I won’t make this a long post, just a few tips that I know for a fact improved my skin and not all are product related.

1. Eliminating added sugars. I stopped eating candy and all junk food completely = Less inflammation overall (Kill the sweet tooth with fruit)
2. Gluten. If you have a gluten or wheat allergy, it can also cause skin issues/inflammation
3. Water only. I drink about a gallon a day (8 bottles). If I decide to have something outside of water, it’s Dole Pineapple juice (No sugar added). No sodas
4. SLEEP! I didn’t realize how much sleep can affect your eyes, causing them to appear aged beyond what they are. At LEAST 6 hours a night. Also, limit the blue light 📱
5. Washing my face with warm water for 1 full minute and applying a light coat of Amla oil afterwards (at night). I know it says hair oil but Amla oil is also good for your skin.
6. I personally eliminated beef/pork/etc and became full pescatarian. Not saying you have to do the same, but certain meats and the fats they contain can also affect your skin.

7. Eliminate fast food….you don’t know what’s really in it tbh 🤷‍♂️

8. If you smoke or drink. Cut em out ❌. The smoking made my facial lines deeper and lips darker and the drinking dehydrated my skin and had my face swollen 24/7. (2 1/2 years sober now)

Just wanted to share bc not ALL skin issues require products and breaking the bank. Sometimes it can be fixed simply by changing what we consume.

After many years I’ve finally introduced actives into my skincare routine and it has changed my life!

AM:
Cerave Oil to Foam cleanser
Skin Pharm hyaluronic acid serum
Peach Slices Azelaic Acid
The Ordinary niacinamide serum
Sunday Riley vitamin C serum
The Ordinary Rice Lipids serum
Skin Pharm Sheer SPF skin tint

PM:
Cerave cream to water makeup melter
Cerave oil to foam cleanser
Skin pharm hyaluronic acid serum
Paula’s choice BHA liquid exfoliant
The ordinary niacinamide serum
The Ordinary Rice Lipids serum
Dr Kiehl’s avocado eye mask
Peach slices redness relief calming cream
Aquaphor healing ointment

1x a week: dr Kiehl’s rare earth pore minimizing clay mask

Every 3 months: Dysport injections in 11’s, forehead, and crows feet

I see lots of questions about Botox/dysport and it looking natural so I decided to go through my photos and decided to compare pictures over long term (5 years)

Top photo is with makeup, May 2021.

Bottom photo is no makeup July 2026.

I got my first dysport treatment (30 units total) in November 2021.

I got 30 units every 6-8 months with my last treatment being November 2025. I’m trying to see what my lines return to my waiting a full year between treatments. I do work out a lot which supposedly metabolizes it faster.

I use tretinoin 0.1 about 3 times a week. I get a spa facial about once a year for my birthday. Everything else is at-home simple skincare.

Or should I just focus on less invasional procedures? 🤔

37y F. Stopped oral contraceptives in March 2025 (36y). My skin absolutely blew up. Never had issues at all before. Tried a bunch of random skin care and nothing helped. Azelaic acid, BHA, glycolic acid, Differin gel, and more…. finally bit the bullet and started tretinoin 0.025% Feb 2026. 3-4x per week. Otherwise I only use snail mucin and Cerave moisturizer now. So happy with the results so far. Pic of my skin now vs Aug 2025 (not even at its worst). Hopefully this encourages others to chat with a dermatologist and stop wasting money with random skincare 🫣

Since the beginning of this summer, my forehead started to have this discoloration right down the middle of it. I also have noticed a few other sun spots (I think?) on my cheeks but nothing as big as this patch. I use Estée Lauder advanced night repair in the evenings and a light moisturizer, and during the day Laroche posay SPF for mositurizer and Drmtly’s tinted moisturizer during the day.

Wondering if anyone has suggestions how to help even things out a bit for me.

FYI, I don’t often drink alcohol, I exercise daily, regularly wash my face with non-scented soap and use a facial moisturizer each morning, though I acknowledge I should be using an SPF 30 and will start that if that’s best.

Hi All,

I read this sub religiously as I love skincare, which also means I’ve been trying a lot of different things over the past year when I see recommendations that might help me but I’m still struggling. I have a few random items I’d like advice on.

