Simple Micellar Cleansing Water: $22.99 - Lasts me ~3 months

Cereve Hydrating Cleanser $12.39

Thayer's Rose Petal Alcohol-Free Toner: $6.99 - Lasts me ~4 months

TruSkin Vitamin C Serum: $19.99 - Lasts me ~4 months

Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15: $8.11 - Lasts me ~5 months

Simple Quench Sleeping Cream: $9.96

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%: $7.90

Jack Black Lip Balm: $7.50

I'm sure there's variations in price based on where you get it and if amazon is having sales/add ons etc. Total is about $110 if you went out and bought all the products at once or roughly $20 a month. Totally reasonable imo!

EDIT: Bad math, sorry, I needed to count the Micellar water twice since it doesn't last me as long as the other products. Totals are estimates.

EDIT #2: Forgot the CereVe cleanser so I added that in as well. Some of the items don't have estimated time frames of how long it takes me to use up because I've never used them up.

1. Cleanser - CeraVe Foaming Cleaner
   
   
2. Moisturizer - CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (known as CeraVe in the Tub)
   
   
3. BHA - Paula's Choice 2% BHA
   
   
4. AHA - Paula's Choice 8% AHA
   
   
5. Sunscreen - Paula's Choice 50SPF
   
   
6. Skin Mask - The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2%
   
   
7. Niacinamide - The Ordinary
   
   
8. Caffeine - The Ordinary
   
   
9. Weekly Skin Mask - 1:1 Aztec Healing Clay and Apple Cider Vineager
   
   
10. Toner - Thayer's Witch Hazel
    
    Though tbh, I've been taking good care of my skin for >6 months now and I don't need to use most of this stuff anymore, just my cleanser and moisturizer twice a day.

Same here. It has made a lot of difference for me.

Witch Hazel

Moisturizer

Face wash

That’s all 3 things I use. The last 2 have lasted me 5 months and I use them both morning and night. The toner lasts about 2-3 months.

For PP care (uncomplicated vaginal birth, 1st degree tear) I used Depends Adult Diapers (maybe 20? Had a few left over), Dermoplast (the blue can!!!), Tucks Pads, and made padsicles (20ish) before hand (extra large maxi pads, alo vera gel, alcohol free witch hazel, a spattering of tea tree oil, pop in freezer). Hands down would recommend. My hospital didn't send me home with any supplies so I'm glad I went ahead and got some "just in case" items before hand. The adult diapers were pretty much like wearing comfy granny panties, not at all "diaper feeling" like I thought they'd be, and I could pop a padsicle in every few hours easy peasy without worrying about ruining underpants or leaking everywhere. Once the Depends needed to be changed out I'd just trash the whole thing and start fresh. No clean up - 10/10.

Pricing everything out I've listed (lazily) on Amazon my "kit" would be around $80, but you can find these things for much cheaper in CVS or your local drug store. Looking at the quantities included in your kit I'm thinking you'd have to buy additional products anyway (more pads for sure, more briefs most likely, and I'm not sure how easy it is to clean the compresses but the padsicles are awesome and disposable, major plus in my book). I'm not sure it's as great a kit as it looks at first glance.

ETA - I didn't need these for PP care but I do love having chux for the kiddo. I have a few in the diaper bag and lay them on nasty public changing tables before I lay down his changing pad for an extra layer of protection (and so I don't drag a dirty pad back into the diaper bag).

For the past few days, I've been trying out the double-cleansing method with jojoba oil as make-up remover and then going in with Garnier Clean+ Smoothing Cleanser for Dry Skin on my spin brush. I'm loving it so far! My face feels very smooth and cleansed afterwards.

Since I don't have toner in my routine yet, I went ahead and ordered Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera I'm super excited to receive it in a couple days and try it!

Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen, and in case you missed it, sunscreen. If you’re like me at this age we’ve had plenty of sun exposure without sunscreen on, and the sun absolutely can and will wreck our skin if we don’t put some damn sunscreen on.

As for my daily routine there isn’t much to it, so it should be a pinch for you to copy and adapt to your own needs.

• Wash with a bar of shea butter soap.
  
  
• Then wash again with CVS brand Cetafil for sensitive skin that’s mixed with a bit of fine salt I just got from a grocery store. The salt acts as an exfoliant and doesn’t leave crappy micro beads in the environment (I’m on a well so anything small enough that goes down the drain ends up in the environment around me.)
  
