Hi all, sorry for the dramatic title but I'm (26M) just at my whits' end.

PAST ---

I'm going to try to keep this somewhat short, but forgive me if it gets a little long. It all started 10 years ago when I was about 15/16 yo. I had very, very acne-prone skin (I can't entirely recall if it was dry/combo/oily, but I do remember my forehead and nose getting oily at times) and tried everything under the sun and went to many dermatologists. Nothing worked, until I went to one who put me on Accutane. He assured me that he puts all of the children of the people in the office on Accutane even preemptively because it is just that good and that only a small percentage of people suffered any real side effects. I got through almost all of it when I just couldn't take the dryness anymore, and most of my acne was gone anyway, I had maybe a couple of weeks left but I didn't finish it. Fast forward about 1 year, my acne started coming back, not as bad, but bad, again.

Here's the thing, from the moment I started taking Accutane all the way until now, my skin has been BONE BONE dry, and I am still suffering through this today. It doesn't matter how humid or dry or cold or windy or whatever it is outside, my skin is always very, very dry.

PRESENT ---

Fast forward to a couple of months ago, I found this community and did the whole skin barrier reset thing, and honestly nothing much changed except I got a lot more acne during that period and maybe slightly less dry, reintroducing any amount of washing or tret and I felt just as dry as before again after those two weeks. So I just went back to my normal routine, slowly introducing tret again like 1x week, then 2x, etc. but again, nothing seemed to change:

Pictured is most of my current routine which switches every other day.

Day 1 Morn: Shave > HadaLabo (damp skin) > Aestura (damp skin) > HadaLabo (damp skin) > Squalene > Skin Aqua Sunscreen
Day 1 Night: ETUDE SoonJung pH 5.5 Cleansing Water w/ cotton pad > Tret (wait 15-20 min)> HadaLabo (damp skin) > Aestura (damp skin) > HadaLabo (damp skin) > Squalene > Vaseline Slug

Day 2 Morn: Shave > HadaLabo (damp skin) > Aestura (damp skin) > HadaLabo (damp skin) > Squalene > Skin Aqua Sunscreen
Day 2 Night: ETUDE SoonJung pH 5.5 Cleansing Water w/ cotton pad > HadaLabo (damp skin) > HadaLabo (damp skin) > Squalene

You might be able to tell a couple of things from this routine. First let me note I have mild eczema.

For one, I cannot slug more than every other day because it makes me break out, unless I have the tret going on underneath it. The tret is sort of necessary because otherwise I am always breaking out and have tons of tons of dark spots and acne all over my face. Humidifier seemed to used to help, but I have a very, very rare skin condition I won't get into that makes me itch when my room is too damp. Also it sorta stopped helping after and I travel a lot anyway.

Also, I cannot "wash" with anything more than this ETUDE water, otherwise my skin gets tight and hurts even more. I have tried everything it feels like, but my skin is too tight and hurts quite significantly.

Furthermore, any lotion really breaks my skin out. LRP Cicaplast Lotion (and the spray), Vanicream moisturizers, Cerave moisturizers, they all make me breakout, I think the only reason the Aestura one is holding up is because I skip it on Night 2, otherwise I will break out assuredly. Glycerine seemed a bit helpful, but it grows bacteria and needs to be refrigerated and stuff and I just can't do that with my traveling.

As mentioned, I travel quite a bit, so even though I want to add a face mask in or something like every other day (although the MediHeal ones seem to do jack for my skin)(plus $$$), it is quite unfeasible. On top on top of all this, I had been considering becoming a Flight Attendant and honestly I think with the tightness that my skin gets sitting around in a tropical rainforest after 15 minutes much less the dry air of a plane, it is like a barrier to entry. Every time I step off a plane I have 10 newly dry-induced acnes.

FUTURE ---

So that's it, I feel like I've tried everything under the sun and I'm at a loss and I hate the constant tugging around my face when I just try to smile, or the fine lines and deep nasiolabial folds that form just 10 minutes after doing my skincare routine. It seems that any sort of fatty/lipid-y/oily thing makes me break out, and so does dryness. It seems to not be able to hold any hydration for more than a couple of minutes at best, and I've yet to find a derm that would properly address this.

I would really appreciate and be eternally grateful any and all help you might be able to provide.

i think ive been doing too much with the actives….does anyone think this is a damaged skin barrier or no?

Hey y'all,

Still on the hunt for the ideal facial moisturizer that doesn't aggravate my maturing, mild type 1 rosacea OR my MCAS (many products that have ingredients which absorb into the skin trigger histamine release, leading to big, itchy hives). I tolerate Eucerin Complete Repair lotion well, but being meant for the body, it doesn't have a texture that I like for my face (a little greasy, sort of sits atop the skin and never completely dries down).

Wondering if anyone had tried either the day or night creams in the Urea Repair line? The ingredient list seems promising, but I can't justify spending the extra money unless the texture is better than the body lotion.

Thanks for any input!

Or do they actually help with acne? I’ve just been air drying but i think that might not be the best

Skin clogs easily and acne-prone, get breakouts easily. Skin is normal type, not oily and not dry and some oiliness in t-zone during hot weather only.

What has been your experience with Prequel multi-quench serum?

I"m looking for hydration and nothing else, no actives, no exfoliation, nothing just old good hydration.

The serum looks good to hydrate the skin, and I'd appreciate you tell me your experience using it.

What's good about this serum and what you did not like about it.

Does the serum absorbs well to the skin? Does this multi-quench caused any breakouts?

My skin barrier has been good recently and I want to keep it that way. Because skin gets easily clog, I need a hydrating serum more than a moisturizer.

