Can you help fix my skin

[MsSquiz]

I used to have lovely clear skin until I had my DD 11 months ago, when I started getting horrendous break outs. I thought it was just hormonal, but it seems to be getting worse, not better.

I try to drink plenty water - I drink about a litre a day, plus a cup of decaf tea on an average day.

My skincare routine:
Morning- dermalogica cleanser, Clinique moisture surge moisturiser, then make up if going out.

Evening- Clinique take the day off balm, decleor toner, and either Clinique moisture surge moisturiser or Elemis superfood oil.

I exfoliate in the morning 3 times a week with either st Ives apricot scrub or dermalogica microfoliant.

Please help me fix my poor face

[TeddyIsaHe]

You need some good acids in there, and I always find balms aggravate skin if it’s sore or compromised in anyway. The act of wiping it off pisses my skin off no end.

My face looked exactly like this until I switched up my routine and it’s now super clear & no texture really.

I do:

AM: cleanse with a cream cleanser
Acid tone (REN or Paula’s Choice)
FaceTheory Porebright serum or niacinamide or azeliac acid
REN Evercalm moisturiser

PM
Double cleanse with an gel - oil (Oskia Renaissance) and Elemis cream cleanser
Acid tone - only if I’m not using another acid
And then generally Indeed Labs retinol reface, or Medik8 retinol or a lactic acid. I use these every other day, but do build up slowly.

On days I don’t use acids, I do acid tone, niacinamide again and a face oil (Zelens ultimate oil or rose hip)

If you add in an acid and a niacinamide at least you’ll definitely start to see a difference.

[TeddyIsaHe]

And stop using physical scrubs, they will piss your skin off. The acid exfoliants are enough and won’t shred your top layer.

[cloud1183]

Agree that you need a chemical exfoliant rather than harsh scrubs. I’ve just bought the Deviant gentle resurfacing liquid and it’s amazing. Paula’s choice 2% bha is also good but it’s a little oily

Why not look at skin&me or dermatica? I have a dermatica prescription and really recommend it

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Are you taking a good multivitamin? I had spots like this on my back years ago and it turned out I was deficient in a vitamin. Unfortunately, I can't remember which one causes it hence me suggesting a multivitamin

[BobbinThreadbare123]

I have experienced similar, OP. No baby but this is hormones so you'll only partially win tbh. Stop the St Ives scrub - it is making microcuts in your skin!
I can recommend La Roche Posay Effaclar moisturiser and any salicylic acid serum. Keep it simple, fewer steps. Niacinamide made mine worse. The more stuff you slap on, the harder it is to figure out what's helping or hindering.

[redferrari]

I had post baby breakouts quite similar to that and the only products that helped were the Clinique anti blemish range. It worked really well for me although see if you can get samples next time you get your usual Clinique stuff. I always go back to that range when I get hormonal spots.

[redferrari]

www.clinique.co.uk/product/1669/5615/skin-care/anti-blemish-solutions/clear-skin-starter-kit/anti-blemish-solutions-3-step-system/for-all-skin-types-with-blemishes

This one

[FlyingByTheSeatof]

The St Ives scrub is ripping your skin to shreds

[SpongeBobJudgeyPants]

I second not using the balm cleanser. Probably too oily for you? Also, for the same reason, I wouldn't use the oil at night either.

[MsSquiz]

Thank you for all of the advice/recommendations.
I've been a bit scared of starting to use acids, especially as the routine and items I've been using, I have used for a good few years with no ill effects. But I will look into those products you have all mentioned

@JiltedJohnsJulie I do take a multivitamin since having DD, but if anything I feel more run down and seem to catch colds easier than I ever did before hand.
Seems this baby has had a huge effect on my body and how it works!

[TheSilentStars]

Acids are way gentler than those sandy scrubs. Salicylic is good for oily and spots. The Nip & Fab one from just about anywhere has the exact % of SA as Paula's Choice but costs about a quarter of the price.

I second the Effaclar duo as a moisturizer (it has salicylic for breakouts)

Remember oily and breakout skin can also need moisture and if it doesn't get it it creates more sebum to concentrate. A gentle moisturizer (Toleriane La Roche Posay or one of the Cerave ones)

Cerave facial washes are good. One contains salicylic another is hydrating.

Clinique was initially marketed at people with problem skin and acne. They realised this kept everyone else away from their products so re-jigged the marketing but some of their ranges like the 3-step are still very harsh. Some people are fine with that, but remember they are still for "problem" skin and not "sensitive" which is what hours looks like. Ditto Simple. It really isn't.

[TheSilentStars]

The Clinique Blemish range upthread is good, pretty much same ingredients as Effaclar which is amazing. LookFantastic often have both on offer.

