My Skincare Journey + Routine

Today I’m sharing my skincare journey and routine with you. And whoever said “beauty is pain” was not joking.

Before I dive into my skincare routine, I want to share my journey to clear skin with you, as it is has completely impacted how I take care of my skin today.

I struggled with my skin ever since I started high school. It was never severe or anything, but definitely moderate enough and effecting my confidence level enough that I felt it was necessary to do something about it.

Thus began my long, long skincare journey. Over the past several years, and there is no exaggeration here, I probably tried every skincare regimen under the sun. From the most promising face washes, high-dollar facial products, prescription topical creams, and every antibiotic my dermatologist thought would help. But that was the thing, nothing seemed to be truly helping. Until she recommended “Accutane,” or more formally known as isotretinoin: a vitamin A derivative that works to reduce sebum production, making your pores less likely to clog or cause acne.

I’ll be honest, whenever my dermatologist even mentioned the name Accutane, I was extremely hesitant/scared because of all the horror stories I’ve heard about it. The dry skin… depression… moodiness! No thanks. But after doing more research about it and realizing I had truly exhausted all other skincare options, I decided to give it a shot. At this point, why not? However, I went into it cautiously. Knowing that if it got to the point where the side effects weren’t worth the end-goal of essentially getting rid of my acne, I would stop taking it. And that was that.

"ACCUTANE ISN'T FOR EVERYBODY... AND CERTAINLY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART"

Long story short, I saw immediate results… within one week of taking it, to be exact! With the clear complexion also came some of the side effects I had been anticipating. Dry lips, dry skin, etc. but never the moodiness or depression. (I don’t think?) Overall, my skin and body responded really well to Accutane so I was lucky enough to only need one round of the treatment over a 6 month period. Some people require multiple treatments or need to take a lower dosage for a longer amount of time depending on the severity of their acne or reaction to the medicine.

Now don’t get me wrong, Accutane isn’t for everybody. Certainly not the faint of heart. And there is clearly a reason it’s not dermatologists’ first choice of treatment for acne.

But my honest Accutane review is that, the side effects and extensive monthly check-ups aside, I’m glad I did it. Enduring that for 6 short months to see a long-term effect was worth it in my opinion. And it has completely changed my skin. I no longer see regular breakouts, just a very minor hormonal or stress-induced breakout every so often. In turn, I also regained a lot of my confidence. There was a time when I wouldn’t be caught dead without a full-face of makeup, or I’d make up excuses to stay inside when I was breaking out really bad. But now, that’s a thing of the past. I’m sure some of you might be able to relate to me when I say that having clear skin really does effect the way you see yourself.

Now that you know more about my skincare journey, I want to share more about my routine and what I do to maintain healthy skin! My skincare regimen is fairly simple – no need to over complicate this process or use too many products. The simpler, the better.

Step No. 1: Know Your Skin

The first step in developing your skincare routine is to know your skin type! My skin type falls under the “combination skin” category: somewhat oily in regions like my nose and forehead, but dry/normal everywhere else. Knowing your skin type and how your skin will react to certain products/ingredients really helps when it comes to trying or buying new skincare or makeup.

Step No. 2: Cleanse

When it comes to cleansing, don’t feel like you have to buy fancy, expensive products in order to achieve great skin. Just find a cleanser that works best for you and your skin type.

For me, I find that foamy cleansers tend to work best at removing all traces of makeup and really cleanse my skin. For the past few months, I’ve been using Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash as my every day cleanser and I really like it! If your skin tends to be drier, a foamy cleanser may not work for you… I would opt for a skin-type-specific gentle cleanser or face wash. I apply my cleanser with my fingertips and gently work in the product around my face. Then I rinse with plenty of warm water and pat dry.

Shop the cleansers that I use here:

Step No. 3: Exfoliate

If there is one thing that I have learned in my skincare journey, (besides not wearing makeup to bed… yep, I did that. yikes!) it is to exfoliate once a week! Exfoliating removes the dry/dead skin cells on the surface of your skin and is such an important step in keeping your pores clean and maintaining a healthy glow. I recently tried the Origins Modern Friction Nature’s Gentle Dermabrasion exfoliator, and I LOVED IT! Not only does it smell amazing, they use rice particles instead of chemically made sand/crystals which is common in other exfoliants. I use this once a week to keep my skin polished and smooth.

Shop my favorite products to exfoliate with here:

Step No. 4: Treat and Fight Blemishes when Necessary

For maintenance, I use a topical daily to help keep any breakouts at bay. I currently use a topical cream my dermatologist prescribed called Aczone, but an over-the-counter topical I have used/found to be pretty effective and would recommend is called Differin. Both of these topicals are going to be fairly gentle on the skin, but still effective (trust me… I’ve used them all!).

When I feel a breakout coming on, I immediately take action. I will remove all of my makeup and cleanse like normal, then throw on Origins Out of Trouble Mask or Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to help the breakout subside.

Shop the products I use to maintain clear skin or fight breakouts:

Step No. 5: Moisturize and Nourish

Moisturizing helps to boost hydration in your skin and minimize flaking or dullness. Since I have combo skin, I like to use a lightweight moisturizer like this one here to keep my skin hydrated, but not promote oiliness.

I’ve also finally hopped on the jade roller trend, and now I know what the hype was all about! I keep my jade roller in the fridge to keep it cold and have been using it every morning and night the past few weeks. I truly feel like it has helped reduce morning puffiness and dark circles. It also leaves me feeling soooo fresh and rejuvenated!

It’s also important to stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water helps keep your skin clear and nourished. Beauty starts from the inside out!

Shop my favorite moisturizing and nourishing products: