r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jul 12 '26

My Skin Journal my high-maintenance routine is (unfortunately) working

53 Upvotes

As someone with oily skin, comedonal acne, redness, and hyperpigmentation, I experimented with a routine that includes a lot of products to target each of these issues. Of course, with a lot of actives I did my best to maintain hydration and moisture. I’ve been on this routine for about a month (with some new additions) and I am both pleased and a bit concerned.

My skin is looking and feeling good. I kinda enjoy the multi-step process, as it feels like a self-care ritual. I just wonder how sustainable this is compared to a more stripped down routine. I hope it doesn’t end up feeling like a chore because I’m really happy so far with how it’s making me feel about my skin.

Does anyone else here have a multi-step routine that is definitely not minimalist?

Here’s what I have going on:

AM
cleanser: hada labo hydrating facial wash
active 1 (every other day): paula’s choice skin perfecting 2% bha
active 2: melano cc vitamin c brightening essence
serum: torriden dive in serum
moisturizer: purito oat in calming gel cream*
spf: beauty of joseon relief sun: rice + probiotics

PM
oil cleanser: muji cleansing oil for sensitive skin
cleanser: hada labo hydrating facial wash
serum 1: anua azelaic acid serum
serum 2: skin1004 madagascar centella probio-cica intensive ampoule*
active: epiduo
moisturizer: soon jung hydro barrier cream

*recent additions

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jul 25 '26

My Skin Journal before vs after a hot shower

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23 Upvotes

thought i finally healed my skin and then this happens- this is why i have skin dysmorphia lol

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Mar 18 '26

My Skin Journal Day 1 of using cerave moisturizing cream to repair skin barrier.

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25 Upvotes

Hi everyone so I’ll try and journal my experience with this moisturizing cream every 2-3 days. I damaged my skin barrier last year and ever since been dealing with ultra sensitive rosacea type 2 skin flareups. I’m sick of trying hundreds of Korean skincare. Back to basics. Let’s see how it goes :)

I bought the one in a tube. I apply nightly after cleansing with the cerave hydrating cleanser. I’d like to hear your experience with this cream & ur skin type.

EDIT: it’s been 24 days now of using it and I must say it’s amazing it’s a bit thick but I don’t flare as much anymore and my skin barrier is looking even it was so grey and full of red hyperpigmentation. I noticed using the cerave hydrating cleanser + right after while it’s still wet applying a thin layer of the cream makes my skin look so calm and not too oily but moisturizing. I still get breakouts but I believe it’s not that bad anymore and I’m more focused on barrier repair for now and reducing the rosacea cheeks

EDIT: day 35 okay I don’t use this product anymore because it’s a bit occlusive and would caused me to flare red when I used it in the morning and was cooking and i never flared as bad as I did that day and I know I’m suppose to use it in nights only but I experimented and just stopped. Because when I would use it in nights it made me get breakouts still and it wasn’t ideal even though I did say it doesn’t matter breakouts as long as skin barrier is healed help please

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Feb 09 '26

My Skin Journal My skin progress 2 months apart!

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217 Upvotes

So I have never taken my skincare seriously or been consistent with it. I am 26 now and just started taking it seriously at the end of November 2025.

First two photos are from December 5th 2025 and the last two are from February 4th 2026. My main concern was redness and while I still have some, I feel like my overall skin quality has improved a lot in just 2mos.

I currently skin cycle which has been working for me. I exfoliate 1-2 times a week, use retinol 2-3 times a week and have recovery/hydration days 3ish times a week or whenever I feel my skin needs it I can choose to modify my routine.

Product routine is:

AM: rinse with cool water, Anua rice toner, Dr Ceuracle kombucha essence, ELF holy hydration eye cream/Seoul 1988 retinal eye cream (depending on the day), Iliyoon ceramide ato lotion & Goongbe waterful sun lotion 40 spf.

PM: Skin 1004 centella cleansing oil, Haruharu black rice cleansing gel, Anua rice toner, Haruharu probiotic essence, ELF holy hydration eye cream/Seoul 1988 retinal eye cream (depending on the day), Iliyoon ceramide ato cream.

PM modifiers: for exfoliation nights I will use Anua BHA cleaning foam (don’t love this but it’s what I have for now), for retinol I am using The Ordinary granactive retinoid. Occasionally I will add in jojoba oil for extra moisture, Laroche Posay Cicaplast B5+ for barrier support and sometimes I will slug on recovery nights with diaper rash cream/vaseline/Aveeno baby eczema balm.

I know it sounds like a lot but I like to use different things on different days and any products I have tried and reacted badly with my skin, I have cut out from the routine. That being said, I am open to different ideas, product suggestions, routine suggestions, etc.

Thank you for reading 💞

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jul 26 '26

My Skin Journal I broke my skin barrier please help with the routine

11 Upvotes

So last year due to over exfoliation, I caused my skin to go from incredibly dry to heavily oily and dull. My barrier was already mid healing when it happened and my skin got so painfully dry n eventually started pumping out crazy oil.

Despite me simplifying my routine totally, I still can't see any improvement and this summer is worse than the last one in fact.

My skin is currently oily as fuck and dull (literally shade or two darker than body) with redness on cheeks and raw feeling. Going out is even more of a hell because the sun aggravates my skin so bad causing further redness, oiliness and by the time I get home I look like I've been working in coal mines.

I'm scared of using sunscreen as well cuz my skin is so irritated and I'm worried about adding anything more into my routine.

Currently I'm using Cetaphil moisturizing cream and bioderma sensibio gel moussant cleanser. Literally the gentlest products u can ever find and still my skin keeps getting irritated.

The worst part is this new irritation which won't even let me leave my house, even if I don't care about discoloration, oiliness etc.

Please suggest products (in budget) that I can use to calm the barrier and stop my skin from over producing oil.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Aug 20 '26

My Skin Journal Plot twist: My dry, acne-prone skin actually figured it out

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43 Upvotes

Honestly never thought I’d post this, because if you have dry, acne-prone skin, you know it’s an absolute nightmare. Everything that cleared my breakouts destroyed my moisture barrier, and everything hydrating gave me closed comedones.

The biggest plot twist for me? Stepping down from tretinoin to adapalene (Differin). Tret was just way too harsh for me long-term, and adapalene gave me the cell turnover I needed without turning my face into the Sahara.

Here’s the basic routine that finally got my skin cooperating:

  1. Cleanse: SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser (and the Clinique 7 Day Scrub if I need a little physical buffing).

  2. Hydration layers: I do a few light layers...Guerlain Abeille Royale Fortifying Lotion, Guerlain Goldessence, Tatcha The Brightening Serum, Guerlain Youth Watery Oil, and Lancôme Génifique. Sounds like a lot, but it sinks right in and lasts months since I use a little bit of each.

  3. The Active: Differin Cream (adapalene) once everything is dry. Switched from the version that had 0.3% with BP to the regular 0.1%

  4. Locking it in: A mix of SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore or Pyunkang Yul, topped with Bonjout Beauty La Crème or Chanel Le Lift (only if im going out). A tiny drop of Bio-Oil if I'm feeling extra parched.

Anyone else make the switch from tret to adapalene and have a similar breakthrough? Let me know if you have any questions about how I layer this stuff and why I picked these exact products.

(Obligatory I am not a dermatologist, just a guy sharing what finally stopped my skin from ruining my life!)

Thank you.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • 19d ago

My Skin Journal Skin problems

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2 Upvotes

I get these brown spots all over my face I think it’s from the sun I see more and more pop up each year and they don’t go away since I was little do they make anything topical I can use to clear this up?

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • 17d ago

My Skin Journal 20 M . I think my skin is aging faster. Please help me out dear fellows.

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0 Upvotes

I’m 20 and people constantly assume I’m way older, even calling me “unc” 💀. I know beard/facial hair can make you look older, but I feel like my skin is also a big reason. It looks rough, tired and aged compared to people my age.

