I’m here to give you a very important public service announcement: The 10- to 15-step skincare routine you’re doing to calm your acne is a bit excessive. Ask any dermatologist, and they’ll tell you that simple is better when it comes to acne, whether it's whiteheads, blackheads, or hormonal acne. All you really need is a gentle cleanser, a treatment product, and a noncomedogenic moisturizer, along with sunscreen during the day.” That said, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all routine for everyone’s acne.
So where should you start? Well, you’ve come to the right place. If you’ve got zits, welcome to Cosmo’s full guide to the best skincare routine for acne.
You’ll learn what causes acne, how to treat it, and figure out a basic routine that will help clear up your complexion. Acne is caused when your pores get clogged with acne-causing bacteria, dead skin, and excess oil (which is triggered by hormone fluctuations). But some people’s oil glands are more sensitive to those triggers, simply based on their genetics, causing more frequent inflammation and breakouts, Dr.
If you have acne, your skincare routine should include three basic steps—cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF—but you can also include a few others to help exfoliate dead skin, kill acne-causing bacteria, and/or bring down inflammation. See below for a full dermatologist-recommended skincare routine for acne: “For topical ingredients to absorb properly, you need clean skin that’s totally free of oil and grime,” Dr. Gohara says, meaning you’ve gotta start your routine with a clean face, no matter how tired you are before bed.
No, a sad little face wipe doesn’t cut it. (In fact, using one can actually lead to more breakouts on acne-prone skin.) Use a cleanser to remove all the gunk that accumulated on your skin during the day. Side note: If you’re a makeup wearer, I highly suggest double cleansing—which is when you first use an oil-based cleanser or cleansing balm to break down your foundation and eye makeup (so long as the oils are noncomedogenic, they shouldn’t clog your pores, but try a patch test first to be sure) and then use your gentle cleanser to rinse everything away. This is way more effective at cleaning your pores and dissolving heavy makeup than a face wash alone.
Washing your face in the morning is actually up for debate—as in, some derms don’t think it’s a requirement. For those with dry skin who find cleansing in the morning to be a lil stripping, feel free to try swiping a toner pad or simply rinsing your face with some water before proceeding to your next step. Now if you’ve got oily skin, you probs want to rinse all the oils off your face that accumulated overnight before going in with the rest of your routine.
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