When you’re healing active breakouts, I recommend building a foundational skincare routine. When you’re only using the products you need at this stage of progress, it leaves less room for error. By using fewer skincare products while you are treating acne, you’ll begin to see what is working for you (and what isn’t).

Be consistent with your skincare routine to maximize results while you’re on the holistic journey making dietary and lifestyle changes. Don’t forget, skincare products alone cannot heal chronic acne, which is triggered from the inside, but they can certainly help! Trust and listen to your skin – so see what works best for you.

Double cleansing is a must

Cleansing is one of the most important steps, especially if you have existing breakouts. Not only can going to bed without washing your face lead to more clogged pores and acne, it also accelerates aging.

Pollutants and free radicals collect on your skin throughout the day. If they are not washed away effectively by night, they will have even more time to wreak havoc on your skin and create wrinkles in the long term.

Start with an oil cleanser or use micellar water

Applying an oil cleanser can be step one of a two-step facial cleaning process. The reasoning for this is because no facewash, no matter how effective, gets everything on the first try.

Oil cleansers are excellent because they’re good at their job without being rough or abrasive on your skin. They also go well with most skin types, including oily. Oil attracts oil, so rather than clogging your pores, an oil cleanser simply breaks down impurities and bad oils and allows you to easily remove them from the surface of your skin.

If you cannot tolerate oil cleansers (they are not for everyone), use micellar water as your first step to cleansing. Micellar water first gained momentum in France and has been around for centuries. This cleansing water contains “micelles”, which are tiny oil molecules suspended in soft water. Micelles naturally attract dirt and grime, and these formulas go without using harsh chemicals that could dry out your skin. Micellar water works much like an oil cleanser, but with far less oil.

Apply a clay or gel cleanser for a second wash

After the first step of cleansing, you’ll find bits of debris behind, such as oil and keratin. Following up with another clay-based or gel cleanser is critical to complete the job, as it removes anything left that could irritate your skin. If you have very dry or sensitive skin, I would recommend a cream-based cleanser.

You may notice that your skin feels a little tight after the second cleanse. A little tightness is expected, but not too much. Overly drying causes damage and thins out the skin’s natural protective barrier, which also hastens aging. It’s best to apply serums and moisturizers immediately after double cleansing.

In the morning, you can skip the oil cleansing (or micellar water) and go right to the clay-based, gel, or cream cleanser. Some skin experts will advise you to not wash your face in the morning; however, this method has not worked for me personally.

I’m a strong advocate of washing your face twice a day for all skin types, especially if you’re in the stage of healing active breakouts.

Serums, serums, serums!

Truth be told – there are new serums being launched in the beauty-industry every day! Let’s focus on the tried and true while you are healing your acne. Serums have concentrated ingredients, so the quality ones will work to penetrate your skin effectively. Applying a serum should be your next, immediate step after cleansing.

Niacinamide (vitamin B3) serums (AM or PM)

A niacinamide serum will help reduce inflammation while also attacking the harmful bacteria. A serum highly concentrated with niacinamide (vitamin B3) can even help heal older acne marks. Niacinamide strengthens your skin barrier, reduces oiliness, increases hydration, and evens out skin texture.

Unlike many other ingredients, it can be layered with retinoids. Niacinamide serums can be used both AM and PM. However, if your skin is very dry and flaking, consider skipping this serum until your skin recovers.

Antioxidant serums (AM or PM)

Topical antioxidants not only fight oxidative damage, they also help us stay clear. Oxidative damage makes you more acne and wrinkle-prone.

Oxidative damage to your skin’s natural oils will clog pores and set the stage for inflammatory acne.

This is especially problematic for oily skin, due to the excess oils produced naturally by the skin. Thus, if you have oily skin, topical antioxidants are a must-have, and they can be applied both AM and PM.

The combination of Vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid, is one of the most powerful anti-oxidant formulation available in skincare.

Vitamin C in itself is an effective ingredient that can destroy free radicals, brighten, and firm the skin. The most potent form of Vitamin C available in skincare is L-ascorbic acid. However, if your skin is very sensitive or dry, I would recommend a product that contains sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which is a gentler form of vitamin C available in skincare products.

It’s safe to use both niacinamide and Vitamin C serums, either together in the same product, or combined from different products that you layer one over the other. If you have sensitive or dry skin, I would recommend doing a test patch with the combo first before applying completely over the skin.

Retinoid serums (PM only)

Retinoids speed up cellular turnover, which then helps to prevent clogged pores. Retinoids are derived from Vitamin A, a widely researched ingredient that has undeniable skin rejuvenating properties. Retinoid serums can reduce the appearance of wrinkles from sun damage and stimulate the production of collagen.