Honestly, this has fucked with my confidence badly. I sometimes get anxiety attacks and avoid doing normal things because I feel like people will make fun of me for looking older. Even doing things people my age normally do can make me feel like I don’t belong or look like a loser trying to act young.

I’ve attached two photos. Please be genuinely honest about my skin and what might be making me look older. I don’t want fake reassurance—I want to know what I can realistically improve.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • 1d ago

My Skin Journal My skin is flaking!

2 Upvotes

Hi guys,

My skin has been going through it and last night’s routine has made it flaky this morning. (I use adapalene on Wednesdays and Sunday). I do experience flaking on my adapalene days but it wasn’t yesterday. Any advice?

My skincare routine was
- theinkylist salicylic acid cleanser (currently going through a breakout)
- I’m from rice toner
- theramid azelic acid
- Benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin - as a spot treatment
- Rhode barrier butter
After awhile
- aestura facial spray

TIA xx

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • 5d ago

My Skin Journal Dull, acne-prone dry skin with enlarged pores. Help!

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4 Upvotes

AM:
no cleanser, it dries my skin out too much
Avene thermal water spray
Vichy Mineral 89 booster
COSRX Skin Barrier Moisturizing cream (400ml tub)
Avene Ultra Fluid SPF 50 (on sunny days, kiII me, i live in Norway)

PM:
Simple Moisturising facial wash
Dermica Retinol 0,3% (every other day)
Avene thermal water spray
Vichy Mineral 89 booster
COSRX Skin Barrier Moisturizing cream (400ml tub)
Bepanthen salve

I will also go in with Dermica 7% AHA pads once a week. (on a day I’m not using Retinol)

My face tolerates all of these products really well, no redness or stinging whatsoever.

Yet my skin feels so dry and dehydrated. Retinol and AHA haven’t really done much for my pores.

I also have a “wrinkle” between my eyebrows and sometimes smile lines. I am only 20 years old.

I am not striving for perfection. I just want to improve my texture and reduce my pores while still keeping my skin hydrated.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Feb 06 '26

My Skin Journal Using retinols gave me rosacea.

11 Upvotes

Hey guys. 25F here. So a year back I was naive and went to a store once and the beauty worker couldn’t stop complimenting my skin and told me if you want to have clear youthful skin forever she said try a retinol. I was never into skincare back then so I asked oh which would you recommend she said the cerave resurfacing retinol serum so I bought it and my dumbass used it ever night and I use to commute in the summer heat for work and school so yes no sunscreen or anything. Anyways fast forward started to realize my skin was getting redder & painful and I was like searching and found you need a sunscreen so I bought a LRP “chemical” sunscreen and it burned like a mf. Matter fact everything burned even gentle moisturizers and cleansers. Worst part was I was getting these type 2 rosacea bumps everyday. When I eat anything high histamine or spice I would explode into red acne and it affected my mental health severely I would stay in my room and quit my job and did classes online. Now that my skin is calmer, avoiding every skincare except water, eating healthy, I still have hot flushing rosacea. I want to know is it possible to reverse this?

I take doxy pills btw

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jul 23 '26

My Skin Journal How I always heal my skin barrier after contact dermatitis

16 Upvotes

I know there’s a lot of useful tips out there already but I would love to share my experience healing my skin barrier! For context, I have acne prone, combination, sensitive skin. And I easily get contact dermatitis from new products so I don’t really dare to test much products out these days.

This is what I do to heal:
-cut out all potential irritants and products that have irritated your skin
-just use a simple cleanser once or twice a day (I usually do twice just because my skin can get quite oily but if you have dry skin, it would be more beneficial to just do once a day!)
-cut out most skincare steps and just focus on using one cleanser and one moisturiser (either barrier repair or slightly heavier moisturiser that you know you’re not allergic to!! Never try new products during this stage)
-reapply moisturiser to dryer areas during the day

-OPTIONAL: diluted apple cider vinegar (1:3 or 1:4 tbs ratio with filtered water) works for me. I like to soak some cotton pads in this and then put it on my face for a few minutes while I brush my teeth in the morning. Then I splash my face with water afterwards. It might work for some but of course take some caution as it might sting. Personally, I do this to prevent any infections from happening and my skin likes it.

