The short answer is yes, but it depends on how you introduce them.

Both ingredients are backed by research and can help improve concerns like acne, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, rosacea, uneven skin texture, and signs of aging.

The downside is that they’re also capable of causing dryness and irritation, especially if your skin isn’t used to active ingredients.

Using them together isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but it’s something you want to approach carefully.

In this article, I’ll explain how tretinoin and azelaic acid work, whether they’re safe to combine, what the research says, and how to build a routine that helps you get the benefits while minimizing irritation.

What is tretinoin?

Tretinoin is a prescription retinoid derived from vitamin A.

While it’s best known as an acne treatment, it’s also one of the most well-studied topical ingredients for improving fine lines, uneven skin texture, and other visible signs of photoaging.

It works by speeding up skin cell turnover and stimulating collagen production.

As older skin cells are replaced with new ones, you’ll typically notice smoother skin, fewer clogged pores, and gradual improvements in acne marks and overall skin texture.

Research shows tretinoin can help:

• Treat acne

• Improve fine lines and wrinkles

• Stimulate collagen production

• Smooth uneven skin texture

• Fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

• Help regulate excess oil production

Unlike retinol, tretinoin requires a prescription in many countries.

Its higher strength is part of what makes it so effective, but it also means your skin may need time to adjust, especially during the first few weeks of use.

Potential Side Effects of Tretinoin

It’s completely normal to experience some irritation when you first start using tretinoin.

During the first few weeks, you may notice:

• Dryness

• Flaking or peeling

• Redness

• Mild irritation or itching

For most people, these side effects improve as the skin builds tolerance.

The key is to introduce tretinoin gradually rather than using it every night from the start.

If you experience persistent dryness or irritation, don’t worry.

In the next section, I’ll show you how to introduce tretinoin and azelaic acid into your routine while minimizing these side effects.

What is azelaic acid?

If you’ve never used azelaic acid before, it’s one of those ingredients that doesn’t get as much attention as retinol or vitamin C, but I think it deserves a lot more credit.

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It’s commonly used to treat acne, reduce redness associated with rosacea, fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and improve uneven skin tone.

Because it can target several concerns at once, it’s one of the most versatile ingredients you can add to a skincare routine.

Azelaic acid works in a few different ways.

It helps reduce acne-causing bacteria, calms inflammation, encourages healthy skin cell turnover, and helps keep pores clear.

Research also suggests it can improve melasma and discoloration left behind after breakouts.

Unlike many acne treatments, azelaic acid is generally well tolerated, even by people with sensitive skin.

It’s available in both prescription-strength formulas and over-the-counter products.

That said, it’s still an active ingredient, so some people experience mild dryness, irritation, or temporary stinging when they first start using it, especially if they’re pairing it with other actives like tretinoin.

Are tretinoin and azelaic acid safe to combine?

Yes, tretinoin and azelaic acid can be used together.

The main thing to keep in mind is that both ingredients can cause dryness and irritation, especially when you’re first starting out.

Although there are limited clinical studies looking specifically at this combination, dermatologists commonly prescribe tretinoin and azelaic acid together because they work in different ways.

Tretinoin helps normalize skin cell turnover and unclog pores, while azelaic acid helps reduce inflammation, target acne-causing bacteria, and fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Using both ingredients can help address multiple concerns at once, including acne, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and skin texture, but it’s important to introduce them gradually to minimize irritation.

That doesn’t mean everyone should start using both at the same time.

Everyone’s skin is different, so it’s best to introduce them slowly and pay attention to how your skin responds.

If you notice too much dryness or irritation, reduce how often you use them until your skin adjusts.

How to Introduce Tretinoin and Azelaic Acid

Tretinoin and azelaic acid can work well together, but it’s best to introduce them slowly to

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If you’ve ever searched for the best cleanser, serum, or spot treatment, you’ve probably noticed that everyone seems to recommend something different.

The problem is that those recommendations don’t mean much if you don’t know what’s inside the bottle.

A product is just a delivery system.

The ingredient is what determines whether it’s going to help with the kind of acne you’re dealing with.

That’s why a product that works really well for someone else might not work as well for you.

One formula might contain salicylic acid, while another relies on benzoyl peroxide, and those ingredients are designed to target different parts of the acne process.

Once you understand what causes acne and how those ingredients work, choosing products becomes much easier.

You don’t need to buy every product marketed for acne.

You just need to choose the ingredient that’s best suited to your skin concerns and give it time to work.

In this article, I’ll explain what causes acne, how four of the most effective acne ingredients work, how to decide which one is right for you, and how to build a simple routine around it.

What Causes Acne?

Before we get into the ingredients, it helps to

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It’s one of the most commonly recommended skincare ingredients for acne, and unlike many ingredients that come and go, salicylic acid has remained a staple for years because it works.

Even so, it’s easy to get wrong.

Some people use it every day without any issues, while others end up with dry, irritated skin because they started with a product that was too strong or used it more often than their skin could tolerate.

You might also be wondering whether you need a cleanser, toner, serum, or spot treatment, or if salicylic acid is even the right ingredient for your skin.

In this article, I’ll explain what salicylic acid is, how it works, how to use it, and which products I think are worth trying.

What is salicylic acid?

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that’s commonly used to treat acne, clogged pores, and blackheads.

Unlike many other exfoliating acids, it’s oil-soluble, which allows it to penetrate inside the pore where excess oil and dead skin cells collect.

That makes it especially helpful for people with oily or acne-prone skin.

Part of what makes salicylic acid so effective is that it does more than exfoliate the surface of your skin.

It also helps keep pores clear, which can reduce blackheads, whiteheads, and mild acne over time.

Compared with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid is often a gentler place to start, especially if your main concerns are clogged pores or blackheads rather than larger, inflamed breakouts.

If you decide to use both ingredients, it’s usually best to introduce them gradually or use them at different times if your skin is prone to irritation.

How does salicylic acid work?

One of the reasons salicylic acid is so effective is that it’s lipophilic, which means it’s attracted to oil.

Unlike water-soluble exfoliating acids, salicylic acid can penetrate the oily environment inside your pores, where it exfoliates away the buildup of dead skin cells that can contribute to clogged pores and breakouts.

As that buildup is removed, pores are less likely to become blocked, making salicylic acid especially effective for treating blackheads, whiteheads, and mild acne.

It can also help improve rough skin texture and reduce the appearance of sebaceous filaments, the tiny oil-filled structures that are often mistaken for blackheads.

That’s what makes salicylic acid such an effective ingredient for people with oily or acne-prone skin.

How to Use Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid comes in several different forms, including cleansers, toners, serums, spot treatments, and even body washes.

If you’re new to the ingredient, I’d recommend starting with a cleanser.

Because it’s rinsed off after a short period of time, it’s often a gentler way to introduce salicylic acid into your routine before moving on to leave-on products.

A simple routine could look like:

• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. If you’re using a salicylic acid cleanser, this will be your cleansing step.

• Apply your salicylic acid product if you’re using a toner, serum, or spot treatment.

• Follow with a moisturizer to help support your skin barrier.

• Finish with sunscreen if it’s the morning.

You can also use salicylic acid body washes if you’re dealing with body acne or rough, bumpy skin on areas like your back, chest, or shoulders.

Can You Use Salicylic Acid Every Day?

That depends on the product and your skin.

If you’re using a salicylic acid cleanser, many people can use it every day because it’s rinsed off.

Leave-on products, such as toners and serums, are often stronger, so I’d recommend starting two or three times a week and increasing the frequency if your skin tolerates it well.

Side Effects

Like any active ingredient, salicylic acid can cause dryness, redness, flaking, or irritation if you use too much too soon.

The easiest way to avoid this is to introduce it gradually, moisturize afterward, and pay attention to how your skin responds.

Salicylic Acid Products to Try

1. Top Salicylic Acid Spot Treatment

Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion is one of the most recognizable salicylic acid spot treatments on the market.

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It combines salicylic acid with sulfur and calamine to help dry out surface blemishes overnight, making it a good option when you wake up with an isolated pimple and want to shrink it as quickly as possible.

2. Best Salicylic Acid Toner

Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant has been one of the most popular leave-on salicylic acid exfoliants for years.

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I don’t reach for it as often as I used to because my skin is drier now, but I still like having a bottle on hand for the occasional breakout or when my skin starts feeling congested.

I also get asked how it compares to Naturium’s BHA Liquid Exfoliant.

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I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other.

Naturium combines salicylic acid with AHAs, while Paula’s Choice keeps the formula simpler and includes green tea extract to help soothe the skin.

Which one I’d recommend really depends on what you’re looking for.

3. Effective Salicylic Acid Serum

If you prefer a serum over a cleanser or toner, Sunday Riley U.F.O. is one I’d consider.

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It combines 1.5% salicylic acid with tea tree oil and black cumin seed oil to help target clogged pores and breakouts, while licorice root and hexylresorcinol help improve the appearance of post-acne marks and uneven skin tone.

It’s a nice option if you’re looking for a salicylic acid treatment that does more than just target acne, especially if discoloration after breakouts is also a concern.

4. Best Salicylic Acid Cleanser

If you've been avoiding salicylic acid cleansers because they leave your skin feeling stripped, Prequel Gleanser + SA is worth trying.

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The formula combines 1% salicylic acid with 50% glycerin, zinc PCA, and succinic acid to gently exfoliate while helping maintain hydration.

It's also suitable for both the face and body, making it a versatile option if you're prone to breakouts in multiple areas.

5. Must-Have Salicylic Acid Spot Patches

If you catch a pimple early, Hero Mighty Patch for Early-Stage Blemishes is worth keeping on hand.

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It combines salicylic acid with cica in dissolving Micropoints™ that target emerging blemishes before they fully surface.

I like that it goes beyond a traditional hydrocolloid patch by delivering ingredients directly into the blemish, making it a great option when you feel a pimple starting to form but it hasn’t come to a head yet.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing I’d want you to take away from this article, it’s that salicylic acid isn’t about using the strongest product you can find.

Choosing the right formula, introducing it gradually, and staying consistent will give you better results than trying to overhaul your entire routine.

Sometimes one good product is all you need.

Cheers,

Fawn

There are countless scrubs, lotions, body washes, and treatments promising smoother, softer, healthier-looking skin, but many don’t do much beyond making your skin smell nice for a few hours.

At the same time, concerns like body acne, keratosis pilaris, dry skin, rough texture, and dark marks are incredibly common.

The good news is that you don’t need a complicated routine to address them.

In many cases, a handful of well-formulated products can make a noticeable difference in how your skin looks and feels.

So in this roundup, I wanted to share some of my favorite body care products for summer.

Some have been staples in my routine for years, while others are newer discoveries that impressed me enough to earn a spot on this list.

1. Naturium Glow Getter

Naturium’s Glow Getter is one of my favorite body washes. In fact, I've repurchased it more than eight times.

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It leaves my skin feeling clean, hydrated, and comfortable without that tight, stripped feeling that some body washes can cause.

I’ve even used it as a shaving gel on occasion.

The formula contains more than 50% glycerin, which helps attract moisture to the skin and is one of the reasons I keep coming back to it.

2. Saltair KP Body Smoother

One of the newer products I’ve added to my routine is the Saltair KP Body Smoother.

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I use it three times per week in the shower to help keep rough patches and bumpy skin under control.

The formula combines physical exfoliation with 10% glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid that helps loosen and remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin.