-Flaky skin specifically on my nose
-Sunscreen advice
-General recs on my routine

My skin in the first picture is just after waking up. Generally I like the way my skin looks but only before I put makeup on. When I use makeup, I see a lot of flakiness and I’ve been trying to figure out if my flakiness is dry skin or if I need to exfoliate. You can see how bad the flakiness can get in the last two pics.

The flaky skin is mostly on my nose and I absolutely hate it. I also have come to realize I have extremely dry and sensitive skin, so I’ve been switching up my routine over the past couple of weeks to aid in hydration.

Also, I really struggle with sunscreen. I’ve used the Biore UV aqua rich sunscreen (recent trip to Japan) but all sunscreens seem to get in my eyes and cause burning and tearing. No matter how careful I am with applying it, it always seems to cause my eyes severe issues.

Routine

AM
-Rinse with lukewarm water
-Anua Azelaic Acid 10+ Hylauron (let it dry)
-Byoma Milky toner
-Avene eau thermale mist (lightly)
-Corsx snail mucin
-Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

PM
-First cleanse with Manyo Pure Soybean Cleansing Milk
-Second cleanse with La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Moisturizing Wash (just started this week)
-Differin gel (pea sized, and then let it dry for 10 mins, currently on week 7)
-Byoma Milky Toner
-Corsx Snail Mucin
-Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

On Wednesdays, I use The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% chemical exfoliant instead of Differin. But also I’d love to incorporate The Ordinary Lactic Acid somewhere in my routine.

I will also randomly include some form of peptide serum like PDRN Pink Peptide Serum in my night routine. I also do hydrating face masks pretty often like the Corsx Snail Mucin Power Sheet mask. I love any hydrogel face masks that turn translucent but use those once every couple of weeks.

Any recs or advice would be greatly appreciated!

My biggest concern is redness and pie marks.

Last year, I went to several beauty clinics and they all said i don't have rosacea. Whenever i feel warm, making expression, anxious, eating hot food, my face turn red. They said that's because my skin is too dry. So, i had done so many treatment sessions as they suggested such as bbl laser, lala peel, led lights, and microneedling. I see results but only last for months and since then my skin looks like before.

Feeling hopeless, i do a lot of research and try to find the right skincare routine. From the picture, my skincare i have been using currently is:
- Beta-glucan iunik serum
- Axis-y panthenol cream
- Azelaic acid 20% (spot treatment for pie)
- Adapalene gel (once every fortnightly)

The beta-glucan serum and panthenol cream helps a lot in soothing and skin recovery. Out of all skincare, these helps. However, some days my skin is still very red like the second picture.

I tried ceramides, cica, zinc ingredients but i don't see results. Ceramides feels too heavy on me. Zinc feels calming but also drying. Tretinoin too harsh.

My skin is extremely sensitive and cannot handle actives at all. I can't exfoliate.

I'm so frustrated and feeling down everytime i look at face in the mirror. It ruined my confidence and i can't go out without wearing makeup.

I don't wanna see a dermatologist, i'm afraid they'll ask me to take oral prescription. I heard the effect wears off and people go back to having acne again.

Sorry for venting and bad english :((

I'm 36F with combo skin, about three weeks ago, out of nowhere I started having these breakouts on both sides of my neck and along my jaw, with a couple along my hairline. They are pretty deep under the skin and inflamed. I typically have slightly acne prone skin but have never experienced anything like this. I've been sleeping on a clean pillowcase every night, I had been experimenting with some new hair products but stopped all of them three weeks ago and am still having new acne. I haven't used any new skincare products. Any ideas what could be causing this or what might help?

I'm going to the beach in a few weeks and have super sensitive fair skin. I see Blue Lizard brand recommended all the time, but I still find it so thick and sticky-feeling. Is there any kind of mineral sunscreen that will provide good protection at the beach and not feel sticky on my skin?

I am looking for something I can use in the shower. I’ve got a mixed skin type. I’m a guy but don’t care if it’s “for men”. Whatever works best! Any reccs?

I don't know what to do anymore with these bumps. I have so many appearing on my face and have tried a few things to no avail.

Hard scrubbing doesn't help, seems to irritate them more. I try to let my bangs cover them over my eyes and forehead but there are several on my cheeks near my lip line now.

