Like many of you, I've been battling acne since puberty (I'm 18 now). A brief history: I have oily, acne-prone, somewhat sensitive skin. I used the Clean&Clear acne line for years, mostly the 10% BP one in the purple bottle and sometimes the exfoliating one in the green bottle. I followed with witch hazel sometimes, Clindamycin gel, and Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture (now I realize it wasn't that good of a moisturizer). It kept my acne mild-moderate but I've never been without whiteheads on my forehead and/or chin and the area around my nose is always filled with blackheads.
In mid-July, I realized I needed a gentle cleanser so my mom got me Cetaphil Foaming Cleanser and the matching moisturizer. For a month or so it was PURE BLISS. I don't remember skin ever being so clear in my life. I don't know what happened though because my acne just suddenly came back as strong as it used to be and I was so upset. Desperately I looked for another solution and found OCM, tried it for 2 days, then got scared when more pimples showed up and I read some horrifying experiences people have had with it. I rarely get acne on my cheeks but it's showing up there. After some more researching around, this is my current regimen:
- Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser (I switched from the foaming one since it was too drying), night/day
- Apple Cider Vinegar toner, night
- Lemon spot treatment, night
- Aveeno Daily Moisturizer SPF 15, night/day
Does this sound like a good regimen? Is there anything I should change? Should I add back BP as a spot treatment somewhere? I tried a salicylic acid spot treatment but it made pimples come to head faster, not diminish them. I'm considering starting fish oil supplements. I'm just so worried my new acne is a result of the OCM... If anyone has any words of advice or experience or tips they can offer me at all, that would be amazing.
I attached a photo of my past/current acne -- sorry about the weird images over my eyes, just trying to maintain my privacy lol.
Hey 
I personally have tried using BP and SA but I do not think they work long term. While they treated my acne neither prevented more acne from forming in the first place. It was and still is a never ending cycle for me but I have found that my skin isn't as dry now that I've stopped BP which I believe leaded to me breaking out even further from the BP drying out my skin. Wish I could give you more advice but I'm going through a bad time with my skin as well and it seems we have similar acne. Btw, I'm using the neutrogena oil free moisture and I was wondering why you think it's not good? Because lately I'm wondering if it's actually causing me to break out..Thanks !
Hey 🙂 I personally have tried using BP and SA but I do not think they work long term. While they treated my acne neither prevented more acne from forming in the first place. It was and still is a never ending cycle for me but I have found that my skin isn't as dry now that I've stopped BP which I believe leaded to me breaking out even further from the BP drying out my skin. Wish I could give you more advice but I'm going through a bad time with my skin as well and it seems we have similar acne. Btw, I'm using the neutrogena oil free moisture and I was wondering why you think it's not good? Because lately I'm wondering if it's actually causing me to break out..Thanks !
Thanks for the reply! It does seem we're very similar... Bad times with our acne, BP and SA not working haha. I'm the same where those kept my acne lower but don't diminish them. Yeah, BP is pretty drying. With my current regimen I'm definitely seeing more of a balance of oil and I don't feel like a prune before I put on moisturizer anymore lol (lowering my acne is a different story). Have you tried a BP spot treatment though? I only ever used a BP face wash.
I can't say for sure if the Neutrogena moisturizer caused me acne or not (I naively didn't pay attention to stuff like that until a few months ago), but if it did, it didn't break me out enough for me to notice. I used it for like a year too. I just say it's not good for me because it sat on top of my skin too much and throughout the day I'd have to wipe oil off of my forehead -- even my matte foundation became oily after an hour. Aveeno is a lot more compatible with my oil and makeup. So I mean if you think it's breaking you out, it might be worth it to drop it for a bit or just try it on one area of your face and study its progress.
Good luck to the both of us!! It's nice to be able to talk openly about my acne like this 🙂 let me know if you ever find something that works for you.
Hey 🙂 I personally have tried using BP and SA but I do not think they work long term. While they treated my acne neither prevented more acne from forming in the first place. It was and still is a never ending cycle for me but I have found that my skin isn't as dry now that I've stopped BP which I believe leaded to me breaking out even further from the BP drying out my skin. Wish I could give you more advice but I'm going through a bad time with my skin as well and it seems we have similar acne. Btw, I'm using the neutrogena oil free moisture and I was wondering why you think it's not good? Because lately I'm wondering if it's actually causing me to break out..Thanks !
Thanks for the reply! It does seem we're very similar... Bad times with our acne, BP and SA not working haha. I'm the same where those kept my acne lower but don't diminish them. Yeah, BP is pretty drying. With my current regimen I'm definitely seeing more of a balance of oil and I don't feel like a prune before I put on moisturizer anymore lol (lowering my acne is a different story). Have you tried a BP spot treatment though? I only ever used a BP face wash.
I can't say for sure if the Neutrogena moisturizer caused me acne or not (I naively didn't pay attention to stuff like that until a few months ago), but if it did, it didn't break me out enough for me to notice. I used it for like a year too. I just say it's not good for me because it sat on top of my skin too much and throughout the day I'd have to wipe oil off of my forehead -- even my matte foundation became oily after an hour. Aveeno is a lot more compatible with my oil and makeup. So I mean if you think it's breaking you out, it might be worth it to drop it for a bit or just try it on one area of your face and study its progress.
Good luck to the both of us!! It's nice to be able to talk openly about my acne like this 🙂 let me know if you ever find something that works for you.
I will try a new moisturizer I think! I have tried using BP as a spot treatment and it helped a little with the size of the pimple but now I realize that there's a better way to spot treat. I use honey and tea tree oil to spot treat and it's no miracle but at least it's better for your skin than BP. I am about to start a new skin care routine after receiving some tips from replies in my post and I'll post it if you want to know what I plan on doing and if you decide to do it, it would be cool to experience it with someone else! I will also keep a log of my progress. Good luck to you!