Anyone who has struggled with acne probably has a drawer full of skincare products that have failed them.  

We grab for one more cleanser off the shelf at Target hoping this will be the thing to clear our skin.

But the breakouts keep coming and those bottles start collecting dust.

The good news is, once you know the root cause of your acne and why you are breaking out in the first place, your skincare routine will be a breeze and you will finally get clear skin for life.

In this post, I’ll explain it all and provide the 4 things your skincare products need to be doing everyday to clear your acne.  I hope this will give you a roadmap so you can start your acne clearing journey and gain back your confidence.

What is the Perfect Skincare Routine for Acne?

Acne is a genetic condition of the pores - pores that shed dead skin cells much faster than normal.  

Normal pores shed about one layer of dead skin cells per day inside the pore. The acne prone pore sheds up to five layers of dead skin cells per day and the body just can’t keep up. This forms the microcomedone, the beginning of all acne. 

This genetic condition is called Retention Hyperkeratosis and it is the root cause of acne.

At the end of the month this build up of dead skin cells inside the pores caused a big, sticky mess! 

If the opening of the pore is still open enough that it is exposed to oxygen, a blackhead will form as oil gets trapped in the dead skin. Acne sufferers are also generally more oily, and this excess oil can easily get trapped in all that dead skin.

The black appearance is caused by the oxidation of oil, causing a change in the oil's color. 

But, if the opening of the pore is so clogged and closed off that oxygen cannot get in, a pustule will form. 

Bacteria thrives in environments that are dark, moist, and void of oxygen. A specific type of bacteria feeds on the skin's oil, called the p.acnes bacteria (where the term acne comes from). 

The bacteria sets up shop in your pores and causes inflammation and swelling on the pore walls as it grows and thrives. When your body senses bacteria present, it will send white blood cells to the area to kill it. Picture a war going on between the bacteria and white blood cells. Anytime this happens, some white blood cells will die, causing pus. And this is how you get red, swollen, inflamed whiteheads on your skin.

So as you can see, the buildup of dead skin cells, or the Retention Hyperkeratosis, is the root cause of acne. If you weren't genetically shedding those 5 extra layers of skin cells everyday, you would not have persistent acne. Sure, you may have the occasional monthly breakout, but it wouldn't be a constant battle. 

You need an arsenal of acne products designed to go after the root cause and all the symptoms.

I divide acne products into 2 categories - actives and support products.  Both work together to achieve balanced, clear skin. 

Step #1 - Exfoliate Inside the Pores Everyday

This is a crucial component to your skincare routine because it's the dead skin cell buildup that is the start of all acne breakouts.  

In order to become acne free, you must exfoliate inside of the pore every day, without fail. If you miss just one day, 5 layers of dead skin cells will build up inside the pore. 

I love using alpha-hydroxy acid serums for this step because they work on all acne types.  My favorite is Mandelic Acid because not only does it exfoliate inside the pore and clear out the dead skin and oil plug, but it is also anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory.

Step#2 - Calm and Soothe Inflammation

If you can quickly calm down inflammation you are decreasing your chances of scarring and speeding up the healing process so the blemishes go away faster.

Your support products are going to be doing the soothing.  Hydrating gels and moisturizers with calming ingredients are essential to counteract any dryness from your actives and to keep the surface of your skin calm and comfortable. 

Icing inflamed breakouts is another wonderful way of getting that redness down quickly.  Ice, don’t pick!

Step #3 - Get Bacteria Under Control

If you’ve ever been to the dermatologist for your acne, likely one of the first things they do is prescribe an antibiotic.  

This is not a good approach.  Why? Because as I have already explained, bacteria is a symptom, not the root cause.  

An antibiotic is like putting a bandaid on it. It will help clear existing acne but it will do nothing to prevent more breakouts.  AND it can disrupt gut health, which is terrible for acne as well.  Only  extreme cases of cystic acne require antibiotics some of the time.

Instead, I suggest using topical antibacterial products like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.  A benzoyl peroxide gel is another acne I suggest starting with.

Step #4 - Control Excess Oil

When excess oil mixes with excess dead skin cells, it means trouble.  Choosing an appropriate gel cleanser that works into a cleansing lather is a great option for oil control.  

Putting it All Together for Your Perfect Acne Skincare Routine

There you have it!  The 4 components of your perfect acne products.  

Please note, it typically takes 90 days for acne to form so don’t be surprised if you still have breakouts during the first 3 months of your new routine.  It does not mean the products aren/t working, it just means the breakout was already formed under the surface of the skin.  

Purging may also occur when starting a new acne routine.  This isn’t fun, but the actives are working hard to clear out the debris that is clogging your pores and sometimes it all comes to the surface at once.  If this happens, icing will help or adding in an Acne Mask with sulfur to quickly dry up the blemishes.

Trust the process!

What’s Next?

 If you need help getting started on your acne clearing journey, I highly suggest starting with my Acne Kit.  It has every product you need to get clear and a ton of valuable resources like diet, lifestyle, cosmetic, and supplement support.  Check it out here.