My Facial Skincare Routine & Adult Acne FAQ
As my article on acne is already long enough, I suggest you continue reading the FAQ here:
- Why not incorporate Vitamin C into the routine when you still have breakouts? Vitamin C can worsen acne, causing even more inflammation. Vitamin C should be used on healthy skin. Once your skin has cleared up, if the skin barrier is seriously damaged, you even need to use B5, copper peptides, or ceramides repairing the skin barrier before touching Vitamin C.
- Why not use exfoliation when you still have breakouts ? Many blogs keep telling us that we should exfoliate the skin and “bring” pimples to the surface so they go away faster. They will recommend physical exfoliants (like apricot kernel scrubs) or chemical exfoliants (e.g., AHA/BHA peels). There’s a joke going around among skincare addicts: if your enemy asks for the secret to your beautiful skin, give them the name of the St-Ives Apricot Scrub (so they’ll end up with shitty skin). Both of these aggressive exfoliation methods should be avoided for acne-prone skin. I’d rather you cleanse your face well every evening and treat each pimple precisely by using the COSRX patch for example, than use these very aggressive methods. Acne-prone skin is fragile; attacking it even more won’t help it heal. You can reintroduce chemical exfoliation once the pimples are gone and the skin barrier is repaired.
- Why moisturize the skin when you have acne? Isn’t it better to dry it out? Skin needs water and oil. When skin lacks water, it overproduces oil (sebum), causing, among other things, acne. So you need to provide it with water, both internally and externally, so it no longer has to overproduce sebum. In this routine, it’s true that I use products like zinc and sulfur to regulate excess sebum, but on the other hand, I provide a lot of water (hydration) to the skin. So you can’t just take inspiration from the first half of my routine and ignore the rest. The routine is designed as a whole to correct, but also to provide the necessary “nourishment” for the skin.
- Some products you recommend are too expensive; are there alternatives? I can only recommend products I use and approve of. However, for expensive products, I’ve included “dupes” in this article. I’m not the type to believe that the more expensive, the more effective. If I mentioned these expensive products, it’s because they really work, and despite the high price, I’ve repurchased them.
- Why do I need to remove makeup at night if I don’t wear makeup? Because in my routine, I recommend using a physical sunscreen, and it doesn’t come off with a regular cleanser. Here, I recommended micellar water for eye makeup removal. You should always cleanse your face with a cleanser after micellar water. But you can also remove makeup with reusable makeup remover pads specifically designed for that (it’s better for the skin).
- What do you think about Roaccutane? I know many people have been thrilled with the results of the treatment. Personally, I didn’t choose this treatment because the negative effects I see aren’t worth it. I feel my skin hasn’t reached a level of desperation significant enough for me to do it. My skin scars quite well. However, for people who get a pitted scar from every pimple, I understand you might be tempted by this treatment.
- What do you think about benzoyl peroxide? I have a love/hate relationship with this ingredient, available only by prescription (available under the name Cutacnyl). It can calm pimples in a few days, but instead of letting pimples mature and then heal, they seem “sealed” and you’re left with red marks for months, unable to bring them to a head or pop them. It’s a product I would have used as a last resort, in desperation (for example, if the entire area is on fire and bleeding, and you need to stop bacterial proliferation). Plus, it stains clothes, sheets, scarves… even if you’ve cleaned your skin well. If you opt for this product, choose a concentration between 2.5% and 5%. Note that in English-speaking countries, benzoyl peroxide products are available over the counter.
- What do you think about adapalene? Ah! The famous Differin (prescription only) prescribed by all dermas for acne-prone skin. While I see some use for benzoyl peroxide, frankly adapalene does nothing for me except make me peel and purge more. I hate this product! More info on retinoids on my other blog here. When my general practitioner learned that I had waited 3 months for a derm appointment so he could prescribe me Differin, he asked me why I hadn’t asked him. Sadness, sadness!
- There are too many steps; I’ll never be able to slather on that many products: The chosen products are particularly liquid and easily absorbed by the skin so you don’t end up with 5cm of cream on your face. If you’re not using any products right now, it might be this lack of routine that’s making you break out. In that case, you should start with at least a basic routine: makeup removal (evening) / cleanser / moisturizer (with SPF in the morning). Start with that for 3 weeks. If the pimples go away, great, then introduce thermal water, hydrating masks, serums, and then treatments.
