Acne Prone Skin: Looking for BHA's to include in my skincare regimen.

May 23, 2016

Elizabeth E.

I'd like to start this off by adding a bit of information on my skin. I am 23 turning 24 soon and my skin is not dry nor is it extremely oily. Overall I would say it is normal to combination. My skin can get dry in the spring months due to allergies when I touch my face more often but I do try very hard not to touch my skin with my hands. My biggest problem is that my skin is very, very acne prone. I get breakouts just about every week on my cheeks (especially where my glasses rest) chin and forehead, with my current skin care routine the breakouts are much less severe but they persist.

My current skincare routine is as follows:
Morning- I use BIODERMA Sensibio H2O to get any dirt that may have collected onto my face overnight, I pat my face completely dry then rub DERMdoctor kakadu C Brightnening Daily Cleanser onto my skin then rinse off with warm water, I pat my face off once more then with a cotton pad I apply my belif Eucalyptus herbal extract toner and let it dry, once that has dried I use my Ole Henriksen truth serum vitamin C collagen booster, then finish up with BIODERMA Sébium Hydra moisterizing cream and my Supergoopi play SPF 50.

Night- Again I use BIODERMA Sensibio H2O to remove any makeup and dirt off my face, follow with DERMdoctor kakadu C Brightnening Daily Cleanser but use my Clarisonic Mia 2 with it, use my same Eucalyptus herbal extract toner and then follow with the Ole Henriksen sheer transformation creme.

I've been wanting to add an oil into my skincare regimen. I have specifically been looking at the Sunday Riley Artemis Oil. With that said, I think adding a product with BHA's/salicylic acid would really be beneficial to my acne prone skin. There are just so many products out there with salicylic acid that I am overwhelmed and not sure where to start looking. Should I be looking for peels, masks, a different cleanser, moisturizer, toner, exfoliater, etc?? Let me know what you think!

May 23, 2016

Rida S.

Elizabeth, search the forum for AHA BHA and you will find some amazing threads. a lovely community member Rozberry has explained the differences and how to use them and which ones to try in quite some detail at other threads! :)

May 23, 2016

Genevieve D.

You should check Vintage or tacky on YouTube, she does skincare Sunday video and talks about AHA and BHA and shows products from her routine

May 23, 2016

Roz X.

Thanks for the kind word, Rida.

I'm actually going to be a downer and say that I wouldn't even embark on a "leave-on" BHA or AHA until I did away with some of the products you are currently using. Eucalyptus is notorious for irritating skin and you also have some potentially irritating citrus oils and perfumed products that I'd personally avoid.

When you are using potential irritants, you may not see on the surface the harm any irritation, but in deeper layers of the skin, there may be some active cell damage taking place. Adding a BHA or AHA to that will increase your photo sensitivity and it won't pair well with irritants. No acne or anti-aging treatment does; and so I hate to tell someone they should stop using products they love, but I would want to be as honest and careful as I could possibly be if sharing my feedback.

I love DermaDoctor, but that cleanser is packed with irritants. The Ole...there's just a lot of irritants taking place in the routine and adding a BHA to that could potentially do more harm than good in my view. Also, putting Vitamin C in a wash...it rinses right out. C benefits when it's left on the skin and when it's part of a diet. I know this a beloved product on Sephora, and I honestly expect more from DermaDoctor.

So I'd love to help you out with a BHA, but I'd be tossing out most of what you are currently using because I truly do want the best for your skin and couldn't in good conscience share a favorite because I'm looking at the big picture...I'm always looking at the long run over immediate results.

I would urge you to keep the Micellular water and pitch the rest. You have some C products, one you rinse off and another in a jar that will never remain stable. I can see you do care and are doing your best, but I don't think these are largely good investments in skincare..even though many of the items are pricey.

May 23, 2016

Elizabeth E.

It's a bit of a punch Rozberry but I know it comes from a good place. Though I won't be throwing them away I'll keep using them until the bottles are gone and then won't be repurchasing. And the search continues!

When I looked at these products I tried to make sure there were no perfumes added. Looking back I see the vitamin c contains some perfume. Luckily it was just small sample bottle and is almost out. As for the toner I saw the fragrance from natural origins but missed the other one "fragrance**". The Sebium Hydra is almost out and I see it contains fragrance.

I guess somewhere along the line I was misinformed by the properties of citrus. I was under the impression that citrus was anti-inflammatory and antiseptic and good for acne prone skin. As for my photo-sensitivity, its the reason why I use the spf 50 and wear hats when I'm in the sun to cover my face.

If you have a link or could explain to me the properties of citrus and how they could irritate the skin it would be much appreciated.

May 23, 2016

Roz X.

Absolutely. Everyone's skin is different, but I wouldn't risk it if I already had problematic skin. In my own skincare, I do avoid Eucalyptus, Sandlewood, Lavender...fragrant oils in general; often fragrance can be all-natural and from an extract rather than reading "Parfum"; that's my own preference and it wasn't always the case, but I've seen the positive changes in my own skin from changing my routine and I do my very best to consult with my Derm on what she feels I should avoid because I trust her; she's very ingredient specific. You should obviously do what you feel is best for your skin in the end; I respect everyone's choices, but did want to mention that there could be an issue bringing a BHA into the fold with potential irritants currently within your routine.
Sometimes it is not ingredients, but where they fall on the ingredient list that can be why I avoid certain products. I hope I did not upset you; I just wanted to share concerns and encourage you to reconsider some items that I feel might be counterproductive in your skin routine. I respect your decisions in any regard. You may also be dealing with hormonal acne. Birth control can sometimes play a role in both triggers and in taming such flare ups; I'd speak with my doctor regarding those options.

Here's a great article discussing irritants and a list of many that are used in cosmetics/skincare from whom I find to be a respected and trusted source; the chemists and skin care experts at "Paula's Choice". (This list is identical to what I have received from both my Derm and my Estie.)
For more info, you might want to ask our lovely mod, Kitty, as she amazing with ingredients and she may have some interesting articles or info to share that will help you address your skin care needs.

http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/sensitive-skin/_/skin-irritation-your-worst-enemy

Kitty's profile:
https://www.beautylish.com/Kittyk

May 23, 2016

Elizabeth E.

No offense taken at all. I was looking for help and I got it. Thanks so much again Rozberry!~ Also I haven't disregarded anything you've said. It's been informative and I've taken it to heart. Just don't want to throw the money I spent on the products away you know? Better to use and then throw away the empty bottles. XD