Breakout Blunders: My Back-to-Basics Skincare Routine
Hi friends! Oh man, can you tell I’m slowly losing my mind while quarantining? Anyone else? SIMILARLY, my skin is ALSO freaking out, as I’ve heard many of yours’ is as well. Sounds like a common quarantine/stress-related theme, huh. Anyway, in the midst of all of this coronavirus stress, my skin has taken a beating. That, plus the breakouts caused by the sunscreen I wore in Florida a couple weeks ago has made my skin rather angry. I wanted to share this post because it is the skincare routine I always go back to, whenever my skin is freaking the heck out.
This is going to sound super annoying, and possibly redundant to some of you looking for life changing skincare advice, but I find the best thing for my skin when it’s extra temperamental is going back to my super basic skincare routine. Sometimes I think we all get hyper focused on fixing our skin when it’s breaking out, that we end up doing more harm than good. As much as I love loading on all of the “skin saving” products, I always find it to be best to let my skin relax and heal on its own…instead of piling on product.
That being said, there are some essential products in my skincare arsenal that I will forever keep on hand for this very reason. I cannot emphasize enough how crucial it is to lay off the products when you find yourself in a sudden breakout. At the very least, give it a try next time and see how it goes for you…you may be pleasantly surprised. Anyway, without further ado, here are the products, and the order in which I use them (don’t laugh at how basic and simple it is!).
Step 1: Wash
Like (I hope) everyone else, I wash my face before going to bed each night. Normally, I use the Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser, which has worked super well for keeping my skin clear. However, when it is really angry, I just wash my face with Dr. Bronner’s Baby Unscented bar soap. Unscented is KEY here peeps. Fragrance can be a skin irritant for some people, so I nix it all together. This is the same soap we use for our whole body, so it makes the process so simple to also use it for the face. I think the bar is crucial as well. The liquid castile soap feels too drying, and I have always preferred the bar. Dr. Bronner’s is the best, you cannot convince me otherwise.
Step 2: Spot Treatment
When I am having a bad breakout, I like to use this De La Cruz Sulphur Ointment on my pimples a few times a week. It helps zap the zits quickly, thanks to the help of sulphur. I go by the package recommendations of just leaving the ointment on my spots for 10-15 minutes before bed. I’ve heard you can leave it on overnight, but it can be super drying. To each their own! I’ve also heard this diaper rash cream can work wonders on cysts (because of the zinc). I’ve already ordered some to try.
Step 3: Moisturize
I’ve talked about this moisturizer too many times to count, but that’s because I am truly in love with it. While it isn’t 100% clean, it is free from most of the yucky ingredients that conventional skincare brands add to their products. I started using it 4-5 years ago after breaking out in a terrible rash from an oh-so-popular chia facial oil. I’ve been hooked ever since. It is so unchic, but works like a charm for moisturizing sensitive skin like mine.
