My Evening Routine for Acne Prone Skin
As someone who has been living in a constant state of high stress, my skin and quality of sleep have really taken a toll. Dealing with acne and insomnia has been a struggle for me over the years.
I’ve tried almost EVERYTHING for acne (except accutane) – countless treatments, various skincare items, over the counter supplements, medications and so much money spent just trying to manage my acne. For those who suffer from acne, I know you understand the struggle! I think what makes it so frustrating is that there is no one solution that works for all and there are so many factors that come into play.
In my case, I struggle with acne on my cheeks and jawline area – typical areas prone to hormonal acne. To combat this, I started taking spironolactone and applying tretinoin which has been the most effective thing for me out of everything I tried. These prescribed treatments alleviated a significant portion of the issue, though not entirely. It wasn’t until I started addressing other factors such as stress and sleep that really improved my skin over time. My skin still isn’t “perfect”, but it’s FAR better than it was a year ago and I am proud of the improvement I am seeing.
Stress, trouble sleeping, acne, are all things that affect each other and are really just an ongoing cycle unless you start addressing each one. I hope from sharing my evening routine it reminds you to unwind, establish an evening routine, and prioritize self care!
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My decompressing starts every night after dinner by making myself a hot cup of my favorite decaffeinated tea. I also like hot water with some lemon if I run out of the tea, but really any decaffeinated warm beverage will do the trick. For me, hot tea helps to relax my mind and body, plus it helps with digestion after a meal. Even if I go out to eat for dinner, 9.99 times out of 10 I go home and make a cup of tea.
If I need a sleep aid, I turn to the Calm sleep gummies! I tried melatonin in the past which really didn’t help me to fall asleep any faster. I was even prescribed trazadone at some point, but I never ended up taking any in fear of how groggy I would feel in the morning. I came across the calm gummies while browsing through the vitamin section at Sams Club and figured I’d give it a shot since I was still struggling with falling asleep. I had heard of the Calm powder mix, but I knew I would stay more consistent with gummies. These gummies include a mix of magnesium, melatonin, and L-theanine and have helped me fall asleep so fast every.single.time. I don’t have any issue of being groggy the next morning either, and I take these about 1 hour before bedtime. If you have a habit of staying up scrolling endlessly on your phone and want to break that habit, or if your mind just won’t stop running at night, seriously give these gummies a try!
Warm shower
I am someone who showers at night rather than in the morning. It is incredibly soothing for me because it helps with mental clarity and it gives me a sense of washing away all of the day’s stress. It also helps to promote better sleep by helping to lower your core body temperature, which is a natural signal that it’s time to wind down.
Get comfy
Something about a loungewear set or pajamas is just sooo cozy! In a weird way, when my loungewear and pajamas are put together, I am more motivated to stick to my evening routine. My favorite set of pajamas are the long sleeve bamboo pajama set from Cozy Earth. They’re soft and designed with temperature regulating bamboo viscose for optimal comfort. They are quite pricey, but if you’re patient enough, their Black Friday deals are SO good! For a more cost effective choice, I also enjoy the Stars Above pajama set from Target.
Lower the lights
As soon as I finish my shower and change, I turn off the ceiling lights and switch to my bedside table lamp to signal to my body that it’s time to prepare for sleep. The lower lights also feel easier on the eyes.
Skin care
A few changes in my skin care routine have made a big difference in the severity of my acne.
Double cleansing: I’ve been double cleansing since 2018 when I first found the DHC cleansing oil in Japan, and I haven’t stopped since! Double cleansing basically means washing your face twice – first with an oil based cleanser and then following with a water based cleanser. I have found double cleansing to be super helpful at removing all my makeup and any excess sebum, especially since I have oily skin. I start with the DHC cleansing oil as my first cleanse to remove all my makeup and rinse. I then use the La Roche Posay foaming facial cleanser as my second cleanse. Using my hands only, I work the face wash in for about 30 seconds with each cleanser before rinsing. Lastly, I pat dry with a CLEAN face towel each time.
Serums and topicals: Once I’ve cleansed my face, I apply snail mucin for moisture and then layer a pea size amount of tretinoin on top of the snail mucin. Snail mucin under the tretinoin has helped my skin avoid any irritation and that tretinoin purge that some may get when first starting the medication. FYI, tretinoin is by prescription only so you will need to ask your PCP to prescribe this for you if you’re interested. Frequency of tretinoin will depend how on what works well for your own skin, so start slowly with this one. I apply tretinoin every other night.
Moisturizer: After a couple minutes of applying the tretinoin, I go in with my moisturizer and keep it reeeeal simple. I have tried moisturizers of all price ranges, but never noticed any difference between any of them other than the fragrance. I use the Cerave moisturizing cream most nights, but if my skin is feeling extra dry I will apply the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 instead.
Red LED face mask: This is completely optional, and I wouldn’t consider it a need, especially since I’m still testing it out myself. Just as I was about to schedule a botox appointment for a stubborn fine line I have on my forehead, I came across this red LED face mask and was curious to try it out after reading more about it. Red LED light therapy claims to increase circulation and help accelerate the production of new collagen, reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. I went with the CurrentBody red LED mask and use it 4 times a week for 10 minutes each time. I use the mask after washing my face, and once I’m done with the mask, I continue with the rest of my skin care (snail mucin, tretinoin, and moisturizer). With LED light therapy, consistency and long term use is needed, so while I’m excited to see my results I also realize that this can definitely take some time.
Limit Screen Time
Once I’m all finished with my skin care, I’m ready to jump into bed. This one is easier said than done, but on my good nights, I just set my alarms and sleep. I found that this is where the Calm gummies helped me the most. I’ve noticed whenever I take the Calm gummies followed by the rest of my evening routine, I am too tired to even try to do anything else on my phone. It’s the BEST! Every now and then, I experience those nights when I get lost in scrolling, completely losing track of time. However, the following morning, I often find myself regretting it and feeling sooo tired.
This routine has been working really well for me and I hope any part of it does the same for you. Just like with any routine, consistency is key, especially if you want to make something a habit. Feel free to give these suggestions a shot and share your experience—I’d love to hear how they work out for you! 🙂
