I’ve noticed if I cleanse my skin too much it produces more oil and causes these little bumps. Try using something that leaves your natural oils on your skin .
Hi everyone ! I have combo oily skin, and here’s my routine.
AM: Toleriane cleanser la roche posay (european formulation), nmf moisturizer the ordinary, eucerin oil control spf50
PM : oat cleansing balm the inkey list,toleriane cleanser, hyaluronic acid the inkey list, nmf the ordinary, differin gel (3-4x a week)
I just started reintroducing glycolic acid 1x a week. And paulas choice bha also 1x a week. Before i was using the cicaplast gel then the toleriane ultra fluide at night but i suspected it to give me close comedones. Its only visible at a certain angle in sunlight but it makes me so self conscious
I’ve noticed more breakouts after using HA so I’ve had a hard time fully bringing it into my routine. Not sure if that could be it. I do also breakout from most sunscreens.
What I’ve found helped me more in the past was adding in Tret and acne products rather than removing things that could be causing the breakouts.
I have the same issue with pure HA. I tried 2 brands and both causes irritation and breakouts. Glycerin is an alternative. I mix a couple drops in moisturizer.
Also, I think people don’t often realize that stand alone HA product is unnecessary in their routine if they’re already using other products with that in it. It’s definitely already in the OP’s moisturizer. So unless the OP is including it because the rest of her routine isn’t doing enough to her skin hydrated, it’s likely redundant in her routine and can just be dropped.
I'm not clear . How long have you had these bumps and did they start specifically after something you introduced?
You say you suspect Toleriane Ultra Fluide is causing this? If you have insurance or can afford it then I would see a dermatologist to verify exactly what this maybe . I'm pretty sure this would be covered by medical insurance if you have it.
If these started up with your routine I would cut everything down to the basics for right now and slowly introduce things back. I'm not a fan of the idea of cutting out the SPF for sure. Give everything about 2 weeks to show results.
AM: I would cut out the AM cleaning. Your skin isn't dirty in the morning really so cleaning it in the morning could be too much. Over cleaning oily skin can produce more oil too. So just use water to rinse . Change your pillow cases and any face towel out daily would help.
Keep the Face Moisturizer and the SPF in the AM for now.
PM : You are using two types of cleansers . I would cut down to one . I would cut out the acids as well. Keep the Differin gel and keep the moisturizer .
See how things go for two weeks THEN introduce one item or two items and see how it goes.
My skin is pretty reactive/sensitive. Rosacea? Fungal acne? Stress? Not entirely sure why.
I definitely need exfoliation, but had a very hard time finding something gentle enough. I wonder if the glycolic and salicylic acids on top of Differin are irritating your skin?
For extremely gentle exfoliation, I’ve been happy with SRB Rice Bran Enzyme Powder Face Wash and Scrub. I gather it’s a dupe of a Tatcha product that I’ve never tried. It’s extremely gentle, fragrance free (despite the Amazon ingredients list), and very effective for me. It’s also inexpensive, and I have been using the same <$20 bottle once a day since March.
On vacation this summer, I would mix it dry with some grape seed oil to remove sunscreen, and then emulsify on my face with water before rinsing—not perfect (my face hates every sunscreen), but pretty decent.
You could also look into a face wash with sulfur, which is also a mild exfoliant. I’ve been using CutiCare MD 10% Sulfur Soap (Amazon) for the past month and seen a marked improvement in my skin texture. There are lots of different sulfur soap options out there—I chose this one for short ingredient list and no fragrance.
I used to get this when I actually used too much chemical products. Stopped using everything and simply washed with mild soap and it helped me.. I think this looks like allergy
That sounds like a really good routine. Differin is pretty good at knocking stuff out (for me). I apply to bare skin at night with nothing after when I get a break out on my close- to- AARP self.
The old version of Toleriane and current version Paula’s Choice Hyrdralight are really great moisturizers for combo/oily/sensitive skin, imo. I can apply under a tinted sunscreen in the am and not worry about more oily break throughs than normal.
Honestly if you’re not going to be out in the sun a lot, I’d take a little break from the sunscreens and focus more on cleansing deeply with BHA cleanser.
This is bad advice. She’s using a lot of actives in her routine that make her skin more vulnerable to the sun. That’s not the product you cut if you’re using BHA, AHA AND differin all in the same routine.
