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All the products I’m using in my updated skin care routine for acne prone skin, plus an incredible giveaway for a skin care consultation with my esthetician!

I’ve been using a new skin care routine for my acne prone skin

I’ve always had acne prone skin. Basically from the moment I hit puberty it’s been a roller coaster of skin issues. I had it pretty well under control, but after moving to Dallas, my skin took a turn for the worse. So today I’m sharing an updated skin care routine for acne prone skin, with tools and products that have helped me clear my skin up.

My esthetician is giving away three virtual skin consultations and her line of skincare!

I’m also so excited to be teaming up with my amazing esthetician, Leslie, from SkinLiv. She’s a skin guru, and took care of my skin back in California until I moved to Texas.

She’s giving away a full set of her skin care line, plus a zoom skin consultation to three winners! All the details will be on Instagram today on my account, @merricksart.

We’re sharing the skin care routine for acne that she created for me, and how it transformed my very acne prone skin.

A little background on my recent skin issues

When I left California at the beginning of 2019, my skin was in really good shape. I wasn’t having any issues with breakouts, and I was doing microneedling treatments to help lessen my acne scarring.

After a few months in Dallas, I found a place that did microneedling and did one treatment. I started breaking out as my skin healed from the microneedling (which is typical), but from then on I could never get my acne back under control. For months I struggled on and off.

Last fall I started getting cystic acne

Finally, in October, it got really bad. I’d only had cystic acne once in my life (back in 2016 or 2017) but here it was again. I was drinking tons of water, eating healthy, not touching my face, and doing everything else I could think of.

Finally after a few weeks of horrible cystic acne, I went to a dermatologist. He prescribed me some medication and a topical cream, but after a month of being on both there was literally no change.

This is when my husband recommended I reach out to Leslie, my wonderful esthetician back in California.

My before and after photos of my skin

It’s really, really hard to share you these before photos, but since they’re important to the story, I really feel like I have to show you the difference.

I reached out to Leslie, sent her some pictures of my skin, and we did a little consultation. She already knew my skin, from months of taking care of it back in California, but I gave her as much detail as I could about my current diet and the products I was using.

This is what she’s going to do for three of you for free, and what she can do for any of you if you want to contact her directly after the giveaway is over!

I’m almost three months into this skincare routine for my acne

I took these bottom photos in mid February, one week after starting Leslie’s program she built for me. I was in shock, and so grateful. Acne is so debilitating, and takes a big toll on your confidence, so after months of major skin issues, I was beyond happy with these results.

Now, after almost three months of using her skincare, I’ve seen huge improvements in my skin, and it’s slowly but surely getting back to a good place. I still have break outs when I’m on my cycle, but they’re much more controlled and clear up quickly. And no cystic acne for me in several months — woohoo!

I also went on a different acne medication a few weeks after starting her skincare program just to continue to help my hormones regulate and prevent additional scarring as my skin improves.

And I’m taking the DIM supplement that my OBGYN recommended, and I’ll talk about other products and tools I’m using below.

Tools, products, and my skin care routine for acne prone skin

After my consultation with Leslie, I discovered that I was using way too many products. Your face really only needs the essentials:

  1. Cleanser
  2. Toner
  3. Vitamin C
  4. Retinol
  5. Moisturizer/Lipids
  6. Sunscreen

So this is the regimen we came up with for me that has given me drastic results.

My morning skincare routine for my acne prone skin

Step 1: LIVPure FACE CLEANSER:

  • I’m using a salicylic acid cleanser from SkinLiv that’s strong and super effective. She instructed me to wash my face with this every morning and night for two minutes. She also gave me a gentle cleanser to use from time to time if my skin was feeling too sensitive after using the salicylic cleanser everyday.

Step 2. LIVClear TONER PADS:

  • These are little antioxidant cleansing pads, and I tear them in half. Half for the morning, half for the evening.

Step 3. GENX Vitamin C

  • Vitamin C is essential for anti-aging. I do one dropper of this every morning and pat gently on my face.