  
• Dry off then apply some Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner with Aloe Vera, or whatever toner works for you.
  
  
• Finally after the toner is dry I put on some water based Neutrogena mosturizer.
  
  That’s it. I do the first two steps in the shower every morning and then at night I just wash my face with the soap and reapply a little bit of the moisturizer. There are other things I do now to help my skin out like changing my bed sheets every few days, pillow cover every 4 (flip and rotate the pillow every night to use the 4 sides), and again put on some damn sunscreen and wear a hat if I’m going to be outside for a good while even in the winter. I’m bald and shave my head completely clean so the hat and sunscreen are extra important for me.

Would something like Thayer's No Alcohol Rose Toner work for you? It's cheap, widely available and calming/moisturizing.

Jealous you got to go to Japan! Tokyo is a travel goal.

Neogen's Bio-peel exfoliating pads are incredible, and I use them once to twice a week. I just finished my pack of the wine exfoliants, and purchased the green tea one as a replacement. The wine one contains antioxidants and seemed to be more of an anti-aging product, whereas the green tea one appears to be more of a cleanse and tone and neutralize type of effect. Both are great, although I've only used the green tea one twice thus far. The wine one really helped mitigate some acne scars I had on my cheek, and has the highest ratings on Amazon.

I follow the exfoliant with a quick wash (just normal Neutrogena face wash) and tone with Thayer's Rose Water Witch Hazel. It's a non-alcoholic toner that moisturizes while tightening up the pores and cleansing a little extra. Most drugstore toners contain alcohol, which serves the opposite purpose of drying your skin out, and accelerating oil production, thereby creating more acne. You can purchase Thayer's at CVS or most drugstores; there's several other witch hazel alternatives that seem to work fine as well. This one just smells extra nice.

After toning, I slather on some aloe vera gel. The one by Nature Republic is dirt cheap, gets the job done, and the tub lasted me like six months. Aloe Vera is a great moisturizer because it's all natural, contains little to no additives, and isn't oily so it won't clog up your pores. It also feels great on the skin, kind of a cool jelly feeling.

Once that's done, I put a small dab of Skinfood's Royal Honey Propolis Serum. This shit is pricey, but it's magic. This, paired with the Neogen exfoliator, really wiped out the acne scars. It doesn't have a smell, and the consistency is thick and syrupy, so just use a small drop and it goes a long way. Your skin will feel super glowy afterwards.

A few times a week, before bed I'll wrap up the above skincare routine with Etude House's Moistfull Collagen Sleeping Pack. Legit, the morning after wearing this, I won't put on makeup because my skin's so on healthy. If you exfoliate, do the whole aforementioned skincare shebang, and then sleep with this baby on your face, you will be RADIANT. The sleeping pack is a jelly-like cream that you slather over your face in a thin layer. I've had my pack of it for like two months and it's still more than half full. It dries up within about five minutes, and is barely visible. It rinses off easily the next morning, with a little soap and warm water.

​

Hope this helps!!! I freaking love skincare lmao, if you couldn't tell.

HAIR:

• Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo. I get this at Target, where they have the jumbo bottle for $10. I really like that it's super gentle and doesn't have sulfates in it (I have a fairly dry, curly hair type). It also smells soft, almost like play dough, and I love that. I also use the matching conditioner.
  
  TEETH:
  
  
• Earth Paste Toothpaste. I get this at my local health food store and I have seen it at Whole Foods and New Seasons. This toothpaste makes my teeth feel the cleanest they've ever been, but you should know that the mouth feel is a little different from a traditional foaming toothpaste. Before this I used Tom's Of Maine.
  
  
• Modest Planet Natural Bamboo Toothbrush. Just got this recently but so far I like it just fine.
  
  BODY:
  
  
• I don't shave, so I don't have any current recommendations for this. HOWEVER I know that safety razors are a great option as far as finding cruelty free (plus they're more eco conscious) and I used to like using coconut oil to shave my legs.
  
  
• Wild Carrots Vanilla Bean Skin Cream. I just checked their website and this appears to have been discontinued. :(
  
  
• Tom's Of Maine Deodorant. I like the Wild Lavender and Maine Woodspice scents. I don't sweat much, so these do fine for me, but might not be great for someone who sweats a lot.
  
