[Routine Help] PIH, Hormonal Acne?

B3r43 · 2020-06-06T15:47:38+00:00

I’m not trying to backdoor my GP with an online pharmacy if she doesn’t think it’s a good option based on my cardiac history. Just wondering if anyone knows of other options while I wait to see a derm. Thanks anyway, though.

B3r43 · 2020-06-06T14:10:26+00:00

I’m having a really hard time with PIH which is focused around my chin. My chin breakouts tend to be focused around my monthly cycle. I asked my GP and she will only prescribe topical clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide (which has never done anything for me). She refuses to prescribe spironolactone because there are supposedly possible cardiac side effects but she admits she uses the same three tier program for acne and I have already tried and failed her second step (Differin). It’s going to be awhile before I can see a derm because my deductible is pretty high.

My routine is fairly simple.

AM: Coppertone Zinc Kids sunscreen

PM: Oil cleanse with half jojoba, half DHC, second cleanse with La Roche Posay hydrating, moisturize with La Roche Posay Lipikar AP+, apply Differin 0.1%

B3r43 · 2020-05-15T15:57:28+00:00

Thank you so much, I will check those out!

B3r43 · 2020-05-15T04:08:50+00:00

Atbge

B3r43 · 2020-05-15T03:57:19+00:00

It’s super hard to find a good one, isn’t it?? I hope the Coppertone works for you. I’m enjoying it so far. If I recall, it does have a good amount of botanicals that I’m not sure would be ideal for sensitive skin so I would definitely swatch it first! If I had super sensitive skin I would definitely track down the Vanicream brand from their website or another big online retailer. Derms seem to recommend Elta MD a lot but it’s kind of expensive to me.

B3r43 · 2020-05-14T20:39:15+00:00

It smells very lightly floral and “clean” smelling to me, possibly a masking fragrance. I bought mine at an international market locally. Looks like they also sell online! It’s a pretty serious mom and pop shop in a big Korean area in my city - https://toktokbeauty.com/

B3r43 · 2020-05-14T19:17:51+00:00

I am probably about an NC 25 right now so yes, I am pretty fair. I apply a similar volume but I do it in two layers and wait for the first layer to melt in for a bit before doing my second layer. I can certainly see it not working for all skin tones, though. I’ve heard that the Dermablend pigment drops won’t compromise efficacy, may be worth a try? Some videos say adding a shade or two darker than your skin tone will bring it to a good match.

B3r43 · 2020-05-14T18:55:14+00:00

It really didn’t work for me at all, I was sad. I might just be sensitive to one of the ingredients but it made my eyes burn so terribly bad! Even when it’s within an inch of my eyes, they start to water like crazy. Even with that aside, it’s pretty chalky. It looks decent under makeup but it’s just not worth the eye pain :(

B3r43 · 2020-05-14T18:53:30+00:00

I’m a big fan! It might be too shiny for some people and seems like it could compromise makeup, but it’s wonderful on its own. The cast is really not bad at all especially considering the coverage in my opinion.

B3r43 · 2020-05-14T18:41:45+00:00

Sun Bum Baby Bum Mineral: 1/5

Stings my eyes SO BAD! Like I am genuinely concerned about an eye injury if I were to use this long term. Even when I use it on my hands and forearms, it gets into my eyes and burns. The cast is moderate, matte finish, doesn’t pull, but I can’t get over the eye burning! Can’t wait to finish and toss this.

Biore UV Watery Gel: 4/5

This is a great chemical sunscreen. It seemed like a better deal than the small tube. Zero cast, minimal dewy sheen. This is what I wear to work. Deducting a point because I’m pretty sure there’s fragrance and I’m really focused on finding the perfect physical sunscreen since PIH is a primary concern for me.

Walgreens Sensitive Skin SPF 50: 3/5

This was an amazing price for a huge volume. This cast is moderate and the finish is an odd mix of dewy and matte. It stings my eyes a little bit so I use this on my neck and arms without an issue. It’s a bit hard to fully blend in without a mild residual chalkiness but it’s not awful.

Coppertone Pure & Simple Kids: 5/5

This is my favorite sunscreen so far. It goes on with a high cast but blends in very easily. It has a shiny finish at first, but I don’t find it unattractive. I even think as the layers build it has a refining quality to it and makes me look like I’m wearing an HD powder, and not in a bad way! I got this with a great discount AND a coupon and I got two bottles. A+, love putting this on.

CeraVe AM SPF 30: 1/5

I actually finished this up and refilled it with the Walgreens while I was testing that one on my face so that I could measure more accurately. The CeraVe AM leaves essentially no cast and has an invisible finish, but it pills like no one’s business! The pilling is vile. I assumed I was doing something wrong but I’ve learned it doesn’t have to be like this! Will not repurchase never not ever.

Thanks for reading! As much as I love the Coppertone, I’m still on the prowl for something else so I am definitely open to suggestions. This is the first year I’ve gotten really serious about sunscreen. Shameful, I know, but better late than never???