[Terriblecreature]

I have had complicated skin my entire life and the only advice I could give is keep it simple. Clean your face with a really gentle foam cleanser, still exfoliate with St Ives every other day, and use a basic moisturiser. I actually use my LB's child's farm. I rarely get break outs now and I think it's because I used to use so many different products. Hope it clears up soon for u x

[MsSquiz]

I have these in my basket to give them a go?

Should I go for the toleriane or effaclar moisturiser?

[Eckhart]

I gave up bread for a fortnight in support of a friend who was doing the same to lose weight. I had no idea it would cure my lifelong acne, but it did. I can eat bread again now, but I do notice that if I eat a lot, it has an effect on my complexion.

Poor skin quality comes from inside. You can't scrub/cleanse spots off, and even if you have some success with this method, you're treating the symptom and not the cause.

[MsSquiz]

@Eckhart don't say that, I do live on bread and definitely more so throughout lockdown. Carbs are my best friend!
I'll cut right down on them too, thank you

[Eckhart]

It's worth a go, OP. I was the same, but I'd never go back. It only took a few days for it to start to make a difference too. It might very well not be the cure for you, but it's such a quick experiment. I recommend it to anyone having skin problems.

Carbs = inflammation. That's just human physiology.

Good luck!

[Mojitomogul]

Have you had a blood test? Ask your doctor for your IgA and TTG markers. My skin on my cheeks was exactly like that, turns out im coeliac(highly gluten intolerant) - and gluten is in a lot of carbs, esp bread, and lots of other foods. They think mine was triggered by a virus, but ive read it can be triggered by pregnancy too. Anyway have cut gluten strictly out now, and skin looks so so different.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

I'd go for the Effaclar, OP. It'll start getting the zits under control and moisturise as well. I use that one in the morning - if I'm going to wear makeup it has to go underneath. At night I rely on the serum but if i'm feeling dry I'll put on something like the Nivea in the blue tub (I tend to dry, not oily).

[lobster8]

My skin was pretty similar to yours, but not a post baby issue just always been that way. Over the years I've tried numerous antibiotics, contraceptives and topical treatments from GP and basically every oily skin/ acne skin care product I could get my hands on. I've tried cutting out dairy, cutting out sugar. I drink a lot of water, eat well and take a multivitamin. None of the above have had consistent effects or even any effect on what is basically hormonal breakouts and incredibly oily skin!

I've currently got the best routine I've ever had going, and 90% of the time my skin is clear, and the other 10% of the time the breakouts are a lot small and shorter lived. I do the same thing morning and night: wash face with soap (usually dove), use boots ingredients salicylic acid serum all over my face, then a benzoyl peroxide cream (acnecide, which I buy in the pharmacy in boots) on the effected areas where I tend to break out. I appreciate some people find it better to alternate benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and both together twice a day would be too drying.... this is not the case for me however! But basically I've found those two are the components that actually have a positive effect on my breakouts and in preventing them happening, so I would try and include at least one to start off with in your routine. I also use only an eye cream and no other moisturiser on my face but then I do have exceptionally oily skin and I find the introduction of any other products results in a breakout.

[Lovelydovey]

Stop the St Ives now! Other than that I’d recommend looking at Skin and Me or Dermatica for a prescription. It’s the only thing that has consistently helped my skin.

[Fluffycloudland77]

You need to ring the dr, it’s quite common to get acne post baby & your prescriptions are free until the baby is 1yo.

[tempnamechange98765]

Reading the replies with interest OP. I've been suffering with my skin big time since the summer ended really and I've always had lovely clear skin beforehand. I briefly used a St Ives scrub for the first time in a while so I hope it wasn't that, although I used to use it all the time with no ill effects.

My skin looks hormonal ie all the spots are around my chin, but they're all month long rather than up and down through my cycle.

Will take some of these tips! Keep us posted if anything works.

[MsSquiz]

Well I've ordered the items I posted earlier, and I'll also give reducing my bread intake a go (that one will hurt!)

I've obviously gotten stuck in a rut of using products that "have always worked" but now my skin has changed, I need to change the products! Sounds obvious now, but it didn't before I posted!

@tempnamechange98765 I was hoping mine would settle a few months after having DD, but every couple of weeks, a new one appears. Some normal spots, a few huge painful lumps under the skin. I had better skin aged 19 when I drank, smoked and barely slept!
I'll give the products a week from when they arrive and report back

[Fluffycloudland77]

If their big and painful it’s a deep infection. Don’t discount the drs, they won’t be cross if you contact them about acne. It’s very treatable which = job satisfaction.