Meet my skin care dream team!
Growing up, all through my teens and early 20’s, I had the best skin. Rarely did I have a blemish, and there was never much thought put into my skin care routine. Wash my face when I wanted, with whatever I wanted, and it was all good.
Then I turned 24 and it all went downhill. Adult acne, people. It’s a terrible thing. My once smooth and fuss-free face had turned into a greasy, itchy, broken out nightmare – seemingly overnight. Nothing seemed to clear it up, and I tried everything. Proactiv, Proactiv for sensitive skin, antibiotics, this face wash, that face wash, trip after trip to the dermatologist. Trial and error, trial and error, trial and error!
One weekend, about a year into my adult acne journey, I was at a makeup/skincare counter at a department store. As I was chatting with the woman working about some makeup, she asked if I would be interested in hearing about their line of skin care products. I launched into my whole sob story about adult acne, and all the products I’d tried that never seemed to work – in fact, my skin was just getting worse and worse everyday. She took one good look at my skin and said the statement that completely changed the way I had been going about clearing up my acne.
Oily skin doesn’t mean moisturized skin.
It sounds so simple, but it completely rang a bell with me! She could plainly see that although my skin was greasy & broken out – it was dry as a bone. All this time I’d been trying to get rid of the oil and breakouts by drying my skin out with harsh chemicals and products, but little did I know that it was making everything worse, and making me break out even more. For me, dry skin = broken out skin.
I switched gears right then and there, and re-focused on HYDRATING my face with moisturizing products that wouldn’t gunk up my pores with extra oil. Here’s the dream team that’s worked miracles for me:
Cetaphil Face Wash: Effectively cleans my skin and removes makeup without over drying. I use this every morning and every night.
Dual Action Moisturizer: a moisterizer with salicylic acid added for breakout treatment. All the products I’d been using before had benzoyl peroxide in them, which I figured out was way too harsh for my face. Salicylic acid is much more gentle, isn’t as drying, and works much better than benzoyl peroxide. Win, win, win! I use this moisturizer every morning.
UPDATE: I now use Oil of Olay Fragrance-Free Face Lotion in the morning instead!
Cetaphil Advanced Moisterizer: For really, deep down moisturizing. I use this every night to re-hydrate my face. It’s a little too heavy for use during the day (read: too much shine) but is perfect for repairing at night.
Put together, I saw results in mere weeks. My skin was much less inflamed, it didn’t itch so bad and miracles were happening with the persistent acne I hadn’t been able to get rid of in over a year.
I still have some dryness around my mouth where I occasionally break out, but my skin is 99% better than what it was before I started using this trio of products. If you are currently, or have ever suffered from acne, you know how it can start to run your life. When you find something that works, you share it with the world. I hope my story has helped some of you!
Samantha 01.20.2016
Thank you for this! I have the same problem: good skin until about age 25. It’s so frustrating! I’m going to give this regimen a try!
veronica 12.27.2015
i use proactive and it really worked for me m very happy i ahve been using proactive since 7 months and its assum
Breanne Taylor 12.16.2015
Oh my god I feel you! I’ve had the worst acne since high school, it’s still not great but better then it ever was I suppose. I also have hypersensitive skin and can’t wear any products with talc (chemical in your make up that produces acne – even in your eyeshadow!) I have the brand glo minerals skin care set, but prior to the face wash and toner, I use a black charcoal soap bar. And after the toner, if my face is really bad I use a water and vinegar mixture and put it on my acne break outs, and boy does that work! I use my moisturize some time, but like you, it gets really shiny.
Iowa Girl Eats Skin Care | local -top skin care treatments 12.08.2015
[…] The Best Skin Care Advice I’ve Ever Received – Iowa Girl Eats – Meet my skin care dream team! Growing up, all through my teens and early 20’s, I had the best skin. Rarely did I have a blemish, and there was never much thought … […]
Holly 11.27.2015
HI. I was looking for an update on your dry acne prone skin. I have just recently started suffering from acne and extremely dry skin as well. I tried to look for the one moisturizer you recommended but it eems they’ve changed the name or something. Can you please update what cleared your skin? And what products you recommend
Edi light 11.07.2015
I have really oily skin and always break out. I have tried so many products to reduce my acne & nothing has worked….I have used proactiv & other expensive products. BUT the Citrus Clear products I have been using this product for about two months AND I HAVE NOT BROKE OUT!!
It is a great feeling to have or atleast I am getting there clear skin!! When my face gets dry I use the Citrus Clear Sensitive Moisturizer – good news is that I dont break out with it!!!! I am just so happy that i found Citrus Clear because my face is really clearing up!! I really wish i coud have found this product years ago!
Kristy Ross 07.27.2015
Hi, creams definitely Monsia.
