I have always had a fear of destroying my skin by applying stuff on it that i don't really need. Inherited hormonal acne and you'd think the fear would go away.Most of the people i know my age who have suffered skin issues particularly acne always end up on a skin experimental journey of sorts.
I admit i did fall victim to tret and clozole-B. Solely because of the promise of clear skin.No clear understanding of what i was putting on my skin. Even then something felt off about it. Now determined to care for my skin, i have done some research and still continue to. This is what i have found so far.
My type of acne is hormonal. My forehead for the most part is clear. My cheeks, jawline and chin suffers the most. I also previously thought that i had oily skin. Turns out i just have combination skin. An oily T-zone and dry to normal cheeks. My skin barrier suffered some damage from the use of actives, lack of moisturizer and not wearing sunscreen.
To aid my skin barrier in the healing process i need to simplify my skin care routine and thoroughly understand products and their ingredients. I settled for a moisturizing cleanser that doesn't contain alcohol( it dries out the skin), a good moisturizer that contains ceramides and a sunscreen. I use a chemical sunscreen. La Roche possay works for me because it is light weight and doesn't leave a white cast on top of having good coverage.
I plan on having weekly or bi weekly steaming sessions. Maybe later incorporate sheet masks. I got an alcohol free toner for hydration. I only wash my face at night, do my skin care way before bed to minimize leaving all the product on my pillow. I apply just sunscreen in the morning and re apply when i get off work.
My skin seems to be loving this. I should mention that i started using this products one by one so that i can tell which one doesn't work. This is too long. I'll update later.