Step 4. LIVLuminous CLARIFYING MOISTURIZER

  • This is a really thick, hydrating cream, but doesn’t feel heavy, and one tiny pump helps my skin feel hydrated but not greasy.

Step 5. SUNSCREEN.

My evening skincare routine for my acne prone skin

Step 1: LIVPure FACE CLEANSER:

  • Same as the morning, cleanse for 2 minutes

Step 2. LIVClear TONER PADS:

  • I use the other half from the morning cleanse!

Step 3. BeautyBio MICRONEEDLING

  • I used a cheap dermaroller for a few years until I finally invested in a BeautyBio at-home microneedling tool. The difference in quality and results is insane. It creates tiny microchannels in your skin that allow your products to soak into your skin and actually become more effective. I do this 2-3 times a week and it’s insane how well it works in minimizing pores and fine lines and is helping to minimize my acne scars (both divots and redness).

Step 4. LIVRenew RETINOL

  • One pump goes all over my face and I let it completely dry.

Step 5. LIVLipids and LIVLuminous CLARIFYING MOISTURIZER

  • mixed together and spread across entire face. Leslie introduced me to Lipids and they’re like liquid gold. They make your face buttery soft

Step 6. IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream NECK CREAM

  • I’m trying to take really good care of my neck and décolleté as I get older, so a really good neck cream is essential. I use this Confidence in a Cream as my neck cream, and I spread it gently (no pulling that delicate skin!) across my entire neck and décolleté.

Step 7. EYE CREAM

  • And don’t forget around the eyes! I’ve been using THIS EYE CREAM for almost 3 years and it’s fantastic.

The supplements I’m taking as part of my skin care routine for acne

Spironolactone.

  • This is the medication I’m currently taking, as prescribed by my doctor. I’m on a really low dosage, and so far it’s been very effective.

DIM Supplement.

  • My OBGYN recommended this supplement when I came in for a checkup and mentioned my hormonal acne. It’s an all natural supplement made from Cruciferous vegetables, and promotes estrogen metabolism, so it’s great for helping cystic and hormonal acne, as well as hormone related issues in menopause, like hot flashes, mood swings, etc. You can read more about it HERE.

Collagen powder.

  • I’ve been taking this supplement on and off for a few years. As you age, you lose collagen in your joints and skin, so taking a collagen supplement is really helpful to replace that collagen you’re losing. I usually just mix it with my tea, but they recently came out with flavored collagen powder which you can mix with water and tastes delicious! The Dark Chocolate Blackberry is actually amazing.

Other things that have helped my acne prone skin

WASH MY MAKEUP BRUSHES.

CHANGE MY PILLOWCASE.

  • Leslie recommends doubling up your pillow case so you can sleep on one side the first night, the other side the second night, then remove that pillow case and do the same the next two nights. You get almost a week without having to add a new case.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

  • I felt like this helped zero percent with my cystic hormonal acne, but day to day it makes my skin brighter and hydrated. So keep chugging those gallons!

WEEKLY PEEL PADS. 

  • Leslie gave me some weekly peel pads that are super effective. They’re amazing for exfoliating and regenerating your skin every week.

I’m giving away a ton of these skin care products over on Instagram!

All of the products I mentioned from Leslie can be purchased through her, or she can give you recommendations of good brands that will work for your skin type.

She’s a wealth of knowledge and I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Head over to my instagram page this morning where Leslie and I are giving away THREE virtual skin consultations, plus her entire line of products to three winners!

photos by Aubrey Stock

My Skin Care Routine for Acne Prone Skin [Updated]

skincare for acne prone skin

All the products I’m using in my updated skin care routine for acne prone skin, plus an incredible giveaway for a skin care consultation with my esthetician!

 

I’ve been using a new skin care routine for my acne prone skin

I’ve always had acne prone skin. Basically from the moment I hit puberty it’s been a roller coaster of skin issues. I had it pretty well under control, but after moving to Dallas, my skin took a turn for the worse. So today I’m sharing an updated skin care routine for acne prone skin, with tools and products that have helped me clear my skin up.

 

My esthetician is giving away three virtual skin consultations and her line of skincare!