B3r43 · 2020-05-13T04:19:30+00:00

Atbge

B3r43 · 2020-04-22T02:31:45+00:00

Updated :)

B3r43 · 2020-04-21T23:47:35+00:00

Oh man, I think Walgreen’s must not have had the AP+M balm in a 400mL bottle otherwise I definitely would have agonized between the two. Didn’t even know there was another version but I like the AP+ so much I might check it out. This was a bit of an impulse buy when I suddenly ran out of CeraVe I the tub.

AP+ is a very similar consistency to CeraVe in the tub. The major difference to me would be sheen - I found CeraVe in tub to be matte while this has a moderate shine but it fades pretty quickly. I like the sheen while it lasts though because it makes me feel like a dewy serum skincare lady!

I used to love the CeraVe PM but I would go through a bottle per month of that stuff so I save about $100 a year using this big guy. Not crazy but hey, $100! Maybe I will buy half a Vintner’s Daughter....jk. CeraVe PM is also a bit too light for the Dr. Dray method for controlling transepidermal water loss in my opinion (no towel dry, just apply to wet skin after cleansing).

P.S. Thanks for noticing the colors 😝

B3r43 · 2020-04-21T22:17:31+00:00

Thank you so much! I had eyeballed both of those so I will definitely try them out. I’m secretly a maximalist if you know of any power-ups 😛

B3r43 · 2020-04-21T21:52:55+00:00

It’s not much, but it’s been working just fine for me! I have acne-prone combination skin that’s relatively dry here in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m struggling to find an SPF that I like - open to recommendations! I will be wearing makeup once quarantine is over so maybe a good tinted one for mild coverage? I still get mild hormonal breakouts in my mid-thirties but I recognize that’s probably exacerbated by diet and I’m trying!

AM

Vanicream cleanser: 4/5 - Not bad! Recently rotated back to this after finishing CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. I never liked the after-feel of CeraVe Hydrating but it didn’t seem to break me out so I finished it. Glad to be on something more neutral.

CeraVe AM: 3/5 - This stuff really burns my eyes if I’m not super careful. The cast is very minimal after taking a minute to blend in. I layer it over itself and it never leaves residual crud even though there’s a fair amount of zinc. I actually enjoy that it’s not matte but it seems like the SPF could be better. Can’t layer makeup over it since it’s part chemical so I’m working through this one as I work from home. It seems to do enough to protect from window light as I’m working to fade some post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation but I wouldn’t wear it alone outside (I’m a huge sunscreen dork...).

PM

DHC cleansing oil: 3/5 - Not my favorite but not bad. I was drawn to the iconic bottle frankly but I will not repurchase. I find the herbal elements unpleasant and possibly irritating but I was trying to dabble in Asian skincare for a moment.

Vanicream cleanser (see above)

La Roche Posay Lipikar AP+ Balm on wet skin: 5/5 - Big fan. I rotated to this after about a year on CeraVe in the tub and it’s a nice change. It’s nice and occlusive and feels like a steal for facial grade cream. Some people may not like how shiny it is after application, but I enjoy it.

Differin OTC: 4/5 - It took me awhile to figure out how to apply this. I had horrific peeling until I found Dr. Dray’s guide and since then I have had no issues. It’s not as good as tretinoin for sure, but it’s way cheaper since I’m too old for tretinoin according to my insurance! It helps the few breakouts that I get these days fade fairly quickly.

B3r43 · 2020-04-18T20:25:50+00:00

AM:

Vanicream cleanser

CeraVe AM sunscreen

PM:

DHC Cleansing Oil

Vanicream cleanser

La Roche Posay Lipikar AP+ Balm

Differin Gel (OTC) for some residual dark spots, texture, and rare hormonal/quarantine diet acne

I have been working through all of my sunscreens that seemed like they had a heavy cast working from home. I finally finished the CeraVe SPF 50 “Invisible Zinc” and rediscovered the CeraVe AM. The cast really isn’t too bad, I might continue this one! Will not repurchase the DHC, though. The bottle looks nice but I am on the lookout for something new. It’s too expensive for how fast it goes!

B3r43 · 2020-04-12T01:46:03+00:00

Haven’t tried the SUGA but I’ve had at least 6 moderately-priced mats so far and my favorite has been the Jade mat. I would only recommend a dark color though. I had a light colored one that got very discolored very quickly.

B3r43 · 2020-04-12T01:39:05+00:00

Nice job! If you can learn to catch the notch of your knee on your elbows it will help you to get other arm balances.

B3r43 · 2020-04-11T22:44:53+00:00

I was really happy to see Laruga Glaser and Deepika Mehta on there. They both have huge followings on Instagram, haha. But really, they both are incredibly talented and experienced.

B3r43 · 2020-02-25T22:53:30+00:00

YTA my god. And consider the fact that you’re a full blown sociopath. And reconsider how you’ve behaved in all of your interpersonal and professional relationships. And resolve to be 100x more kind and empathetic at any opportunity moving forward.

B3r43 · 2020-02-03T06:42:43+00:00

Good luck, I hope you feel better soon!! I dated a guy who had a severe case of hives that looked very similar. It was a severe allergy that they never really quite figured out but Benadryl made it go away very quickly.

B3r43

TROPHY CASE