  SKINCARE:
  
  
• I just found out my cleanser isnt vegan, I need recs for this again.
  
  
• Thayer's Alcohol Free Rose Witch Hazel. It's gentle and calming. I used to wipe it on with a cotton round but I've discovered I actually like spritzing my toner on better.
  
  
• Derma E Hydrating Day Cream. This is very moisturizing but still light. It sinks in really well, which I love because I like to layer skin creams. It also smells delicious and light.
  
  
• Derma E Hydrating Night Cream. This is thick. This is rich. I want to marry it. I have pretty dry skin so I actually layer a dab of this over my day cream as well.
  
  
• Pure Maracuja Oil.This is the one I use right now, and before this I used the Tarte one. It's softening and helps my breakouts a little bit.
  
  
• Pure Neem Oil. I'm allergic to Tea Tree and my skin doesn't like Salicylic Acid very much so I use this instead. Sometimes I apply like a spot treatment, sometimes all over. I love what it does for me but it smells like burning peanuts so I only use it at night.
  
  
• Shea Moisture African Water Mint Lip Balm. This is really thick so I like it for lip prep before lipstick. My only complaint is the packaging. It's so hard to open.
  
  MAKEUP:
  
  
• Hard Candy Color Correcting Primer in Green. I just learned that this is LE. WHY the FUCK..... Before this I was using elf Hydrating Mineral Primer.
  
  
• I don't use foundation much anymore, but when I do I rotate between Wet N Wild Photofocus, Sonia Kashuk Perfecting Luminous Foundation and Urban Decay Naked Skin. All three are lightweight, thin formulas, and medium coverage.
  
  
• Kat Von D Lock It Concealer Creme. This is beautiful. And let me tell you, my skin is AWFUL but I can just use this instead of foundation and it looks awesome. Best makeup purchase of my life.
  
  
• Essence Stay Matt Powder. I use this to "bake" and set my face all over. It's very effective and has a great blurring effect. Sometimes if I have a bad foundation day, this actually fixes it.
  
  
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Moonstone. I like to put this on top of my base but under powder. It gives a nice subtle glow.
  
  
• Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. This is beautiful and it smells delicious, and it's very easy to blend.
  
  
• Urban Decay Blush in Fetish. The formula on these is just so soft and beautiful, without being powdery at all. This is also a pretty similar color to Tarte's Exposed (not vegan) though slightly pinker.
  
  
• Still need an eye primer replacement and am working on the eye shadows.
  
  
• elf Mineral Infused Mascara. This makes my lashes so fluttery and curly. Perfect for everyday. For more dramatic lashes, I really like the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara.
  
  
• My favorite lipsticks are the Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks and the Milani Matte Lipsticks.
  
  NOW AFTER ALL OF THAT. Please make sure you check the HG Masterlist in the sidebar. I made it just for these situations! There's tons more products listed there!

Hi! I suffered from oily sensitive skin problems too before! Here's the routine I followed and I noticed a big difference:

Face Wash (2 times a day): I used simple korean face washes and these worked wonders for me! You can find really cheap face washes at Marshalls/TJ Maxx or at Amazon. Here's a good brand: https://www.amazon.com/Etude-House-Baking-Powder-Cleansing/dp/B00819F4OO/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1520014584&sr=8-1&keywords=korean+baking+soda+face+wash

Toner (2 times a day): SUPER IMPORTANT! I used alcohol free which is super important if you have sensitive skin. I highly recommend this toner I still use it to this day and my skin has calmed a lot and become so soft. You can get this on amazon or any local stores really like Sprouts or even Marshalls TJ Maxx. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Thayers-Alcohol-Free-Petal-Witch-Hazel/dp/B007HD570Q/ref=sr_1_3_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1520014674&sr=1-3&keywords=thayers

Moisturize (2 times a day): I know it seems weird to moisturize an oily face but trust me its needed. Sometimes your skin might be super oily since its not receiving enough moisture and thus overcompensates by producing a bunch of oil (I've heard this before I'm not a doctor though). You just can't use super creamy moisturizers. This is my go to really light moisturizer. I prefer gel moisturizers since they don't feel as heavy on my face and provide a good balance to my skin. Link: https://www.amazon.com/MIZON-Snail-Recovery-Cream-Count/dp/B00NTR9B6A/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1520014798&sr=1-6&keywords=mizon+snail