I’m also so excited to be teaming up with my amazing esthetician, Leslie, from SkinLiv. She’s a skin guru, and took care of my skin back in California until I moved to Texas.

She’s giving away a full set of her skin care line, plus a zoom skin consultation to three winners! All the details will be on Instagram today on my account, @merricksart.

We’re sharing the skin care routine for acne that she created for me, and how it transformed my very acne prone skin.

skinliv products

A little background on my recent skin issues

When I left California at the beginning of 2019, my skin was in really good shape. I wasn’t having any issues with breakouts, and I was doing microneedling treatments to help lessen my acne scarring.

After a few months in Dallas, I found a place that did microneedling and did one treatment. I started breaking out as my skin healed from the microneedling (which is typical), but from then on I could never get my acne back under control. For months I struggled on and off.

 

Last fall I started getting cystic acne

Finally, in October, it got really bad. I’d only had cystic acne once in my life (back in 2016 or 2017) but here it was again. I was drinking tons of water, eating healthy, not touching my face, and doing everything else I could think of.

Finally after a few weeks of horrible cystic acne, I went to a dermatologist. He prescribed me some medication and a topical cream, but after a month of being on both there was literally no change.

This is when my husband recommended I reach out to Leslie, my wonderful esthetician back in California.

 

My before and after photos of my skin

It’s really, really hard to share you these before photos, but since they’re important to the story, I really feel like I have to show you the difference.

I reached out to Leslie, sent her some pictures of my skin, and we did a little consultation. She already knew my skin, from months of taking care of it back in California, but I gave her as much detail as I could about my current diet and the products I was using.

This is what she’s going to do for three of you for free, and what she can do for any of you if you want to contact her directly after the giveaway is over!

acne before and after

I’m almost three months into this skincare routine for my acne

I took these bottom photos in mid February, one week after starting Leslie’s program she built for me. I was in shock, and so grateful. Acne is so debilitating, and takes a big toll on your confidence, so after months of major skin issues, I was beyond happy with these results.

Now, after almost three months of using her skincare, I’ve seen huge improvements in my skin, and it’s slowly but surely getting back to a good place. I still have break outs when I’m on my cycle, but they’re much more controlled and clear up quickly. And no cystic acne for me in several months — woohoo!

I also went on a different acne medication a few weeks after starting her skincare program just to continue to help my hormones regulate and prevent additional scarring as my skin improves.

And I’m taking the DIM supplement that my OBGYN recommended, and I’ll talk about other products and tools I’m using below.

 

Tools, products, and my skin care routine for acne prone skin

After my consultation with Leslie, I discovered that I was using way too many products. Your face really only needs the essentials:

  1. Cleanser
  2. Toner
  3. Vitamin C
  4. Retinol
  5. Moisturizer/Lipids
  6. Sunscreen

So this is the regimen we came up with for me that has given me drastic results.

derma rolling with beautybio's microneedling tool

My morning skincare routine for my acne prone skin

Step 1: LIVPure FACE CLEANSER:

  • I’m using a salicylic acid cleanser from SkinLiv that’s strong and super effective. She instructed me to wash my face with this every morning and night for two minutes. She also gave me a gentle cleanser to use from time to time if my skin was feeling too sensitive after using the salicylic cleanser everyday.

Step 2. LIVClear TONER PADS:

  • These are little cleansing pads with Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, and Lactic Acid. I tear them in half and use half for the morning, half for the evening.

Step 3. GENX Vitamin C

  • Vitamin C is essential for anti-aging. I do one dropper of this every morning and pat gently on my face.

Step 4. LIVLuminous CLARIFYING MOISTURIZER

  • This is a really thick, hydrating cream, but also has Glycolic Acid in it, so it’s super effective and won’t clog up your face. It doesn’t feel heavy, and one tiny pump helps my skin feel hydrated but not greasy.

Step 5. SUNSCREEN.

 

My evening skincare routine for my acne prone skin

Step 1: LIVPure FACE CLEANSER:

  • Same as the morning, cleanse for 2 minutes

Step 2. LIVClear TONER PADS:

  • I use the other half from the morning cleanse!