There are many forms of retinoids on the market, with hydroxypinacolone retinoate being one of the newest forms.

Hydroxypinacolone retinoate is a highly-advanced form of retinoid which has been studied to be more potent in battling acne and signs of aging than nearly all other forms of non-prescription retinoids, while causing no irritation when applied appropriately.

Use retinoid serums in the evening only, and they should not be combined with vitamin C serums. There are some formulations of vitamin C that can be mixed in with retinoids, but leave that to product formulators and use them together only when they are already combined in one product. However, retinoid serums can be layered with niacinamide serums in the evening.

Use a retinol serum to increase cellular turnover 2-3 times a week if you’re a newbie to retinols. If you aren’t sensitive, you can increase the frequency to every other night.

Prescription retinoid products for acne-prone skin include tazarotene (under the names Zorac or Tazorac), adapalene (Differin) and tretinoin (under the names Tretin-X, Refissa, Renova, and Retin-A Micro). If you have been using prescription retinoid products, feel free to continue if they work for you. However, if these prescription products are irritating and compromising to your skin barrier, I would recommend using a retinoid serum with hydroxypinacolone retinoate, which is the next-generation, non-irritating retinoid on the market.

Lock in the moisture

After applying serums, use a soothing moisturizer to prevent hydration loss. If you have oily or combination skin and would prefer to avoid thicker formulations, you can moisturize with a hydrating toner with anti-inflammatory green tea extracts.

Korean-beauty fermented essences can also double up as sufficient moisturizers with natural probiotic properties.

If you skin is on the dry or sensitive side, go with a cream-based moisturizer with clean ingredients (this cream-based moisturizer also has anti-inflammatory green tea extracts) to reduce your risk for any irritation.

Optional: facial oils

Applying facial oils as your last step is completely optional. Facial oils are simply not for everyone, so I recommend doing a patch test for 2-3 days to see how your skin reacts if you wish to incorporate skin oils into your routine.

For acne prone skin, you need facial oils with higher concentrations of linoleic acid. When our skin’s natural sebum is low in linoleic acid (common in acne patients), it becomes thick, sticky, and lacking in anti-inflammatory properties.

Here are recommended facial oils with higher concentrations of linoleic acid:

Evening primrose oil – 72.6% linoleic

Grape seed oil – 70.6% linoleic (never use grape seed cooking oil)

Pumpkin seed oil – 57.2% linoleic

Rosehip seed oil – 44.1% linoleic

Buy cold-pressed whenever possible!

When I first started using facial oils, I tried one type. It was a bottle of cold pressed, organic argan oil which only has 30-38% linoleic acid. Even at a lower concentration, I noticed it helped reduce my stress-related breakouts. After this experience, I gained confidence using other facial oils.

The caveat is that these kinds of oils go rancid quickly, so use within 3-6 months of purchase. Refrigeration can help extend shelf life.

Facial oils in themselves don’t hydrate the skin. Oils increase hydration by sealing in existing moisture-not by adding more. That’s why it’s important to use your moisturizer first, and then gently pat in 2-3 drops of your facial oil of choice.

Apply sunscreen every morning

Daily sunscreen (SPF 30+) is a non-negotiable, even if you have active breakouts. Sunscreen will help protect your skin against oxidative damage from harmful UV rays. Research has shown that acne patients tend to have fewer antioxidants in their bodies to combat this damage so sunscreen is essential.

Harmful UV rays come at us daily from every angle, even through windows and glass! Free radicals from the sun can also oxidize your natural skin oils, worsening inflammatory breakouts. If you’re left with red or brown post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation marks after the blemish has gone away, sunscreen will prevent those marks from becoming darker and will allow them to fade with time.

Today’s makeup foundations often include SPF in their ingredients. However, don’t be deceived. Most makeup formulations don’t provide enough coverage. For some brands, you would need multiple layers of foundation to get the sun protection as advertised on the label. To protect your skin sufficiently, wear sunscreen underneath makeup. Makeup with built-in SPF can help, but don’t rely on them alone.

I recommend applying sunscreen daily, with a formula that includes both UVA and UVB protection. If you prefer a sunscreen with clean, mineral-based ingredients, go check out the Environmental Working Group’s guide to daily sunscreens. Zinc oxide is a mineral present in natural sunscreens, which is approved as an effective sunscreen ingredient that blocks both UVA and UVB rays by the FDA. Plus, zinc oxide also has antibacterial properties to inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Choose a sunscreen with a SPF 30 or higher.

However, be sure to do the math in calculating the actual SPF on your own. For every one percent of zinc oxide, you get 1.6 SPF units. For every one percent of titanium dioxide, you get 2.6 SPF units. For example, let’s say you have a mineral sunscreen formula with 20 percent zinc oxide. Since every one percent of zinc oxide gives you 1.6 SPF units, that means the product actually has an SPF 32, which is an ideal level of daily protection.