Face Mask (once or twice a week): Since you have sensitive skin I don't recommend using Charcoal as it might be too harsh. I instead use any exfoilating (or non exfoliating) masks with tumeric. It's a great anti inflammatory perfect for sensitive skin. I use this one personally: https://www.amazon.com/YLLO-Turmeric-Scrub-Chickpea-Exfoliant/dp/B0764M4MWT/ref=sr_1_13_sspa?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1520014932&sr=1-13-spons&keywords=tumeric+mask&psc=1

Again you just have to experiment with what works best for your skin. It's a difficult process but I'm sure you'll find a way. Sorry for the really long post but I hope this helps! :)

I’ve been struggling with blackheads/redness/combo for awhile now and the biggest miracle worker I’ve found is Thayer’s Witch Hazel Toner w/ Rose Petals. I use it right after I wash my face in the morning, let it dry and then apply a light moisturizer.

They have a selection of toners (rose, cucumber, etc.) and I swear it’s been magical- no, I haven’t been paid lol. Hope this helps!!

https://smile.amazon.com/Thayers-Alcohol-Free-Petal-Formula-12-Facial/dp/B007HD570Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=thayers+rose+petal+witch+hazel+alcohol-free+toner&qid=1569137801&sprefix=thayers&sr=8-3

The playa poses a few challenges to taking care of your skin:

1 - Maintaining the pH balance of your acid mantle

Believe it or not, the skin on your face is slightly acidic (pH of about 5.5). This helps protect your skin from acne-causing bacteria. However, playa dust is alkali and can throw your pH off kilter. You know that "squeaky clean" feeling you get after washing with some soaps? Unfortunately that's your acid mantle being washed away by alkali detergents which leaves your skin more sensitive to all sorts of nasty stuff (bacteria, fungus, pollutants, etc). Thus all the stuff you hear about using a "gentle cleanser" for washing your face. This actually means a pH neutral cleanser.

2 - Keeping your skin from getting too dry

Another aspect of protecting your acid mantle is to make sure it isn't too dry (meaning too little oil or water). The structure of your skin's acid mantle contains fatty lipids which help form this protective barrier. Dry it out and your skin is again vulnerable. For those who say their skin clears up on the playa, I'm guessing these folks may have oily skin so the dry atmosphere may help them balance shit out. Since you are already on a topical solution, I think you'd be especially sensitive to dry skin issues.

3 - Protecting your skin from the sun

Sun damage is real, m'kay? The sun's rays slow down the production of new skins cells. Age also slows down this process. You know how little kids rarely get scars? That's because their skin "heals faster" vs. adults, meaning their skin cells regenerate faster. If you are trying to heal acne or some sort of scratch, use sunscreen! You'll be amazed how much faster your skin starts to look better.



So, what should you do on the playa? I recommend cleaning your face using a cotton pad and a mild organic toner twice a day. The toner removes the playa dust, adds some skin-loving vitamins, and helps the skin from getting dried out. You also need to use sunscreen (ideally a physical formula) so it stays on a good chunk of the day.


TL:DR -- clean your face with a cotton pad and a mild toner 2X a day and use sunscreen.

1. Exfoliate a few times in the days before beginning hair removal.
   
   
2. For not-short-hairs, reduce length before going to the full hair removal. Example: use scissors to cut down the chest forest or perform a not-close shave on your legs.
   
   
3. Make sure your skin is hydrated & supple immediately before hair removal (just out of - or in - a luke-warm shower, warm room for hair removal, etc.)
   
   
4. Perform hair removal (waxing, epilator, close shave).
   
   
5. Treat your skin immediately after you're done. A good lotion or (better) oil (even light olive oil) should be rubbed on to soothe the skin. I'm going whole hog next time. I just bought a witch hazel - aloe product.
   
   https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HD570Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
   
   
6. Follow up treatments for bumps & ingrown hairs as necessary (oh man, the ingrown hairs I got the first time round - aiieeee). Like this:
   
   https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GDFYDE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   Note: I just bought these on the recommendation of others. Personal experience in a week or so.
   
   My HRT (2 months) hasn't gone on long enough to expect body hair changes. Also, no clue on back or ass wax. I'm going to have to look into a professional soon, as I don't have a patient significant other.

May I recommend a little Thayer Witch Hazel. Very soothing.