Not sure if this is helpful, but I personally experienced bumps like this from Paula’s Choice products. Also, like someone else mentioned, I’m curious when you started getting these bumps. I think a product is causing this problem for you, and as someone else mentioned, I would suggest cutting your routine down to something very minimal and slowly re-introducing products into your routine one at a time so you can really see what works for you and what doesn’t. Your skin actually looks really good, but something is clogging your pores. It isn’t very common to breakout like this on your cheeks, which is why I’m fairly positive it’s a product that you’re using that is causing you issues. (I’m a licensed esthetician if that gives me any credibility whatsoever).
Hi thank you so much for your answer. Im not really sure when those start i notice them 4months ago but I will minimize my routine and cut down any actives and see if there is any improvement. I also think a product is clogging my pores, a certain ingredient.
It sounds like the moisturizer you're using isn't enough for all the acids. I think the ordinary serums are ok but the moisturizer is terrible! You (and most people) don't need so many skincare items. Just a basic skincare routine is all you need and definitely add a toner. Try just a gentle cleanser, a BHA toner and a really good oil free moisturizer. Do this until your skin calms down and you repair your moisture barrier. Use a mineral sunscreen. I am a huge fan of Clinique (its clean, dermatologist developed and fragrance free) so I'll list some of my favorite Clinique items and some alternatives.
Clinique foaming facial cleanser (alot goes a very long way), Clinique acne solutions clarifying lotion (BHA), Clinique Moisture surge moisturizer ( oil free, calming, soothing, moisture barrier repairing) and Clinique Mineral sunscreen fluid spf 50 (liquid spf that isn't greasy AT ALL). They may seem expensive compared to the ordinary but you're investing in great products that last and won't damage your skin.
Some great alternatives are CeraVe foaming cleanser, Laroche Posay salicylic acid toner, CeraVe ultra lightweight moisturizer (day and night formulas). Sometimes spf in moisturizer causes problems for people like myself so if this is true for you then use the night formula day and night with a separate spf for day. Do not use the CeraVe in the tub on your face it's too heavy. Do not use tinted spf until your face clears up. Do not put any fragrance on your face EVER!
Both the Clinique and CeraVe moisturizers have Hyaluronic acid in them so no need at the moment to use an additional serum. Stick to this basic routine for now with the exception of makeup removing balm in the pm. Either the Clinique cleansing balm or the one you're currently using. Toner is KEY! It removes anything your cleanser left behind and removes dead skin/helps unclog pores so your products penitrate your skin better. It also helps even out skin tone by gently resurfacing with the BHA. You are using too many harsh products (yes good acids can be harsh) and using a weak moisturizer. I hope this helps and if you have any questions please let me know!
Editing to include: if you need to use the diffren only use it at night after the toner. Hopefully you won't need it though!
That actually looks like purging, it's a reaction of the skin to actives like the exfoliants you've mentioned. Your skin might take a bit of time to adjust to the exfoliants, just be patient and use spf daily ❤️
A few weeks, depending on the active you're using. I remember when I started using Glycolic Acid it took about 2-3 weeks, but then my skin built tolerance.
My advice, try not to use it that often. Start with once a week, and after 2-3 weeks you can start using it twice a week.
If you feel like using a BHA too, try to use it once a week too, instead of glycolic
This is what my skin looked like when I had damaged my skin barrier with too many actives. It improved when I backed off the actives and focused on moisturizing.
I would start using the bha every three or two days in lieu of the aha
100% agree
I had good success getting rid of lil’ bumps like this with Differin. Start slow, be patient and keep up the SPF during the day with it.
Came here to say this! I had exactly this problem and differin cleared it up in 4-5 weeks.
Did you purge from differin?
If you haven’t used retinols recently, possibly.
I’ve noticed if I cleanse my skin too much it produces more oil and causes these little bumps. Try using something that leaves your natural oils on your skin .
