Hello Everyone,
I've been on this regimen for years and never had issues keeping a clear skin. Last year I got kind of reckless with the regimen and did not follow through every step sometimes even missing it all together. So the result of this I started to break out again. So for the past 7 months I have been so disciplined and it definitely paid off. Now I can say I am completely clear again with a minor pimple here and there and the only thing I'm dealing with are some hyperpigmentation which isn't that bad.
However, I'm now dealing with something I can only describe as burning of the skin from either the Benzoyl or AHA. Though I think it's from excessive benzoyl application, which is how I got clear in the first place. My face has been very itchy lately especially in the evenings under my jawline. I have this patch of dark red tender skin right under my right jawline. Another may be forming on my left. It is more noticeable in the evening especially after I do my regimen. I've tried to reduce the amount of Benzoyl and even skipping it sometimes. During the day time it just looks like a dark spot.
My skin care is below:
* All products from acne.org
Morning:
1. Wash my face with Cleanser (wait 5 min to dry)
2. Apply 2 pumps of benzoyl (wait 5mins)
3. Apply 1 pump of Moisturizer
Evening:
1. Scrub using Aveeno Skin Brightening Scrub with Olay Pro-X
2. Wash face with Cleanser
3. Apply 2 pumps of benzoyl (wait 5mins)
4. Apply 1 pump of Moisturizer
Then on Monday and Friday I apply AHA before moisturizer.
- What am I doing wrong?
- Should I use another moisturizer? I have noticed that the regimen moisturizer doesn't last that long.
Thanks for reading.
You said it's worse during the evening, which is when you use the scrub. It could be due to the scrub.
I'm apt to agree about the scrub. Washing your face more than twice a day is definitely overkill. Plus anything with "scrub" in the name is apt to be abrasive if it has microbeads for exfoliation. Your skin may be reacting to the scrub, coupled with an extra cleansing. If you're staying clear and like the scrub though, then I'd skip Dan's cleanser.
As far as AHA+, I'd try mixing with your moisturizer rather than applying straight on your skin, see if this also helps the redness. Most people find diluting it works best in order to avoid redness and irritation which this product can cause until your skin adapts. It's the rare person who can tolerate AHA+ by itself. Once your skin is used to AHA+, you can slowly increase the concentration.
Hope this is helpful! 
You said it's worse during the evening, which is when you use the scrub. It could be due to the scrub.
I'm apt to agree about the scrub. Washing your face more than twice a day is definitely overkill. Plus anything with "scrub" in the name is apt to be abrasive if it has microbeads for exfoliation. Your skin may be reacting to the scrub, coupled with an extra cleansing. If you're staying clear and like the scrub though, then I'd skip Dan's cleanser.
As far as AHA+, I'd try mixing with your moisturizer rather than applying straight on your skin, see if this also helps the redness. Most people find diluting it works best in order to avoid redness and irritation which this product can cause until your skin adapts. It's the rare person who can tolerate AHA+ by itself. Once your skin is used to AHA+, you can slowly increase the concentration.
Hope this is helpful!
@Delovely - thanks for your response. What is the frequency of the AHA+ should I be doing? I currently do it twice a week Monday and Friday. Also, does AHA cause the flakiness? From what I understand AHA speeds up the process of generating new skin cells. Which is why I believe this is the case.
Should I also not apply AHA on the red areas for now?
You said it's worse during the evening, which is when you use the scrub. It could be due to the scrub.
I'm apt to agree about the scrub. Washing your face more than twice a day is definitely overkill. Plus anything with "scrub" in the name is apt to be abrasive if it has microbeads for exfoliation. Your skin may be reacting to the scrub, coupled with an extra cleansing. If you're staying clear and like the scrub though, then I'd skip Dan's cleanser.
As far as AHA+, I'd try mixing with your moisturizer rather than applying straight on your skin, see if this also helps the redness. Most people find diluting it works best in order to avoid redness and irritation which this product can cause until your skin adapts. It's the rare person who can tolerate AHA+ by itself. Once your skin is used to AHA+, you can slowly increase the concentration.
Hope this is helpful!
Oh geez, really? I use Neutrogenia Acne Foaming Scrub when I go to bed at night. It's helped, but if it irritates the skin... Should I consider switching to a different mosturizer?
You said it's worse during the evening, which is when you use the scrub. It could be due to the scrub.