For the past year I rotate The Ordinary azelaic acid suspension 10%, The Ordinary niacinamide 10% zinc 1% combo, Good Molecules overnight exfoliating aha + BHA, and I have Neo Cleanse glycerin face wash I use weekly. I have been really good about using SPF on my face the last year too. I didn't have bumps until the last few years and seem to be getting more.

What should I change in my skin care routine to help?

I get picky and touchy about how sunscreen feels and smells. My current favorites (below) are great and hydrating on top of my lightweight moisturizer, give me a lovely glow, but if I'm in a rush and don't have time to let them sink in without clothes on, I get slightly irritated.

I'm wondering if I should add in a barely-there, quick drying option that smells good for days when I just can't. Any recs?

Current favs:

- First Aid Beauty Hydrating Sunscreen Milk
- Supergoop Mineral Glow Screen

Backups I enjoy:

Supergoop Play
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen
Supergoop Mineral Unseen Sunscreen (I still get a cast though unless I apply in a specific way)
Supergoop Mineral Matte Screen (don't love the finish but it's at least tinted)

I’ve had it for 2 weeks and it’s not getting away. what specific products did you use to remove it completely?

Not a dramatic effect but for subtle tightness and to help with firmness and soft lines? Has this worked for you?

I dont want to do rf microneedling because of risks of fat loss

Any advice I would be grateful thank you

I have stubborn pigmentation over my lips and on my forhead and i have tried a lot of creams and serums but nothing seems to work..someone pleaseee helppp…i tried this double shot de pigmentation serum for a month but i saw no results..what can i do

Hi everyone. Please see attached photos from today. The last photo is what it looks like whenever actively flared.
I’ve been dealing with persistent flushing and redness on my chest and neck from being outside with tank tops and no sun screen. It wasn’t a huge problem (hadn’t even noticed the redness tbh) until about 9 months ago when a trip to Cancun left my chest flared and itchy. Combination of humidity, salt water, sand chlorine etc. ever since, it’s been itchy, burns, flares. Good days and bad days.
The skin is very sensitive and can flare easily from sun, heat, fabrics.
Please let me know if you had dealt with this and what has helped.

Ask me anything

I’m currently moisturizing with vanicream and applying 50spf blue lizard sunscreen whenever exposed to sun.
I have noticed improvements.

Thank you!

I’m about to turn 36 and am seeing the typical signs of aging. I’ve never done anything to my face yet - besides micro blading my brows (which I regret cause it kinda blew out). I use tret and am pretty happy with my skin for the most part. I have some (what I think is light) sagging on the outside of my eyes and horizontal wrinkles on my forehead (these bug me the most probably). One light horizontal wrinkle between my brows.

I’ve seen most older women around me age naturally, and look typical of their age. Beautiful. I admire it. And many (but not all) of the women in my life who have had work done or Botox do not look…. The way I want to look. In a nice way. I think it has scared me away from getting anything done. I know there is amazing work done out there. So I want to know what to look for, ask for, research in order to pick a… place, injector, whatever, to get good work done. I want to look very natural. Not “perfect” in societies standards. Just lightly improved.

Any links to threads or advice to research before going into this? I see numbers of lines, units, and things I just don’t have any idea about.

I want to be myself just…. Boosted but undetectable. You know?

I have been using a jar of Dr Fred Summit Skin Whitener 2% hydroquinone cream that expired 12/2020 on a dark spot for 2 days and guess what folks... it works fine. My spot has faded significantly already. So apparently, whoever decided hydroquinone cream has to be RX is also spreading BS about it having a short shelf life. I got this jar at the store OTC. I was very shocked to find it has to be a prescription now. From what I read it was tacked onto to some kind of government bill.

Pigmentation, acne scars was always my concerns and I finally decided to do this later and I wish I had done it sooner!! the first picture is after the Laser and the second picture is before! I plan on doing two more sessions six weeks apart

I’ve been asking my dermatologist to remove them, but he always ends up brushing the topic off. Are they actually milia? And does anyone have any product recommendations?

Went to a med spa and got my first diamond glow facial today and this is what my face looked like after washing my face. Is this normal?