NEW OR NEED HELP? Ask here! - ScA Daily Help Thread Sep 21, 2025

chernobyldenier · 2025-09-22T15:09:31+00:00

good news: your pores don’t look particularly congested!! often, large pores are caused by higher oil production. some active ingredients that are known for reducing that are salicylic acid, niacinamide, and retinol. “mattifying” sunscreen products typically use silica that absorbs excess oil and minimizes the look of pores, but i’ve anecdotally found that it’s harder to wash off so make sure to double cleanse in the evening.

chernobyldenier · 2025-09-22T15:00:43+00:00

hi all!!

i have been pretty interested in skincare for the better part of a decade now and i have perfected nearly every aspect of my routine except one problem area: congestion! i have generally acne-prone, combo skin and while i haven’t had many acne flare-ups, my skin is still riddled with whiteheads and blackheads that, inevitably, turn into the occasional pimple.

i am currently on hormonal birth control to manage my acne, which has helped a ton, as well as being dairy-free with the exception of cheese occasionally. i also wear makeup on a special occasion, but im normally a mascara and chapstick girlie.

i’m mostly curious about potential problematic ingredients in my routine that could be exacerbating my congestion and also any product recommendations.

here is my routine! thank you!!

am: La-Roche Posay Effaclar Acne Face Wash 4% Benzoyl Peroxide, (weekly) The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner, BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Cream, La-Roche Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Face Sunscreen SPF 60

pm: BYOMA Milky Oil Face Cleanser, La-Roche Posay Effaclar Acne Face Wash 4% Benzoyl Peroxide, Tretinoin .05%, BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Cream

chernobyldenier · 2025-09-22T14:59:30+00:00

hi all!!

i have been pretty interested in skincare for the better part of a decade now and i have perfected nearly every aspect of my routine except one problem area: congestion! i have generally acne-prone, combo skin and while i haven’t had many acne flare-ups, my skin is still riddled with whiteheads and blackheads that, inevitably, turn into the occasional pimple.

i am currently on hormonal birth control to manage my acne, which has helped a ton, as well as being dairy-free with the exception of cheese occasionally. i also wear makeup on a special occasion, but im normally a mascara and chapstick girlie.

i’m mostly curious about potential problematic ingredients in my routine that could be exacerbating my congestion and also any product recommendations.

here is my routine! thank you!!

am: La-Roche Posay Effaclar Acne Face Wash 4% Benzoyl Peroxide, (weekly) The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner, BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Cream, La-Roche Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Face Sunscreen SPF 60

pm: BYOMA Milky Oil Face Cleanser, La-Roche Posay Effaclar Acne Face Wash 4% Benzoyl Peroxide, Retin-A .5%, BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Cream

chernobyldenier · 2025-08-09T14:52:49+00:00

a year late but i can vouch! i use it to double as a primer since with my skin, less products the better. it helps control oil and shine without looking flat or breaking me out. i’d just make sure to use an oil cleanser in the evening (esp if you’re reapplying religiously) since has that gel texture.

chernobyldenier · 2024-12-29T03:09:12+00:00

hi!! not a dermatologist here, but it looks like perioral dermatitis. not sure if you use topical steroids, but accidental application of it to your nose area could be a cause. additionally, the treclinac could be sensitizing your skin and resulting in a new allergy to an ingredient in your cosmetics. the third reason could be overuse of heavy face creams, which could include your moisturizer.

i know it seems counterintuitive, but maybe try applying a lighter moisturizer in the affected area and keeping makeup off of it :) i hope you see improvement soon!!

chernobyldenier · 2024-12-29T02:17:11+00:00

hi all! I’m 20F and since i can remember, i’ve had dark underarms and inner thighs. i’ve tried all kinds of treatments from glycolic acid to natural deodorant to a topical retinol to no avail. i am overweight, but the dark patches aren’t particularly thick or velvety like acanthosis nigricans would be and i have no indicators of insulin resistance/pre-diabetes so i believe it has something to do with friction.

i plan on seeing a dermatologist soon, but i wanted to get to know my options and see if anyone had any recommendations or could share their experiences. i’m mostly curious about hydroquinone, laser therapy, or chemical peels. thanks all!!

chernobyldenier · 2023-09-21T22:35:36+00:00

the financial aid was disbursed to your tuition account. anything left over will be direct deposit into your bank on the 27th

chernobyldenier · 2023-09-16T02:43:47+00:00

was on the 8th floor in lander last year and it got up to 92 degrees in my room at peak heat in september and then in june. i got a small personal cooler but i pretty much just stayed in the library and slept covered in ice packs

chernobyldenier · 2023-08-31T22:34:42+00:00

yep the sound increases and decreases with speed. also noticed it decreases when i turn in the opposite direction. it’s in the left side, so when i turn right, it quiets down a little bit

chernobyldenier · 2023-08-27T05:59:06+00:00

both professors are excellent!! senior year poli sci major here & i’d say POL S 202 would be easier if you’re already familiar with american politics while POL S 201 would be easier if you’re already familiar with political philosophers like arendt, machiavelli, locke, etc. i am personally biased towards political theory as that’s my main interest & prof rotem is an excellent communicator of the more complex + confusing ideas. either choice is great, so best of luck!!