I'm apt to agree about the scrub. Washing your face more than twice a day is definitely overkill. Plus anything with "scrub" in the name is apt to be abrasive if it has microbeads for exfoliation. Your skin may be reacting to the scrub, coupled with an extra cleansing. If you're staying clear and like the scrub though, then I'd skip Dan's cleanser.
As far as AHA+, I'd try mixing with your moisturizer rather than applying straight on your skin, see if this also helps the redness. Most people find diluting it works best in order to avoid redness and irritation which this product can cause until your skin adapts. It's the rare person who can tolerate AHA+ by itself. Once your skin is used to AHA+, you can slowly increase the concentration.
Hope this is helpful!
Oh geez, really? I use Neutrogenia Acne Foaming Scrub when I go to bed at night. It's helped, but if it irritates the skin... Should I consider switching to a different mosturizer?
Based on my experience, if you start to see tender patches of red skin, stop the scrub and just use the acne.org cleanser. This is what I am beginning to understand. I stopped the Aveeno scrub on that area last night and it feels much better today.
You said it's worse during the evening, which is when you use the scrub. It could be due to the scrub.
I'm apt to agree about the scrub. Washing your face more than twice a day is definitely overkill. Plus anything with "scrub" in the name is apt to be abrasive if it has microbeads for exfoliation. Your skin may be reacting to the scrub, coupled with an extra cleansing. If you're staying clear and like the scrub though, then I'd skip Dan's cleanser.
As far as AHA+, I'd try mixing with your moisturizer rather than applying straight on your skin, see if this also helps the redness. Most people find diluting it works best in order to avoid redness and irritation which this product can cause until your skin adapts. It's the rare person who can tolerate AHA+ by itself. Once your skin is used to AHA+, you can slowly increase the concentration.
Hope this is helpful!
Oh geez, really? I use Neutrogenia Acne Foaming Scrub when I go to bed at night. It's helped, but if it irritates the skin... Should I consider switching to a different mosturizer?
Based on my experience, if you start to see tender patches of red skin, stop the scrub and just use the acne.org cleanser. This is what I am beginning to understand. I stopped the Aveeno scrub on that area last night and it feels much better today.
Ah, thanks for the tip, Red! Sorry to take away from your dilemma haha. But I'd agree with the others, it's a good chance it's the scrub. I remember hearing washing your face more than once or twice a day can cause irritation and redness, so I would try washing once a day for a little and see what happens.
Honestly though, I can't even tell you have dark spots. Seriously, your skin looks great
You said it's worse during the evening, which is when you use the scrub. It could be due to the scrub.
I'm apt to agree about the scrub. Washing your face more than twice a day is definitely overkill. Plus anything with "scrub" in the name is apt to be abrasive if it has microbeads for exfoliation. Your skin may be reacting to the scrub, coupled with an extra cleansing. If you're staying clear and like the scrub though, then I'd skip Dan's cleanser.
As far as AHA+, I'd try mixing with your moisturizer rather than applying straight on your skin, see if this also helps the redness. Most people find diluting it works best in order to avoid redness and irritation which this product can cause until your skin adapts. It's the rare person who can tolerate AHA+ by itself. Once your skin is used to AHA+, you can slowly increase the concentration.
Hope this is helpful!
@Delovely - thanks for your response. What is the frequency of the AHA+ should I be doing? I currently do it twice a week Monday and Friday. Also, does AHA cause the flakiness? From what I understand AHA speeds up the process of generating new skin cells. Which is why I believe this is the case.
Should I also not apply AHA on the red areas for now?
Try diluting a half a pump of AHA+ (or a quarter fat finger length) with 1.5 pumps (or 3/4 fat finger length) of moisturizer, see how your skin reacts. If this is comfortable, you could do this every other day. AHA+ can initially cause some flakiness because it's basically giving you a mild chemical peel to slough off dead skin layers which helps PIH fade faster. If the red areas are very tender I'd leave untreated until your skin balances out again, then go ahead and treat your whole face.
Glad you realized it was the scrub irritating your skin!!
Ah, thanks for the tip, Red! Sorry to take away from your dilemma haha. But I'd agree with the others, it's a good chance it's the scrub. I remember hearing washing your face more than once or twice a day can cause irritation and redness, so I would try washing once a day for a little and see what happens.
Honestly though, I can't even tell you have dark spots. Seriously, your skin looks great
It's fine to wash your face twice a day but more than that is overkill, even if you're really oily. And agreed with the above poster, despite the redness you have really nice skin! You're doing a great job with the Regimen!!