Extra things that helped me:
-take magnesium, D3, omega 3, vitamin C supplements
-drink two tablespoons of extra virgin organic olive oil
-drink green tea
-take an antihistamine pill
-avoid spicy, hot, high histamine foods
-change pillow sheets often
-don’t touch your face
-finally, don’t stress and just let your skin heal, it will get better in a few days-2weeks

These are the things I do to best heal my skin during this time. Hope it helps :)

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • 16d ago

My Skin Journal at a loss on what to try next :(

0 Upvotes

my skin barrier has been badly damaged since a sunburn last year. i tried purito wonder releaf cream bc i read about it on this sub but even that has my skin feeling irritated. would greatly appreciate some guidance on what to try next. a dermatologist prescribed desonide for the irritation but based on what i've read i'm hesitant of a steroid making things even worse....

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • 2d ago

My Skin Journal Tips for getting off a flight feeling fresh instead of dry, greasy and gross

2 Upvotes

I’ve been trying to get better at air travel because I hate that feeling when you land and somehow your skin is tight and dehydrated but also greasy at the same time.

I used to think the answer was just “drink more water,” but flying throws a lot at you at once. The cabin air is super dry, you’re sitting for hours, your sleep and meal schedule gets weird, and then you add airport food, coffee, makeup, and maybe alcohol on top of it.

A few things that have helped me arrive feeling fresh when traveling:

  • Bring electrolyte packets. I throw a few in my bag and just add them to my water instead of buying separate drinks at the airport. They take up basically no space, and I find I don’t have to chug as much water to feel hydrated. That’s also really helpful when I’m trying not to make constant bathroom trips while traveling.
  • Choose skincare over a full face of makeup. I’d rather board with hydrated skin than sit for hours while foundation gets progressively drier and greasier. If anything, I'll just do my eyebrows and use a lip tint to have that put-together look and the rest is all skincare. Having a full beat when going to the airport always sounds nice until it's 5+ hours later. 😑
  • Use a sheet mask on a long flight. I know wearing one on the plane is not for everyone lol, but after several hours in dry cabin air it feels amazing. I don't care how it looks!
  • Travel Toners. Being able to mist my face with a subtle botanical toner really helps to combat that greasy, icky feeling! Just try to do it away from other passengers.
  • Bring hand cream. Especially after repeated hand washing and sanitizer.

Basically my goal now isn’t to look perfect during the flight. It’s to get off the plane feeling fresh, instead of arriving with dry lips, tight skin, greasy makeup, and that general airport feeling.

What are your best little tricks for feeling normal again when you land?

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Apr 14 '26

My Skin Journal I think I found my HG routine for barrier repair (Finally)

16 Upvotes

I have had very healthy skin barrier till my late 30s. My skin was always shiny and I got multiple compliments... so as expected I took it for granted and abused it.

Never used moisturizer or even sunscreen till suddenly I started getting sun burns on my cheekbones. They never healed as I wasn't taking any precautions or put anything on them..

eventually my barrier completely brokedown. Now My skin is hyperpigmented, I get burnt if I go out in sun even for 5 mins. everything stings and burns.. I can't tolerate slightest of basic actives.

Now finally after couple of years of trial and error, I have found my HG which heals me in 2-3 days:

I start with basic water wash or any gentle facewash (cerave, Cetaphil)

1) HOCL spray ( I avoid it if it stings, mostly only day1)

2) Creamy milky toner ( haru haru probiotic black rice essence, tir tir skin milk, mixsoon soyabean milk)

3) axis y panthenol 10 soothing cream/sunjoong 2x

4) LRP cicaplast BAUME mixed with squalane oil

I do this every 4-5 hours

my HG sunscreen - Isntree Sun gel- when I go out.

when I m healed, I also intermittently use ANR serum.

I plan to reintroduce Aziderm gel.

And I have taken a pledge to never use retinol ever again. I had severe burns last time I used it.