If you struggle with keratosis pilaris, often called “chicken skin,” or rough texture on the backs of your arms and legs, this is the type of product that can make a noticeable difference over time.

I massage it onto damp skin, let it sit for a minute or two, and then rinse it off.

3. First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

Before discovering the Saltair KP Body Smoother, First Aid Beauty’s KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub was one of my go-to products for rough, bumpy skin.

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Like the Saltair scrub, it contains 10% AHA and is designed for concerns such as keratosis pilaris, often called “chicken skin.”

The main difference is that First Aid Beauty has been a staple in my routine for much longer, while Saltair is a more recent discovery.

If rough texture and keratosis pilaris are concerns for you, both are worth considering.

4. Nerra Pre-Exfoliating Foam + Exfoliating Body Glove

If you prefer physical exfoliation, another combination worth mentioning is Nerra’s Pre-Exfoliating Foam and Exfoliating Body Glove.

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I like using the foam before exfoliating with the glove.

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The foam helps soften the skin, while the glove helps remove dead skin buildup from the surface.

It’s a combination I reach for when I want my skin to feel especially smooth, and it’s also a nice option before shaving.

If you’re not a fan of exfoliating scrubs, this is an alternative approach that’s worth considering.

5. PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash

Body acne is one of the most common concerns I get asked about, and PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash with 10% Benzoyl Peroxide is a product that comes up often in those conversations.

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Benzoyl peroxide helps target acne-causing bacteria while also helping reduce inflammation.

Simply apply it to the affected area, leave it on for three to five minutes, and then rinse it off.

6. Neostrata Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion

Neostrata’s Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion is one of my favorite products for rough texture, post-acne marks, and keratosis pilaris.

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If you’ve ever looked into products like AmLactin for rough, bumpy skin, this falls into a similar category.

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Unlike an exfoliating scrub that gets rinsed off in the shower, this is a lotion that stays on the skin after application.

I tend to reach for it more often during the summer months when I’m paying a little more attention to the skin on my arms and legs.

Definitely a top pick.

7. Saltair HA Body Hydrator

Another newer addition to my routine is the Saltair HA Body Hydrator.

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Right after I shower, while my skin is still damp, I pump out two quarter-sized amounts and apply it all over my body.

The formula contains sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid, along with ingredients that support the skin barrier.

I’ve found that applying it to damp skin leaves my skin feeling softer, smoother, and more hydrated throughout the day.

8. Prequel Urea Advanced Relief Moisturizing Milk

Another moisturizer worth mentioning is Prequel’s Urea Advanced Relief Moisturizing Milk.

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The ingredient that initially caught my attention was the 10% urea.

Urea is naturally present in the skin and is commonly used in products designed for dry, rough, and flaky skin.

The formula also contains niacinamide, shea butter, and glycerin and can be used on both the face and body.

I also appreciate the mid-weight texture.

It feels moisturizing without being overly heavy and absorbs easily after application.

9. Hanni Water Balm

I also like Hanni’s Water Balm!

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I tend to prefer lighter body products during the summer, and this is one I keep coming back to.

It’s a spray-on moisturizer that feels lightweight on the skin and doesn’t leave behind the heavy feeling that some body products can.

If you dislike thick body creams during the summer, this is one worth checking out.

10. Cerave Moisturizing Cream

For a more affordable moisturizer, Cerave Moisturizing Cream remains one of the products I recommend most often.

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It’s a thick, straightforward moisturizer that has been a staple in my bathroom for years.

If you’re looking for a simple, no-frills body moisturizer, this is a solid option.

11. Nerra Dry Body Oil

Nerra’s Dry Body Oil is another product that finds its way into my routine every summer.

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What I like most is that it absorbs quickly while still leaving my skin looking glowy.

I was never a huge body oil person, although I would occasionally mix one into my lotion when my skin was feeling particularly dry.

This one comes in a spray bottle, which makes it easy to apply and easy to travel with.

A Few Final Thoughts

One thing I want to emphasize is that this isn’t meant to be a step-by-step routine.

These are simply some of my favorite body care products and the ones I find myself recommending most often.

At the end of the day, you don’t need every product on this list.

The best body care routine is the one you’ll actually stick with, and for most people, that means focusing on the concerns that matter most to them, whether that’s body acne, keratosis pilaris, rough texture, or dry skin.

If you have a favorite body care product that didn’t make the list, let me know in the comments.

Cheers,

Fawn

You spend time applying your foundation, blush, bronzer, and concealer, only to have everything start fading, separating, or looking patchy a few hours later.

Humidity doesn’t exactly help either.

Even when products look great right after application, keeping them looking fresh throughout the day can be a completely different challenge.

For the longest time, I didn’t think setting sprays had much to do with that.

I knew people used them, but I never really paid much attention.

If my makeup looked good when I finished applying it, I figured my job was done.

Over the last year, though, I’ve started spending a lot more time experimenting with makeup.

I’ve tested new products, learned different application techniques, and found myself enjoying the process a lot more than I expected.

Somewhere along the way, setting sprays went from being a product I overlooked to becoming a regular part of my routine.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how setting sprays work, how I use them in my own routine, and the ones I’ve been reaching for the most this summer.

How Setting Sprays Actually Work

When I first started paying attention to setting sprays, I assumed they were mostly there to make makeup last longer.

And they do help with that.

Most setting sprays leave a thin film over your makeup that helps everything hold together a little better throughout the day.

If you’re spending hours outside, dealing with humidity, or just trying to make your makeup survive until dinner, that extra layer can make a noticeable difference.

What ended up mattering more to me, though, was the finish.

Sometimes a full face of makeup can look like exactly what it is: foundation sitting underneath bronzer, blush sitting on top of powder, and every layer looking slightly separate from the next.

A good setting spray helps everything settle together.

The makeup looks less powdery, less heavy, and more like skin.

That’s especially helpful during the summer.

When it’s hot outside, I’m usually wearing sunscreen underneath my makeup, and the last thing I want is for everything to start looking dry, cakey, or patchy a few hours later.

Setting spray won’t make your makeup indestructible, but it can help it look fresher for longer.

My Makeup Routine With Setting Spray

Here’s how I use setting spray in my own makeup routine.

I start with the Huda Beauty Easy Blur Foundation and then do a light spray of the NYX The Face Glue Setting Spray before moving on to the rest of my makeup.

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On days when I want a lighter finish, I often use the Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint instead.

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For contour, I use Tarte’s Sculpt Tape.

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Then I go in with Saie Dew Blush in the shade Spicy, which I use as a bronzer.

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Even though it’s sold as a blush, the shade is deep enough on my skin tone that it works better as a bronzer for me.

After that, I apply Saie Dew Blush in the shade Chilly.

Chilly is my everyday blush and one of my favorite makeup products.

It’s a rosy pink shade that brightens my face without looking overdone.

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I also apply Colorscience Total Lash Mascara before moving on to powder and my final setting spray.

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Once everything is blended, I use the Saie Airset Radiant Loose Setting Powder before finishing with either the L’Oréal Infallible Setting Spray or the Saie CitySet Lightweight Setting Spray.

I used to think of setting spray as something you used once your makeup was already finished.

Now I use it as part of the application process itself.

Foundation, contour, blush, and powder all have different textures.

When they’re applied one after another, they can sometimes feel like separate layers sitting on top of the skin.

Using setting spray between steps helps everything come together.

The finished makeup looks less powdery, my blush blends more naturally into the rest of the look, and everything feels more cohesive by the time I’m done.

Do You Need a Setting Spray?

I don’t think everyone needs a setting spray.

If I’m putting on a little makeup to run errands or head out for a couple of hours, it’s not always something I reach for.

Where I find it most useful is when I’m wearing a full face of makeup and want it to look the way I intended for as long as possible.

For example, if I’m attending a wedding, a party, or any occasion where I’ll be wearing makeup for several hours, I’m much more likely to use one.

The same goes for days when I’ve spent extra time on my makeup and don’t want to think about touch-ups later.

A setting spray isn’t going to fix products you already dislike, and it won’t replace good application techniques.

What it can do is help your makeup look fresher and stay in place longer throughout the day.

You can have a great makeup routine without one.

That said, it’s one of the few makeup products I’ve added over the last year that has earned a permanent place in my routine.

My Favorite Setting Sprays Right Now

One thing I’ve learned from testing more setting sprays is that I don’t necessarily reach for the same one every time.

The one I use depends a lot on what I’m doing that day and what I want my makeup to look like.

1. NYX The Face Glue Setting Spray

This is the setting spray I most often use between layers of makeup.

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If I’m doing foundation and then moving on to contour, bronzer, and blush, this is usually the spray I’m reaching for.

It contains film-forming ingredients designed to help grip makeup, and I like the way it helps everything settle together as I’m applying it.

It’s also lightweight on the skin, which is important because I don’t want my makeup routine to feel heavier with every step.

2. L’Oréal Infallible Setting Spray

When longevity is my top priority, L’Oréal Infallible Setting Spray is usually the one I grab.

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If I’m attending a wedding, going to a party, or know I’m going to be wearing makeup for most of the day, this is usually the setting spray I reach for.

The aerosol mist is very fine, which helps distribute the product evenly across the skin, and I’ve found that my makeup tends to hold up particularly well when I finish my routine with it.

3. Saie CitySet Lightweight Setting Spray

Despite the name, Saie CitySet Lightweight Setting Spray is probably the most heavy-duty setting spray in my collection.

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Unlike some setting sprays that completely disappear once they dry down, I can actually feel a film on my skin throughout the day when I wear this one.

That might not sound appealing, but I think it’s part of the reason it works so well.

It gives my makeup a very glowy finish and helps everything stay in place for hours.

If you’re someone who prefers a completely matte finish, this probably isn’t the setting spray I’d recommend.

For me, though, it makes my makeup feel like it’s glued to my face in the best possible way, which is exactly what I’m looking for during the summer.

Final Thoughts

One thing I’ve enjoyed about getting more into makeup is realizing how much there still is to learn.

A year ago, I probably would have looked at a setting spray and assumed it wasn’t doing very much.

Now it’s one of those products that has made me pay more attention to the application process as a whole.

It’s also made makeup more fun.

Instead of rushing through my routine, I spend more time experimenting with different techniques and figuring out what works for me.

Not every product earns a permanent place in my routine, but setting spray is one of the few that has.

It’s a small step, but it’s made a noticeable difference in both how my makeup looks and how long it lasts throughout the day.

Cheers,

Fawn

My default reaction used to be trying to get rid of it.

If my hair wasn’t smooth, I assumed I was doing something wrong.

The more I learned about curly hair, the more I realized that wasn’t always true.

I often say that frizz is just a curl that needs to be nurtured, and a lot of what I was seeing was really my natural texture trying to show up.

That shift in perspective changed the way I care for my hair, especially during the summer when humidity can make everything feel a little less predictable.

My routine today is much simpler than it used to be.

In this article, I’ll show you what I do to keep my hair healthy, hydrated, and as frizz-free as possible throughout the summer.

First, Know Your Hair Type

Before we get into products, it helps to understand that not all curls are the same.

Hair is often categorized using a system that ranges from type 2 (wavy) to type 4 (coily), as shown in the chart below.

I describe my hair as 2C/3A, which means different parts of my hair fall into different categories.

That’s one reason I’ve learned to be skeptical of one-size-fits-all hair advice.

A product that works beautifully for someone with loose waves may be too lightweight for tighter curls.

On the other hand, products designed for coily hair can sometimes feel too heavy on wavy hair.

