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Has my routine "expired?"

MemberMember
0
(@runnergirl11)

Posted : 06/28/2016 11:35 am

Hi guys!
So I've had acne since I was like 13. I'm 16 now, and last summer my skin was really clear! Weird lighting but it was clear except for a few VERY small scars that I didn't mind or really notice. image.jpeg
This was the case pretty much throughout the summer, I even went camping and only suffered one zit that went away normally! I was so happy. The school started back up and I started to break out very gradually until now, this summer, where I'm basically back to square 1. :( I have pretty much followed the same routine for a year. 
Wash face w sulfur soap
Tone with witch hazel
Apply Juice Beauty serum

However at the start of the achool year for about 4-5 months I switched sulfur soap for African Black Soap. I discovered it didn't really do much so I went back to sulfur soap. Then I discovered biore pore unclogging scrub, which I love and gave a little improvement to my skin almost instantly when I got it. I read about double washing and do think it has helped a little, but my skin is still bad.
My routine now is
Biore pore unclogging scrub
Sulfur soap
Witch Hazel
Mist rose water on my face
Juice Beauty
BP 10 (my skin can handle it) 

Besides adding the new products, could my old routine have expired? So to say, could my skin have built a resistance to it?
I'm considering changing my routine to using Panzoyl bo wash, mist a little rose water (I like it too much), and Juice beauty. I think witch hazel + BP might be too much. 
Sorry this was so long winded, please let me know if you think the old routine should go and if my prospective new routine could use any changes. Thanks!
Below is my skin now.image.jpgimage.jpg

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MemberMember
30
(@skinnie)

Posted : 07/02/2016 10:33 pm

Are you getting new breakouts? I would just do a little inventory here. Go back to exactly the routine that worked for you last summer and see what happens. Maybe the biore scrub is irritating your skin?

So, just to provide a little insight. My skin got really great one summer and until I started tracking it, I didn't notice that for the most part my skin would get better during the summer. The winter/wind/heating during the winter irritated and dried my skin, causing breakouts. I was able to make changes like moisturizing more in the winter, protecting my face from the wind, and using a humidifier at home and improve my skin. Go back to a neutral regimen and then work from there. Methodically track how your skin reacts to different changes that you make or changes in weather and environment.

Stephen J liked
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MemberMember
21
(@stephen-j)

Posted : 07/08/2016 12:35 am

I've had a similar experience, and I did the same exact thing that you are trying right now. I would highly recommend what sknnie posted, and go back to your original routine from a year ago and see what happens.

Here is a little bit of my story, it may or may not be similiar, but this is the reasoning behind my suggestion:

I started out in August of 2015 with a few bits of acne, nothing much, it was under control, but I used an SA scrub every day. Eventually, the power and magic of the SA scrub went away, and I went on to do more and more to my skin. I began to double up, using SA and BP in an attempt to control my acne, although in reality my skin was only reacting negatively to the severe treatments I placed on my skin each and every day. One day, after I just got fed up and thought to myself "if SA and BP together don't do anything, screw it, I'll just cleanse my face, my acne can't get any worse", and I bought Cetaphil cleanser. I've been using cetaphil for quite a while now, and as long as I wash my face morning and night, my acne stays at bay.

I believe a lot of the acne that you are continuing to experience may be a direct result from using too many harsh products to your face. Using a scrub each day, while it does a great job unclogging and deep cleaning pores, can be very irritating if overused. I would also recommend just using 2.5% BP. Studies show that 2.5% works equally the same as 5% and 10% concentrations with less drying.

Your skin regimen could have possibly "expired", and using BP is a great solution to acne problems, but please make sure that you aren't hurting your skin and causing your acne to stagnate and never go away.
Remember to only use scrubs once, maybe twice a week, and BP should be applied after cleansing and before moisturizing!

I hope your skin gets better! Keep us updated!

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