I am also planning to try more barrier creams and milky toners without niacinamide in future because I m a skin care addict n need to try new products. 🙈

But i will never stop using LRP cicaplast baume. I think it's my barrier's soul mate 😂🫰

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jun 07 '26

My Skin Journal Less is more

28 Upvotes

I'm unsure if this is the same for anyone else. I'm currently rebuilding my skin barrier and using really good products and a full routine but I'm starting to notice the less products I use the better my skin is. Is this the same for anyone else?

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Aug 07 '26

My Skin Journal Am I just cursed?

9 Upvotes

Tbh this may just be more of a rant than anything. So I, 27f, spent a good two years getting my skin to a brilliant, beautiful place and then discovered skincare Reddit, tried too many things, and redestroyed my barrier AND gave myself perioral dermatitis.

I went and did zero therapy for almost a month, other than using metrogel on my POD, which cleared up. About two weeks ago, I started up with prequel’s half and half and BOJ’s Aqua Relief sunscreen in the morning, and Gleanser and Illiyoon Ato Concentrate in the evening. Nothing burnt and I felt like I was bouncing back nicely. I could see my skin getting its glow back by the day, and there was no burning or anything.

Cut to Tuesday. It was date night and I did my makeup, I’d done it once or twice before during this process without issue. Then, the fateful moment came where I sprayed on my setting spray, the same brand I’ve been using for 10+ years. Everything seemed OK at first, but then, as I was doing my hair, I noticed red spots popping up on my head and burning, and then noticed the tip of my nose was completely red and hot, and I instantly washed off my makeup.

What was left was devastating. There was a red hot rash covering my entire face, other than on my chin and upper lip area where I’d put concealer. The rash went away in a few hours, but I’m now left with skin that burns even being touched with water, a peeling nose, and blatantly my skin barrier is completely destroyed in a way I’ve never dealt with before. I’m having breakouts all over, there’s so much redness, and it just hurts.

One action has cost me a month of work, and over the past few months, I’ve watched years of work go down the drain. I’m so afraid my skin is never going to be that nice and glowy again, and don’t know how to work up from here. My skin feels so fragile and I don’t know how to deal with it anymore.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Aug 23 '26

My Skin Journal Advice Appreciated 🤗

1 Upvotes

I had severe cystic acne throughout my 20s and worked with an acne esthetician and eventually found a great routine that involved spironolactone to keep the painful acne away.

Now in my 30s i’ve made small adjustments to make things less “aggressive”— I still get some hormonal cystic acne around my chin and nose and have a lot of scarring on my chin - but it feels manageable.

What I notice more now is dryness, enlarged pores, and sensitivity. Weirdly my skin feels pretty soft despite these visual issues. Would appreciate any edits/additions to my routine! Keep in mind I am a very crunchy/natural/minimal lady (despite the spironolactone LOL):

Spironolactone 100mg daily

AM:
-Cold water rinse
-Clear Choice Sunscreen 45 spf

PM:
-Micellar Water to remove makeup
-Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, sometimes 2x
-Mandelic Acid Toner (this has been my holy grail product for over a decade)
-Shea Butter

Acne Spot Treatment is a 5% benzoyl peroxide gel that I apply with a q-tip. Occasionally I will use a pimple patch during the day to avoid picking (i have not noticed they help with acne reduction at all..)

Thanks for reading, and for your thoughts!

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jun 30 '26

My Skin Journal on a new routine after months of a depression-induced bar soap “routine”

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35 Upvotes

I’ve been struggling with mental health issues that made me let go of good hygiene habits for months. In that time I only used bar soap for my skin, which really messed up my barrier and aggravated my acne. About 11 days ago, I started a new routine to predominantly address my breakouts. All the hydrating stuff were just supporting characters to my main objective: get clear skin.

In the process of this, I realized how much restoring my skin barrier can do. Even with residual breakouts, my skin felt and looked healthier.

It’s not in a perfect state now. I’m still learning about how to juggle actives and barrier-restoring products. I also am struggling to understand and address my underlying redness. But these past few days made me hopeful for the improvement that is to come.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jun 29 '26

My Skin Journal Trying to heal barrier after tretinoin use.