That’s also why you’ll see me recommend mousse over gel for many wavy and curly hair types.

My goal is usually definition without weighing my hair down.

As you read through the rest of this article, keep in mind that these recommendations are based on what has worked for my hair.

Your results may vary depending on where your hair falls on the curl spectrum.

The Only Products I Really Use

Maintaining curly and wavy hair doesn’t require dozens of products.

These are the products I keep coming back to:

1. Shampoo & Conditioner

A good shampoo and conditioner are the foundation of my entire routine.

I’ve had good luck with the Eluxe Shampoo and Conditioner.

The shampoo does a great job removing buildup without leaving my hair feeling stripped, which is important when you’re using styling products regularly.

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The conditioner gives me enough moisture without making my curls feel heavy, and my hair is always easier to manage when I’m using it consistently.

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I also keep the L’Oréal EverPure Bond Repair Conditioner in rotation.

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I’ve repurchased this one more times than I can count.

If your hair is feeling dry, damaged, or overprocessed from heat styling, it’s a great budget-friendly option.

It contains citric acid and is designed to support damaged hair, but the reason I keep buying it is simple: it makes my hair feel better.

If you deal with dandruff or scalp inflammation, it’s also worth looking into a ketoconazole shampoo.

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Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, and that’s one of the few ingredients with solid evidence behind it for managing dandruff.

2. Leave-In Conditioner

If there’s one product I almost never skip, it’s a leave-in conditioner.

My curls tend to get dry, especially on the ends, and I find that a good leave-in makes my hair easier to detangle, softer to the touch, and much more manageable between wash days.

My personal favorite is the CURLSMITH Curl Conditioning Oil-in-Cream.

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Because my hair is thick and coarse, I usually do better with richer leave-in conditioners.

This one gives me the extra moisture I need without making my hair feel greasy or weighed down.

What I like most is that it gives my hair a little extra hydration before I go in with mousse. It helps my curls clump together better and makes styling easier overall.

If your hair is finer or your curls are looser, the Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-In Conditioner is another option I’ve liked.

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It has a lighter texture than the CURLSMITH leave-in and adds moisture without feeling heavy, which may make it a better fit for some hair types.

3. Mousse

If you have wavy or curly hair, mousse is probably the styling product I recommend most often.

Right now, my favorite is the Chris McMillan Hair Mousse for bouncy volume.

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I also have Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Mousse, but I find myself reaching for the Chris McMillan mousse more often.

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After applying my leave-in conditioner, I’ll work mousse through damp hair and then diffuse until my hair is about 75% dry.

From there, I usually let the rest air dry.

As a general rule, I think mousse works best for wavy hair and many curly hair types.

You get definition and hold without making the hair feel heavy.

If you have tighter curls or coiler hair, especially 4A and above, gel often makes more sense because the stronger hold helps keep curls defined throughout the day.

For me, mousse strikes the right balance.

My curls stay defined, but my hair still has movement and volume once it’s dry.

4. Hair Oil

Hair oil is one of the simpler steps in my routine.

One of my favorites is Verb Ghost Oil.

I’ve repurchased it multiple times because it’s lightweight and doesn’t make my hair feel greasy or weighed down.

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I split my hair into two sections and use about a quarter-sized amount on each side.

The mid-lengths and ends get most of the product, and I also apply it before bed since that’s the area that tends to get the driest.

I also like the Fountainhead Moisturizing Hair Oil created by my friend Jessica, but I use it a little differently.

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Because it’s a richer blend of oils, I prefer it for my ends rather than as an everyday hair oil.

For me, hair oil is less about transforming my hair and more about keeping it looking its best between wash days.

5. Deep Conditioner & Bond Builders

A couple of times a month, especially if you’ve been heat styling, I think it’s worth adding a deep conditioner or bond builder to your routine.

This isn’t something I use every wash.

It’s more of a maintenance step when my hair needs a little extra help.

I’ve tried a lot of bonding products over the years.

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Epres is one of my favorites, and L'Oréal EverPure Bond Repair+ Pre-Shampoo Treatment is another good option that tends to be more affordable.

I also like the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask and the SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Mask when my hair needs extra moisture.

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It’s important to know that deep conditioners and bond builders aren’t the same thing.

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Bond builders are designed to support hair that’s been damaged by things like coloring and heat styling, while deep conditioners focus more on restoring moisture.

If your hair feels dry, brittle, or damaged from coloring or heat styling, both can be helpful additions to your routine.

I still think the basics matter most.

A good shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and styling product will get you most of the way there.

Bond builders and deep conditioners are the products I reach for when my hair needs some extra attention.

How I Style My Hair

Once I’ve applied my leave-in conditioner and mousse, I’ll scrunch everything into soaking-wet hair and start diffusing.

I usually diffuse until my hair is about 75% dry, which takes around 15 to 20 minutes with a good blow dryer.

I've been using the Wavytalk Turblow Pro, and it's done a good job speeding up the process while still being gentle on my curls.

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Once my hair is about 75% dry, I stop and let the rest air dry.

I’ve found that my hair looks better when I don’t try to force it all the way dry with heat.

Letting the last bit dry naturally helps reduce frizz and gives my curls a softer finish.

I also like using root clips while my hair dries.

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They’re a simple way to get more lift at the crown and prevent the roots from drying flat against the scalp.

It’s not a complicated routine, but it’s the one that consistently gives me the best results.

My Blowout Routine

Most of the time, I wear my hair curly.

But every once in a while, I’ll blow it out instead.

If I want a blowout, the biggest difference is what I do after I get out of the shower.

Once I’m out of the shower, I squeeze out as much water as possible and work the Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection & Heat Protectant Cream through my hair.

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I use a generous amount, probably around two quarters’ worth.

Then I blow dry it without a diffuser.

I only use a diffuser when I’m planning to wear my hair curly.

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Once my hair is mostly dry, I spray it with CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray and go in with the Wavytalk Thermal Brush.

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The thermal brush does a good job smoothing my hair and creating that blowout look without requiring a separate round brush and blow dryer.

When I’m done, I’ll run a little Verb Ghost Oil through the lengths and ends.

If I want a bit more hold, I’ll finish with It’s a Ten Miracle Finishing Spray.

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I don’t spend much time trying to blow out my hair during the summer.

For me, the humidity always wins.

Nothing I do is going to keep my hair straight for very long.

When I do wear it straight, it’s usually because I’m traveling somewhere dry.

If I know I’m spending a week somewhere like Denver during the winter, there’s a good chance my hair will stay straight.

In a humid summer climate, that’s a different story.

Why I Rarely Cut My Hair

I only cut my hair once or twice a year.

That’s not because I think trims are unnecessary.

If my ends are damaged or splitting, a haircut is often the best solution.

What I don’t believe is that frequent trims are the secret to healthy hair growth.

Hair grows from the scalp, not from the ends.

Cutting your hair doesn’t make it grow faster.

For me, keeping my hair healthy comes down to how I care for it between haircuts.

The less damage I create in the first place, the less often I feel the need to cut it.

Split ends are real, and once a hair strand splits, there’s no way to permanently fuse it back together.

At that point, trimming the damaged portion is usually your best option.

That said, if you’re taking good care of your hair, you probably don’t need to be trimming it nearly as often as some people suggest.

And yes, part of me thinks the idea that everyone needs a trim every six to eight weeks is a bit of a beauty-industry psyop.

I've found that focusing on preventing damage does far more for length retention than constantly reaching for the scissors.

Free yourself.

A Few Other Hair Tricks I’ve Picked Up

One other thing that’s made a bigger difference than I expected is using a shower cap on days when I’m not washing my hair.

For years, if I wasn’t washing my hair, I’d just throw it into a bun and hope for the best.

The problem is that all the humidity from your shower still affects your hair.

If you have curly or wavy hair, that extra moisture can weigh everything down and make your curls lose their shape faster.

Now I use the Kitsch Shower Cap whenever I’m not washing my hair, and it does a much better job preserving my curls between wash days.

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I also use it when I curl my hair with a one-inch curling iron.

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I’ll curl my hair a little tighter than I want it to look, put it up in the shower cap while I do my makeup and get dressed, and then take it down about 30 minutes to an hour later.

By then, the curls have relaxed a bit on their own.

I’ll run a little Verb Ghost Oil through my hair to break everything up, and it gives me soft, bouncy curls that look much more natural.

Between wash days, I also use dry shampoo to keep my hair looking fresh.

Right now I’m using the Hask Dry Shampoo.

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I haven’t found a dry shampoo that I love yet, so I’m still experimenting.

This one has worked well enough for me so far.

The Bottom Line

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this article, it’s that maintaining curly and wavy hair doesn’t have to be complicated.

I don’t use dozens of products, and I don’t spend hours styling my hair every day.

Most of the time, it’s the basics that make the biggest difference: keeping your hair moisturized, minimizing damage, and finding products that work for your particular hair type.

Once you have that figured out, everything gets a lot easier.

Cheers,

Fawn

A lot of people start with a cleanser and maybe one treatment product, then every new breakout turns into another purchase.

Maybe they add another exfoliating acid, or start using one of those spot treatments that dries the breakout out overnight.

Then toner pads get added somewhere in the mix too because somebody online said they “cleared” their skin in a week.

Before long, the routine is packed with products that are all trying to fix the same issue from different directions.

I think that’s why so many people end up feeling frustrated with their skin after a while.

The acne might still be there, but now your skin feels irritated, makeup starts separating around dry patches, and the marks from old breakouts refuse to fade.

That’s part of why I’ve always loved azelaic acid.

I’ve used it for years, written about it multiple times, and repurchased the Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10% more than five times with my own money.

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It’s one of the few acne-focused ingredients I keep coming back to because it can help with breakouts, post-acne marks, redness, and uneven skin tone without making the rest of my routine feel overly complicated.

And with azelaic acid, the formula can change the experience quite a bit.

Some fit into a routine without much thought, while others end up clashing with everything else you’re using.

In this article, I’ll walk you through what azelaic acid is, what it helps with, how to use it in a routine, and the formulas I personally think are worth trying.

What Is Azelaic Acid?

If you've never used azelaic acid before, it's one of those ingredients that doesn't get as much attention as retinol, vitamin C, or niacinamide, but I think it deserves a lot more credit.

Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid with anti-inflammatory properties that reduces pimples and can help improve rosacea.

You can find azelaic acid in both prescription medications and over-the-counter skincare products.

Evidence shows that azelaic acid works in several ways, including:

• Unplugging follicles

• Killing acne-causing bacteria

• Reducing inflammation

• Turning over dead skin cells

Further, some studies show that azelaic acid can help with skin concerns such as hyperpigmentation and melasma, which is one of the reasons I've used it for years and continue recommending it so often.

Many acne ingredients focus only on active breakouts, while azelaic acid can also help address the marks those breakouts leave behind.

At the same time, azelaic acid is still a topical medication and can cause side effects such as dryness and irritation.

Why People Love Azelaic Acid for Acne

One thing that makes acne frustrating is that the breakout is usually only part of the problem.

You get one pimple to calm down, then the mark hangs around for another month afterward.

And if you’re still breaking out while older marks are fading, your skin can start looking uneven even when the acne itself isn’t that severe anymore.

That’s a big reason people stick with azelaic acid.

A lot of acne products are focused on getting rid of the breakout itself, but for a lot of people the annoying part starts afterward when the mark refuses to fade.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve continued using azelaic acid for years.

I like ingredients that can help with both active breakouts and the discoloration they leave behind.

