If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s got to be our major dislike for acne. Those pesky pimples and blackheads always kill the vibe when I’m putting on my makeup. We can’t all have glowing, blemish-free skin …

My Dry, Acne-Prone Skin Story

It wasn’t until last year where my skin suffered big-time with acne. With major life and diet changes, your body will get the best of you and change up your skin for the worst. College isn’t only the culprit of the dreaded Freshman 15, it’s also the culprit of no-good acne for some.

I would most commonly get cystic acne popping up around my jawline and my cheekbones.

College was when my skin went from clear and smooth to dry, flaky, and severely acne-prone. I would most commonly get cystic acne popping up around my jawline and my cheekbones. Going from clear skin to insanely flaky and pimply skin was a huge shocker (to say the least).

My skin became so bad that I would get asked by relatives “What happened to your face?” I would even get a couple awkward glances from strangers while working out at the gym. Having a severe acne outbreak really made me insecure and stressed!

Since there are not many videos or articles you can find on the Internet that tackle dry, acne-prone skin, I am here to help! My skincare journey towards returning to clear skin took probably 10-12 months. No one else should suffer that long.

After lots of experimenting and research, here are just some staple skincare products that did WONDERS for my skin within 4 months.

10. A moisturizing Micellar Water Makeup Remover for the cleanest face of your life!

Whether you’re caked in makeup or going au naturelle, a powerful skin care routine always starts with how you are removing all that buildup and pollutants. If your makeup remover doesn’t do its job well, then how the heck will your other skin care products work?

What’s so great about micellar water? Can’t any makeup remover work just fine?

Everyone’s skin is different and not all products are suitable for all types of skin. It usually takes me 1-2 makeup wipes to get rid of dirt and makeup on my face. By the end of it, my face is stinging and looks cherry tomato red. That is never a good sign for sensitive skin!

On the other hand, micellar water manages to clean and tone your skin while removing makeup and buildup. It manages to keep my skin moisturized because of glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which are well-known to help retain skin’s moisture levels.

One micellar water makeup remover I absolutely love is the Micellar Water Ultra Cleanser by La Roche-Posay! The 750 mL bottle is $24.99, and has enough product to last me 2 to 3 months. Honestly, it’s SO worth your money!

Here’s why people love La Roche-Posay’s Micellar Water:

9. A Reliable Cleansing Balm for the most stubborn makeup and pollutants

Wait. You just talked about makeup remover. Do you really need another remover product?

When going heavy on the makeup, it’s important to remove it without pulling and tugging so much on your face. Dry skinned people are more likely to wrinkle faster, and with sensitive skin, it’s a double whammy for irritation central.

If you’re cautious about removing your makeup, like myself, you must keep a cleansing balm on hand. Cleansing balms contain oils that are necessary to keep your skin hydrated. This is especially important because removing makeup can be abrasive and take out moisture from your face. After washing the balm off, if you still think your face isn’t clean, then you can use some micellar water!

A great cleansing balm to purchase would have to be the Thermal Cleansing Balm by Omorovicza. Just a quarter-sized dollop of this balm draws out impurities and dissolves hard-to-remove makeup like waterproof mascara. With power like that, it makes sense why it is a winner for the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2020!

Here’s what people love about the Thermal Cleansing Balm:

8. A Gentle Facial Cleanser that will keep you out of Irritation Central for good…

Why is a foaming face wash/cleanser bad for dry skin?

A foam cleanser or face wash actually takes away moisture from your skin. This is great for people with oily skin. However, a foam cleanser and dry skin are enemies!

Don’t be fooled by the sudsy foam. Making your skin more dry will only lead to more cystic acne and breakouts. Using foam cleansers was such a huge mistake for me!

Instead of a foaming cleanser, go for a creamy or oil-based cleanser. Make sure to check the ingredients in your cleanser for more hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Dry, squeaky-clean-feeling skin is a big no-no for dry skin!

A great facial cleanser that promises to keep skin moisturized is the Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser by La Roche-Posay. So many people praise the product for it’s great formula filled with ceramides, niacinimide, and glycerin. It also has the 2018 New Beauty Beauty Awards and the 2017 SELF Approved Beauty Awards up its sleeve … no big deal, right?

Here’s why you have to get the Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser:

7. A Light Exfoliator that will make your skin thank you!

Regardless of skin type, you need an exfoliator! Acne can be caused by hormones, buildup, dirt, and dead skin cells. Your face needs a clean slate before putting on all those creams and serums!

People with dry skin can often have easily irritated, or sensitive, skin. Exfoliating, like cleaning your face, can get rid of essential oils on your face that are key for hydration. Physical and chemical exfoliators may do too much to your dry skin, if not properly moisturized.