- NIOD products are as liquid as water and very concentrated (3-4 drops for the whole face), so I can layer 5 without any problem.
- Listen to yourself! If you love a product but no one else does, you need to listen to your skin and not to the estheticians or Sephora saleswomen who claim otherwise. Conversely, if everyone loves a product and you don’t, you have the right not to like it. I’ve been told many times when I said that oil cleansing (especially with coconut oil) didn’t work for me; estheticians dared to say, “ahh because you don’t emulsify enough, or you don’t rinse well enough, or the oil you use isn’t suitable, blah blah blah” and so they cleansed my face with coconut oil, and at the end of the facial treatment, that very evening, 2 pimples!! All the products I suggest below work for me and my skin. This list is not an absolute truth; you need to test to know if a product suits you or not. Preferably, do a patch test, then introduce one product at a time every 3 weeks, that way you’ll know which product is causing any purge or improvement.
- Why do your current routines keep changing? It’s just because I really like testing cosmetics. After several years, I have about twenty favorite cosmetics and I use them more or less depending on their availability in the country I’m in, and my current needs. If I’m in Asia, for example, I’ll focus more on cleansing. If I’m in Iceland, I’ll slather on more cream. I’m not against using the same cosmetics year after year, quite the opposite.
- Should you listen to dermatologists? It depends. You need to listen to your intuition. Whether it’s dermatologists, estheticians, or bloggers, there’s a kind of lobbying that makes them recommend products they’ve received and tested for free. So, very effective brands that don’t work with them might not be highlighted. If they recommend something, note the main active ingredient and research the best products in that category. I’m no exception. Even though I pay for all my cosmetics myself (no one sponsors me at the moment, SIGH), I only have one face and can’t test 10,000 products at once. So I think you should still see a dermatologist, but to know if they’re a good one, you need to ask questions, listen carefully to the answers… you can, for example, ask a silly question about retinol and see if your dermatologist knows what it is. If they don’t know anything, even though they should be experts, if they tell you to use it during the day, run away! If they never talk about moisturizing, goodbye! For people with matte skin, you need to see a dermatologist who’s used to working with matte skin patients. Being Asian, I really like it when a dermatologist mentions that for my skin type, the treatment will be a bit different, because it means they know my skin is thinner than Caucasian skin and tolerates harsh treatments or too many acids poorly.
- Why do you recommend seeing a naturopath? Because hormonal acne can come from dairy products, which inherently contain a lot of hormones. There are also foods that promote inflammation, so a pimple due to a normal normal hormonal variation before your period becomes problematic and inflammatory because of our diet. I don’t recommend the naturopath option for everyone, because it’s hard to find a good naturopath, and if you end up with a bad one, not only will you get frustrated (like going from carnivore to vegan overnight), but you’ll also risk eating crap, if the naturopath is too useless. Once, JB was recommended to drink, get this, sauerkraut juice, even though he’s in great shape! So I recommend this solution only for desperate cases. Personally, I think our bodies intuitively know what they need. That’s why some people like apples, others don’t. But if your body isn’t intuitive and you’re having a major acne breakout, or you’ve been on the pill for years and want to stop, you should rush to a naturopath.
- What do you think about invasive treatments like peels, microneedling, or lasers ? I think they’re fantastic! But it all depends on the person performing them. Personally, I wouldn’t get them done at an esthetician’s, but at a dermatologist trained in such techniques. It’s expensive and you need to come back several times. However, you must keep in mind that the skincare routine after these treatments is demanding for at least a week. So you shouldn’t opt for these solutions if you’re lazy to begin with; if you can’t even manage to slather on cream once a day, you won’t be able to regenerate your skin after these treatments, and the results can be very ugly.
- My acne comes back every time I have my period, so can I never move on to the anti-stain routine? Your acne is caused by a hormonal variation normal, so you need to note the days when you get pimples (before/during or after your period). The idea is: (1) apply the “acne” routine for 2 to 3 months (2) move to the “skin barrier” routine for 2 to 3 months (3) then move to the “anti-stain” routine. However, with menstrual hormonal variations, every time you feel acne might come back, you need to use the “acne” routine for 2-3 days (it’s up to you to track your menstrual cycles and note the dates). But in reality, once you’ve spent 5-6 months with the right routines, you no longer have acne and the spots will disappear on their own, so you might not even need to switch to the “anti-stain” routine. Many people stay on the skin barrier » for many years and it has never caused any issues because strong, undamaged skin is beautiful skin.
