Something I learned about my skincare routine is that the more I use...

Something I learned about my skincare routine is that the more I use tretinoin, the less experimental my routine can be. And I've gotten many questions about how I can trial so many products without inducing breakouts or irritation. And the truth to that is, I know my skin extremely well. I've spent a lot of time trying to understand which cleansers moisturize my skin, and while you can do whatever you want with your skincare routine at the end of the day, I believe there are many ways to make your routine much easier to do. So if you are having a difficult time navigating how to choose your skincare products for your routine, I'm going to explain how I do mine. This video will not be based on product recommendations, but I will have a few in it so that you can see where my head is at when I choose a product for what reason. Let's get started. 1. How to Maintain My Skin's Balance And Skin Health The first thing I always think of when I think of my skincare routine is how to maintain my skin's balance and my skin's health. The majority of my most frequently used products are products that help with barrier support, antioxidant protection, sun protection. All three categories ensure that my skin can maintain moisture, filter out any bad pollutants or free radicals, and of course, be protected from the sun. Less irritation, less breakouts, less to worry about. 1. Choosing the Proper Cleansers A major step in maintaining your skin barrier is choosing the right face wash that doesn't fuck it up from the start. Currently, I have been really reaching for two washes that seem to do that perfectly. One also provides additional benefits. Those are going to be the Plasma Wash from Experiment Beauty, as well as the Chamomile Jelly Cleanser from Banu. They thoroughly cleanse, which is what they're designed to do, but the Plasma Wash does a little bit more by helping the skin retain moisture by depositing moisture into the skin. Another skincare practice that I do not change unless it is completely necessary is exfoliating twice weekly, never more. That is a maximum amount. I do not go over two days of exfoliation. I minimize my use of physical exfoliants and prioritize chemical ones instead. Preferred options: LHAs, BHAs, PHAs, AHAs, Enzymes. I only use them if I go to an esthetician or if it's in the form of a really fine powder like a rice enzyme. So essentially my exfoliation depends on one cleanser and one enzyme powder. The cleanser is going to be the Skin Ceuticals LHA Cleansing Gel. And if I want a more customizable exfoliation, I will reach for the Dermalogica microfoliant. If you are someone who controls it, you can use less powder with more water for a more abrasive exfoliation. Less powder with more water for more gentle exfoliation. I talk about this cleanser constantly because this is the only cleanser I found that does exactly what I need it to do. It doesn't push my skin beyond its limits. LHA, BHA, AHA blend, it targets texture, it targets dullness, texture, and tone. It clears out breakouts while also minimizing any further breakouts, as it does have antibacterial properties, it decongests pores, it helps with hyperpigmentation. It is by far the best cleanser that I've used when targeting all of those problems at once. The microfoliant is something that I reach for when I want an instant feeling of smoothness post-rinse. And if you are someone who's concerned about overdoing it, this does contain colloidal oatmeal as well as allantoin, so even with the enzymes and the salicylic acid, it is still incredibly gentle if you control it. There are a variety of exfoliants on the market, but in my opinion, the best ones are the ones that are strong enough to give you consistent results while also being tolerable enough to not damage your skin in the process. Or any other skincare medication. Your tretinoin is doing exactly what it needs to do. It's bringing new things to the surface, it's brightening the skin, it's helping with hyperpigmentation, it's improving texture. You do not want to test that limit. 3. Limiting my Use of Targeted Serums I do not really require targeted serums unless they are antioxidants or more comprehensive formulas that address multiple concerns rather than focusing on one key ingredient that addresses only one concern. I like to use serums that target multiple concerns rather than focusing on one key ingredient rather than focusing on one key ingredient that addresses only one concern. So, barrier support, radiance, antioxidant protection, hyperpigmentation. A prime example of a comprehensive formula is going to be the SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Serum. Another lovely example is the Noni Ampoules from Celimax. This serum fights irritation, it gives you over 100 different antioxidants and hydrates. It is really well-priced for the results that it provides and that is much more sensible than a $25 beta glucan or a hyaluronic acid or something of the sort. Two more amazing options are going to be Continuum from Experiment Beauty, as well as the Eadem's Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum. This is probably one of the most well-thought-out serums on the market right now, especially at this price point. $34 and it addresses the full process of breakouts. You have encapsulated salicylic acid to gradually release the acid, less irritation while clearing pores. You have gluconolactone, which gently exfoliates while drawing moisture into the skin. You have glycinated azelaic acid that fights redness and leftover marks. Allantoin plus ceramide analogue help the skin repair itself quickly and increases resilience. It is incredibly gentle. It has a lanolin, it covers all of the bases. I really love this serum. Especially if you're like me and you use tretinoin, this will help speed up the process. Alongside Hyaluronic Acid, I really love this serum. 4. Using the Right Moisturizers Like I said before, I do like to focus on moisturizers that give me everything I need so that I don't have to choose one in between. I keep talking about Experiment Beauty, but that's because every single formula I've tried has been an absolutely lovely. Molecular Mesh helps protect against external stressors and keeps skin balanced. Phytosphingosine encourages the repair process and fights irritation. 10% Glycerin plus Diglycerin, intense hydration and moisture retention. Centella Liposomes speeds up the repair process and supports the barrier. It hydrates intensely. It does absolutely everything all without being a heavy moisturizer. When it comes to sun protection, there is no reason of doing any of the things that I just told you if you are not using your sunscreen. Sunscreen will damage your skin more. To be honest, exposing your skin to sun damage deliberately is just not a smart option. I'd use a variety of SPFs, honestly. Some like the Byoma Ultralight Face Fluid have additional ingredients that make me feel more secure in the application. It uses Astaxanthin, provides 6000x more potent antioxidant protection than Vitamin C, which further aids in protecting the skin. And because that Vitamin C is not available to me, I can still use this and get the same hydrated finish, get the same antioxidant benefits, and also the sun protection. Products that do more and cost less are always on my radar. I personally still pay for some of the expensive formulas, but that is a choice and not a necessity. For now, that is all I have in terms of making your routine easier for you and also why the products that I choose work for me. Like I said, this is not an exhaustive list. There are variety of products on the market that can fit everyone that I've just explained to you. I always suggest looking at the ingredients first and always think of what you're currently using before you introduce something else. I base my entire product rotation on tretinoin alone and know since I am not going to be getting rid of some of these products, they work perfectly fine, so there's no need for me to replace them. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will talk to you guys soon. Bye.