u/rubylilliane

Hi everyone! I'm trying to finalize a skincare routine before I return to university next week, and I'm stuck on my cleanser 😭. I'd really appreciate opinions on which of these three would be the best fit for my skin, or recommendations for other cleansers I should consider.

About my skin:

I'm a 25-year-old woman with oily, sensitive, mildly acne-prone skin. My acne was pretty bad during my teens, but thankfully it has calmed down a LOT in my twenties. These days, when I "break out," it's usually just one or two pus-filled pimples on my cheek, T-zone, chin, or above my lip. I think they're called pustules?

My main goals are:

• Keep my occasional acne under control
• Prevent/minimize acne marks/scarring
• Keep my pores from getting clogged
• Control excess oil without stripping my skin
• Maintain and strengthen my skin barrier (VERY IMPORTANT TO ME)

My current routine:

Right now, I'm using Dove bar soap to cleanse my face and Pond's Dry Skin Cream Face Moisturizer. I'm not currently using any actives because I ran out, but once I finalize my new routine, I'm planning to order my niacinamide and Vitamin C serums again ASAP.

Honestly, I feel like my current routine isn't really doing my skin any favors, which is part of why I'm trying to build a better routine now.

For a year and a half, I've been WFH, so I've spent significantly more time indoors than outdoors and haven't had to deal with the heat and humidity of southeastern Louisiana nearly as much. I pretty much rarely left my townhouse. I'm returning to in-person university next week, so I'm trying to make sure my new routine will work well once I'm back outside more regularly and dealing with the humidity again. I've noticed that the longer I spend outside, the more likely I am to develop pustules in different areas of my face. It's honestly kind of crazy watching it happen in real time 😭. The longer I'm out in the heat/humidity, the more they just spawn, which is a huge reason I'm trying to figure out a routine that can handle being outside more often. Since I'm indoors nearly 24/7 I rarely get acne, so I've just been coasting on my current skincare routine.

One thing I've noticed over the years is that my skin seems to do much better with gentle, moisturizing cleansers than with products marketed specifically toward oily/acne-prone skin. I've tried various CeraVe products in the past and honestly haven't felt like my skin improved with them. Some seemed to make my skin feel worse/drier, so I'm hesitant to go back to CeraVe. So I'm assuming cleansers that nourish my skin barrier is the way to go.

I also live in humid southeastern Louisiana, and I'm returning to university next week, so I'm trying to find something that will cleanse away sweat, oil, and sunscreen without making my skin feel stripped. I don't ever wear makeup on my skin, I only ever wear mascara.

I'm also specifically looking for a mineral sunscreen because chemical sunscreens tend to irritate my eyes horribly, even when I don't apply them anywhere near my eyes. So that's why I've chosen a mineral sunscreen rather than a chemical one. But since I'm a tan-skinned poc I'm worried about the white cast that many mineral sunscreens can leave. That's why I'm leaning toward getting a tinted mineral sunscreen instead.

Interestingly, while visiting my parents, I used my mom's Olay Smoothing Daily Facial Cleanser with Retinol, and my skin surprisingly LOVED it. My skin felt clean but comfortable, and my barrier seemed really happy with it. That made me realize that maybe I don't need a super "oil-controlling" cleanser.

The routine I've currently planned:

🌞 Morning

• Cleanser: TBD
• L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Clinical Derm-grade 12% Vitamin C Serum (Used before) [*Would be nice if I could find a cheaper option lollll)
• Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer (Never Used Before)
• Sunscreen: CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 (Never Used Before)

🌙 Night

• Cleanser: TBD
• Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum (Used Before)
• Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer (Never Used Before)

 

A couple nights per week:

• Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam instead of my regular cleanser (Never Used Before)

The three daily cleansers I'm currently deciding between are:

1. Anua 8 Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Gentle Cleansing Foam

I've seen a lot of positive reviews for this, especially from people who say it cleans well without leaving their skin tight or stripped. I'm wondering if it would still be cleansing enough for someone with oily skin, especially in a hot/humid climate.

2. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser

I actually found a post here from someone with very oily, acne-prone skin who said they use this because it's gentle and non-drying but doesn't leave them oily. That really caught my attention because it sounds like exactly what I'm looking for.

3. Olay Smoothing Daily Facial Cleanser with Retinol

This is the one I've actually used before and already know my skin likes. I was surprised because I expected a retinol cleanser to potentially irritate my sensitive skin, but it did the opposite. My skin felt really comfortable and my barrier seemed happy. I even used some of my mom's retinol serum and my skin loved that too.

So which would you choose for oily + sensitive + mildly acne-prone skin that seems to thrive with gentle, moisturizing cleansers?

Would you choose one of these three, or is there another cleanser you'd recommend instead?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people with oily but sensitive/acne-prone skin rather than just general oily-skin recommendations. Thank you!!