A skin care routine that helped my acne and acne scars that WORKS is hard to come by (at least it was for me).
I struggled to find a skin care routine that worked for my acne and acne scars.
And I tried almost everything. I tried dermatologists, painful facials, calming facials, light therapy, all natural essential oils, dairy free, gluten free, lemon water, drinking tons of water (I still stand by that though), changing pillow cases every night, all-natural skin care and toxic skin care.
I’ve had short term successes that ultimately left me back to square one. I had breakouts and deep and red scarring that left me insecure without makeup, even when I was by myself.
Disclaimer: If this is YOU, here’s a truth I needed to tell myself daily. You are beautiful. Your skin doesn’t define you or your worth.
Here we go. Here’s my skin care routine for my acne and a skin care routine for acne scars that actually works.
Here’s what my daily routine looks like today!
Feel free to pin or save the graphic below as a way to remember it easily! And keep scrolling for when I started each of these products, where you can get them and why I use them! I’ll also link them all for you!
*SOME of these products are affiliates which means that I get compensated if you purchase with this link!
- Morning Routine – Curology wash, Vitamin C Spray and Gua Sha, Curology moisturizer, sunscreen
- Night routine – Curology wash, Curology custom formula, Curology moisturizer
At the end of 2020, I decided I NEEDED something new. It was time for a new skincare product. What I was using had stopped working for my skin. And if I’m being honest, it didn’t do all that much for my ski to begin with.
By August of 2021, I added six things to my skin care routine that sealed the deal. They are still the only six things I do. I found a skin care routine for my acne and a skin care routine for acne scars that actually works. And it takes less than 3 minutes in the morning and at night.
Today my scars are minimal, I go outside without makeup regularly, and if I have a few zits that’s a LOT. That sentence would be UNFATHOMABLE to me, honestly even a year ago.
I want to help anyone who’s looking for a reliable fix.
Granted, this skin care routine for acne and acne scars might not work for you. I’ve read too many blogs than I can count on what was the perfect fix for someone else. This is, however, the first and only thing that has really worked for me long term. And I have recommended these steps to others, and it has also transformed their skin too.
I talk about these products on the regular to anyone looking for skin care for acne, acne scars or in general. So, I figured I would share it publicly.
Please handle this blog post with care. I won’t be posting before and afters – maybe another day – because I’m still insecure about what my skin USED to look like. You can probably tell in any close ups on my Instagram feed from over a year ago.
Okay here’s a breakdown of what I use, why I use it!
Curology. This is NON SPONSORED. This was the product I added at the end of 2020. I had been to dermatologists and tried all the creams, have had all the painful facials, tried all the natural regimens.
I had seen ads for Curology everywhere and rolling my eyes – if I had gone to an actual dermatologist in person to no avail, how is one online going to help me? But their rave reviews and running out of all options convinced me to give their free trial a try.
So I sent in my photos and took their quiz. Not even 2 weeks after using Curology did I start to notice the difference in my skin. I also eliminated everything else I was using as not to interfere with the effects of Curology. So from Curology, I use the cleanser and moisturizer set that is GENTLE and fragrance free. I also have a custom formula for my acne.
Vitamin C + a Gua Sha. My skin was SLOWLY but NOTICEABLY improving with Curology. But my wedding was coming up (2021 brides represent!) and I wanted to pull out any and all stops (that I hadn’t already tried) for my skin – my biggest insecurity.
My cousin, a skin care esthetician, recommended using Vitamin C and a Gua Sha. I had used Vitamin C before starting Curology, but I was nervous the combo might mess with my skin. But because my cousin recommended it, I started implementing it at a different time than my custom formula.
Now let’s talk about gua sha stones. I thought the gua sha was going to be SUCH A HOAX. What is, as my friend once put it, “rubbing a rock on my face” going to do for me? But I soon learned – and noticed for myself – that a gua sha helps to promote blood circulation and lymphatic drainage in the face.
I started applying a nontoxic Vitamin C spray on my face and stroking my face and neck with the gua sha. I added this to my routine in the summer of 2021, just months before my wedding.
NOTE: This spray was just changed to a serum that I will be purchasing.
Sunscreen. Sunscreen was my skincare enemy for years. Not only did it break me out BUT the sun always seemed to help my skin and I would rather BURN than but sunscreen on my face. Plus the tinted moisturizer I would religiously wear to the beach because of insecurity had some SPF. I soon learned that the sun only LOOKED to help my skin because the rest of my skin was matching the tone of my scars but surely every fall my skin would revert to its old looking self. As sunscreen started trending on all skin care TikToks, I figured it was worth a shot. I started using sunscreen every day.
So, about a year and five months after I began using Curology and about 9 month since I started using the Gua Sha, Vitamin C, and sunscreen every single day, I finally feel comfortable in my own skin.
I walk around my house and outside without makeup!
I was hesitant to write about this at first because I’ve talked about so many techniques over the years that worked for my skin, but only for a little while. Those techniques are tried and true for so many. But they didn’t work for me long term.
These products? They’ve come THROUGH long term.
So, that’s it!
That’s my skin care routine for acne and acne scars. I took out all other natural regimens and dermatologist creams, I even stopped stressing over my dairy intake.
Who knows, someday maybe I’ll add to or takeaway from this routine, but right now I’m loving my quick and easy 3 minute skin care routine that helped my acne and acne scars.
It’s fun, calming and most importantly, it WORKS.
I’d love to hear what has helped your skin and what you might do as your skin care routine for acne scars! Let me know!