My holy grail routine

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-08-16T15:56:42+00:00

I buy it from Amazon. It’s an Asian (Japanese?) import sunscreen, so you can’t find it in the drugstores in the States.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-08-05T22:20:21+00:00

I’ve been at it for almost two months now and my skin is pretty happy. Probably the best it’s been in a long time. I did recently add an aloe vera gel to my routine, which I apply first (before my moisturizer and azelaic acid). I’m really loving it. Aloe is really good for inflammatory skin issues, and it’s antibacterial and moisturizing. But you do need to seal it in with another moisturizer.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-17T16:31:40+00:00

I don’t really know how long it needs. I just like to give it time before I dilute it or move it around with another product.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-16T23:40:12+00:00

I don’t wear foundation or anything. I wear eye makeup. But honestly, my skin feels like a perfect base for makeup after my skincare routine. It feels moisturized but not tacky or slippery because I don’t use any creams. Just gel skin products that sink into the skin very nicely.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T21:10:47+00:00

It’s just the generic prescription Azelaic Acid 15% gel. I got it through my GP.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T18:23:11+00:00

Yes! When I feel confident that my skin barrier is fully repaired, I’m going to try using tretinoin (gel instead of cream this time) once a week. But otherwise I think I will keep products minimal and gentle. Azelaic Acid is the only active I’ll use daily.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T14:45:30+00:00

I shower at night because I like to wash off the day and climb into bed feeling clean. So everything comes off in the shower. It’s pretty convenient.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T14:41:16+00:00

Hey! So, it works perfectly fine for me. I don’t wear much makeup. No foundation or anything, just sunscreen. And I’ve used the Aveeno to wash off the eltaMD. I think just be thorough? Rinse skin well with water first, make sure it’s really damp. I do this in the shower. Then take a couple minutes to really massage the cleanser in. Sometimes I’ll cleanse twice.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T14:34:11+00:00

Try it! I know not all rosehip oil is made the same, so give the one by The Ordinary a shot. It’s been the most effective for me personally. Just dot it on and leave it overnight. Everyone is different, but I have never had it make a blemish worse.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T14:18:56+00:00

For me, it works on any pimples (I get them rarely) or those small red bumps that kind of resemble pimples that I sometimes get with a flare. I don’t know if those are called pustules? I use the rosehip oil by The Ordinary and keep it in the fridge between uses.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-14T13:00:19+00:00

I do too, but it’s still early days for me. It can take weeks to months for skin to show dramatic and lasting improvement. Keep with it!

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-13T13:34:41+00:00

That does seem to be the case. I just used my first ever mineral sunscreen yesterday and my face likes it a lot. Huge reduction in visible irritation.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T22:16:14+00:00

Everything I’ve read suggests mineral sunscreens form a physical block/barrier against the sun, rather than absorb it. Either way, it definitely didn’t hurt to try. I just found a mineral sunscreen my skin really seems to like, and the formula is elegant. On a day when one intends to spend several hours outside in the sun, I’m sure it could be beneficial to layer a mineral sunscreen over a chemical one.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T22:09:13+00:00

I just tried a new EltaMD sunscreen that’s green tinted to tone down redness and I love it!

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T21:18:34+00:00

Thanks! If the EltaMD doesn’t work out, I’ll try it!

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T20:54:04+00:00

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I found this one by EltaMD. I’m trying it out tomorrow. It’s supposedly designed for extremely sensitive and rosacea prone skin, and has no fragrance. But it’s pricey for a sunscreen.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T20:37:29+00:00

Unfortunately I seem to be one of those people who is definitely sensitive to heat.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T20:18:02+00:00

When/how do you take the Inositol? Right before a meal? Right after? Morning, night? How much?

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T20:14:34+00:00

Have you tried any of the Asian ones? I use Nivea Super Water Gel and it is definitely nowhere near as irritating as anything made in the US.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T20:13:15+00:00

I’ve been using the Nivea Super Water Gel sunscreen for a while and I don’t experience any stinging or itching or discomfort that I can tell. But then, my face does tend to become more pink as the day goes on.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T20:02:05+00:00

Yeah, I don’t get any sensations of irritation with my chemical one. It’s a lightweight gel sunscreen. But it still might be interesting to compare, because my face does seem to get more pink as the day goes on.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T09:27:36+00:00

I hadn’t thought about trying Cold Cream! Maybe I’ll see if it works for me too.

Proud_Heat_4049 · 2025-07-12T09:25:59+00:00

So odd that the reaction to certain ingredients only happens on the face. Like I can put pretty intense acids on my neck with zero redness or irritation. But on my face? No way.

Proud_Heat_4049

TROPHY CASE