The higher the zinc oxide concentration, the more effective your sunscreen will be. Zinc oxide can leave some white residue behind, but it can be minimized or avoided with lotion-based formulations. My daily go-to sunscreen is formulated with 24% zinc oxide and is also moisturizing.

I recommend avoiding chemical-based sunscreens due to their safety concerns. The FDA released regulations for sunscreen ingredients. Only zinc oxide and one other mineral ingredient, titanium dioxide, are now generally recognized as safe and effective.

Other ingredients you’ve seen in sunscreen formulations are either no longer recognized as safe or will require additional research to determine their safety. This is great news for consumers actually, because the U.S. has historically been falling behind other European and Asian countries with more stringent standards in sunscreen safety.

Exfoliate regularly (PM only)

Exfoliating is great for your skin when implemented once or, at most, three times a week. They remove the dead layers off your skin, further clearing your pores and removing impurities. Exfoliating more often than three times a week can be too abrasive. When you over do it, you risk irritating your skin and causing more breakouts.

It’s also important to note that over exfoliating leaves you more susceptible to sun damage and hyper-pigmentation because the skin’s natural defense system is compromised. The skin barrier (outer most layer of skin) acts to prevent dehydration, and unwanted entry of toxins and pollutants.

Mechanical exfoliators use texture to manually remove dead skin – these include microfiber cloths, scrubs (ex: sugar, jojoba beads, oatmeal), and sonic-powered facial cleansing brushes. Clarisonic brushes are popular, but more often than not, women are over exfoliating their skin with these brushes by using them more than three times a week. Especially if you have cystic acne, the bristles could spread bacteria and further irritate inflamed skin.

Chemical exfoliators use acids to loosen dead skin cells enough to wash them away. If you currently have active blemishes, I would recommend using chemical exfoliators to remove the dead layers off your skin.

Chemical exfoliators can result in more even exfoliation. The types of chemical exfoliators are listed below:

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)

• Glycolic acid
• Lactic acid
• Malic acid
• Citric acid
• Mandelic acid
• Tartaric acid

Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA)

• Salicylic acid

Other exfoliating acids

• Azelaic acid
• Poly-hydroxy acids

AHAs help treat acne, improve skin tone, fade hyperpigmentation, and  brighten the skin. Glycolic acid is the most common type of AHA, and it’s very effective because it penetrates deeply into the skin due to its low molecular mass. However, I would not recommend starting out using products with glycolic acid as its main ingredient if you have not used chemical exfoliators regularly before.

Poly-hydroxy acids are very gentle, and recommended for sensitive skin. If you have dry skin, I would recommend using lactic acid or mandelic acid, which are both very gentle and can increase skin hydration and sebum production.

Azelaic acid (neither an AHA nor BHA) kills the harmful acne bacteria and helps to keep pores clear. Azelaic acid also reduces post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (those brownish spots breakouts leave behind). It’s produced by yeast that lives naturally on healthy skin and as a result, it can improve the appearance of most skin types with minimal irritation.

If you have oily skin, I would also recommend salicylic acid (BHA), which works well for unclogging pores. Salicylic acid is oil soluble, so it can penetrate into the pores to help break down blackheads and whiteheads. It also helps to increase cellular turnover.

You can also use a product with a combination of AHA and BHA concentrations if your skin can tolerate it.

Start with a lower concentration or a gentler acid and work your way up if you need stronger exfoliation. If you have not used chemical exfoliating products before, I recommend starting slow by using them only once per week for at least a couple of weeks. Increasing frequency as needed.

For all skin types, I would not recommend going beyond three times per week. During the summer months, you may want to decrease the frequency if you’re out in the sun often, because you’ll need a stronger skin barrier to protect against UV damage.

Only choose to use one exfoliating product in the evening. If you layer one or more exfoliating products on at time, you are over-exfoliating, which can damage the skin. Don’t combine exfoliating acid products with serums listed above, as the combination could be too harsh for your skin. I also don’t recommend using exfoliating acids in the morning as it makes your skin more prone to UV damage. Continue to use sunscreen in the morning, especially if you’re using exfoliating products in the evening, no matter rain or shine.

Beautiful skin ahead!

Healing your acne from the inside out and by following an essential skincare routine is the most proactive step you could make towards having clear and glowing skin. Acne prevention requires addressing internal acne-triggers and following through on a daily skincare routine that works best for you. You have the power to make gorgeous skin happen!

Never hesitate to invest in your skin – it can change everything.

Photo by Birgith Roosipuu on Unsplash