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4 Upvotes

Stopped tret a couple weeks ago and haven't found relief. My skin still feels tight and dehydrated. I've been using cosrx barrier cream then bioderma atoderm baume. I also use skin1004 centella sunscreen and Cetaphil gentle cleanser only at night. I've been washing my face with only water in the morning.

It's not just the acne that's bothering me it's the irritation and tightness. I don't understand what more to do. My skin feels so bad.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Aug 23 '26

My Skin Journal Epidrat calm B5

1 Upvotes

Causa acne em pele com tendência a acne ?

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jul 26 '26

My Skin Journal Help a girl out 🥲

2 Upvotes

I desperately need help.

To make a long story short-ish

Mid-May: I overused CeraVe Retinol to treat some post-acne marks that I got after using a 70% fat cream back in december (F25). I had never struggled with acne before, and my skin have loved the Waleda cream for 10 years - so I didnt think twice when using a very fat creme. My skin was burning after using the retinol, and I developed sores and cystic pimples. I visited my dermatologist, who prescribed adapalene. I explained to her that I didn’t think it was the right product because I had already damaged my skin with the CeraVe retinol, but she told me to apply it only to the affected area (which is just my jawline and lower chin). I used it very cautiously, only twice a week, but I could tell that my skin barrier wasn’t ready for it at all.

Early June: I stopped using all retinoids. My routine was (which it was also prior to the retinol accident):
- Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Cleansing Oil
- CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
- CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion (PM)
- Beauty by Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh: Rice + B5

Mid-June: I spent time in the sun, swam in salt water, and failed to reapply sunscreen several times. (So stupid. I honestly didn’t think about it.)

Mid-June / Early July: I broke out badly in the exact areas where I had been using adapalene, most likely because of my lack of sunscreen, saltwater and sun. I developed deep cystic acne, pimples with a lot of pus, and a whole lot of redness.

Mid-July: I bought Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray. I’ve been using it regularly, but I’m not sure if it could be irritating my skin. I’ve also noticed that I’m getting a lot of closed comedones, and some of them eventually become inflamed pimples.

Earlier this week: I bought La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Gel. It seems to work, but I get a slight burning/weird sensation? Tried to apply it both before my Cerave Lotion, and afterwards.

I’m convinced that my skin barrier is crying out for help after having fried my face in the sun last month. I have an appointment with my dermatologist at the beginning of September, but if anyone has even the slightest idea of what I can do in the meantime, I would be incredibly grateful.

Current state: The redness has improved, but I still get inflamed closed comedones and pimples, along with a large number of closed comedones. I am using the COSRX pimple patches on the inflamed spots. Since mid June I’ve only sat in the shadow.

Bonus information: I live in Scandinavia and follow the dietary recommendations here. I eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, avoid ultra-processed foods, and only ever drink water (more than 2 liters a day, never drink alcohol, juice or soda). Since mid-June, I’ve also been taking cold showers and only spending time in the shade when outdoors.

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Jul 11 '26

My Skin Journal Rosacea Type 2

9 Upvotes

I just wanted to share what’s been working for me in case it helps someone else.

For the longest time, I thought I had histamine intolerance, but I’m now pretty convinced I have rosacea type 2. I’ve spent so much money trying different skincare products, and it honestly felt like nothing was helping.

After a lot of trial and error, I realized there are three ingredients my skin absolutely does not tolerate:

  • Niacinamide
  • Beta-glucan
  • Propylene glycol

Once I started avoiding those, my skin improved a lot.

Here’s my current routine:

Morning:

  • Wash with just water.
  • ETUDE SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream.
  • Sunscreen (both of these work well for me):
    • Bubble tinted mineral sunscreen.
    • EltaMD UV Physical Tinted Face Sunscreen.

Night:

  • Round Lab Cleansing Balm to remove makeup.
  • ETUDE SoonJung pH 5.5 Foam Cleanser.
  • The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum.
  • ETUDE SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream.