I also think it works well for the kind of acne that never fully comes to the surface.

The tiny clogged pores around the chin, the rough texture along the jawline, those little bumps that make your skin look uneven under makeup even if you don’t have large inflamed breakouts.

Those are often the things people notice changing first.

And I think that slower pace is part of why people end up liking azelaic acid in the first place.

It doesn’t have the same reputation as the harsher acne products that leave your skin peeling for a week and force you to rebuild your entire routine afterward.

Instead, it tends to become one of those products people keep repurchasing because their skin looks more even when it’s part of the routine consistently.

It’s certainly become that kind of product for me.

How to Use It

You can use azelaic acid either in the morning or at night depending on the rest of your routine and what your skin tolerates best.

A simple morning routine could look like:

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser.

2. Apply your azelaic acid serum or cream.

3. Follow with moisturizer to help keep your skin hydrated and support your skin barrier.

4. Then finish with sunscreen.

At night, a lot of people pair azelaic acid with retinoids or barrier-supportive products:

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. If you’re wearing makeup or sunscreen, double cleanse first with a cleansing oil so you’re not leaving anything behind on your skin.

2. Apply your retinoid.

3. Apply azelaic acid afterward if your skin tolerates both in the same routine.

4. Follow with moisturizer.

Azelaic acid pairs well with ingredients like niacinamide, hydrating serums, retinoids, and salicylic acid for some people, although I’d still encourage you to keep things simple at first.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people adding too many active ingredients at the same time and then having no idea what’s helping and what’s causing irritation.

This is something I've talked about before, but if you're trying to fade discoloration, sunscreen is non-negotiable.

UV exposure can make discoloration linger much longer after breakouts heal.

Best Azelaic Acid Products to Try

There are a lot of azelaic acid products on the market now, but I do think the formula matters more than people realize.

Some look fine at first, then start pilling once sunscreen or makeup gets layered on top.

That alone can change whether a product ends up staying in your routine.

A few azelaic acid products worth trying are:

1. Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10% is my favorite overall.

   I've used it for years and repurchased it more than five times with my own money, which is probably the strongest endorsement I can give any skincare product.

   The formula feels much more comfortable on the skin than a lot of traditional azelaic acid creams.

   

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   Instead of using standard azelaic acid alone, Naturium uses a derivative called potassium azeloyl diglycinate, which tends to feel more hydrating and less drying on the skin.

   The formula also includes niacinamide, vitamin C, coffee seed extract, and sodium hyaluronate, so it ends up feeling more like a lightweight treatment serum than one of those thicker prescription-style creams.

2. Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster has been around for years and is still one of the more popular azelaic acid products for acne-prone skin and uneven skin tone.

   

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   The formula combines azelaic acid with 0.5% salicylic acid, so it targets clogged pores a little more aggressively than some of the gentler azelaic acid formulas.

   It has a lightweight cream-gel texture and works well either on its own or mixed into moisturizer.

3. The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% is one of the more affordable azelaic acid options and a common starting point for people who want to try the ingredient without spending much upfront.

   

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   It focuses more on uneven skin tone, texture, dullness, and redness.

   The texture feels more silicone-heavy than some of the other options here, which people either end up liking or avoiding depending on the rest of their routine.

4. The INKEY List SuperSolutions Azelaic Acid 10% Serum is a good option for people whose skin leans more redness-prone or reactive.

   

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   The formula includes allantoin to help soothe irritation, and unlike some azelaic acid suspensions, this one was designed not to leave behind that dry, crunchy feeling after layering skincare on top.

   It also has a slight green tint to help offset visible redness on the skin.

5. Good Molecules 10% Azelaic Acid Treatment focuses heavily on post-acne marks and redness.

   

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   Alongside azelaic acid, it includes soothing ingredients like centella asiatica exosomes and passion fruit oil, so the formula leans more supportive and calming instead of feeling overly harsh or stripping.

Who Should Try Azelaic Acid?

Azelaic acid is a good option for people with acne-prone skin, redness, post-acne marks, clogged pores, or uneven skin tone.

It’s also commonly used by people whose skin becomes irritated from stronger acne products, since azelaic acid tends to fit into routines without causing as much irritation as harsher treatments.

Because it targets several concerns at once, azelaic acid often works well in simpler routines that don’t rely on layering multiple active ingredients together.

That's one of the reasons I've kept coming back to azelaic acid over the years.

Final Thoughts

Azelaic acid has stayed popular for a reason.

It can help with breakouts, redness, texture, and post-acne marks at the same time without making your routine feel overly aggressive or complicated.

And at this point, I think a lot of people with acne-prone skin end up doing better when they stop trying to throw every strong product possible into the same routine.

I've used azelaic acid for years, and it's one of the few acne ingredients I've never really felt the need to stop using.

Sometimes the best routines aren't the most aggressive ones.

They're the ones your skin can tolerate long enough to see results from.

Cheers,

Fawn

While there are plenty of things you can do at home to raise your skin’s UV threshold and prevent or reduce burning, for many of us, a good sunscreen comes in handy regardless.

Finding the right one can be tricky with so many options out there.

In this roundup, I’ve gathered 12 of the best sunscreens that not only protect your skin but also feel great to wear.

Here’s a sneak peek at four great sunscreen options:

• Best budget sunscreen: NATURIUM UV Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50

• Best mineral sunscreen: HERO Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30

• Best sunscreen stick: Vertra’s SPF 45 sunscreen face stick

• Best foundation replacement: Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

Let's dive into the best picks for keeping your skin safe and healthy:

1. Hero Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30

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Key Ingredients: 17.53% zinc oxide (non-nano), green surge, extremolytes
Best For: acne-prone skin

HERO Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30 is perfect for those with acne-prone skin, offering SPF 30 with a surprisingly lightweight, non-tinted finish.

In fact, the Hero sunscreens are my favorite every since Vertra discontinued the “Beach Break Sunscreen”… (rip)

This 100% mineral-based sunscreen is fragrance-free and silicone-free, and uses 17.53% non-nano zinc oxide for strong UVA and UVB protection.

Packed with antioxidant-rich botanicals and natural bio-ingredients, the gel-cream formula hydrates without feeling greasy and provides a glowy finish.

It’s non-tinted but can leave a white cast on darker skin tones, making it more suitable for medium to light skin tones.

Apply it as the final step in your morning skincare routine and reapply every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Don’t forget to protect your hands, chest, and ears.

Broad-spectrum and reef-safe, HERO Superlight Sunscreen is clinically proven to be non-irritating and keeps your skin clear and healthy while offering daily sun protection.

2. Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

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Key Ingredients: Iron oxide pigments, EnviroScreen® Technology, antioxidants
Best For: All Skin Types

Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50 is a lightweight mineral sunscreen with tinted color coverage that instantly evens out your skin tone for a flawless look.

This sunscreen not only hydrates but also protects your skin from UVA/UVB, blue light, pollution, and infrared radiation thanks to its patented EnviroScreen Technology.

It includes antioxidants and nourishing ingredients that help keep your skin healthy over time.

The FLEX formula has special iron oxide pigments that adapt to your skin tone as you apply it, offering buildable color coverage with a demi-matte finish.

It comes in six flexible shades that work well for a wide range of skin tones and undertones.

Beyond sun protection, what sets this one apart is how it performs as a foundation replacement.

Colorscience Flex is the one I reach for when I want a tinted mineral sunscreen that replaces my foundation.

It's thicker with more buildable coverage, giving you that extra polish and finish you need.

That said, I always need a setting spray with this one.

Without it, the sunscreen tint can come off on my hands and transfer to my clothes, especially if I'm going to be outside for extended periods in the heat.

I only reach for it when I'm already doing a full makeup look, and in the summertime I'm using a setting spray over makeup anyway.

My go-to setting sprays are the NYX Face Glue or the L'Oreal Infallible 24-Hour.

3. Vertra Invisible Sunscreen Face Stick SPF 45

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Key Ingredients: zinc oxide 22%
Best For: outdoor activities

Vertra’s SPF 45 invisible face stick ensures long-lasting, water-resistant sun protection.

This mineral sunscreen is perfect for activities like surfing, skiing, or any outdoor adventure.

I love that I can throw it in my bag for easy application throughout the day.

This formula offers broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection with SPF 45 and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.

It’s designed to go on clear, leaving a non-greasy finish that makes it ideal for everyday use.

The sunscreen stick is free from parabens, oxybenzone, octinoxate, and fragrances, catering to those who prefer cleaner skincare options.

Its mineral formula provides effective sun defense without the common drawbacks of sunscreen like unpleasant smells or a greasy texture.

As someone who is picky about sunscreen, I appreciate that Vertra’s face stick has a lightweight and moisturizing feel.

The packaging is cleverly designed to prevent leaks, making it travel-friendly.

4. Naturium UV Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50

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Key Ingredients: 2% InfraGuard, bio-fermented powder, amino acid derivative
Best For: sensitive, dry, aging, combination, and oily Skin Types

NATURIUM UV Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50 is more than just sunscreen; it’s like a serum that delivers weightless SPF coverage with a silky smooth finish that feels almost like velvet.

It’s equipped with organic chemical filters and enhanced with 2% InfraGuard to protect against blue light and pollution-induced free radicals.

This product features a bio-fermented powder blended with an amino acid derivative to diffuse light and provide a soft-focus finish.

Trust me, unless you’re a serious skincare junkie, you’ve never tried an SPF like this.

The ultralight texture is perfect for those who are acne-prone as it won’t clog pores or cause breakouts.

Plus, it has ingredients that help absorb oil, giving you that sheer matte look all day long, ideal for people with oilier skin types.

And yes, I promise, zero white cast!

I’m a huge fan and have already repurchased this product.

Whether you’re facing a long day outdoors or just need reliable daily protection, NATURIUM UV Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50 ensures your skin stays protected, comfortable, and flawless without any greasiness or sticky residue.

5. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50

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Key Ingredients: avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene
Best For: All Skin Types

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 gives you both UVA and UVB protection while keeping your skin hydrated with its light, refreshing texture.

This sunscreen is water-resistant and keeps your skin moisturized for up to eight hours without leaving any white residue.

It’s light enough to wear under makeup every day.

It’s oil-free and non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog your pores, making it great for all skin types, including acne-prone skin.

This sunscreen is part of Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost line, which uses generous amounts of hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid to keep your skin plump.

It’s a good choice for daily sun protection and keeping your skin hydrated.

However, I’ve noticed that Neutrogena’s sunscreen stings my eyes a bit, which is common with many chemical sunscreens.

It’s also thicker and, while moisturizing, may leave your skin feeling slightly greasy.

I still think it’s a good purchase if you’re balling on a budget, but buyer be aware!

6. Epionce Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 Sunscreen

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Key Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 4.8%, Zinc Oxide 9.3%
Best For: All Skin Types, replacing your foundation

Epionce Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 Sunscreen is great for anyone looking for strong sun protection with a hint of color.

It offers SPF 50 and is gentle enough for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

The formula is water-resistant and lasts for 80 minutes in water.

This sunscreen protects your skin from UV rays and also nourishes it with natural antioxidants like sunflower argan oil, rosemary extract, and apple fruit extract, giving your skin a healthy glow.

The tint on the Epionce is darker and may be more suitable than other mineral sunscreens for those with darker skin tones, but it can leave a cast.

That said, I should note that nearly all sunscreens with zinc oxide leave a white cast, and you kind of have to pick your poison.