Chandra 03.24.2015
I personally love Monsia! :)
mary b 03.12.2015
I have used Cetaphil for oily skin in the past but wanted something to help mattify my skin better. I now use Citrus Clear’s Control Moisturizer – its thicker than what I had in mind for a facial lotion, but I don’t care because the product delivers what I need. It absorbs quickly and is a good primer before I apply my concealer and foundation. I stay shine free all day
Healthy Colon Plus 03.10.2015
You really make it appear so easy along with your presentation but I to find this matter
to be actually something that I believe I would by no means understand.
It kind of feels too complex and very large for me. I’m
looking ahead for your next submit, I’ll attempt to get the hang of
it!
Betty 02.11.2015
I also swear by Cetaphil!! Isn’t it the best! Such an underrated product because it doesn’t look ‘glam’ but it’s perfect.
Betty x
The Betty Stamp
Ronique 11.17.2014
OMG :(( IM SO HAPPY I SAW THIS! After going back from Hawaii, my skin turned out for the worse! I felt like it had a mind of its own! Sometimes I’d breakout, sometimes my skin would flake! It was too much! My skin was never like this before :( So today I was looking for cetaphil for my face. People said it was good for sensitive skin (BTW I NEVER HAD SENSITIVE SKIN ON MY FACE) But yep :( I hope it works out. huhu! Wish me luck!
Rachel 10.10.2014
Great post… and photos! Have you checked out the Whole Foods version of the Cetaphil Cleanser? It’s similar but it doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which can strip the skin. It’s cheaper, too.
Amy 04.21.2014
I have this same problem you are describing and am going to try this right away! What do you do when you get dry around your mouth and an occasional breakout there? I get that once and a while also!
Thanks!
Kristin 04.21.2014
Moisturize the heck out of the area! This post was written 4 years ago so my routine has changed slightly, but moisturization is still key for me!
Donna 11.19.2013
I bought Citrus Clear products for my 17 yr old son. His skin is sensitive. The Citrus Clear Spot Treatment has cleared up his acne in about two weeks without burning, peeling, or redness. He also says the smell is GREAT – and for acne products that is so rare!
katieC 05.29.2013
I found the Citrus Clear Control Wash to be the acne wash that works the best. Its not perfect, but here is my breakdown and it should help you:
PROS
The product has a really nice tingling feel to it when it’s on your face.
The bottle is easy to use.
It doesn’t dry out your face.
The scent is good and not overpowering.
CONS
I get the occasional pimple, and this didn’t seem to reduce the frequency at which they occurred.
LouisaFinnell 01.30.2013
I had teenage acne and then it morphed into adult acne and whatever I did, I don’t recall because the only thing that really worked for me was aging out. I now have great skin, and I can promise you that having oily skin will eventually correct itself and you’ll be SO happy with how you look as you age. I used to have severely oily hair too, but now I have great hair, the hair I wish I’d had when I was younger. You are right about oily skin and moisture. When my skin still needed it, I carried blotting sheets with me everywhere I went.
Now I put a few drops of carrot oil on my skin, day and night, and for day I add frankincense essential oil. The frankincense tightens skin and gives me a much smoother face and firmer jaw line. It’s totally weird for someone who used to abhor the oil on my skin to now embrace skin oils as I do, but it works. The carrot oil evens my skin tone too.
Love your blog and your recipes. I’m a fan.
Vyvilyn 01.16.2013
Hi Kristin,
I stumbled upon your post for the overnight oats and berries recipe and the title of this blog caught my eye. I was wondering if your “best” skincare advice was on par with mine and was pleasantly surprised to learn that we had the same kind of advice. haha. Anyhow, you mentioned that you still have dry cracks around your nose. Have you tried any products with hyaluronic acid in them? It is a key moisturizing ingredient. I use a Japanese product called hada labo lotion (a toner which you are supposed to pat onto your face) and it has done wonders for my skin (much cheaper alternative than SHiseido and more expensive brands), particularly the dry spots around my nose. (I found that even Cetaphil was too drying for my skin) Here’s a blog post about the product: http://xiaxue.blogspot.com/2012/01/advertorial-today-my-advertorial-will.html. I think other asian/european products also contain the hyaluronic acid. Hada labo has worked fine for me, but it wouldn’t hurt to check out the other products also.
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Emily 10.28.2012
I, too, suffered from adult acne. I had used a prescription sulfur-based face wash that worked wonders for a few years. When we decided to part ways with the military, good bye health insurance. SO i searched and scoured the interwebz for a comparable solution to my dilemma, and stumbled upon the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). The idea is that oil cuts oil, whereas water can not. I tend to have oily skin so I use a mixture of 1/2 Castor Oil and 1/2 Olive Oil. I store it in a travel size shampoo bottle. To use: shake it up, massage the oil into your skin, lay a hot washcloth over your face for a few minutes and gently wipe your face with the washcloth. Rinse water over your face in the shower. I dont even use moisturizer anymore and my acne scars are vanishing! I used a baking soda scrub once or twice a week also. Hope this changes your life like it did mine!