A little background: my skin fluctuates from clear to full of whiteheads and closed comedones. Some of it is hormonal and only occurs once a month. I have huge pores and oily skin, even when I do not wear makeup. I have a skincare routine that focuses on cleansing, exfoliating, and hydrating. Even with all that, I usually have a few bumps on my jawline when I’m having a good skin day. Lately I have found some skincare saviors that have been helping me in the right direction with diminishing the appearance of my acne.
Panoxyl 10% / I’ll totally confess that I screenshotted this face wash on Khloe Kardashian’s Instagram story. She snapped her skincare products and I was amazed that she uses an affordable product- Panoxyl. And it didn’t even show #ad so it looked legit. After looking up more reviews I bought it and have been extremely impressed by the quick results. I’ve used this as a face wash and also a spot treatment on a cluster of breakouts on my cheek. I noticed immediately that redness was reduced after the spot treatment. Panoxyl has also made my skin much more dry than usual- something I am not used to but it’s making my pores look smaller. If you have dry skin this may not be good as a face wash to use more than a couple times a week, or go for the 4% BP version.
To make sure I don’t completely dry out my skin I’ve been going heavy handed on serums and moisturizers after I wash my face. I’m pretty excited about the reduction in oil and not waking up with new zits! The active ingredient is Benzoyl Peroxide, which didn’t immediately entice me that much since it has been around in acne products forever. The last experience I have with BP that I can remember is when I used Differin as a spot treatment- another awesome product.
Spearmint / I’ve been taking these capsules for a few months but thought I would mention it again here because I notice a big difference when I slack off with them. Supposedly spearmint helps with hormonal acne- the main issue for my skin. Spearmint tea bags also work if you’re a tea drinker.
Vitamin A / This vitamin is found in two awesome skin care products- Accutane and retinol creams. I figured that an extra vitamin dose of it internally might help me obtain some of the benefits of those treatments.
Lysine / This supplement has been gaining traction on social media lately as a cure for acne. I happened to have a bottle of Lysine vitamins because I keep them on hand for when I feel a cold sore coming on my lip. It’s such a taboo thing to talk about unfortunately, but I’ve been getting them randomly since I was a kid. I hate the stigma that they have because they only come on when I literally get hit in the mouth (not catching a beer can someone tossed to me, workout resistance bands snapping back at me, or getting lip injections have brought them on) because it irritates a nerve. Anyway, when I feel a tingle of a cold sore about to pop up, I take two- three Lysine pills per day and they’re stopped before they occur.
Lysine is a saving grace if you have ever experienced the embarrassment of a cold sore, and they are extremely easy to obtain since they are sold as a supplement. I actually got the confidence to mention it here because a vlogger I follow, Toni Sevdalis, admitted that she gets them in the winter. Anyway, I guess they stop acne too because ever since I started taking them regularly instead of once in a blue moon, my skin has been extra clear.
Here’s the information from the bottle: L-Lysine is an essential amino acid that must be obtained through the diet or through supplementation. Lysine is necessary for the production of all proteins in the body, and is required for the maintenance of the structural proteins collagen and elastin, which form all connective tissue such as skin, tendon, and bone. L-Lysine is also a precursor to L-carnitine, which is needed for fat metabolism and energy production. In addition, L-Lysine may help to support a healthy immune system and proper cardiovascular function.
Triple Antibiotic / Neosporin as a spot treatment is fabulous if you have a zit. It holds off bacteria and keeps the area moisturized. I use a clear gel one so I can use it even during the day and no one knows I’m wearing an acne spot treatment all over my chin at work.
I’m so happy that I have found these products recently because I don’t know if it’s stress or what, but I had been noticing lots of clogged pores on my face before trying these out. There was a point where I was hovering over the “checkout” button on Sephora to buy Sunday Riley products… which just one small bottle of is like triple the cost of getting all of these. I’m not exactly sure what product out of these that has been the most beneficial, but the combination has been really working. *Knock on wood*
-Kim
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