This one blends well with most skin tones, making it perfect for everyday use on its own or under makeup.

7. True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30

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Key Ingredients: non-nano zinc, chebula, astaxanthin
Best For: All Skin Types, especially oily, sensitive, and breakout-prone skin

True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 offers effective sun protection combined with significant skincare benefits.

This hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic formula avoids common sunscreen toxins and waxes, making it suitable for even sensitive skin.

It uses non-nano zinc for broad-spectrum UV protection and maintains a light, natural finish, avoiding the typical dullness of zinc sunscreens.

The product includes chebula, an antioxidant that combats aging signs and supports hydration, along with astaxanthin, which improves skin texture and reduces the appearance of fine lines.

Its warm tint helps neutralize redness and enhances your skin’s natural glow, making it perfect for daily use.

It’s especially beneficial for those with oily or sensitive skin and is reef-safe, meeting environmental safety standards.

8. Supergoop! Glowscreen

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Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, cocoa peptides
Best For: Normal, combination, or dry skin

The Glowscreen is a 10 out of 10!

This incredible product provides a beautiful glow and fantastic coverage with its light-reflecting pearls that give you that sunkissed look without actual sun damage.

It makes my skin look like I’ve been in the sun and have a really nice tan without actually needing to sunbathe right before.

The pearlescent sheen it gives is lovely and it blends in immediately as a primer for makeup, creating an even base.

It comes in 4 shades to match your skin tone.

The lightweight lotion is hydrating thanks to hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide helps provide that radiant, glowing skin.

9. TULA Protect + Glow SPF 30

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Key Ingredients: Prebiotics, wild butterfly ginger root
Best For: All Skin Types

TULA Protect + Glow SPF 30 is a bestselling facial sunscreen formulated with wellness-first ingredients to protect your skin barrier from UV rays while delivering an instant glow.

If you’re looking for daily broad-spectrum protection from damaging sun rays, this sunscreen offers antioxidants that help fight pollution and blue light.

The formula is non-comedogenic and non-greasy with no white cast, making it suitable for all skin types.

It’s reef-safe and vegan, featuring prebiotics to maintain skin balance and wild butterfly ginger root to help protect skin against the damaging effects of blue light and pollution.

10. EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46

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Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, lactic acid
Best For: Acne-prone and sensitive skin

If you’re looking for a lightweight, oil-free sunscreen that actually works for acne-prone and sensitive skin, EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 delivers protection while refining your complexion.

This fragrance-free formula shields your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays with sodium hyaluronate to moisturize and lactic acid to refine the skin, clear pores, and reduce shine.

I like this sunscreen, but the price point is on the higher side.

Still, if you want reliable protection that won’t irritate, it’s worth considering.

11. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum UV SPF 50

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Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica extract, hyaluronic acid
Best For: All Skin Types

If you’re looking for a sunscreen that feels more like a lightweight hydrating serum, SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum UV SPF 50 provides broad-spectrum UV protection while delivering moisture and radiance.

This serum shields your skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays with SPF 50 coverage, offering an airy, silky texture that absorbs well and leaves a luminous, no-white-cast finish perfect for daily summer use.

The unique hyaluronic acid system deeply hydrates, locking in moisture to help your skin look more supple and radiant, even on hot days.

Centella asiatica extract soothes sensitive-looking skin, reduces the appearance of redness, and supports your skin’s natural barrier.

12. Beauty of Joseon Day Dew Sunscreen Lightweight SPF 50

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Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, panthenol
Best For: Normal, dry, combination, and oily skin

Beauty of Joseon Day Dew Sunscreen Lightweight SPF 50 is a skincare-first sunscreen formula with a barely-there texture that melts in fast and leaves zero white cast for a fresh, dewy finish.

More than just protection, Day Dew feels like your favorite moisturizer packed with hydrating ingredients.

Hyaluronic acid hydrates without heaviness, niacinamide visibly brightens and calms skin, and panthenol gives an additional boost of moisture for that dewy finish.

This lightweight cream layers beautifully under makeup or can be worn alone, making it perfect for everyday use.

The Takeaway

Sunscreen is one of those products where the best choice really comes down to your skin and what you’ll use consistently.

A mineral sunscreen might be perfect for someone with sensitive skin, while someone else finds them too heavy and prefers a chemical formula instead.

And that’s the point.

There’s no one sunscreen that works for everybody.

What matters is finding something that feels good on your skin and fits into your routine.

Because the best sunscreen is always the one you’ll wear every single day, especially as summer rolls in.

Cheers,

Fawn

Certain formulas work really well for some people and do almost nothing for others, and a lot of that comes down to formulation.

A lot of formulas oxidize too quickly.

Others are irritating because of the pH levels they’re formulated at.

And strong L-ascorbic acid serums aren’t always the best fit for everyone either, especially for people whose skin would tolerate a gentler derivative better.

The routine side of things can get messy too.

People use too much product, mix too many active ingredients together, store their serums the wrong way, or expect their skin to look different after four days.

So in this article, I wanted to break down why some vitamin C serums work so well, why others fail, and how to use them in a way that makes sense for your skin.

Why Your Vitamin C Serum Isn’t Working

One thing I kept noticing with vitamin C serums was how unstable some of them can be.

And after trying a lot of different formulas over the years, the same issues kept showing up:

• The formula oxidizes too quickly

• The pH is too irritating for someone’s skin

• The serum never fits naturally into their routine in the first place

The oxidation issue is probably the biggest one.

The most researched form of vitamin C in skincare, L-ascorbic acid, is also one of the hardest to stabilize.

It breaks down when exposed to air, light, and heat, which is part of why some vitamin C serums slowly change color after being opened.

A pale yellow color usually isn’t considered a huge issue, but once a formula starts turning dark orange or brown, that’s generally a sign the serum has degraded significantly.

The pH side of things explains a lot too.

Some vitamin C serums are intentionally formulated at very low pH levels because lower pH environments help stabilize L-ascorbic acid and improve penetration into the skin.

That also explains why some people feel like vitamin C just doesn’t agree with their skin.

The skin’s acid mantle sits around a 5.5 pH, so some low-pH vitamin C serums can sting, especially if your skin barrier is already irritated or you have sensitive skin.

Then there’s the routine side of it.

A lot of people use way more product than they need, even though most vitamin C serums only require a few drops for the entire face.

People can use vitamin C at night if they want to, but antioxidants like vitamin C are commonly used in the morning because they work well alongside sunscreen and help reduce oxidative stress caused by UV exposure.

The longer I spent trying different vitamin C serums, the less it felt like a simple “this ingredient works” or “this ingredient is overhyped” conversation.

A lot of it just comes down to finding a formula that works well for your skin and fits into your routine.

Understanding Vitamin C Forms (L-Ascorbic Acid vs. Derivatives)

“Vitamin C” on a skincare label doesn’t always mean the same ingredient.

There are multiple forms of vitamin C used in skincare, and they all behave a little differently.

The version most people know is L-ascorbic acid, which is the pure form of vitamin C.

It also has the most research behind it, which is part of why it became the gold standard in skincare in the first place.

A lot of the research around vitamin C’s antioxidant activity, brightening effects, and collagen support is specifically tied to L-ascorbic acid formulas.

It’s considered highly bioavailable, meaning the skin can use it once absorbed.

But not everyone tolerates L-ascorbic acid formulas well, which is part of why vitamin C derivatives became so popular.

Some of the more common derivatives include:

• Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD) is an oil-soluble vitamin C derivative that tends to be gentler and more stable than traditional vitamin C.

• Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a gentler vitamin C derivative often used in products for acne-prone or sensitive skin.

• Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is a water-soluble vitamin C derivative found in a lot of brightening and hydrating formulas.

These derivatives are often easier to stabilize and can feel less irritating on sensitive skin compared to traditional L-ascorbic acid formulas.

Some derivatives also have benefits beyond antioxidant support.

For example, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate has shown some anti-acne activity in certain studies, which makes it interesting for people dealing with both acne and post-inflammatory pigmentation at the same time.

At a certain point, it stopped feeling like there was one universally “best” version of vitamin C.

A good vitamin C serum is usually less about chasing the strongest formula and more about finding one your skin can tolerate consistently.

Storage & Application Tips for Maximum Results

Vitamin C serums don’t need to be handled like radioactive material.

A lot of people store them in the fridge, but for most formulas, that’s probably overkill.

Heat, light, and air exposure matter more.

If your bathroom gets hot and steamy from showers, it’s better to keep the serum inside a cabinet instead of directly on the counter.

Otherwise, a dark drawer or cabinet is fine.

Vitamin C also makes the most sense to me in a morning routine alongside sunscreen.

And people tend to use way more vitamin C serum than they need.

Most formulas only require about three to five drops for the entire face.

Using more product doesn’t automatically mean better results either, especially with stronger L-ascorbic acid formulas that can already sting on their own.

What to Avoid When Using Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of those ingredients people tend to overdo without realizing it.

If you’re newer to skincare or you already have sensitive skin, I wouldn’t use a strong vitamin C serum alongside alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid, beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid, and retinoids all in the same routine.

I use vitamin C in the mornings, and at night I usually pair tretinoin with copper peptides or alternate tretinoin with an exfoliating acid depending on how my skin feels.

Copper peptides are one of the few active ingredients I still find gentle enough to use alongside tretinoin almost every night without irritating my skin.

But if your skin already feels irritated, dry, tight, or stingy, adding more active ingredients on top usually makes things worse instead of better.

If you’re looking for copper peptide products that layer well into a routine, a few I’ve liked are:

1. Mirror Skin Copper Elixir: This is my favorite copper peptide-specific serum overall because the formula feels hydrating, barrier-supportive, and easy to layer without making my skin feel overwhelmed.

   

2. Medik8 Liquid Peptides: I like this one more as a multitasking peptide serum because it’s deeply hydrating and works well alongside other anti-aging products.

   

3. The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides: This is a good budget-friendly option if you want something straightforward that still gives you peptides, amino acids, and hydration in one formula.

   

Realistic Expectations for Vitamin C

Vitamin C serums can help with brightness and uneven skin tone, but most people aren’t going to wake up with different skin after three days.

It takes a couple of weeks before people start noticing much of a difference.

And for some people, vitamin C still won’t be enough on its own.

For example, hydroquinone is considered a better option for people who have melasma or stubborn dark patches, although you’d need to see a dermatologist to get a prescription for it in the United States.

Vitamin C is great for the morning, but retinol or tretinoin also makes sense at night.

If you’re newer to retinoids, it’s better to start with a gentler retinol first and work your way up to tretinoin over time.

I can now use tretinoin almost every night of the week, and sometimes I’ll even use a lactic acid treatment too without damaging my skin barrier, but I couldn’t tolerate that when I first started using retinoids.

The bigger thing I realized is that skincare works better as a full routine instead of expecting one product to fix everything on its own.

Anti-aging ingredients matter, but hydration and skin barrier support matter too.

Here’s what a simple skincare routine can look like:

Morning Routine

1. Start with a gentle cleanser. You want your skin clean before you apply vitamin C.

   

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2. Then apply your vitamin C serum. You only need a few drops for your whole face. I usually use around three to five drops.

   

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3. After that, apply a moisturizer to help keep your skin hydrated and support your skin barrier.

   

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4. Then finish with sunscreen.

   

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Night Routine

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. If you’re wearing makeup or sunscreen, double cleanse first with a cleansing oil so you’re not leaving anything behind on your skin.

