I have always been pretty blessed with clear skin. For most of my life, I barely had any sort of routine to keep my face clear and hydrated. I cringe to think about it now, but most nights, I would fall asleep in my makeup (and not even think twice about it). All the skincare products I received as a 24 year-old beauty editor went straight to my mom (anti-aging) and my friends (everything else).
So I was caught off-guard when I turned 31 and my face started to break out. I truly wasn’t sure what to do. It first appeared as tiny little bumps, a change in texture. When I mentioned this time period to my husband recently, he swears he doesn’t remember this change in my skin. However, it unsteadied my confidence in personal and professional life. There’s no two ways about it, acne sucks however mild it might be. And it wasn’t just me—suddenly skincare conversations with friends around the same age went from wrinkle prevention to revolving around acne remedies. Between us, it seemed like we tried everything out there.
It wasn’t until I started using Differin that I finally got control of my skin. My nightly routine started with a cleanser (not from the drugstore, but I love Youth To The People‘s) and then I toned it with Thayers Witch Hazel. Witch Hazel might not be good for those with very sensitive skin, but it worked well for my skin type. I would then apply the Differin. It dried out my skin a ton at first, but then it started to work its magic. I moisturized like crazy in the morning and throughout the day with Weleda’s Skinfood. It took about a month to really start noticing results, but after trying so many remedies, I was so relieved that something finally worked. Who knew that the perfect combination that worked for my skin could all be found at Target?
Once my acne cleared up, I was left with some scarring that thankfully cleared up easily within a few months using Glossier’s Solution. I was then able to incorporate other products into my routine to add my glow back (like Moon Juice’s Exfoliating Acid Potion Resurfacing Exoliator and Mushroom Plump Jelly Serum!).
Whenever my skin breaks out now (very rarely, thankfully), I’ll use Differin again for maintenance and apply a Zitsticka.