• cerave facial cleanser
  Foaming Facial Cleanser - Normal To Oily Skin by CeraVe for Unisex - 12 oz Cleanser https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003YMJJSK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_J0IPCb46RTP22
  
  
• thayers witch hazel toner
  Thayers Natural Remedies Witch Hazel Toner, Rose Petal, 12 fl. Oz. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B007HD570Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_g2IPCbDH2BAVP
  
  
  
  
• all natural advice 20% vitamin c serum
  20% Vitamin C Serum - 60 ml / 2 oz Made in Canada - Certified Organic + 11% Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E Moisturizer + Collagen Boost - Reverse Skin Aging, Remove Sun Spots, Wrinkles and Dark Circles, Excellent for Sensitive Skin + Includes Pump & Dropper https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00PL3DK26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_c0IPCb5SGGMPX
  
  
• brickell eye restoring cream
  Brickell Men's Restoring Eye Cream for Men - Anti Aging Eye Balm To Reduce Puffiness, Wrinkles, Dark Circles, Under Eye Bags - .5 oz https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00QL67MY4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_m1IPCbD5SEVN4
  
  
• all natural advice daily moisturizer
  All Natural Advice Daily Moisturizer with Peptide and Hyaluronic Acid | Canadian Made | Organic | Age-Defying Skincare for Face and Neck | Anti-Aging Complex for Natural Skin Tone and Healthy Radiance | 120 ml | Double the Size https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XVZDGGR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8YIPCbGEHFHYF
  
  i also ordered elta md broad spectrum sun screen
  EltaMD UV Facial Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30+, 3 Ounces https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01MTJ02SX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_42IPCbABTWHS5
  
  .
  I've read some sunscreens have a matte finish so hoping this might.
  
  I'm a guy fwiw who just recently went down the skin care rabbit hole after getting an essential oil diffuser and reading they have skin benefits as well, so this is all new to me
  
  

Biore sunscreens typically get a lot of love. I think the most common/popular one is Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence. You'll need to invest in a cleanser to properly remove it though. Biore sunscreens also tend to have alcohol in them, which I'm not sure if you're trying to avoid.

Not mrs_muffin and this isn't AB but I used to use Thayers Rose Petal Toner which is alcohol-free.

I shave in the shower. After lathering up and making sure my skin is softer, i'll shave with a razor (DollarShaveClub FTW) and afterward use witch hazel to calm down any redness or bumps.

It's my birthday today and went on a purchasing splurge!

New Purchases:

Refillable Atomizer Bottles - Came in 6 pieces and a little soft bag! Originally I was gonna use this for my colognes and perfumes; easily fits in pockets so I can spray on the go (also bonus point quick air freshener for bathrooms cuz some men's rooms be rank af.....); but then I was on the hunt for misters for my toners and realized I could use these perfectly for them! It's color-coded too so I don't mistake one of my scents for a toner!

-I filled the pink one with Kikumasamune High Moist Lotion
-the red one with Thayer's Witch Hazel Toner w/ Rose
-the blue one with Secret Key Milk (new)
-and the gold one with Secret Key Aloe (new)
The secret key ones are new purchases im trying out B) giving them about 2 weeks trial runs each before I rotate them in my routine!

Benton Snail Bee Essence - I enjoyed using the sheet masks once a week beforehand, and figured I'll up it to a more frequent usage so I went ahead and got the essence bottle! \o/ Dipped my toes with sheet masks first cuz I wasn't too sure about the bee venom ingredient (especially considering I get a bad reaction from stings) but it's gentler than I thought and no allergic reaction!

Etude House Sunprise Airy Finish SPF 50+ PA+++ - Received this 2 days ago! Previously I used Cerave AM and disliked the pilling and white cast on just a beige skintone! This is my first time using a sunmilk and the consistency is really nice! Goes on smoothly and can layer easily, with no whitecast after absorbing! If I wanted to, I could layer a moisturizer underneath without worrying about it pilling as well! Since I'm oily enough I'm not as concerned with it's lack of moisturizing and I find just toning layers is enough for me underneath! Great for oil control so far!

Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen Tinted Face SPF 50 - Got this about a week ago! Since summer is around the corner, and the etude house isn't a waterproof sunscreen, I went with this that I bought at ulta! This matched my skintone pretty well so there was pretty much no whitecast. If it's a really sweaty day or I'm gonna be somewhere where there happens to be water/rain, this waterproof sunscreen was perfect! (and reef-safe for ocean trips)

Rohto Melano CC - On the way in the mail but excited to try this out since I was looking for a vitamin C, but wanted to start out gently!

