I Woke Up Like This, a skincare journey

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Hi Everyone! I’m Rosemary and I’m excited to be invited to share my experience of trial and error with skincare routines. Before we get into this post I’d like to leave a disclaimer that I am not a licensed professional of any nature. I work in Digital Transformation by day and run a personal finance blog by night. I am a skincare enthusiast at maximum. This post should serve as informational and not medical advice. I strongly recommend that you consult a licensed esthetician or dermatologist for skincare advice particular to you.

Similar to Micheline, I’ve spent my adolescence through young adult years without acne. I would occasionally get hormonal acne that would last 1-2 days but it would leave little to no hyperpigmentation. Knowing that, how did I get pervasive inflammatory acne in the first place then manage to minimize it in 1 month?

In July 2019, I  learned about the glory of chemical exfoliants (alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) & beta hydroxy acids (BHAs)), Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid (HA). I introduced products that contained varying levels of these ingredients to my face all at once.  In about a week, my skin barrier became compromised and responded with redness, pustules, and papules.

Lessons Learned

  1. Patch testing is important: The utmost important skincare practice that I learned is patch testing can save face. I made the mistake of trying new products on my skin all at once. I assumed that my skin was purging and that the breakouts were a part of the process. I had continued breakouts for 2 months then I considered, “maybe they were due to what I was using” so I removed the active ingredients (AHAs/BHAs) from my routine. I continued to break out and thought, “maybe I’m consuming too much sugar/dairy” so I started eating cleaner. Still, the breakouts continued. It wasn’t until I read that some people’s skin is sensitive to Niacinamide that I realized that was the issue. After 1 month of discontinued use of products with Niacinamide, my inflammatory acne mostly went away. In retrospect, I should’ve added 1 new product at a time and tested it behind my ear, on the crook of my elbow, or a small area of my face to see if it irritated my skin within 24hrs.

  2. Less is more: You may find simplifying your skincare routine and focusing on repairing your skin barrier beneficial during a bad breakout. When I simplified my routine, I saw positive results within 2 weeks. The last thing you want to do is further irritate your skin by layering active ingredients when you have a compromised skin barrier.

  3. Oil cleansing > makeup remover wipes: When my skin was reacting to Niacinamide, it was tender and sensitive to touch. I’d hate using makeup remover wipes because I felt like I was aggravating my skin more. I learned about oil cleansing through my favorite skincare influencers and chose an oil cleanser based on a YouTuber dermatologist’s recommendation for sensitive skin. The oil attracts oil, dirt, and sunscreen that your cleanser dissolves. It also gently moves pus and sebaceous filaments up and out of your pores when done for at least 4 minutes.

  4. Sunscreen is the real MVP: SPF needs to be your best friend in order to prevent hyperpigmentation from worsening. If you are using products that make your skin photosensitive, you need a SPF. SPF 30 is sufficient to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. POC friendly products that do not leave a white cast: Black Girl Sunscreen and Neutrogena Hydroboost SPF.

  5. Have patience, seek help if needed: Skincare products typically take at least 4 weeks to show measured results. I drastically cleared up my inflammatory acne by focusing on repairing my skin barrier before seeing a dermatologist. I also chose a dermatologist based on her passion (treating skin of color). I brought all of the products that I was using on my skin to my first appointment and showed her my progress to date in pictures.

My routine

When picking a routine, it is important to know your skin type. I have oily skin so I choose skincare products that best suit it. A lot of the products I use are suitable for all skin types. Use at your own risk.

Asterisked items were used prior to seeing the dermatologist (i.e: helped me bounce back).

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PM

Great resources to follow

These skincare influencers are licensed estheticians and work with all skin shades. They offer great tips on Twitter and offer virtual consultations for a fee. Whenever I have a concern about a skincare product, ingredient, or practice I type in their name (without the @) and the thing of concern using the search function  on Twitter. You’ll find threads on acne, hyperpigmentation, skin texture, and product recommendations.  

  1. @CaveofBeauty: based in NYC. she is a gem, she is also on Instagram

  2. @MakeupforWOC: another great esthetician based in NYC

  3. @LaBeautyologist: Inventor of the 60 second rule; if you’re not cleansing your skin for 60 seconds, you aren’t properly cleaning your skin. She also has a Youtube channel.

I hope I provided some inspiration to service wherever you are on your skincare journey.Thanks for reading!

- Rosemary

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