I just gave up. My skin is very sensitive, can break out by tiniest bit of something wrong. I found that I am 100 percent sensitive to products with alcohol, fragrance, and particular types of spf ingredients. But not just them. I run away from them for my life but even though products don’t include those, I still breakout. Sometime instantly, sometime gradually. Even if the products didn’t get me breakout, most moistiarizer gives me acne or redness one way or another, probably because of glycerin(Im still not sure about this one, I might try buying a pure bottle of glycerin and try by itself with water). When these happen, I feel depressed and discouraged. But not anymore, because I just gave up. Now I use distilled water, and squalane or jojobe oil. Sometimes mixed with vaseline. My skin looks A LOT better and feels fine. Now I wonder why I wasted so much time, energy, and mental health on skincare products. I was addicted? maybe. Just, if you cannot find anything that goes well with your skin, giving up might be the best option.
You could benefit from skin allergy testing.
That’s fair, but I do urge you to try to find a sunscreen you can tolerate - it’s not just vanity, but for your own health. Skin cancer is no joke, especially if not caught quickly.
Not sure if you’ve ever tried Korean sunscreens, but I find them much more gentle than anything on the Western market - I can’t make recommendations bc while my skin is sensitive it’s not as much as yours, but if you check out some of the Asian beauty/skincare subs I’m sure they’ll have great recs for people with skin like yours. Good luck! But yes, sometimes less is more.
Agreed. Even the Cerave sunscreen is brutal on my skin. But I have Korean sunscreens that feel no different than a light lotion. No white cast, no stickiness or gumminess, no breaking out. It might be worth checking them out. Skin1004 is a Korean brand that tends to have very highly recommended sunscreens.
I’m exactly like you. My skin just seems to hate everything. I just recently figured out it also hates cleansers, so I’ve switched strictly to oil cleansing, which has been a total game-changer. But I have to keep my routine to the bare minimum or my skin freaks out. No serums, masks, toners, or anything of the like for me. I just splash with water in the morning, spray with hypochlorous acid, and let dry, then apply a moisturizer with SPF. At night I oil cleanse and apply a simple moisturizer. My skin has been great the last little while just keeping things super simple. No Korean 10-step skincare routines for me.
Vaseline is really good and underrated, actually.
You might have a damaged moisture barrier making your skin more sensitive. Try looking into moisture barrier repair (avoiding irritants like the plague, and slugging)
My skin was a mess until I started using an bare-bones routine with natural products. More is not always more, and I was driving myself crazy trying to have a “proper” routine.
When I was trying all sorts of complicated skin care products my skin hated it but when I switched to a more simple routine I finally got clearer skin! Cerave face wash, rose water toner, cerave moisturizer that’s it.
I 100% support this, the less the better. My skin gets red once I use more than like one product so I just make sure to have a clean pillowcase, drink filtered water, and then during winter or dry spells I use a cream like plume’s hydrating repair (not sure how that is for acne prone skin tho) every once and again and I’m perfectly happy with my skin. Onto teeth and hair now haha.
I understand. I can’t use so many products. I couldn’t use chemical based spf (I have to use supergoop matte). I tried so many and finally settled on a mineral based one. I also don’t use a gentle cleanser (I have to Lush face wash bc I can’t tolerate any “gentle clenser”). Your face will probably tolerate some ingredients you just need to be patient and experiment. I cut down to just washing my face for a bit with my old cleanser, then added moisturizer, then added SPF. It may have to be a gradual process. I have redness, and I couldn’t use niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, or coconut derived ingredients. That’s a LOT of products. I wouldn’t give up. Just be more realistic. It won’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process. It took me 6 months to find a good routine. I use lush aqua marina face wash (can’t find a face wash that doesn’t cause an allergic reaction), then I use paulas choice salicylic acid, then skinfix moisturizer (and supergoop spf if it’s the morning). I also use micellar water to take off my sunscreen in the evenings or to rinse my face after a workout.
You have a similar case as mine. I can’t tolerate “gentle” cleansers, coconut, almond and rice-derived products, niacinamide, retinol, and vitamin C(those active ingredients…). I use micellar water and mineral sunscreen as well which many misunderstood from my post… my English wasn’t good.
Your routine sounds great! If it works for you, that’s all that matters. I would advise you to try to find a sunscreen you can tolerate though.
Yes, like the others mentioned, my skin is extremely sensitive and reactive. I simply cleanse, spray rosewater, and then use plain squalane oil for my moisturizer. For us sensitive people, less is more
It’s great to hear that you’ve found something that works for you, even if it meant stepping away from traditional products. Sensitive skin can be so tricky to manage, and it’s understandable to feel frustrated and discouraged when nothing seems to work. Your experience might resonate with many others who are struggling with similar issues. Sometimes, simplifying our routines and listening to our skin’s needs can make a huge difference.
Same. I start accutane at the end of the month.
You may just have had a damaged barrier.
It’s interesting to me that you’ve said you’ve “given up”.
It sounds to me like you’ve found the products that work for you. This is a point that all skincare people get to eventually. Sometimes it’s with a whole line of things, sometimes products are used until the issue is resolved and then stopped, and most people retreat to simplicity in the end.
It’s hard to not try ‘this new thing that will definitely solve all of your problems and make you young forever’, but you get used to not perusing skincare products anymore. It was a weight off my shoulders when I slowed down.
I would say you’ve been successful in developing a good routine for you. That is the whole point! I’m glad your skin is looking better and feeling fine. I would celebrate!
I feel this. I’ve tried it all from expensive skin care lines to seed oils & EOs. All that I can tolerate is a super simple routine of manuka honey, tallow soap, & unscented tallow balm. Minimal ingredients and no allergens. It’s a great feeling to finally find out what works for your unique chemistry! Cotz flawless complexion sunscreen is good!