   

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2. Apply your retinoid. If you're newer to retinoids, start with a gentler retinol first before working your way up to tretinoin.

   

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3. Then apply your copper peptides or a hydrating serum.

   

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4. Finish with a really good moisturizer.

   

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5. If your skin feels extra dry, you can add a facial oil on top.

   

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Are Expensive Vitamin C Serums Better?

Some expensive vitamin C serums are worth the price because the formulas can be incredible.

A lot of them have extra ingredients added to help stabilize the vitamin C, more research behind them, or textures that just feel better on the skin.

And people underestimate how much texture affects whether you’ll keep using a product consistently.

If a serum feels greasy, sticky, gritty, or pills under sunscreen, you’re probably not going to keep reaching for it.

Certain formulas are also designed for specific skin types, and some stabilization ingredients and texture agents are more expensive to formulate with in the first place.

But you also don’t need to spend a fortune just to get a vitamin C serum that works well.

Some more affordable options include:

1. Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum is a more affordable dupe-style formula that combines L-ascorbic acid with vitamin E and ferulic acid, similar to the classic SkinCeuticals approach.

   

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2. Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum uses sodium ascorbyl phosphate instead of pure L-ascorbic acid, which makes it easier for some sensitive skin types to tolerate.

   

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3. Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum combines multiple forms of vitamin C with hydrating ingredients, so it feels a little more comfortable on dry or sensitive skin.

   

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Higher-end vitamin C serums can be worth it too.

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is the biggest example of that.

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Part of why it costs so much is because SkinCeuticals holds the original patent on the specific C E Ferulic formula, including the active ingredient combination and the pH it’s stabilized at.

It’s still one of the most respected vitamin C serums for a reason.

But I still don’t think you need to spend $200 to get a vitamin C serum that works well.

Final Thoughts

Vitamin C serums can absolutely be worth using, but a lot of the experience comes down to the formula itself and whether it fits into your skin and routine.

Strong L-ascorbic acid serums work great for certain skin types, while other people end up preferring gentler derivatives instead.

And depending on the formula, two people can end up having completely different experiences with vitamin C.

One person might see brighter, smoother skin in a few weeks, while somebody else ends up irritated before they even finish the bottle.

That’s also part of why I don’t think a vitamin C serum needs to be the most expensive formula on the market to work well.

At this point, I don’t think there’s one perfect vitamin C formula for everybody.

A lot of skincare is just finding products your skin tolerates well and building a routine you can stick with long term.

Cheers,

Fawn

After the stretch I’d been through, waking up with steady energy felt unusual on its own.

I skipped coffee that morning because I didn’t feel like I needed it yet.

Then I put on sunscreen.

Within maybe five or ten minutes, I started feeling exhausted for no obvious reason.

If you’ve ever had that weird moment where your body feels off and you can’t explain why, that’s what this felt like for me.

I remember standing there trying to figure out what had changed so fast.

At first I didn’t even think the sunscreen could be the issue because I’d already been using it for about a week.

But it was the one thing I kept coming back to in my head, so I started Googling.

The sunscreen was Pacifica Glow Baby, a chemical sunscreen I’d been testing for around a week at that point.

I hadn’t connected it to anything before, which is probably why I kept using it.

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The more I searched, the more I started thinking about other times I’d crashed like this and never figured out why.

Back then, I blamed stress, lack of sleep, burnout, or whatever else was happening in my life.

Looking back, I don’t think I would’ve noticed the pattern during that period anyway because my baseline was already wrecked.

I was dealing with bereavement, business stress, back spasms that left me immobilized on New Year’s Eve, ongoing neck pain, sleep issues, and eyes so dry I couldn’t wear contacts anymore.

Everything felt off at once, so isolating one specific trigger would have been almost impossible.

Part of recovering from that period involved tracking my health much more closely than I ever had before.

Three times a day, I logged things like energy levels, sleep quality, pain levels, weight, and whatever else seemed relevant.

It sounds excessive when I describe it out loud, but after months of feeling disconnected from my own body, the spreadsheet helped me rebuild a sense of baseline.

So when my energy crashed after an otherwise good morning, it stood out right away.

This time, instead of brushing past it, I paid attention.

Once I started researching chemical sunscreen reactions, a lot of things clicked into place.

What’s Actually Happening (Or What Might Be)

One thing that kept coming up while I was researching this was salicylate intolerance.

Salicylates are naturally occurring compounds found in foods like berries, olives, avocados, and spices, but synthetic versions also show up in skincare products and medications.

Most people seem to tolerate them without any issue.

But from what I was reading, some people start reacting once exposure builds up enough to push them past a certain threshold.

That caught my attention because the fatigue didn’t happen the first time I used the sunscreen.

I’d already been using it for about a week before I had the energy crash.

One of the posts I found was the Founder’s Formula article about salicylate intolerance and sunscreen reactions.

The writer connected recurring fatigue and skin reactions to a chemical sunscreen after getting diagnosed with salicylate intolerance.

I also found symptom descriptions on salicylate.org mentioning exhaustion, headaches, sinus issues, swollen glands, and joint pain, and parts of it sounded familiar.

The exhaustion part stood out to me because I knew exactly what that feeling was.

My whole body felt off in this weird flu-like way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it yourself.

Brain fog, exhaustion, trouble concentrating, that sort of thing.

That made more sense to me than thinking one sunscreen application somehow wrecked my entire morning.

I also want to mention something important because people will assume these things are interchangeable: I have no issues with topical salicylic acid in skincare.

BHA toners are fine for me.

Salicylic acid serums are fine too.

The reaction seems specific to certain chemical sunscreens, which also tend to sting my eyes.

I still don’t know what happened that morning.

Part of me wonders whether I accidentally got more of the sunscreen around my eyes than usual, because I know I’ve experienced this weird fatigue before with chemical sunscreens, but not every single time I use them.

On the regulatory side, I also kept running into discussions around how certain chemical UV filters absorb into the skin and how limited some of the long-term safety data still is in the United States.

The FDA has been asking manufacturers for additional safety data on several commonly used sunscreen filters for years, including octisalate and homosalate.

That doesn’t mean these ingredients are proven to be dangerous, and I’m not claiming to be an expert on sunscreen filters or salicylate intolerance.

I was mostly trying to figure out why I felt so exhausted that morning and whether anyone else had experienced something similar.

Most of what I found was a mix of regulatory discussions, personal experiences, forum posts, and broader conversations around salicylate intolerance.

Both compounds are salicylate esters structurally related to salicylic acid.

I can’t say whether that relationship explains reactions like this, but after reading through the research and other people’s experiences, it stopped sounding impossible to me.

I also had a hard time finding much research connecting chemical sunscreen use to fatigue through salicylate sensitivity.

One of the more interesting discussions I found was a Reddit thread in r/SkincareAddiction about sunscreen causing fatigue and sleepiness.

Reddit isn’t the same thing as clinical research, but I found more people describing this than I expected.

I still don’t know whether salicylates are the reason certain chemical sunscreens sometimes make me feel exhausted.

I just know the connection became harder for me to ignore once I started paying attention.

The Part That Confused Me at First: Salicylic Acid vs. Chemical Sunscreens

The confusing part is that salicylic acid products have never caused problems for me.

BHA toners are fine for me.

Salicylic acid serums are fine too.

I’ve never noticed any kind of reaction from them, which is why I almost dismissed the salicylate connection at first.

But the more I read, the more I realized the comparison isn’t as straightforward as it sounds.

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Chemical sunscreen filters like octisalate and homosalate are related to salicylic acid, but they aren’t identical compounds, and they also get used in different ways.

A BHA exfoliant usually gets applied in small amounts to specific areas.

Sunscreen gets spread across your entire face, sometimes your body too, often every day and sometimes multiple times a day.

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That distinction mattered more than I expected.

Looking back, it also explains why chemical sunscreens have always irritated my eyes in a way mineral sunscreens never have.

That’s something I noticed years before I ever started reading about salicylates.

Mineral Sunscreen Is the Answer and Also Kind of a Nightmare

All of this eventually pushed me toward mineral sunscreens, which sounds simple in theory and much less simple in real life.

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the only sunscreen filters the FDA currently classifies as safe and effective, and unlike chemical filters, they sit on top of the skin instead of getting absorbed.

The problem is that mineral sunscreen can be really annoying to wear every single day.

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Zinc oxide is basically a heavy white powder, which is why so many mineral sunscreens feel thick, chalky, dry, greasy, or somehow all four at once.

They also get on everything.

I have a white couch that has absolutely suffered because of this.

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The white cast issue is real too.

Tinted formulas help, but finding one that actually matches your skin year-round is harder than people make it sound.

I get noticeably more tan during the summer and lighter during the winter, so a shade that works in July can look completely wrong a few months later.

Texture is another problem.

Some mineral sunscreens wear beautifully under makeup, but those formulas also tend to get expensive fast.

Why Korean and Japanese Sunscreens Feel Easier to Wear

Some of the best sunscreens I’ve come across are from Korea and Japan.

A big reason is that they have access to newer UV filters that still aren’t approved in the United States.

The FDA hasn’t approved a new sunscreen filter since the 1990s, which is part of why a lot of American sunscreens can still feel heavier, greasier, chalkier, or more irritating compared to formulas overseas.

A lot of Korean and Japanese sunscreens also just feel easier to wear every day.

If you’ve struggled with sunscreen texture, white cast, greasiness, pilling under makeup, or that sticky feeling that never fully dries down, these are the ones I’d look at first:

1. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun is probably one of the most popular Korean sunscreens right now for good reason. It feels more like a moisturizer than a traditional sunscreen and layers well under makeup.

   

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2. Bioré UV Aqua Rich is one of the first Japanese formulas I’d recommend if you hate the heavy sunscreen feeling. It absorbs fast, doesn’t leave a white cast, and works well under makeup.

   

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3. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum feels more like a lightweight hydrating serum than sunscreen. It’s a good option if your skin leans dehydrated or if most sunscreens feel too heavy on your face.

   

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4. Anua Zero-Cast Moisturizing Finish Sunscreen has more of a dewy, moisturizing finish compared to some of the others. It also includes ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol, and hyaluronic acid, so it feels closer to skincare.

   

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5. Innisfree Daily UV Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45 is worth looking at if you prefer mineral sunscreen but still want something more wearable. The green tint helps tone down redness, and the formula feels less dry than a lot of mineral SPFs.

   

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A lot of the sunscreens people enjoy wearing most are chemical sunscreens, especially the newer Asian formulas people talk about online.

Meanwhile, a lot of mineral sunscreens still feel thick, chalky, greasy, or all three at once.

So this isn’t really a “chemical sunscreen bad, mineral sunscreen good” argument.

I’m mostly trying to understand why certain formulas seem to affect me differently while still taking sun protection and photoaging seriously.

My Current Anti-Aging Stack

Even with all the downsides of mineral sunscreen, I’m still very focused on anti-aging, especially when it comes to my face.

The skin on your face is thinner, it gets a huge amount of sun exposure over time, and photoaging is very real.

That doesn’t mean I avoid the sun entirely.

I still get sunlight on my body, I take a vitamin D supplement, and my blood work has been fine.

During the summer, I wear hats pretty often too.

But facial sun protection is still something I take seriously, so these are the products I’ve ended up sticking with after testing a ridiculous amount of skincare over the years:

1. Sunscreen

ColorScience Flex One SPF 50+ is one of the few tinted mineral sunscreens I’ve tried that I don’t mind wearing every day.