Kao Success Scalp Washing Brush (Normal Type) - Sort of skincare since it has to do with the scalp, this is also on it's way on the mail. I'm a fan of scalp brushes since my hair is pretty thick (and also dandruff woes). The tips of it has little bumps on them and there's 3 types of tips on a single brush for that jam packed scalp action, so gonna give it a whirl and see how different it is from the standard silicone scalp brush!

-----------------------------------------------------

Repurchase:

Tony Moly Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream - I realized using stridex as my gentle BHA exfoliator and a Cerave SA cream on top of that meant I technically had 2 BHAs in a night routine, so I'm returning back to chok chok! Good point to change tbh since the cream is too heavy for summer. The tony moly one is pretty light and had good oil control!

Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Pads - Bringing back AHAs into my life for my PIH; I'm gonna rotate them with my BHAs. I prefer low %s so the 2.8% was perfect!

I'm not great at skincare stuff, but make sure to look for a witch hazel that doesn't contain alcohol. The one I see most mentioned here is Thayers (alcohol free) rose petal witch hazel toner. Not sure about cheap moisturisers but someone else here will probably have some cheap recs!

I got it from Amazon! https://www.amazon.ca/Thayers-Alcohol-Free-Petal-Witch-Hazel/dp/B007HD570Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523933572&sr=8-1&keywords=thayer&dpID=4186rx-UsfL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch :-)

Bare minimum:

Heimish All Clean Balm

Cerave Foaming Cleanser

Thayers Rose Petal Toner

Tony Moly Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream

I'm brand new here. Previously used Cetaphil's facial cleanser as my only face product, but it was too harsh. I have relatively gentle skin. In the past, it has fluctuated between dry and oily.

Anyway, I bought the following products recently:

• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
  
• Thayer Witch Hazel Toner
  
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost
  
  I've been using all of them, in order, for both AM and PM routines. Is this a good start / should I add anything? Should I be doing something different for AM vs PM?
  
  My skin seems a little clearer already, although it gets worse whenever I shave (working on that).

I haven't have pimples latelly, I think I have a combination of both, because my cheeks are dry while my nose and forefront are oily...

My routine now is:

AM:

• THAYERS toner https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B007HD570Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Palmea's coco butter https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B00J1FNW28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Sunscreen (cream)

Reading your comment about using powder foundation could be a contributor too! During the day when you wear makeup you skin essentially eats whatever is on it, so if you're completely matte in other areas (where it appears flaky) it could absorb more quickly in others (the shiny nose/forehead T-Zone.) I would recommend using Lush's Ocean Salt exfoliant twice a week- about $20 for product that will last you months- to remove dead skin cells and give your skin a very fresh feeling! Also a toner can work wonders and implementing a really simple moisturizer with SPF in it at night and in the morning. Then swapping to a hydrating foundation and setting it with a powder in ONLY the areas that get oily throughout the day will help immensely with the dry and cakey/flaky feeling. Below I'll list some products I suggest trying:

Toner:
Thayer's Witch Hazel
-The most important thing about toners is that they CANT have alcohol in them, it will dry out your skin even more! I like the rose one the best just because it smells nice, but the lemon grass one is great as well

Foundation:
Loreal Pro Glow
-This is a really great dewy foundation that isn't going to be drying or super matte and cling to your skin. It has a good shade range and great reviews! Also pretty affordable as far as quality foundations go.

Moisturizer:
Simple Skincare
-This is such a GREAT brand for amazing products and really inexpensive to try and see what your skin needs, this is a good general low-maintenance piece I recommend a lot, I've used it for quite a while and it makes my very dry skin happy when I don't have time for anything else

I hope this helps!!

I'm using Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera which seems to say it is pH balacing, to 5.5.

Thanks for the L-AA news. I was using it before the lactic acid until recently and will now switch back.

I'm definitely not mixing the mizon with sunscreen. I put on mizon, wait 5-10, then put on cerave AM, which has sunscreen plus other good stuff. Sorry I didn't type that clearly.

Thank you for this. Funny thing is I bought some things already from amazon (I bought differin) so I’m gonna save up some money before getting other things.

