Looking to create a new skincare routine!

As well as the sidebar do check out our ingredients Wiki.

If you are getting dry patches when you don't care for your skin and oiliness when you do, one or more of your products is likely overly harsh and causing irritation. The obvious culprit is the granular scrub.

Your toner can be used as a 'light cleanse' in the morning, if you want to do a little more that just water but don't need a full cleanse. For evening many here are fans of oil cleansing using commercial oil blends that contain emulsifiers (product rinses clean with water). I use a muslin cloth alongside for an extra clean feeling and a little gentle exfoliation.

For sebaceous filaments generally a BHA exfoliant is recommended. However they can be very drying. I have found making my entire routine moisturising from cleansing out leaves the skin plumped which heps makes pores look tiny. TBH I do still use an extractor, tho I do not press down on individual 'clogs' (can be damaging) but rather scrape the side of the loop gently over a whole area of skin.

For acne control consider consulting your family doctor - they can prescribe anti inflammatory topicals such as 4% niacinamide or 15%/ 20% azelaic acid. These are often both more effective and gentler than cosmetic products. Other options include cosmetic products containing niacinamide, sodium ascorbyl phosphate or a retinoid (see our Wiki and the mega reviews, vitamin C is next up).

In summer consider adding a physical sunscreen based on zinc oxide, this is anti microbial so will help control breakouts without the need for acne products, many of which are overly harsh.

Last thought is to take a look at your diet and lifestyle choices, ensure you consistently meet or exceed ALL our government's recommendations for healthy eating and lifestyle. At the end of the day skin is our largest organ and it is likely to be in the best health when treated well inside and out.

/r/SkincareAddictionUK Thread