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It’s on the heavier side, but it works well as a foundation replacement, which means I’m applying less product overall.

The coverage is good enough that the texture trade-off feels worth it.

2. Retinoid

Tretinoin is prescription-strength and one of the most researched anti-aging ingredients available.

If you’re new to retinoids, I’d start with an OTC retinol before jumping straight into tretinoin.

Your skin needs time to adjust, and going too hard too fast is a good way to end up with irritation, peeling, and a damaged skin barrier.

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The Naturium Retinol Complex Serum is a good place to start before moving up to tretinoin.

3. Vitamin C

I also use a strong vitamin C serum alongside tretinoin.

People pair vitamin C with tretinoin for a reason.

Tretinoin speeds up skin cell turnover, while vitamin C helps with antioxidant protection and overall brightness.

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The biggest thing with vitamin C is finding a formula that’s stable.

A lot of them oxidize fast, and once that happens, you’re basically putting expensive orange water on your face.

4. Copper peptides

Mirror Skin copper peptide elixir and the Mirror Skin peptide moisturizer.

The elixir is my actual favorite product in this entire lineup.

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It’s one of those things where you don’t fully appreciate how much it’s doing until you go a few days without it.

Copper peptides support collagen and elastin synthesis and have a solid body of research behind them.

This combination layers well with everything else in the routine.

The Takeaway

Later that same day, I washed my face around the same time I had a second cup of coffee, so I can’t tell you whether I felt better because the sunscreen was gone, because of the caffeine, or both.

I also wasn’t thinking, “This is the perfect time to run a controlled experiment on myself.”

But the experience stayed in my head because it made me rethink a lot of things I’d brushed off for years.

Looking back, the eye stinging, the random crashes, and the way certain chemical sunscreens sometimes made me feel exhausted didn’t feel disconnected anymore.

I’m still not claiming to have some confirmed diagnosis, and I’m not saying chemical sunscreens are bad for everyone.

Plenty of people use them without any issue.

But if you’ve had moments where you feel exhausted or foggy for reasons you can’t explain, it might be worth paying closer attention to the products you’re using and whether there’s a pattern there.

Cheers,

Fawn

It just kind of crept up on me.

I’ve definitely started developing nasolabial folds as I’ve been aging through my twenties, and they kind of bother me.

It’s annoying because I used to only notice them when the lighting was bad, like when you catch yourself at a weird angle and just move on.

But now I can see them when I wake up in the morning, in completely normal lighting, just there.

It’s subtle, but once you notice it you really can’t stop.

I’m also dealing with enlarged pores, and part of that is on me.

I’ve been wearing a lot more makeup lately, which I actually love.

I’ve been learning how to do it properly, and it’s become this enjoyable process for me.

I like showing up beautifully for the world, I started this newsletter to write about skincare but makeup kind of took over and I don’t regret it.

The problem is that wearing it more often means I sometimes get clogged pores, which is annoying, and clogged pores can make them look even bigger and more noticeable.

Then there's my jawline.

I don't have a double chin, but sometimes I look in the mirror and I'm just like, I wish there was a little bit less there, you know?

I've thought about something like Kybella, which is a treatment that breaks down the fat under your chin, but why do an injectable if I could just try something less invasive at home first.

My eyes are a separate thing entirely.

I’m starting to get crow’s feet, and I don’t mind them that much when I’m smiling because it looks like I’ve lived, signs of life and all that.

What I do mind is that I definitely made it worse myself.

I have this really bad habit of rubbing my eyes hard when I’m tired, and I mean really hard.

When I used to live with my best friend she could literally hear me doing it from another room, and she said it gave her the ick, which, fair enough, lol.

All that tugging on such thin skin over time adds up, and now when I wear makeup I can actually see it.

The crow’s feet make everything get all crinkly in there, the texture shows more, and it’s just one of those things where my own habits made the problem worse.

So that's kind of where I was when ViForme reached out, and in this piece I'm going to walk through what I actually tried, what changed, and whether it made any real difference around my neck and eye area.

What Is ViForme?

ViForme is an at-home device that uses radio frequency and microcurrent, and it felt like something worth trying before going down the injectable route.

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The appeal was pretty straightforward for me.

I could use it at home, on my own time, without booking anything or planning around a clinic schedule.

Most treatments like this you’re paying per session and committing to a whole program upfront, which is fine, but it does feel like a lot before you even know if it’s going to work for you.

This felt easier to just start.

You buy it once, you have it, you use it when you want and focus on whatever areas you’re actually concerned about.

What I also liked is that it’s doing two things at once:

• Radio frequency stimulates collagen production in the deeper layers of your skin, which is what improves skin fullness and elasticity over time.

• Microcurrent works more on the muscle side, sending small electrical currents that help with that lifted, more sculpted look.

So you're not just treating the surface, you're working a little deeper on both the skin and the structure underneath, which for my neck and eye area specifically felt like exactly what I needed to try.

Overview of the ViForme Device

When I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was the weight.

It’s heavy, which was not what I was expecting at all.

It felt solid, almost like something you’d see sitting in a treatment room at a med spa, that same kind of presence, built to do something.

Not really what I anticipated from something meant for home use.

The device itself is a compact base with a built-in screen, and everything runs through that.

You plug it in and it becomes your control center for the session, and it doesn’t feel like a gadget so much as actual equipment.

Inside the box you get the main device, the power adapter, connectors, and a stack of hydrogel electrode patches, plus a manual and some small tools and extra pieces, which made it feel more like a full setup than just a single product.

The patches are a big part of how this works.

Instead of holding something to your face the entire time, you place them on specific areas like your forehead, under your eyes, cheeks, jawline and neck, and once they’re on the device runs the session for you.

It’s hands-free, which is different from anything I’ve used before.

Most at-home devices I’ve tried, like red light or microneedling, require you to stay engaged the whole time.

This one you set up, press start, and let it run.

The screen shows a full face map and you can adjust the intensity by area, so it feels more advanced than the usual at-home tools without being complicated to figure out.

It’s also the first device I’ve used that combines radio frequency and microcurrent together like this, since most of what I’ve tried before falls into one category or the other.

It feels closer to something you’d get done at a professional level, just adapted for home use, and that’s kind of the whole shift.

At a med spa you’re paying per session and it adds up fast, whereas with this you pay once and then you have it whenever you want.

ViForme Benefits: Performance & Efficacy

Before getting into results, it’s worth talking about the alternative, because the first instinct for a lot of people is to just book something at a clinic.

Fillers and Botox work, and this isn’t about saying otherwise.

But they come with risks people don’t always talk about openly.

Lip flips, for example, can mess with your ability to make certain sounds properly for weeks, and drinking from a straw becomes a whole situation because you can’t form a seal.

Filler migration is a real concern too.

And if you’re thinking about something more serious like a facelift or a deep chemical peel, you’re looking at weeks of downtime and the risk of burns or complications.

These things are not without consequences.

What the device does depends on where you’re using it.

Around the eyes, the radio frequency stimulates collagen production in that thin under-eye skin to improve fullness and elasticity over time, while the microcurrent targets puffiness and circulation more immediately.

For the neck, the radio frequency goes deeper to work on chronic tension and stiffness over time, while the microcurrent helps ease soreness faster.

That combination of something working right away and something working over time is what makes it feel different from single-technology devices.

To put it in perspective, here's how it compares to the standard handheld devices most people are used to:

How to Use ViForme

Using ViForme feels more like setting up a treatment than adding another step to your routine, but it's not complicated once you've done it once.

1. Start with clean, dry skin. Take off your makeup, sunscreen, anything sitting on your skin. You want a clean surface so the patches actually stick and the device can do its job properly.

   

2. Connect and place the patches. You can place them on your forehead, under your eyes, cheeks, jawline, or neck, wherever you’re trying to treat. Make sure you’re pressing them flat against your skin because if the edges lift you’re going to feel it right away. Once everything is connected, the device picks up where you placed them and shows it on the screen, which is kind of cool.

   

3. Adjust your settings. Use the touchscreen to choose your mode, set your RF and microcurrent levels, and pick your treatment time. You’re going to want to start on the lower end, especially if you’re putting patches near your eyes, and then work your way up as you get a feel for it. For your cheeks or jawline you can usually handle more intensity, but I wouldn’t go straight to the highest setting your first time.

   

4. Press start and let it do its thing. You don’t have to move anything around your face or stay focused on it. The patches stay in place and the device runs the session on its own. Most sessions are around 20 minutes and it shuts off when it’s done, so you can just sit there and let it run.

   

5. Take off the patches and clean them. Peel them off, clean the adhesive side, and let them dry before you put the protective film back on. You can reuse them, but you’ll want to replace them over time.

   

6. Keep it simple after. If your skin feels warm you can press a cold compress on it, then go in with a moisturizer. You don’t want to put anything harsh on your skin right after a session.

For more detail you can check their website and manual since they go into everything there.

How Often Should You Use ViForme and What to Expect

This isn’t something you use every day, which was a relief to hear because I don’t need another thing on my morning list.

The recommendation is once a week with about a 7-day gap between sessions, and a full cycle is four sessions total, which gives your skin time to actually respond instead of just being overwhelmed.

If you’re using it for the first time, stick with the default settings for that whole first cycle before changing anything, then adjust based on how your skin feels.

Using it more often doesn’t speed things up and can actually just be too much.

Once you've hit the results you're after, you move into maintenance, which is once a month, and that's one of the things that sets this apart from other devices since those results can last for months rather than being a temporary lift that fades fast.

In terms of what to expect, results aren’t instant but you’re also not waiting months to see anything.

With regular use you start noticing changes within a few weeks, not the next morning, but gradually in a way that makes sense.

A couple of things worth knowing before you start: because it works below the surface it’s suitable for all skin types and tones, and when you use it correctly it’s not something that causes facial fat loss, which I know is a concern some people have with devices like this.

You might also notice some puffiness right after a session but that tends to settle within a few hours.

The schedule is what makes this work, so if you’re going to try it, stick to it.

Does ViForme Work? My Experience

Neck

I started with the neck, and this one wasn’t really about skincare for me at all.

My neck is always tight because I’m hunched over my laptop and my phone basically all day, and even though I get deep tissue massages pretty regularly, the tension just comes back.

So when I saw the manual mention muscle tension and neck discomfort support, I figured that was as good a place to start as any.

Setup was easier than I expected.

I opened the patch, plugged it into the device, and the screen recognized right away that it was the neck patch and set the program for me without me having to do anything.

The manual actually recommends 30 minutes for this area, but I went with the 20-minute option that came up on the screen because I was a little scared to go straight to the longest setting on my first try, if I’m being real.

Once I hit start, the right side of the back of my neck started vibrating first, and it was this gentle, almost rhythmic sensation that I can only describe as kind of soothing.

I kept waiting for heat because of the radio frequency, but it never really came, at least not in any intense way.

I was on my phone the whole time, just sitting there letting it run.

At some point I noticed the stimulation felt much stronger on one side than the other, and I assumed that was just how the device worked until I realized I hadn’t placed the patch in the center of my neck properly.

I paused it, adjusted, and started again, and after that it felt more balanced.

Something I thought was interesting: I could put my fingers right on the patch and not feel it vibrating at all, but I could feel it clearly in my neck.

By the end, my skin felt a little warmer to the touch but there was no redness, no irritation, nothing visually different.

What did feel different was the tension.

My neck felt looser, a little more relaxed than it usually does after a full day of sitting, and for me that alone made it worth trying.