Funny you said to ditch the hyaluronic acid because i just ordered this :/ it got good reviews and I wanted to try https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XTM1HMB/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1518771665&sr=8-5-spell&keywords=hyaluronic+acid+moisturizer+collaen

I will soon buy whah you recommend me and tell you how it goes since it seems you know what you are talking about

I really fucked up my face using too much exfoliants and then ended it with a Kojic acid soap. My face got darker (which I don’t want, I just want to have my natural skin tone which I’m trying to accomplish, made some progress...I feel my actual skin tone without the influence of the sun looms the best) and super irritated and dry so I’m trying to heal it

Someone also recommended me this and it looks pretty good when it comes to soothing the skin

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007HD570Q

I try to keep mine simple while still doing what I can to prevent further damage. I didn't take care of my skin at all in my 20s so I'm undoing damage now, but the vitamin C serum and sunscreen combo have helped a ton. I have fairly sensitive skin, and it gets easily dehydrated as well.

Morning

• Wash with Clean and Clear Relaxing facewash. If my skin feels clean I skip this step.
  
  
• Spray Thayer's Rose Petal alcohol free toner. I love this toner, it minimizes the craters I have for pores a good bit.
  
  
• Cerave moisturizing lotion I also like Clinique Dramatically different moisturizing lotion but the Cerave works just as well and I get soooo much more for my money.
  
  
• Apply SolScents Clear Face sunscreen I can't find this one in stores and it's pricey so I've ordered a [biore] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SM99KY8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) one from amazon to try out instead, a lot more affordable too.
  
  
  Evening
  
  
• Wash with Clean and Clear Relaxing facewash. It works just as well as the Clinique one for me.
  
  
• Spray the witch hazel toner again.
  
  
• Apply Vitamin C Serum.
  
  
• Followed by the Cerave moisturizing lotion again.
  
  Whenever my skin still gets dehydrated for whatever reason I apply Rosehip oil. Sometimes I do a chick pea flour + Turmeric mask which works great but is a bit drying so the oil helps a lot.

My only suggestion would be to use an astringent. I use a witch hazel toner

Might be a little late but I had really bad acne for a kid and still would as an adult if I didn’t adopt a strict skincare routine and diet (it’s not that bad). Drinking water and changing your pillowcases frequently (every week to two weeks) also will help especially if you start putting all this product on your face. see note at the end*

For some, cutting out either, some, or all of the following helps alleviate acne: Dairy, Oil, Sugar, Gluten. But since you said you had no changes in diet I won’t go into that. Sorry in advance for formatting errors as I did all of this from mobile. Some products have instruction in Korean but I will tell you how to use them. Everything is used everyday/every night unless specified.

1. If I wear makeup, I use Jeju Deep Cleansing Balm. When used, it creates a layer of moisture but this can make rags feel congested, so I recommend wiping this with toss-able towels. It smells good and is good for getting the eyes especially. Just put a little on there towel/wipe and rub face until makeup is removed, then use another wipe to remove the excess balm.
   
2. I use African Black Soap after removing heavy full face make-up. For light/no make-up/mornings I use Senka Perfect Whip Foaming Cleanser. It takes about a month to come through Amazon, but if your local Asian market has a skincare store and most do, it can usually be found there. Works best if you have some kind of Spin Brush for face or a Whip Maker. It doesn’t work as well as it does with either of these products using just hand or rag. You can also use cheesecloth (examples on YouTube).
   
3. I use either of these masks if my skin feels dry or looks dull. Just rub on face and leave for 5-7 min then rinse off. This brand also has peeling masks as well that I use every other day in place of these. The peeling masks work similar to the nose strips people use to pull out nose blackheads and can be used to substitute them but can be used on whole face as well.
   
4. With my face cleaned and moisture somewhat restored, I soft exfoliate (I use everyday. If I wear makeup I use it same night and if I plan to wear makeup the next day, skip morning and use at night again. To use - rub soft side on face first to spread, then rub gently with textured side. Otherwise I use in morning. I hard exfoliate with this. I don’t scrub harder it’s just a sugar kind of scrub so it has the potential to cause inflammation if you’re rubbing to hard. I use every other day, this also works great on body and legs when shaving.
   
5. After exfoliating, I use Thayers Witch Hazel Toner. Remove with a cotton pad. I’ve found towelettes and pepper towels don’t work nearly as well as something cotton based. Toner helps to pull excess dirt from deep skin pores. On Sundays/Wednesday’s only I use Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. Instructions say specifically to use after Toner.
   