- What do you think of product X? Do you think I have a Sephora at home, an unlimited wallet to test every cosmetic in the world, and a face that covers 2 km² to test them all? I won’t comment on products I haven’t tested, and it’s not my job to test for you, nor to read the ingredients on your behalf, nor to guess which ingredient will make your skin break out for you. If I start commenting on every product you submit, I’ll never get through it all, I’ll turn into a cosmetic app on legs.
- But I need help!! Personalized help for MY skin: Am I your dermatologist? No! Am I a beauty blogger? Even less! I have another job, and if I post these articles, it’s out of kindness. Be less lazy and do your own research (first on this blog then my other blog then on the global Internet). If despite all my articles and routines, you haven’t learned anything, haven’t understood anything, it’s because you’re lazy, and being lazy won’t get you beautiful skin. I know my words are harsh, but if you look at the routines, they require a certain discipline. My articles are long, comprehensive, and available for free, if you can’t even take the time to just read them and absorb the knowledge, I can’t read on your behalf. Ciao!
August 2022 Routine
Sun spots. Anti-spot, anti-aging, hydrating, minimalist routine
| MORNING | EVENING |
|---|---|
| Uriage Thermal Water | Cleansing pads Face Halo Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Hydrating serum: Clarins anti-thirst | Uriage Thermal Water Exfoliant (3 times a week): ZO Exfoliation Accelerator |
| Moisturizer: SKII Power Cream | Hydrating serum: Clarins anti-thirst |
| Sunscreen: Niod S30 | Treatment serum (only before your period): Somethinc 10% Niacinamide Barrier Serum Anti-spot serum (2 times a week): SkinClinic Melanyc Daily Anti-spot serum (2 times a week): SK-II Genoptics |
| Moisturizer: SKII Power Cream |
2022 Routine
Beautiful skin, no imperfections, no spots. Anti-aging, hydrating, minimalist routine
| MORNING | EVENING |
|---|---|
| Uriage Thermal Water | Cleansing pads Face Halo Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Hydrating serum: Clarins anti-thirst | Uriage Thermal Water |
| Moisturizer: SKII Power Cream | Hydrating serum: Clarins anti-thirst |
| Sunscreen: Niod S30 | Treatment serum (only before your period): Vitamin B Serum with 5% Niacinamide – Alpha-H (Sephora link, Lookfantastic link) |
| Moisturizer: SKII Power Cream |
August 2021 Routine
Beautiful skin, no imperfections, but stubborn spots still won’t budge. From today and for the next 3 months, I’m diving into Japanese layering the Chizu Saeki way, we’ll see if it works
MORNING
| Step | Product | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cleansing | URIAGE Thermal Water (link) | I don’t use a cleanser in the morning. I just spritz on some thermal water and wipe it off with a cotton pad |
| 2. Lotion | Minon Moist Charge Lotion I (Stylevana link, Yesstyle link) or Melano CC sheet mask (pack of 20 or 30, Stylevana link, Yesstyle link) | The Chizu Saeki method involves soaking several cotton pads with lotion and leaving them on the face for 3 minutes. If I have time, I’ll do that. Otherwise, (1) I can pat the lotion onto my skin and use the heat of my hands to drive the product in (2) I can just use a Melano CC sheet mask and leave it on for 3 minutes. You need to wait 3 minutes |
| 3. Vitamin C Serum | Skinceuticals Phloretin CF | I’m going to use my favorite Skinceuticals Phloretin CF, which contains 10% Vitamin C. Vitamin C used under an SPF will boost the effects of the SPF. You need to wait 3 minutes after applying the serum. |
| 4. Emulsion with UV | Hada Labo Perfect Gel SPF50 PA++++ (Yesstyle link) | Usually, I use max SPF30, but this gel is super light and doesn’t clog pores. |
EVENING
| Step | Product | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Makeup Removal & Cleansing: preferably a jelly | I don’t have a jelly. Cleansing pads (Yesstyle link) then Rosette Cleansing Paste (blue, Acne clear, Stylevana link, Yesstyle link) then Uriage thermal water (link) | Ms. Chizu Saeki doesn’t like oil-based makeup removal and doesn’t like double cleansing either. So I’ll remove my makeup with cleansing pads, without any cosmetic product. Then, I’ll use my favorite cleanser, Rosette Cleansing Paste (anti-acne). Before finishing it all off with my thermal spray. This step isn’t very Japanese, but we do what we can, right? The water here is of lower quality than in Japan, so you have to adapt a bit. |
