How To Deal With Difficult Skin

To say my skin is unpredictable and finicky is an understatement. I've had sensitive skin ever since I was a child; constantly getting weird rashes, breakouts and eczema in various places on my body. When it comes to my face, I used to never think of it as being sensitive because getting my acne treated was my number one priority at the time. Now I am beginning to figure out what works best for not only  keeping my skin clear, but healthy looking.

When I was in my teens I struggled with moderate acne and oily skin like most. Mixed with my other skin issues like eczema (thankfully not on my face), I had a heck of a time getting it under control, and pretty much making every mistake you could along the way. I would wash my face too often or not enough, not properly moisturizing and used some of the harshest treatments I could find which almost always tended to make matters worse. My skin was a hot mess.

As I got older, I got much better about having a good, consistent skin care routine and taking allergy meds to help combat my other skin issues. I noticed my skin started calming down some as well and has gone from straight oily to more oily/combo with occasional flakiness in some areas. But I almost always had some sort of breakout happening. It wasn't until I realized that I had oily, acne-prone sensitive skin that I started rethinking my whole skin care routine entirely. Instead of using facial cleansers and toners that are specifically targeted for acne, I started using ones geared toward sensitive skin that usually had more natural ingredients. Totally was a game changer for me.

So if you have skin like me, take a look at what products I've been using that seem to be working for me lately!

I've learned the hard way that removing my makeup completely at the end of the day is crucial to achieving better looking skin. Having clogged pores is a one way ticket to breakouts! To help remove all of my makeup, I love using The Body Shop Sumptuous Camomile Cleansing Balm as my first step to remove the majority of it and Garnier Skin Active Micellar Water to remove mascara residue and foundation still left over. Both of these are gentle and don't break me out which is great!

Micellar waters are all the rage right now, and can be used to remove makeup and cleanse at the same time, but I am staunch believer in using actual cleansers. Right now I'm really enjoying my Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash because it doesn't completely dry me out and seems to agree with my skin. CeraVe on the other hand, broke me out like crazy which was super disappointing because I heard amazing things about it. Next, I want to retry Cetaphil because it's been years since I last used it and don't remember how it worked for me.

I then follow up with a toner, one that again isn't too harsh. The Botanics Shine Away Mattifying Toner is nice because it gets rid of excess oil without sucking the life out of my skin.

After my skin is properly cleansed and toned, I usually use one of my 'flavor of the month' serums I get from my subscription boxes. Using serums in my skin care routine is relatively new to me, so I'm still experimenting with what works for my skin. At the moment I'm trying  a sample of the Avene Hydrance Opitmale Hydrating Serum and I like it so far. But I would love to find a serum at an affordable, drugstore price so suggestions are welcomed! Serums have really made a difference in my skin being brighter, more hydrated and healthy looking. My favorite moisturizer I've used for years has been the Up & Up Dual Effects Moisturizer because it's oil-free, lightweight and has a tiny amount of salicylic acid to help fight blemishes. I use it morning and night.

I've also been trying to incorporate eye creams each night to help with my sweet designer eyebags that crease like a mofo with my concealer. Right now this Pur-Lisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum has been a nice addition to my regimen. Don't forget the lips either! Mine tend to be on the dry, chapped side almost always so a nightly lip balm, like the Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm, is necessary for me. With this routine I've got now, my breakouts have been minimal (with the majority being hormonal breakouts) with more days being almost completely clear than ever! My skin also just looks better; more hydrated, brighter and more even.

 Besides just using the right products that work for you on your skin, it's equally important to take care of your skin from the inside by eating right, exercising and drinking LOTS of water. I can't stress this enough; I can totally tell the difference in my skin when I eat crappy for a few days. Sunscreen is also super important, which I admit that I'm not always the most consistent with but it's something I'm trying hard to work on.

I hope this was helpful for those like me trying to figure out how to deal with difficult skin!

What are some of your favorite skin care products?

xoxo

Jessica