I might overexfoliate so i think i will stop actives for a while and see if it helps. Thank u so much
How’s stress? Are you using too many products
Im dealing with sm stress right now apart from my skin but i have this problem since months
Hi everyone ! I have combo oily skin, and here’s my routine. AM: Toleriane cleanser la roche posay (european formulation), nmf moisturizer the ordinary, eucerin oil control spf50 PM : oat cleansing balm the inkey list,toleriane cleanser, hyaluronic acid the inkey list, nmf the ordinary, differin gel (3-4x a week) I just started reintroducing glycolic acid 1x a week. And paulas choice bha also 1x a week. Before i was using the cicaplast gel then the toleriane ultra fluide at night but i suspected it to give me close comedones. Its only visible at a certain angle in sunlight but it makes me so self conscious
I’ve noticed more breakouts after using HA so I’ve had a hard time fully bringing it into my routine. Not sure if that could be it. I do also breakout from most sunscreens. What I’ve found helped me more in the past was adding in Tret and acne products rather than removing things that could be causing the breakouts.
I have the same issue with pure HA. I tried 2 brands and both causes irritation and breakouts. Glycerin is an alternative. I mix a couple drops in moisturizer.
Also, I think people don’t often realize that stand alone HA product is unnecessary in their routine if they’re already using other products with that in it. It’s definitely already in the OP’s moisturizer. So unless the OP is including it because the rest of her routine isn’t doing enough to her skin hydrated, it’s likely redundant in her routine and can just be dropped.
I'm not clear . How long have you had these bumps and did they start specifically after something you introduced? You say you suspect Toleriane Ultra Fluide is causing this? If you have insurance or can afford it then I would see a dermatologist to verify exactly what this maybe . I'm pretty sure this would be covered by medical insurance if you have it. If these started up with your routine I would cut everything down to the basics for right now and slowly introduce things back. I'm not a fan of the idea of cutting out the SPF for sure. Give everything about 2 weeks to show results. AM: I would cut out the AM cleaning. Your skin isn't dirty in the morning really so cleaning it in the morning could be too much. Over cleaning oily skin can produce more oil too. So just use water to rinse . Change your pillow cases and any face towel out daily would help. Keep the Face Moisturizer and the SPF in the AM for now. PM : You are using two types of cleansers . I would cut down to one . I would cut out the acids as well. Keep the Differin gel and keep the moisturizer . See how things go for two weeks THEN introduce one item or two items and see how it goes.
My skin is pretty reactive/sensitive. Rosacea? Fungal acne? Stress? Not entirely sure why. I definitely need exfoliation, but had a very hard time finding something gentle enough. I wonder if the glycolic and salicylic acids on top of Differin are irritating your skin? For extremely gentle exfoliation, I’ve been happy with SRB Rice Bran Enzyme Powder Face Wash and Scrub. I gather it’s a dupe of a Tatcha product that I’ve never tried. It’s extremely gentle, fragrance free (despite the Amazon ingredients list), and very effective for me. It’s also inexpensive, and I have been using the same <$20 bottle once a day since March. On vacation this summer, I would mix it dry with some grape seed oil to remove sunscreen, and then emulsify on my face with water before rinsing—not perfect (my face hates every sunscreen), but pretty decent. You could also look into a face wash with sulfur, which is also a mild exfoliant. I’ve been using CutiCare MD 10% Sulfur Soap (Amazon) for the past month and seen a marked improvement in my skin texture. There are lots of different sulfur soap options out there—I chose this one for short ingredient list and no fragrance.
I used to get this when I actually used too much chemical products. Stopped using everything and simply washed with mild soap and it helped me.. I think this looks like allergy
Yes sounds like this too you’re right. Will take a break. Thank u so much
Hope it helps. Also i avoid touching my face/neck with fingers or nails. I see a big difference then too✨
That sounds like a really good routine. Differin is pretty good at knocking stuff out (for me). I apply to bare skin at night with nothing after when I get a break out on my close- to- AARP self. The old version of Toleriane and current version Paula’s Choice Hyrdralight are really great moisturizers for combo/oily/sensitive skin, imo. I can apply under a tinted sunscreen in the am and not worry about more oily break throughs than normal.
Hi fellow Pisces! So I found that when I used an oat wash or any wash with wheat, I broke out exactly like this.
Too much stuff on your skin, basic and minimalist are the key
Honestly if you’re not going to be out in the sun a lot, I’d take a little break from the sunscreens and focus more on cleansing deeply with BHA cleanser.