If you forget to moisturize your face often, you can try an exfoliant that is light on easily irritated skin and keeps it hydrated. Dry skin and sensitive skin can sometimes need a slower journey to getting rid of acne. It’s all about progress!

Try out the Superfood Blackcurrant Jelly Exfoliator by Elemis for a gentle, effective exfoliation on your skin. Its glycerin base prevents stripping your natural oils. A little bit of this product can go a long way just by adding water. Plus it’s formulation with black tea and Nordic bilberry gives a antioxidant boost for a wonderful glow!

Here’s why you must get Elemis’ Jelly Exfoliator:

6. A Concentrated Vitamin C Serum for your most radiant skin EVER

Skin care experts love using Vitamin C for radiant skin. People with dry skin should use Vitamin C to help with skin cell renewal and saying bye bye to those stubborn blemishes. Cystic acne blemishes are already a pain in the you know where. It took me such a long time to go from a blemish babe to having a clean and clear complexion.

There are many ways to integrate Vitamin C into your skin care routine. There are face masks, powders, and even creams. Personally, I like using a Vitamin C serum since they are lightweight and easily absorbed into your pores.

Just one to two drops a day of a Vitamin C serum is all you need to keep blemishes at bay. Just make sure you go heavy with the sunscreen. Vitamin C makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight since it is acidic.

The Vitamin C Concentrated Serum by DERMA E has been a product I recommend to friends who want to renew the appearance of their skin. Besides boosting hydration and encouraging collagen health, it helps diminish the appearance of uneven skin tone. This cruetly free, vegan formula just HAS to be part of your list of skin care must-haves!

Here’s what people have to say about DERMA E’s Vitamin C Serum:

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars.

ON MY 4TH BOTTLE!

I LOVE this product and recommend it to all my friends! I am on my 4th bottle and will continue to repurchase … it has brightened my skin, tightened my pores, and made my skin very hydrated … I have been using this product for probably 2 years and I love it 🙂

– Katie, Sensitive Skin Type

5. A Niacinimide Serum that helps your parched skin quench its thirst

What’s niacinimide? Why is it an important skin care ingredient for dry skin?

Niacinimide is a form of Vitamin B3 that helps your skin grow. This helps with skin renewal to not only get rid of blemishes, but also build up your skin layer to retain moisture. As you notice already, moisture is important for people with dry skin who have acne problems.

I have grown to LOVE having niacinimide in my skin care routine. It has played a big part in evening out my skin’s texture and appearance. The bruising from blemishes took such a long time to get rid of, but now they don’t stand a chance of staying on my skin. Niacinimide is so underrated!

Paula’s Choice has been a skincare favorite for many, including myself! Their Booster Serum contains 10% niacinimide and will help reduce the size of pores and wrinkles. Their formula is absolute perfection for reducing pores that are prone to blackheads.

Here’s why people love the 10% Niacinimide Serum by Paula’s Choice:

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars.

Shocked

I have had congested pores for the past year and tried many treatments to help. After 1 WEEK pores noticeably reduced and as a bonus the rosacea/redness around my eyes VANISHED … it has changed my whole face. Obsessed.

– Chris the tired resident, Dry Skin Type

Click here to get the 10% Niacinimide Serum by Paula’s Choice for $44.00.

4. A Hyaluronic Acid Serum for a lightweight way to get calm, hydrated skin

Yes, micellar water contains hyaluronic acid to keep your skin moisturized during your cleansing sesh. There’s no such thing as too much hyaluronic acid … especially for people with dry skin.

It is super important that you are keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized 24/7. Dry skin already is in need of moisture so that it can prevent acne and blemishes. Hyaluronic acid works to also retain moisture so that your skin can continue to look perfect!

Lotions, moisturizers, and creams with hyaluronic acid are great at preventing your dry skin from feeling like a desert. If you want to keep your skin as light as possible to prevent clogged pores, I highly suggest incorporating it as a serum! I sometimes combine it with my Vitamin C serum so that my skin feels more soothed.

There are plenty of hyaluronic acid serums that you can choose from to get your moisturizing fix. One of my favorites right now is the Hyalu B5 Pure Hyalruonic Acid Serum by La Roche-Posay. It helps with anti-aging and visibly plumps your skin to give it a dewy, radiant look. This serum will make it oh-so easy to give your makeup a flawless application.

Here’s why people praise the Hyalu B5 Serum by La Roche-Posay:

3. A Lightweight Moisturizer to seal in all that moisturizing skincare goodness!

Speaking of clogged pores, moisturizer can make or break the effectiveness of your products! Too heavy of a formula can prevent your skin from breathing.