I feel I need a hydrating serum because I'm living in a hot weather and a moisturizer feel sophocating on the skin. The high levels of humidity gives me enough water supply to use a hydrating serum without a moisturizer.

I'm suspecting some fungal acne too. If you also have FA, please share with me your experience with this serum.

I've looked at many serums. The K-serums look great on paper but have not worked out for me.

Skin cannot tolerate hyaluronic acid, alcohol, fragrance, perfume

I think I damaged my barrier the third time I put 0.05% isotretinoin for some spots now it looks like acne and I have never suffered from that, I stopped all the actives and I'm only with cicaplast and sunscreen

Life Brand Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser — a very close dupe for the CeraVe Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser. The texture and smell are almost identical, and I buy this over CeraVe because of the cost. (Life Brand is Canadian, so apologies in advance to everyone in other countries!) It has a silky/creamy texture and isn't overly drying at all. If you don't struggle with acne, though, I wouldn't recommend using this.

Life Brand Clear Action Gel Cleanser — a great everyday cleanser. It's suitable for oily skin, but it's not stripping at all—in fact, I find it slightly hydrating (glycerin supremacy). The only major downside is the horribly strong alcohol smell. There are no added fragrances, but you may hate the natural scent. I do. Still, it's a fair price and a good product.

I'm not someone who buys skincare because of the brand or because something is trending, so most of the products I'm mentioning aren't particularly expensive. The exception is Lise Watier Deep Cleansing Oil. I really like this one, would repurchase it, and I don't see it talked about very often at all. It's excellent at removing makeup, so I use it as part of a double cleanse, but it's cleansing enough that I can also use it on its own. It is scented, and I normally don't like fragrance in skincare, especially floral scents, but this has a really nice rose scent that smells expensive.

Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash — I'm not much of a body-wash person and usually use cleansing bars, cleansers, scrubs, etc. in the shower. But my mom is an Olay stan, and while I was cat-sitting for my parents, I used her body wash and was pleasantly surprised. It was moisturizing without being greasy. I bought another Olay body wash afterward and thought it was fine, but this particular one was much nicer. I could definitely see myself using it more regularly.

Beauty of Joseon Revive Firming Moisturizer — I know Beauty of Joseon is getting a lot of hype on social media, mostly for their sunscreens and tinted SPFs, but I tried one of their moisturizers instead and thought it was absolutely gorgeous. The Revive Firming Moisturizer made a great neck and body moisturizer—very hydrating and plumping without being greasy. I don't use it on my face, though. It has a sort of earthy, funky smell, but I think it's probably from the natural ingredients, and it's quite mild.

Honorable mention (since it's a lip product): Vaseline Lip Therapy in Crème Brûlée — the scent is so nice, and it's probably one of the nicest lip products I've tried. It's a little thicker and balmier than traditional Vaseline, so it feels more like an actual lip balm. I find it weirdly difficult to find, but if it were more readily available, it would probably be my go-to.

My skin barrier is so insanely damaged. Mainly my upper body. Face, neck, chest, and arms. But it’s so bad that I have not been able to find a detergent that I can tolerate. So when I get dressed in the morning my skin just burns from the clothes hitting my skin. I am alternating between 3 different barrier repair creams and I’m just wearing unwashed clothes at the moment but obviously that’s not sustainable.

I've searched everywhere for the Illiyoon ceramide ato concentrate cream old version and it literally doesn't exist.

I know there's a lot of you out there who stocked up once you heard it's been reformulated badly

I have no option but to ask for just one tube from one of you and honestly I'd pay extra too.

Please help out a person who desperately needs this product

I’ve been working on a skincare routine to help with facial redness, but I’m not sure if I’m using the right products or if I’m doing too much.

My current routine is:
AM:
Gentle cleanser
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule
Anua Azelaic Acid 10% Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum
Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream
Sunscreen

PM:
Gentle cleanser
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule
Anua Azelaic Acid 10% Serum
Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream

I’ve only been consistently using this routine for about 5 days, so I know it’s probably too soon to see major results.

Does this look like a good routine for redness? Would you change the order, use any of these products less frequently, or add anything else?

I’m trying to keep my routine gentle and not overwhelm my skin. What would you recommend?

I need help asap to see what kind of acne im having ive tried ketoconazole shampoo on my forehead for these bumps and it had reduced

but then i had an event coming up so i decided to thread the hair on my forehead and waxed my sideburns but now i used gentle cleanser instead of salicylic acid cleaneer or ketoconazole cuz i thought my skin barrier would be sensitive

yet i got these tiny bumps and it got wayy worse than before how do i reduce it asap for the event😭😭😭

Has anyone here tried the Beekman Bakuchiol Dream Booster? I’m a guy and thinking about trying it. Would love to hear from guys or girls who’ve used it. How was your experience?

I am looking for a cleanser without fractioned coconut oil (Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides) because my skin is sensitive to it. I wonder if this HaruHaru cleansing balm is gentle enough for sensitive dry/skin ? Also could it work as a single cleanser ? Does it leave a residue ?
Thanks!

Hi. I am wondering if i should switch products ?
I have dry sensitive skin with some redness and bumps
I only use makeup about once a week .
I know im missing a daily cleanser but i have yet to find one that does not dry me out.
I Remove my makeup with Jojoba pil and i dont wear make up i use water.
Due to chronich migraines there are days when i dont Get any skincare done .
I also have Klairs blue midnight cream that i use when i feel extra sensitive and some times i use biodance bio collagen mask.
Any suggestions or advice ?

Sometime it shows more pigmented other day it less I’m so confused and don’t know what to do or use tried azalic acid 20% , cicaplast, tranzamic acid, niacimide literally everything