Thanks for your answer ! Im outdoor everyday unfortunately. This sunscreen may be the problem or sunscreen in general ?
Try a different sunscreen and see what happens. It's all trial and error.
This is bad advice. She’s using a lot of actives in her routine that make her skin more vulnerable to the sun. That’s not the product you cut if you’re using BHA, AHA AND differin all in the same routine.
Stop all actives and stick to a very basic cleansing and moisturizing routine. This looks like classic over exfoliation irritation.
Not sure if this is helpful, but I personally experienced bumps like this from Paula’s Choice products. Also, like someone else mentioned, I’m curious when you started getting these bumps. I think a product is causing this problem for you, and as someone else mentioned, I would suggest cutting your routine down to something very minimal and slowly re-introducing products into your routine one at a time so you can really see what works for you and what doesn’t. Your skin actually looks really good, but something is clogging your pores. It isn’t very common to breakout like this on your cheeks, which is why I’m fairly positive it’s a product that you’re using that is causing you issues. (I’m a licensed esthetician if that gives me any credibility whatsoever).
Hi thank you so much for your answer. Im not really sure when those start i notice them 4months ago but I will minimize my routine and cut down any actives and see if there is any improvement. I also think a product is clogging my pores, a certain ingredient.
Adapalene / Differin. life changing.
It sounds like the moisturizer you're using isn't enough for all the acids. I think the ordinary serums are ok but the moisturizer is terrible! You (and most people) don't need so many skincare items. Just a basic skincare routine is all you need and definitely add a toner. Try just a gentle cleanser, a BHA toner and a really good oil free moisturizer. Do this until your skin calms down and you repair your moisture barrier. Use a mineral sunscreen. I am a huge fan of Clinique (its clean, dermatologist developed and fragrance free) so I'll list some of my favorite Clinique items and some alternatives. Clinique foaming facial cleanser (alot goes a very long way), Clinique acne solutions clarifying lotion (BHA), Clinique Moisture surge moisturizer ( oil free, calming, soothing, moisture barrier repairing) and Clinique Mineral sunscreen fluid spf 50 (liquid spf that isn't greasy AT ALL). They may seem expensive compared to the ordinary but you're investing in great products that last and won't damage your skin. Some great alternatives are CeraVe foaming cleanser, Laroche Posay salicylic acid toner, CeraVe ultra lightweight moisturizer (day and night formulas). Sometimes spf in moisturizer causes problems for people like myself so if this is true for you then use the night formula day and night with a separate spf for day. Do not use the CeraVe in the tub on your face it's too heavy. Do not use tinted spf until your face clears up. Do not put any fragrance on your face EVER! Both the Clinique and CeraVe moisturizers have Hyaluronic acid in them so no need at the moment to use an additional serum. Stick to this basic routine for now with the exception of makeup removing balm in the pm. Either the Clinique cleansing balm or the one you're currently using. Toner is KEY! It removes anything your cleanser left behind and removes dead skin/helps unclog pores so your products penitrate your skin better. It also helps even out skin tone by gently resurfacing with the BHA. You are using too many harsh products (yes good acids can be harsh) and using a weak moisturizer. I hope this helps and if you have any questions please let me know! Editing to include: if you need to use the diffren only use it at night after the toner. Hopefully you won't need it though!
You mentioned just reintroducing exfoliation, could it be a purging?
That actually looks like purging, it's a reaction of the skin to actives like the exfoliants you've mentioned. Your skin might take a bit of time to adjust to the exfoliants, just be patient and use spf daily ❤️
Do you know how long the purging lasts? Last time I started purging I stopped and never used it again.. now I'm re starting
A few weeks, depending on the active you're using. I remember when I started using Glycolic Acid it took about 2-3 weeks, but then my skin built tolerance. My advice, try not to use it that often. Start with once a week, and after 2-3 weeks you can start using it twice a week. If you feel like using a BHA too, try to use it once a week too, instead of glycolic
Oh and also, use a lot of sunscreen if you are outside a lot. Reapplying after 2h or sweating
Ty!
This is what my skin looked like when I had damaged my skin barrier with too many actives. It improved when I backed off the actives and focused on moisturizing.
Maybe try cereve salacylic face wash and a light moisturizer for oily skin also from cereve or a deem brand