Step 3. BeautyBio MICRONEEDLING

  • I used a cheap dermaroller for a few years until I finally invested in a BeautyBio at-home microneedling tool. The difference in quality and results is insane. It creates tiny microchannels in your skin that allow your products to soak into your skin and actually become more effective. I do this 2-3 times a week and it’s insane how well it works in minimizing pores and fine lines and is helping to minimize my acne scars (both divots and redness).

Step 4. LIVRenew RETINOL

  • One pump goes all over my face and I let it completely dry.

Step 5. LIVLipids and LIVLuminous CLARIFYING MOISTURIZER

  • mixed together and spread across entire face. Leslie introduced me to Lipids and they’re like liquid gold. It’s made of replenishing plant lipids combined in a squalane base to replenish, soothe, and hydrate your face. They make my face buttery soft.

Step 6. IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream NECK CREAM

  • I’m trying to take really good care of my neck and décolleté as I get older, so a really good neck cream is essential. I use this Confidence in a Cream as my neck cream, and I spread it gently (no pulling that delicate skin!) across my entire neck and décolleté.

Step 7. EYE CREAM

  • And don’t forget around the eyes! I’ve been using THIS EYE CREAM for almost 3 years and it’s fantastic.

 

The supplements I’m taking as part of my skin care routine for acne

Spironolactone.

  • This is the medication I’m currently taking, as prescribed by my doctor. I’m on a really low dosage, and so far it’s been very effective. Obviously ask your dermatologist or your healthcare professional about something that’s right for you.

DIM Supplement.

  • My OBGYN recommended this supplement when I came in for a checkup and mentioned my hormonal acne. It’s an all natural supplement made from Cruciferous vegetables, and promotes estrogen metabolism, so it’s great for helping cystic and hormonal acne, as well as hormone related issues in menopause, like hot flashes, mood swings, etc. You can read more about it HERE.

Collagen powder.

  • I’ve been taking this supplement on and off for a few years. As you age, you lose collagen in your joints and skin, so taking a collagen supplement is really helpful to replace that collagen you’re losing. I usually just mix it with my tea, but they recently came out with flavored collagen powder which you can mix with water and tastes delicious! The Dark Chocolate Blackberry is actually amazing.

Other things that have helped my acne prone skin

WASH MY MAKEUP BRUSHES.

CHANGE MY PILLOWCASE.

  • Leslie recommends doubling up your pillow case so you can sleep on one side the first night, the other side the second night, then remove that pillow case and do the same the next two nights. You get almost a week without having to add a new case.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

  • I felt like this helped zero percent with my cystic hormonal acne, but day to day it makes my skin brighter and hydrated. So keep chugging those gallons!

WEEKLY PEEL PADS. 

  • Leslie gave me some weekly peel pads that are super effective. They’re amazing for exfoliating and regenerating your skin every week.

 

I’m giving away a ton of these skin care products over on Instagram!

All of the products I mentioned from Leslie can be purchased through her website HERE, or she can give you recommendations of good brands that will work for your skin type.

She’s a wealth of knowledge and I cannot recommend her highly enough. You can also check her out on Instagram here.

 

Head over to my instagram page this morning where Leslie and I are giving away THREE virtual skin consultations, plus her entire line of products to three winners!

 

photos by Aubrey Stock

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40 Comments

  1. I’m totally going to have to try some of these products out because I feel like my acne is worse as an adult than it was as a teenager!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.com

  2. Lia says:

    I just ordered the dim supplement from this same company this week! It will arrive tomorrow. I read a lot about it so i decided to give a try. I am glad to hear it works for you. I will look into the other ideas too! Tks!

  3. Sarah says:

    I’d like to start adding collagen to my diet, but I’m a vegetarian. Are there any vegetarian alternatives you’d recommend?

  4. Nicole says:

    Please share more about the derma roller! I So want to try using one but i have so many questions – do you use it on just parts of your face? do you use it after washing but before MOISTURIZING? how is your skin the next day? ever used it on your lips or stretch makrs?
    thanks so much!