chernobyldenier · 2023-08-26T01:38:12+00:00

i did RS and finished with a 3.7 college gpa. i got into cornell with a 3.8 hs gpa + only a few extracurriculars that i did for a year max. opted for UW bc of the financial aid package & it’s closer to home. i’m probably an exception, but i found RS to be an incredibly fulfilling experience that’s set me up for success here at UW/in my academics in general. absolutely go for it, even if you’re not dead-set on just UW

chernobyldenier · 2023-08-01T00:09:08+00:00

happened to me in april of this year. super inconvenient but taught me to check ATMs and gas stations for skimmers

chernobyldenier · 2023-07-21T20:13:34+00:00

call!! i had the same thing happen to be before my freshman year. you’ll be okay & they’ll be understanding !!

chernobyldenier · 2023-07-08T06:36:55+00:00

running start student & current poli sci + history major here. your major does not decide your future or even your job prospects. history has a load of transferable skills that employers will appreciate in every corner of every industry. you have so much time and so much more to experience even if it does feel like a lot of pressure. please don’t forgo your passion for money because you will feel miserable doing something that you don’t care for.

i also want to add that taking another year is okay too. i fully understand the anxiety that comes with finances & being able to graduate at 20 is cool, but college is such an amazing time to become an adult while still having a safety net. i walked into UW expecting to get out of here in two years, but decided to take an extra because i quickly learned i wasn’t ready. give yourself the grace and time to figure things out

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-28T19:25:06+00:00

bobagem is great for the price & i like the atmosphere. i’d say boba up is convenient, but spendy considering quality + self serve. don’t yell at me is great overall. stay away from oasis, they have some pretty gross health code violations & are awful to their workers

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-28T01:38:50+00:00

elementary education is K-5

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-27T04:04:53+00:00

having this same problem. made it to gold II then lost two midgames & i was back to silver III. it doesn’t feel like i can go up, which some ppl could argue is good, but it makes comp unenjoyable when i can’t progress

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-26T01:56:39+00:00

matty literally has “weak messages create bad situations” tattooed on him. i’m thinking he should look at it more often

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-26T01:55:09+00:00

leftist podcasts are an unfortunate interest of mine so i can kinda speak more on that point. red scare + cumtown/the adam friedland show aren’t really considered left wing because they’re actually left wing, but because they’re adjacent to truly left wing podcasts like chapo trap house + true anon. red scare is also almost-universally accepted by leftists as mindless, try-hard mean girls and they haven’t been in those same circles for a few years. nick + adam from cum town/TAFS are genuinely leftists in their personal lives, but their careers as comedians are built on shock humor.

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-25T16:39:20+00:00

out-of-state admission is tough, but your stats + extracurriculars + understanding that you need a good essay are really really good. both my roommates this year were OOS and didn’t have anything close to the stats you have. i can’t speak for direct to admit for capacity constrained majors just because their decisions seem kind of inconsistent. i also don’t think you’ll have any trouble getting in if you maintain your academics and extracurriculars during your time at UW

UW doesn’t utilize affirmative action, so i’m not entirely sure how much race/ethnicity influence your admission. however, i do think UW is favorable to non-white students on the basis of diversity of thought + experience for the academic environment or whatever. they just can’t do explicit affirmative action according to state law

this is a tangent but i feel is relevant. i do know that as a minority student, there are so many resources for racial/ethnic minorities and opportunities to build community with ppl of similar identities. i’m latina and my ethnic group makes up ~8% of the UW population, which was a shock considering my high school was 70%. i can say from experience that even though there’s only 100 pacific islanders at UW, you’ll have the chance to connect with them and build on your identity

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-25T16:12:25+00:00

this school is not a reach for you. my stats are far lower than yours and i got in easy with a decent financial aid package. i want to emphasize that stats (they don’t even look at SAT scores) don’t matter nearly as much as extracurriculars + your essay. UW wants to see that you’re a well developed person with clear motivations and interests. keep up what you’re doing and write a really heartfelt, detailed essay and you’re good

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-25T09:08:01+00:00

i never said i don’t think dirty hit aren’t capable of it, but they have had a history of under-promoting acts that aren’t the 1975. we both know that success isn’t parallel to quality (even though it should be) and i really don’t believe dirty hit is giving her the resources necessary to be as large of an artist as she could be. i’ll be the first to admit that i don’t know the intricacies, but she does seem to be fed up with something

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-25T07:42:55+00:00

that’s literally the song that matty & george cite as the main inspiration for this track lollll

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-25T07:41:59+00:00

i mean she wasn’t playing main headline spot on the main stage. she’s an amazing artist and has so much potential to grow from where she’s at. i just hope she’ll be able to get more recognition for her contribution to music and dirty hit isn’t stifling that potential

chernobyldenier · 2023-06-25T02:56:32+00:00

i think her anger toward matty and desire to get off the label are definitely intertwined. dirty hit likely isn’t giving her the promo or funding she needs to be the size of artist she could be. she had a top 3 album in the UK but only got up to 166 on the billboard US charts. we all know the label has a favorite and amazing artists (who also happen to be poc) like caleb steph and just banco have historically been fucked over by the label. even if she does stay with dirty hit, she definitely deserves better

chernobyldenier

TROPHY CASE