All that hard work you put on your skin only to be covered with a dollop of a heavy moisturizer would be a waste for people with dry skin. Vaseline on my skin would lead to more cystic acne breakouts along my jawline … sometimes even a huge pimple on my nose. Sigh.

The solution? Go for a lightweight moisturizer! My skin has always loved the application of a gel or water-based moisturizer. Not only does it feed my dry skin’s desire for H2O, it leaves my skin feeling baby butt smooth.

The Hydrogel Cream by The Honest Company is a reliable moisturizer that you can trust! A little bit of this moisturizer is able to spread throughout your face and neck. Staying moisturized is easy as long as you have a great, award-winning product like this one. A dewy look is every dry-skinned person’s dream!

See the amazing review for the Hydrogel Cream below:

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars.

24 Hour Hydration

I have dry and dehydrated skin but get clogged pores easily. Normally I have to layer a hyluranoic serum or oil underneath my moisturizer because my skin is so dry … I have never found anything that truly hydrates my skin like this cream. It gives me hydration and a glow that lasts all day and all night but doesn’t break my skin out. It even fills in some of my fine lines and plumps them. It absorbs into my skin and preps it perfectly for makeup. This moisturizer is truly a game changer!

– Julia Chung, Dry Skin Type

Click here to get the Hydrogel Cream by The Honest Company for $19.99.

2. A Blemish Fighting Serum because cystic acne on dry skin is SUCH a pain (geez)

It’s always a blessing to have a blemish remedy in your skin care toolkit! It’s great at keeping pimples unbothered by the dirt and pollutants that can come from outside.

For my dry skin, I have always seen the most progress with my pimples and blemishes when using salicylic acid. That ingredient always gets the job done quite well.

The best part about a blemish fighting serum is that you can apply it once a day. I’ve worn it throughout the day, or while sleeping, and I can quickly see my pesky blemishes fade away. By the end of the day, my pimple or blemish had definitely shrunk. Bless the skin care gods for this genius product!

Check out bareMinerals’ Blemish Remedy Acne Clearing Treatment if you need a go-to for clear skin! Not only does it contain salicylic acid, the serum also has zinc and licorice root to reveal your most beautiful skin. The Blemish Remedy is a sweet treat for you and your skin!

You have to see what people are saying about the Blemish Remedy Treatment:

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars.

Amazing results!

I bought this product only a couple days ago, and I’m already seeing results. My acne was cleared out and my skin feel incredibly smooth. My acne scars were also lightened! My acne has been a problem to me for years and i’m happy i found a product that is actually affordable, natural, and works well.

– GR47, Skin Type N/A

Click here to get the Blemish Ready Acne Clearing Treatment Serum by bare Minerals for $42.00.

1. A Hydrating Face Mask that is heaven in a bottle!

Who doesn’t love a good face mask? Putting one on gives you a few minutes to not only reward yourself, but make you feel luxurious. Any day can be a good day with a great face mask!

Like any product for your skin, you have to make sure you find a mask that is meant to moisturize your dry skin. You deserve the best ingredients that will take your skin care game from 0 to 100.

You should know by now that you gotta get hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin, and niacinimide are your go-to’s for the best, moisturized skin of your life! Those are just a few of the wonderful skin care ingredients that are known to moisturize dry skin.

Any face mask goes on your face before you pack on your lightweight moisturizer. Lately, I have been using the THIRSTYMUD Hydrating Treatment Mask by GLAMGLOW! I love how it contains honey, which is known to reduce redness and hydrate the skin. It’s the perfect mask to apply on a Friday night to destress from all your work.

GLAMGLOW sells the mask in three different sizes so you can carry it literally anywhere!

Here’s what people have to say about the THIRSTYMUD Treatment Mask:

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars.

Transformed My Face

This mask is absolutely fabulous. A little goes a long way. I use it every other night and my skin feels plumped, smoother and highly moisturizered in the morning. No other night cream I’ve tried compares.

– MrsBeesKnees, Skin Type N/A

Click here to get the THIRSTYMUD Hydrating Treatment Mask for $59.00

The road towards the reaching clear skin was definitely difficult, to say the least. It’s so rare to hear about people who have acne and are the dry, sensitive skin type! The amount of time I spent reading articles, watching YouTube videos, and nitpicking for the perfect products was so worth it.

This long search for regaining clear, smooth skin made me so happy! I finally hit the jackpot. Now, it’s your turn to get the BEST SKIN OF YOUR LIFE. You better get these products, like, now. What are you waiting for?!

Were you surprised by any of the products? Are there any other products you love that have helped your dry skin, acne problems? Write it down in the comments below to help others!

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