    • Merrick says:

      I use it on my entire face and even my neck! I wash first so I have a clean face, and then put my retinol products on directly afterward (I will update this post to include my retinol favorites). Then I put the rest of my face products on (moisturizer and eye cream). My skin is actually great the next day! The first time I used it, my face was a little red the next day, but since then I haven’t had any issues. I haven’t used it on stretch marks, but I have on my lips but only once or twice, so I don’t really have an opinion about it one way or the other. I’ll have to try again and report back!

      • George says:

        IT’S GREAT THAT YOU’RE TAKING STEPS TO CARE FOR YOUR SKIN BY CLEANSING IT BEFORE APPLYING PRODUCTS. WHEN DEALING WITH ROSACEA-PRONE SKIN, THE GENTLENESS OF YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE IS KEY

  5. SarahBeth says:

    I think you had previously posted that you used the vital proteins collagen peptides? Was there a reason you switched? I’ve used the vital proteins (and I need to get more collagen) and I’m wondering if you found a benefit to the other brand or something you liked better? Thanks!!

    • Merrick says:

      I ran out of my other one and have just started using this one — I haven’t seen a difference, but this one had great reviews so I thought I’d try it!

  6. Heidi says:

    This is so informative and helpful! Acne scars are the only thing more frustrating then the acne itself!! The one that surprised me is that you don’t use any retinol or retin-a. That helps prevent wrinkles and FADes acne scars so much thean any other ingredient, I would really recommend adding retinol to your night routine.

    • Merrick says:

      I do use several products with retinol and I have a prescription retinol — should have mentioned those! I use more products beyond these, these are just some of my top ones. I’ll have to update it — thanks for mentioning that!

  7. Alisha says:

    These all sound great! You always find such great products. I’ve been curious about a derma roller. I am LOVING the new Joyome by Plexus. I want products made with safe ingredients for my skin that are effective and this has proven to be so. these types of products are so hard to find!! It’s only been out a few months, but I’m seeing it pop up in lots of magazines and people’s before and afters are crazy. It’s simple too and I’m a no nonsense girl. 1 day serum / 1 night serum and that’s it except for washing my face! I always thought that as an adult I wouldn’t have acne issues, but nope – you just get to add sun spots, wrinkles, oversized pores, and puffiness LOL!

    • Merrick says:

      haha yes, adulting comes with its own issues! So annoying 😉 Thanks for the recommendation of Joyome – I’ll look into it!

  8. Teresa says:

    Oh goodness, you should just try a retinol or retinoid product. I am surprised your esthetician has not recommended this. i am 53 and have been using one since I was around 30 and also had the horrible hormONAL BREAKOUts. My skin really looks amazing and I do attribute it to this product. So many companies now make retinol based products, skinceuticals is a fabulous line that is dermatologist recommended and they sell a wonderful retinol (try the lower % at first) that would be good to try til you get used to it. It does make your skin mildly peel and a bit red in the beginning, but that is how you unclog the pores, exfoliate, and fade the acne scars. if you want to try a retinoid, You can get differin gel over the counter at any pharmacy. It used to be a prescription and is now available Otc. It is the more mild one. Then they go up to retin-A and then tazorac (these need a prescription). I would highly recommend it. It takes a while to kick in but will transform your skin. and since you are so young, you will be preventing wrinkles as well as this is what these products also do.

    • Merrick says:

      Oh, I do have a prescription retinol product I use! I didn’t mention all the products I use cause this list would be a mile long — these were just a few of my favorites. Thanks for mentioning that one!

  9. Kathy says:

    would love to know where to get the cute robe you are wearing?

  10. Brit murdock says:

    Love these suggestions. I have similar problems to what you’ve mentioned regarding hormonal acne and pregnancy scars. Trying them all sounds a little overwhelming. Is there one of these products you would say has made the most difference? Love love love!

  11. Elizabeth Landrum says:

    I’m so glad I found this post – I’ve struggled with hormonal acne for TOO LONG. I’m ordering the Tula cleanser and moisturizer, collogen and the derma roller. Question with the DIM supplement – did your obgyn mention if it affect those taken birth control pills or who have an IUD? I have an IUD and am wondering if taking the DIM supplements would have any negative effects.