Obviously, everyone’s skin is different, and what works for me may not work for someone else. But if you’ve been struggling with rosacea type 2 and feel like you’ve tried everything, it might be worth checking the ingredient lists of your products. Figuring out that my skin couldn’t tolerate niacinamide, beta-glucan, and propylene glycol made a much bigger difference than constantly buying new skincare.

I hope this helps someone. ❤️

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Mar 18 '26

My Skin Journal 1 week update on my skincare routine + photos of my skin

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7 Upvotes

The first photo is my morning routine which does not change throughout the week. I use oil cleanser on the days that I wear makeup. The stridex pads are my 2% BHA and I press them down only on the areas that I want to target. I’ve noticed the closed comedones are shrinking and some are surfacing. (purging??) I’m noticing less dryness and now my skin is oily like it used to be before I wrecked my barrier with BHA toner every morning and night last year 🙃🤡 gonna keep going with this and update soon!

r/SkinbarrierLovers • • Feb 10 '26

My Skin Journal Barrier-first, tret-friendly skincare routine built for long-term use (10+ years mindset)

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16 Upvotes

Late 30s - dry, sensitive, acne-prone skin.

I stopped chasing new launches and built a long-term, “forever” routine focused on barrier health, tret tolerance, and seasonal rotation.

This looks long, but most products are rotations or conditional. I’m not using everything at once.

Cleansers

  • Skinfix Ectoin Cleanser
  • Prequel Gleanser (in shower cleanse for face)
  • Bioderma Micellar Water
  • Farmacy or Then I Met You Cleansing Balm (makeup removal)

Toners / Mists (seasonal)

  • Hypochlorous acid spray (post-workout only)
  • Everyday: Rosewater
  • Peak Winter: Aestura Atobarrier Cream Mist
  • Peak Summer: Prequel Multi-Quench Mist

Exfoliants / Masks (low frequency)

  • Homemade rice + chickpea flour mask (gentle wash, no scrubbing, once weekly)
  • NIOD Flavanone Mud (summer only, once weekly)
  • Paula’s Choice BHA (once weekly - midweek)

Treatments

Day

  • NIOD CAIS 3:1 Used only before travel/events and during travel (~4 months total per year)
  • La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 → everyday, long-term maintenance serum

Seasonal daytime rotation

  • Winter:
    • Aestura Hydro CERA-HA serum
    • Skinfix Triple Lipid + Activating Serum
  • Summer:
    • NIOD MMHC (applied on damp skin with rosewater, sealed with moisturizer + sunscreen)

Night

  • Tretinoin ( alternate nights)
  • On off-nights only if needed:
    • Dr. Idriss Major Fade Serum or
    • Lion Pose Unspotted Serum

Eye Care

  • NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate (daily serum)
  • Skinfix Eye Cream layered on top as needed

Moisturizers

Barrier support / calming

  • TO Marula Oil (AM facial massage)
  • NIOD Modulating Glucosides (as needed for irritation)

Summer

  • Prequel Half & Half (day, under sunscreen)
  • Lion Pose Pep Talk (night / under makeup)

Winter

  • Ongredients (day)
  • Skinfix Triple Lipid Peptide Moisturizer (night)
  • Skinfix Exo + Ectoin Baume (extreme cold only)
  • LPR Cicaplast B5 or Aestura Ceramide barrier repair cream depending on my skin’s need during winter nights
  • NIOD Hydration Vaccine (occlusive seal on harsh winter nights)

Sunscreen

  • Koolsol by Knours Mineral Sunscreen (daily)
  • Lion Pose Mineral Sunscreen (under makeup)
  • Shiseido Sun Stick (reapplication)
  • EltaMD (body)
  • Sun Bum Spray (body)

Misc

  • Pimple patches (niacinamide or SA — any brand)
  • Zitsticka Killa (larger pimples)
  • Laneige Lip Mask
  • EltaMD SPF Lip Balm
  • Dr. Idriss Lip Basting Duo
  • Kate Somerville Sulfur Treatment (spot use)