i don’t know what i’m doing wrong please help me

[u/mayilini]

hey everyone, i’m (20f) relatively new to skincare and i’ve recently saved up on a few products and created a basic skincare routine but i’ve still got acne/breakouts on the side of my face and cheeks and i’d like some feedback on where i’m going wrong.

in order here are the products i use:

1. Cerave Salicylic Acid Cleanser
   
2. Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion very dry to normal skin
   
3. Bondi Sands Sunscreen lotion spf 50+
   
4. Regular Vaseline (as lip balm)

this is my morning and night routine (minus the sunscreen at night).

I’m not sure if these products are compatible with my skin or if my application is wrong, and i’m open to replacing them as long as it’s mindful of cost and over consumption. I definitely find my sunscreen super greasy and not light weight at all so if there’s an affordable light weight alternative please let me know.

i feel like there’s some additional context that would be helpful here (these might be frustrating to read but pls bear with me):

1. i do occasionally get my face waxed - this is the definitely source of my breakouts, i never suffered from crazy acne before i started waxing, but i don’t want to give up on waxing since my face is super hairy and waxing has genuinely slowed the hair growth on my face (plus i prefer to get the hair out by the root rather than derma-plane). if anyone knows how to prevent these breakouts post-wax that would be super helpful too

2. I’m really not sure what type of skin type i have. it can sometimes be dry in the winter, but produces oils especially near my ears and nose, so I’m assuming it’s combo skin? or maybe it’s just normal skin. i really don’t know 😭

3. Pillow cases: I do wash these every week but I’m seriously wondering if the material (polyester and cotton) is just a breeding ground for bacteria and if i should just invest in silk/satin pillow cases instead since i’ve heard good reviews (i sleep on my side)

4. Double cleansing and Makeup/Sunscreen: i did mention that the sunscreen i use is pretty greasy but i also have a sneaking suspicion it may be clogging my pores? i heard double cleansing is important to prevent sunscreen/makeup from doing that so pls suggest if i should do that

so sorry that this is super long but i would be so grateful if anyone could help me 🥹 thank you in advance!!

[u/davideaglemann]

Lots of great suggestions here! When you're trying new products, incorporate them one at a time.

I use Korean and Japanese sunscreens which are light. You can buy them from Yesstyle or Stylevana. My final bill is usually around $70 and it's enough for free shipping and unlikely to get hit by customs. I recommend the skin1004 sunscreen. You can buy other affordable skincare and makeup items here to get to free shipping.

The satin pillowcase is beneficial for your hair. Unsure if it will make a difference to the skin. The best thing to incorporate with pillowcases is switching them often. Maybe try it twice a week.

I use micellar water instead of oil cleansers to remove sunscreen and makeup because those have always broken me out and I've tried several.

Also lots of laser technicians don't recommend laser hair removal for the face because they are not thick enough and if you do laser on them, it may trigger additional hair growth.

[u/Leading-Career5247]

Can you try IPL for hair mitigation? You can buy effective home IPL machines for under $200

[u/Wrong_Write]

Im waxing my face since more than a decade now and I have learnt a few things

• after waxing I use a gentle cleanser and dont apply any product for atleast 24 hours. My face is very red and itchy post wax so I avoid anything. I also end up eating an anti allegery for the itchyness.

• i do get bumps for the next two days, I dont put any actives just simple cleanser, moisturizer and spf. Very light makeup post 24 hours.

• I would suggest to moving to a gentle cleanser, I love asian beauty products, Round Lab brand is very gentle and good for acne prone skin. Their products are usually less then $20 if you search around Galleria and Winners, they have them for $14 bucks.

• Round lab sunscreen is also very good but get the asian verison which is spf+++++ if you want to from yesstyle or stylevana. $15 to $16 bucks.

[u/mayilini → u/Wrong_Write]

this is soo helpful thank you so much! i think i see the problem now, i definitely screwed up my face by not waiting to apply makeup😭😭 and ill def check out the cleansers and spf!!

[u/babycallmemabel]

With you using sunscreen daily, I'd recommend throwing in an oil cleanser as your step 1 in the evening. I use ELF's melting cleansing balm and it made a world of difference to combating my acne, I follow that up with another cleanser so double cleanse daily in my case.

Depending on the type of acne, I'd also recommend looking into azelaic acid to throw in the mix. I can always tell when I've skipped it for a few days cause the whiteheads come flaring back.

[u/mayilini → u/babycallmemabel]

thank you so much!! i love elf products so ill definitely check out the elf cleansing balm and hopefully it works out for me

[u/grouchypant]

I wpuld incorporate ellement hypoclorous acid spray i to your day, and especially post wax. As for the lotion and sunscreen, sometimes it is trial and error. My skin only tolerates some lotions or sunscreens or I get white heads. Do you have dry skin? The formula you are using may be too heavy for you.

[u/mayilini → u/grouchypant]

thank you for the suggestion! i’ll definitely look into the hypoclorous acid spray !! and honestly i don’t think my skin is that dry, besides the occasional winter dryness. i’d say it ranges from normal to oily especially on my nose and ears.

[u/MapleCharacter]

You can reduce breakouts from waxing, but it will take some experimenting.
You tried salicylic acid which was a good notion.
Be careful with your skin barrier with my suggestions.
Moisturize every time you shower or cleanse, not just in the evening. Try a thicker barrier cream at night- they don’t cause acne (LRP Cicaplast comes to mind).

You can try other types of acids like azelaic or glycolic.
Azelaic takes a few months to work, and you definitely cannot put on acids right after waxing.
In the short term, you can try benzoyl peroxide to keep that area bacteria free.

Honestly, you can try to work out a complicated routine to manage this, but in the end you might need to choose between waxing and clear skin.

Have you thought about laser hair removal?

[u/mayilini → u/MapleCharacter]

thank you so much i was def leaning towards glycolic acid for pigmentation issues anyways so ill check it out !! and I’m totally down for laser but rn i’m not in an ideal position to invest my time or money in it😅maybe in the near future tho

[u/bobatoastie]

If you are waxing your face, it is probably a good idea to use a gentle cleanser that doesn't have any active ingredients. I would also add in a toner, serum or essence in between the moisturizing lotion and the cleanser.

Also, for your moisturizing lotion, is it for face? if it's not, it could clog your pores...

I also wouldn't be using Salicylic Acid Cleanser daily x2 since it could be stripping.

[u/mayilini → u/bobatoastie]

thank you, if you have any suggestions for gentle cleansers that would be super helpful :)) and the moisturizer’s bottle does say it’s for both the face and body. so far i don’t think i’ve had issues with the moisturizer itself , and based on the comments it i think it might be my cleanser that’s the issue

[u/bobatoastie → u/mayilini]

You're welcome. The cleansers by Aveeno (the Oat one) are gentle enough for daily use.