  12. Issie says:

    Hi Priscilla. Thank you for a great article. My niece has been struggled with hormonal acne. I order some acne treatments for here http://www.womensedge.org/best-acne-treatment-for-teens/. Could you give me suggestion about how teens take good care of facial skin? By the way, Thank you in advance for your sharing and I’ll try your way as well.

  13. BLair says:

    Hi Merrick, which of these items made the biggest improvement in your acne? Did you try any prescriptions for it? At 29 I’ve entered The adult acne phase much worse than my teen acne and this post was great!

  14. Karolina says:

    Hello Merrick,

    I’d personally recommend a derma roller. I’ve tried it and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

    My skin has seen such a huge improvement – even my boyfriend noticed.

    Great tips, Merrick!

  15. miranda seldion says:

    Merrick, luckily haven’t been having any acne issues =) but i’ve been using a skin care product for a little junk in the trunk lol! https://www.glutimax.com/butt-enhancement-cream.html

  16. Julie says:

    I’d like to try the dim supplements. How long are you supposed to take these? Thanks!

  17. […] been using a dermaroller for a few months now (I wrote about it HERE), and was using a pretty strong retinol formula on my skin right after rolling. My esthetician […]

  18. Lindsay says:

    Your honest is refreshing! I also have adult female acne and just went up to 50mg of SPIRONOLACTONE with my derm- Hoping to see RESULTS. Do you mind me asking what dosage you went to? Thanks so much!

  19. Anne says:

    tHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VERY INFORMATIVE POST. i HAVE TRIED ALL OF YOUR BEAUTY RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE I STRUGGLE WITH ACNE. taking dim supplements has been a huge game changer for me. i APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR MAKEUP RECOMMENDATIONS TOO! YOUR BLOG IS MY FAVORITE! yOU INSPIRE ME IN SO MANY WAYS AND i SINCERELY CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUgh! THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!! Wishing you and your family the best of health!

    P.S. I have no idea how to remove all caps from my comments here. sorry!

  20. Thanks for sharing.

    the information in this article is very useful

  21. Unabis says:

    Thank you very much for sharing your story and photos with us. I understand how difficult it was for you at that time and how great it was to appreciate the skin without rashes. My story is not quite like yours, but still, now I understand you like no one else. Before I almost never had acne and my skin was always clear. But after I turned 25, my skin seemed to go crazy. My forehead started to get covered with pimples and I don’t know what to do with them. I have tried several different products and the results were disappointing. I believe someone that these products should help me in this situation. Thanks for the recommendation.

  22. The post you created here is very informative. It is very useful for us. Thanks for sharing this information with us.

  23. MELISA says:

    Thank you for sharing your experience. Judging by the result, the treatment turned out to be really effective.

  24. Thanks for sharing. My wife is very grateful to you!

  25. Kate Fowler says:

    If you are having problems with health and want to have a good nutrition, I definitely suggest to use https://myallamericancare.com/blog/2020/12/01/diabetes-friendly-grocery-list/ where you will be able to check information about what food is the most effective and proper for diabetes.

  26. acne pills says:

    I will say that this article on skin care routines for acne-prone skin is very useful and beneficial for all of us. Thank you.

  27. Vanessa says:

    Thanks for sharing your acne-prone skin care routine! I’ve recently discovered UVtreat and their products have been a game-changer for me. Their acne-focused range is gentle yet effective. I appreciate the natural ingredients and the informative content on their website. Your routine aligns with mine, and combining it with uvtreat.com has made a noticeable difference in my skin. Cheers to clear and healthy skin

  28. bridget says:

    I’ve had a similar experience with acne-prone skin, so I completely understand the struggle of finding the right routine. One thing that’s really made a difference for me is adding BioRePeel to my regimen. The results have been impressive, especially in minimizing acne scars and evening out my skin tone. If anyone’s curious about the process and biorepeel results, https://beautydermal.com/blog/biorepeel-before-and-after/ is a helpful resource. This might be a great addition to the routine you’ve shared!

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