6. Now that face is cleaned and restored, I use a squeeze Vitamin C serum only at night. I got this from my local Asian market but if you ask they’ll know what you are talking about. I dab it ONLY onto any dark spots/acne scars on my face. Vitamin C has lightening/brightening properties and using it on your whole face may lighten it. I let it sit for 5 minutes minimum to as long as I can before I need to sleep so it absorbs into my skin. I dab off any excess after with a paper towel.
   
7. After that, I use The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid. You can look up the full benefits but it can help with skin elasticity and smoothing wrinkles/scars from pimple popping. You can get this MUCH cheaper at Sephora - they’re $7 I believe and this company has a bunch of other serums I want to try. On Sundays and Wednesday’s, I use a Mask Sheet. Asian markets sell them but they usually sell them individual and I pay for the big back of 48 here. Helps restore tons of moisture in face and provide different benefits based on the mask you choose but most are the same. They also smell nice!
   
8. One I use the mask and rub it in, I use a mixture of three oils: Kukui, Rosehip, TeaTree Oil. All of them can be found on amazon and have different benefits that tie together. I mix them into a tiny container and do very small dabs into my skin and rub it in. Kukui oil also works as a massage oil as it’s very light and great natural sunscreen (though if you plan to go to the beach wearing regular sunscreen and using the Kukui to seal it in is best).
   
9. Finally, I finish with my Elizabeth Arden Moisture Cream. $55 seems expensive but a little goes a LONG way, I use about enough to cover the whole tip of my finger, a light dip like if you want to taste something for example. You don’t need a lot because at this point your face is already moisturized enough that it should just glide on.
   
10. To finish, since I have hyperpigmentation and get dark spots at the slightest raise on my skin, I use Ambi Dark Spot Corrector. Can be found at target I think, my mom usually buys it. Put light amounts on affected areas and sleep.
    
    *Note: you may need to slowly introduce these products. Most of them are geared toward moisturizing and preventing aging as well. If you do anything, I’m at least recommend exfoliating often, changing pillow cases and properly moisturizing your skin using the sheet masks as well as possibly vitamin E serums. I plan on getting some but have no money rn, but Belei sent me free samples and I loved it. I think The Ordinary also carries some. Also, properly washing your face will probably help as well, and I’d recommend getting at least a spin brush. Over rubbing your face can be harmful to the skin and skin brushes usually clean well enough without harm.
    
    I hope this helps! This is my whole routine but if anything jumps out feel free to not look at everything! I’m of course not a dermatologist but this helped me and I now only get pimples usually if I eat excess of the previously mentioned triggers :) my skin is now brighter and dark spots clear up in about 2-3 months but are usually lighter after about two weeks.

Thanks for your comments! I thought that rubbing balm into my eyes sounded a little dangerous. If I already have a toner is that substitutable for micellar water, or is there something about micellar water that's good for removing makeup? (I've never used it before.)

I'm not entering my own contest but here's my routine:

1. I wake up in the morning, wipe my face down with Simple Micellar Water Wipes or a cotton pad with either Rosehip Micellar Water or Tea Tree Micellar Water I found at Ross for stupid cheap.
   
   
2. I tone my face with a cotton pad and Thayer's Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel
   
   
3. I apply a Salicylic Acid Spot Treatment (product varies)
   
   
4. I apply a Hylauric Acid and Vitamin C Serum (I found mine at Ross for stupid cheap)
   
   
5. I'm moisturizing right now with DermaE Brightening Day Cream that I also found at Ross for stupid cheap. Otherwise I use Cerave Moisturizing Cream or this stuff I saw at Ulta and bought.
   
   Then I prime and apply makeup as normal.
   
   At the end of the day I:
   
   
6. Remove makeup with the Simple wipe linked in 1.
   
   
7. Wash my face with Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser or DermaE Anti Wrinkle Cleanser that I got on clearance at Ulta.
   
   Repeat 2-5 and go to bed.
   
   Sometimes I do sheet masks and Indian Clay masks with ACV.
   
   I wanna start going to the sauna at my gym once a week too for happy skin.

Thayer's Toner

Eau Thermale Avène Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream

I've bought some different oils and made my own beard oil but it's fantastic for your face as well. I use even after I shaved my beard.