Current Skincare Routine- Acne Prone, PCOs & In My 30s

Skincare is not something I talk about often because it’s so nuanced. What may work for me, may not work for you and vice versa. I decided to share my current routine, though, because it’s working so well for me. 

To give some background info, my skin is COMPLICATED. In 2018, I developed acne for the first time in my life. I went to the dermatologist and was put on Clindamycin Phosphate and Azelaic Acid 15%. I also received a diagnosis of PCOs and learned that my hormones were all out of wack. With the medicine and working to get my hormones under control, I was able to clear up almost all of my acne. This worked for me until 2022.

In 2022, my skin started breaking out horribly again. I stopped using the Clindamycin and Azelaic Acid and tried to clear it up on my own. That didn’t work so in April of 2023 I went back to the dermatologist and was put on Spironolactone and Clindamycin. 

The pictures above show how my skin looked in April 2023. The Spironolactone helped me so much… until it didn’t. My skin still wasn’t totally cleared up by the summer so my dermatologist bumped up my Spironolactone dose to 100mg. As soon as I started that dosage, I begin developing horrible rashes and yeast infections on my thighs. I searched all over the internet and couldn’t find anybody else with those side effects but after suffering for three months, I completely stopped the Spironolactone. I did keep using the Clindamycin and that along with my current skincare routine has almost completely cleared up my skin, even more than it was with the Spironolactone.

I stopped taking the Spironolactone in November 2023 and the above pictures were taken at the beginning of December. As of now, January 2024, my skin is still clear. I do still breakout before my period but my current routine is working better than I expected. Let’s talk about what I do in the morning first!

• Salicylic Acid 2% Face Wash– I start my morning by washing my face with a 2% salicylic acid cleanser. I don’t think the brand particularly matters and this very affordable WalMart option has been working well for me. 
• Heritage Store Blemish Toner– This toner contains 2% salicylic acid, niacinamide and colloidal silver. This stuff is STRONG. It can really dry out the face and burn. I don’t apply it all over; I use a Qtip to apply it on my problem areas.
• Clindamycin Phosphate– Clindamycin is only available with a prescription and is a topical antibiotic that kills bacteria. 
• SheaMoisture Tea Tree Oil Blend– This particular oil is a blend of tea tree, castor, sunflower, safflower and sesame seed oils. I wanted it for the tea tree oil but I think the blend as a whole has worked wonders for my skin. I started to see the most improvement when I added this to my routine. 
• Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion– This is my go to face moisturizer but it can be used all over the body. I love it because it’s lightweight and works well with everything else I use.
• Heritage Store Rosewater & Glycerin Spray– This spray probably isn’t a necessity but I feel it adds even more moisture to my skin.

My nighttime routine is the same as the morning except for the addition of more oils. I’m just going to talk about those additional oils and not everything I mentioned above.

• Heritage Store Black Castor Oil– My skin LOVES castor oil. I’ve used regular castor oil and black castor oil. Both seem to work the same. I apply this after the SheaMoisture Tea Tree Oil Blend. Castor Oil can help fight against acne because it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Heritage Store Pomegranate Seed Oil– This is a newer oil and not one I’m sure I’ll keep in my routine. I like it and pomegranate seed oil has many benefits for the skin but I don’t know if it’s absolutely necessary. I use this every other night on top of the castor oil. This oil is high in vitamin E.
• Heritage Store Grapeseed Oil– Like the pomegranate oil, I’m not sure how necessary this one is. I use it on the nights that I don’t use the pomegranate oil. It can help protect from free radical damage and is high in vitamin E.
• SheaMoisture African Black Soap– This isn’t pictured but I still wanted to mention it. African Black Soap has antimicrobial effects that can help kill acne causing bacteria. I’ve been using this soap every night before my acne wash. It’s also high in vitamins A and E. 

Final Thoughts:

I know my skincare routine is lengthy and probably unnecessary but as long as it works, I’m going to keep it up. I also briefly wanted to mention my diet because I think that’s important when it comes to acne. I’ve been eating almost 100% gluten and sugar free. I also don’t consume much dairy. I don’t think the diet has played that much of a role, though, because I ate like trash in December and my skin still improved.

When it comes to skincare and acne, there is no one size fits all approach but I hope seeing my routine was helpful. If you have any suggestions, please share them! Thanks for reading and have a great day!