a pen form so it works as a lipliner and a lipstick. Some lip crayons are clumsy and too big to get a nice sharp line but this one actually is pretty good for that. It’s easy to line your lips with this and then fill them in.

The formula is silky smooth and nourishing. The lipstick glides on easily and feels light but still has great pigmentation. It has a shimmer finish which is nice variation from matte lipsticks. But since it’s hydrating it may escape to the fine lines in your lips/skin easier. I recommend outlining your lips with a transparent lip liner to prevent that from happening. That way you can enjoy your red lips all day without worrying.

This is quite long lasting – not quite what matte lipsticks offer but I think that’s only a good thing. Matte formulas can be drying and not so comfortable but light lipsticks are more wearable. You can easily take this lip crayon with you and fix your makeup during the day if needed.

My shade is Soubi which is a gorgeous rose/raspberry colour. This is the brightest colour from the available shades and the most pink. The shades are inspired by the traditional reds of Japan and the shades are really wearable and pretty. Reds are easy and they suit both every day looks and parties.

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