| 1bis. Exfoliation once a week | NIOD SS (Niod link) or Suisai Beauty Clear Powder Wash (Yesstyle link) | NIOD SS cleans out pores like no other product can. Suisai Beauty Clear Powder Wash is extremely popular in Japan, contains two enzymes and amino acids. Once the powder is mixed with water, rub it between your hands and it becomes creamy. Both products are very gentle, but they leave the skin a bit dry afterward. Hydrate ASAP afterward. |
| 2. Brightening Lotion | KIKU MASAMUNE Sake Lotion High Moist (Yesstyle link) or KIKU MASAMUNE Sake sheet mask (pack of 7 or 32, Stylevana link, Yesstyle link) | The Chizu Saeki method involves using different products in the morning and evening. So in the evening, I’ll either soak several cotton pads with another lotion and leave them on my face for 3 minutes. Or use a Kiku Masamune mask, which is very hydrating and brightening, for 3 minutes as well. |
| 3. Serum | Tune Makers Fullerene | I opted for Tune Makers Fullerene, which contains fullerene, 100 times more antioxidant and brightening than Vitamin C. I achieved the ultimate beautiful skin with this serum, and I’ve never been able to get back to that state once the product ran out, despite other very expensive skincare products. I’m so happy to have found it again (it was out of stock because of Covid). You need to wait 3 minutes after applying the serum. |
| 4. Brightening Emulsion | Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% with Tamanu Oil or Curel Moisture Facial Cream (Stylevana link, Yesstyle link) | The last step according to the Chizu Saeki method is to seal in moisture. It’s important to have occlusive ingredients like oil. Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% contains azelaic acid (anti-dark spot) and niacinamide (anti-dark spot, anti-acne). It’s moderately occlusive, so I’ll add a drop of tamanu oil (also anti-dark spot) to seal in my moisture. If my skin feels tight, I’ll go for Curel Moisture Facial Cream, which contains lots of ceramides. It’s not an anti-dark spot product, but a strengthened skin barrier is definitely good for fighting dark spots. |
July 2021 Routine
Too much work => Simplified routine
| MORNING | EVENING |
|---|---|
| Uriage Thermal Water | Cleansing pads Face Halo Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Hydrating serum: NIOD MMHC 2 | Uriage Thermal Water |
| Moisturizer: L’erbolario | Hydrating serum: NIOD MMHC 2 |
| Sunscreen: Niod S30 | Treatment serum: Naturium Tranexamic Topical Acid 5% (Amazon US link) |
| Moisturizer: L’erbolario |
May – June 2021 Routine
Having received my American order, I’m tackling dark spots even though it’s not the best season (summer) or the best place (Thailand) for it. Hence the SPF 50
| MORNING | MONDAY THURSDAY NIGHT | TUESDAY FRIDAY SUNDAY NIGHT | WEDNESDAY SATURDAY NIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uriage Thermal Water | Makeup removal , and Rosette Blue cleanser | Makeup removal , and Niod SS | Makeup removal , and Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Hydrating serum: NIOD MMHC 2 | Uriage Thermal Water | Uriage Thermal Water | Uriage Thermal Water |
| Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream | SkinCeutical Discoloration Defense | Two layers of Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence (Amazon link, Yesstyle link, Jolse link) | One layer of Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence (Amazon link, Yesstyle link, Jolse link) |
| Antioxidant, SPF: NIOD S20 SPF 20 | Two layers of Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence (Amazon link, Yesstyle link, Jolse link) | Naturium Tranexamic Topical Acid 5% (Amazon US link) to alternate with Naturium Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% (Amazon US link) | Hydrating serum: NIOD MMHC 2 |
| SPF: Esthederm No-Sun SPF 50 | Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream | Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream | Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream |
| Dark spot treatment: Hydroquinone: Ambi Fade Cream for Oily Skin (link) |
April 2021 Routine
This month, my routine will be minimalist because I’ll soon be a vampire: I’m swamped with work and don’t leave my house.
Goal: Prevention (menstruation-related acne) and more skin glow
| MORNING | EVENING |
|---|---|
| Uriage Thermal Water | Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Hydrating serum: SubQ Skin Hylamide | Uriage Thermal Water |
| Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream | SK-II Essence (exfoliation) |
| Treatment serum: Geek&Gorgeous aPAD to alternate with The Ordinary Niacinamide 10 % Zinc 1% | |
| Hydrating serum: SubQ Skin Hylamide | |
| Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream |
March 2021 Routine
Ski vacation: not getting sunburnt, not darkening my spots further
Solutions: SPF++, moisturizing and repairing products
| MORNING | EVENING |
|---|---|
| Uriage Thermal Water | Makeup removal |
| Vitamin C: SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF | Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Hydrating serum: NIOD MMHC 2 | Uriage Thermal Water |
| Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream | Aura Mask (4 times per week) |
| Antioxidant, SPF: NIOD S20 SPF 20 | Repairing serum: NIOD CAIS 2 |
| SPF: Esthederm No-Sun SPF 50 | Treatment serum: Geek&Gorgeous aPAD |
| Hydrating serum: SubQ Skin Hylamide | |
| Moisturizing cream: Benton Steam Cream |
February 2021 routines
Issues: brown spots, maskne spots, cold sensitivity
Solutions: moisturizing products combined with anti-spot products, while strengthening the skin barrier and using anti-acne products as prevention
These routines are quite hard to follow, and you don’t have to copy/paste mine. It’s just to show you what it’s like to exfoliate 2 to 3 times a week, or how often to use retinol, and with which products.
For example, you can take the Wednesday routine for 2 days of the week, and the Friday routine for the rest of the week.
It depends on the products you have (I have 2 cleansers, 3 niacinamides, 3 hyaluronic acids, 2 azelaic acids, I have to rotate them to use them all, but if you have one product per category, your routine will be much simpler than mine).
Morning
Evening
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makeup removal | Makeup removal | Makeup removal | Makeup removal | Makeup removal | Rosette Blue cleanser | Rosette Blue cleanser |
| Rosette Blue cleanser | NIOD SS cleanser | Rosette Blue cleanser | NIOD SS cleanser | Rosette Blue cleanser | Uriage Thermal Water | NIOD SS cleanser |
| Uriage Thermal Water | Uriage Thermal Water | Uriage Thermal Water | Uriage Thermal Water | Uriage Thermal Water | SK-II Essence (exfoliation) | Uriage Thermal Water |
| NIOD CAIS 2 | Aura Mask | Biologique recherche P400 PIGM (exfoliation) | Aura Mask | Whamisa Toner Deep Rich | Benton Essence | Aura Mask |
| NIOD Re:pigment | Whamisa Toner Deep Rich | Clarins Anti-Soif | NIOD CAIS 2 | Geek&Gorgeous aPAD | Goku-Jyun Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion | NIOD CAIS 2 |
| NIOD MMHC 2 | Geek&Gorgeous aPAD | Geek&Georgeous B-Bomb | NIOD Re:pigment | The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% Zinc 1% | Benton Steam Cream | NIOD Re:pigment |
| NIOD NAAP | Clarins Anti-Soif | Benton Steam Cream | NIOD MMHC 2 | SK-II moisturizer | LED light | NIOD MMHC 2 |
| NIOD S0 | SK-II moisturizer | LED light | NIOD NAAP | Drunk Elephant A Passioni (retinol) before bed | Panthenol B5 before bed | NIOD NAAP |
| Benton Steam Cream | Drunk Elephant A Passioni (retinol) before bed | Panthenol B5 before bed | NIOD S0 | NIOD S0 | ||
| LED light | Benton Steam Cream | Benton Steam Cream | ||||
| Comments: NIOD is very liquid, hence a 10-step routine without any issues Azelaic acid 5 days out of 7 because this formulation isn’t exfoliating but is effective for acne and dark spots | NIOD SS cleanser every other evening to clean out pores Hydrating mask 3 times a week Probiotic products 3 times a week (Whamisa & SK-II) for the skin barrier | Exfoliating product followed by very hydrating and gentle products Panthenol 2 times a week for the skin barrier Niacinamide 2 times a week as a preventive measure | Almost 100% NIOD routine 3 times a week because I love this brand too much | Probiotic products 3 times a week (Whamisa & SK-II) for the skin barrier Routine including azelaic acid and retinol. Twice a week Niacinamide 2 times a week as a preventive measure | Exfoliating product followed by very hydrating and gentle products LED light 3 times a week Panthenol 2 times a week for the skin barrier | if I can’t be bothered: LED light while watching a Netflix movie |