Eyes

I tested the eye area during a week where everything was working against me.

I’d been going to bed past midnight every night because of work, dealing with nasal congestion from allergies, and I’d had a margarita the night before, so when I woke up that morning my dark circles and puffiness were noticeably worse than they usually are.

Not ideal, but a pretty good stress test for the device.

The first thing that tripped me up was the setup.

The patches have to be inserted into the connector a specific way, and when I had them facing the wrong direction the device acted like nothing was plugged in at all.

Once I flipped them the right way it picked up immediately and applied the correct settings for the eye area.

The default intensity came up at 50%, and I tried it for a few seconds before deciding that was way too much stimulation that close to my eyes.

I dropped it all the way down to 25% but then couldn’t feel anything, so I landed on 35% which gave me a vibration I could feel without feeling like I was losing my mind.

And I do want to say, it doesn't hurt at all, but there is something about having that kind of sensation right next to your eyes that your body just doesn't know what to do with at first.

It's a little freaky, just because you're not used to having vibration that close to your eyes, so your biological response is kind of like, what is happening right now. I had to just breathe through it and stay calm.

My instinct was to tense up, and once I got used to it, which took maybe a few minutes, it was fine.

Positioning was something I had to figure out the hard way.

I tried sitting upright so I could keep working, but the connectors are heavier than you’d think, and if you let them hang down they pull the patches right off your face.

I ended up lying down, which I should have just done from the start, and that kept everything in place for the full session.

So if you’re going to do the eye area, just lie down. It’s the move.

After 20 minutes, my dark circles looked about the same, but the puffiness had gone down noticeably.

That part I could see.

After a Few Sessions

I kept coming back to both the neck and eye area over the following weeks, and I do think it made a real difference.

My neck felt less tense on a regular basis, which honestly surprised me the most because I went in thinking that was just my baseline and something I’d always have to manage with massages.

The puffiness around my eyes seemed to go down over time too, and my dark circles looked less intense than they did that first week, which was admittedly my worst week in terms of sleep and stress so there was a lot of room to improve there.

I was also sleeping more during this period and keeping up with my skincare routine, so I want to be upfront that I can’t point to this as the only thing I was doing.

But the changes felt consistent enough that I kept reaching for it, and I don't tend to stick with things that aren't working.

The Bottom Line: Is ViForme Worth It?

If you’ve been thinking about doing something for your skin but injectables feel like too big a step, ViForme is worth trying first.

You buy it once, use it on your own time, and you’re never locked into a clinic schedule or paying per session.

What makes it stand out from other at-home devices is that it’s combining two technologies at once, RF and microcurrent, in a hands-free setup that runs a full session in 20 minutes, once a week. That’s it.

And once you’ve hit the results you’re after, you drop down to once a month to maintain them, which is a very different commitment from the daily routines most at-home tools require.

It’s not going to replace filler or Botox if that’s what you’re after, but if you want something consistent that actually feels like it’s doing something and builds results that last, this delivers.

The neck tension relief was the biggest surprise for me, and the puffiness around my eyes did improve over time, which for someone who stares at a laptop all day and rubs their eyes too much was more than enough reason to keep coming back to it.

You can get ViForme here for 15% off.

Cheers,

Fawn

Skincare, hair care, makeup, and beauty tools are things people use every day, not something that ends up sitting in a drawer.

This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 10, so if you’re ordering online, now’s the time to get it sorted.

A lot of brands are also running Mother’s Day promotions right now, including deals you don’t see often.

Below, I’ve pulled together standout brands, current discounts, and specific products that make genuinely good gifts, whether you’re shopping for someone else or just picking something up for yourself.

Everything here is practical, well-loved, and easy to use, which is exactly what makes a gift feel worth it.

1. ZIIP HALO 2.0 Microcurrent Device

This year, I had the chance to try the ZIIP HALO 2.0, and it’s easily one of my top recommendations for Mother’s Day.

SHOP HERE

If your mom is into skincare or wants something that goes beyond just products, this is a really good option.

ZIIP HALO 2.0 is an all-in-one microcurrent device designed to help with lifting, toning, and overall skin clarity.

It connects to an app and offers different treatments depending on what your skin needs, whether that’s sculpting, de-puffing, or improving tone and texture.

I like that it’s not a one-setting device.

Some days you can focus on lifting, other days on breakouts or uneven tone, which makes it feel more realistic to use long term.

I’ve been using it a few times a week, and the results feel cumulative.

My jawline looks more defined, and my skin looks smoother and less puffy when I stay consistent.

It also has a quick 4-minute treatment built in, which makes it easy to keep up with even on busy days.

2. CurrentBody Red Light Helmet

This isn’t a new recommendation for me, but it’s something I’ve consistently used for the past couple of years.

If your mom is dealing with thinning hair or just wants to focus more on scalp health, this is one of the most worthwhile tools to look into.

The CurrentBody Red Light Helmet uses red light therapy to support hair growth by targeting the scalp directly, helping improve circulation and support the hair growth cycle over time.

SHOP HERE

What I like about it is how easy it is to stay consistent.

Each session only takes about 10 minutes, and it’s completely hands-free, so you can use it while getting ready or doing things around the house.

I usually use it a few times a week, sometimes more, and it’s become a steady part of my routine rather than something I use occasionally.

Like most things with hair growth, it’s not about instant results.

It’s about building a consistent habit and supporting the scalp long term.

3. CurrentBody Infrared Sauna Blanket

If your mom is into wellness, recovery, or just wants a way to relax at home, this is a really good gift.

The CurrentBody Infrared Sauna Blanket uses infrared heat to help promote sweating, support circulation, and overall relaxation.

SHOP HERE

It’s basically an at-home sauna that you can use whenever you want without needing to go to the gym.

What I like most is the convenience.

You just set it up, zip yourself in, and relax for about 30 to 45 minutes.

It heats up quickly, and it’s easy to fit into your routine, especially on days when you don’t want to leave the house.

I’ve used it regularly, especially for recovery and winding down, and I’ve also noticed my skin looks clearer and more refreshed when I stay consistent.

4. CurrentBody Series 2 LED Light Therapy Mask

For moms who are into skincare or want something more advanced than just products, this is one of the best tools to look into.

The Series 2 LED Light Therapy Mask uses red and near-infrared light to support collagen production, skin renewal, and overall skin health.

SHOP HERE

This version fits better, especially around the chin area, which makes it more comfortable and easier to use consistently.

Each session only takes about 10 minutes, and it’s easy to wear while doing other things, which makes it realistic to keep up with long term.

I use this regularly because it fits easily into my routine and feels worth staying consistent with.

5. Medik8 Skincare

If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift that feels thoughtful but still practical, Medik8 is an easy option.

Their formulas work well with actives like retinoids, so everything feels supportive rather than harsh or complicated.

The Advanced Ceramide Night Cream is one I keep coming back to, especially when my skin feels dry or needs extra support. It was formulated to be used after retinoids, and it helps keep the skin comfortable without feeling heavy.

SHOP HERE

I’ve also been using their Liquid Peptides, which is one of my go-to hydrating serums. It layers easily and helps keep my skin looking smoother and more balanced.

SHOP HERE

For gifting, they also have a few kits that are currently 25% off (no code needed).

The Glow Revival Kit focuses on hydration and brightness.

SHOP HERE

The Nighttime Reset is more targeted toward smoothing and the under-eye area.

SHOP HERE

The Peptide Boosters set is centered around firming and fine lines.

SHOP HERE

Everything feels easy to use and actually fits into a routine, which is why it works well as a gift.

6. Jolie Shower Filter

This is a great option for moms who deal with dry skin, frizzy hair, or just want an easy upgrade to their daily routine.

I used to ignore water filters for years, but after trying the Jolie Shower Filter, I completely changed my mind.

SHOP HERE

It helps filter out things like chlorine and other impurities in your water, which can make a noticeable difference in both skin and hair.

After installing it, my hair felt softer, looked less frizzy, and my skin didn’t feel as dry after showering.

It’s one of those changes you don’t think about at first, but you notice over time.

It’s also really easy to install and fits into your routine without any extra effort, which makes it a great practical gift that actually gets used every day.

7. Naked & Thriving Skincare Sets

For moms who are into skincare and like curated sets, Naked & Thriving has a really good Mother’s Day sale right now.

They have select sets up to 30% off, which makes it a good time to pick up a full routine instead of buying products individually.

The sets usually include a mix of serums and creams, like their Renew resurfacing serum, Prevent face oil, and Restore night cream, so it’s a more complete approach rather than just one product.

SHOP HERE

I like that everything feels simple and cohesive, especially if you’re gifting and don’t want to overthink building a routine yourself.

They’re also offering free mini hand creams with set purchases, which makes it feel a bit more like a full gift.

8. Wavytalk Turblow Pro Hair Dryer

A practical Mother’s Day gift that actually gets used.

The Wavytalk Turblow Pro is a fast-drying hair dryer that comes with attachments, making it easy to switch between drying and basic styling.

SHOP HERE

I like that it feels more elevated than a basic dryer but is still straightforward to use, especially if you don’t want something complicated.

It’s also one of those gifts that doesn’t just sit in a drawer.

9. Saie Makeup

A really nice option for Mother’s Day, especially if you’re putting together a simple makeup set that still feels elevated.

Saie has a range of makeup products that are easy to use and feel comfortable on the skin, which makes them a good pick if you don’t want anything too heavy or complicated.

I’ve tried a few of their products, and what stands out is how effortless everything feels.

Nothing looks overdone, and everything blends in easily.

The Dew Blush is the one I reach for the most, especially in the shade Chilly. It gives a natural, flushed look and blends in seamlessly.

SHOP HERE

I’ve also tried their SuperSuede Powder Blush, which blends nicely but has a bit more fallout, and their brush, which I like because it doesn’t leave fibers on the skin.

SHOP HERE

Their Slip Tint Baked Setting Powder has been another favorite, especially for keeping makeup in place without looking heavy.

SHOP HERE

I also like the Glossybounce Lip Gloss Oil.

It’s hydrating, not sticky, and easy to wear day to day.

SHOP HERE

Overall, everything I’ve tried from Saie feels lightweight, easy to use, and something I actually keep in my routine, which makes it a really good option for gifting.

Extra Brands With Active Discounts Using My Codes

These brands aren’t part of the main Mother’s Day roundup above, but you can still save using my codes. If you already shop from any of these, it’s worth checking before you place an order.

Allies of Skin
WHERE: allies.shop
WHAT: 20% off
CODE: SKINCARESTACY

Vetted Dermlab
WHERE: vetteddermlab.com
WHAT: 15% off
CODE: FAWN15

Kora Organics
WHERE: koraorganics.com
WHAT: 15% off
CODE: FAWN15

Stylevana
WHERE: stylevana.com
WHAT: 10% off
CODE: SHOPBTF

NEWA
WHERE: mynewa.com
WHAT: 15% off
CODE: FAWN15

BloomEffects
WHERE: bloomeffects.com
WHAT: 20% off
CODE: FAWN

PMD Beauty
WHERE: pmdbeauty.com
WHAT: 30% off
CODE: FAWN30

Fur
WHERE: furyou.com
WHAT: 15% off
CODE: FAWN15

KOBA Skincare
WHERE: kobaskincare.com
WHAT: 20% off
CODE: FAWN20

Epres
WHERE: epres.com
WHAT: 20% off
CODE: FAWN20

Dermaflash
WHERE: dermaflash.com
WHAT: 20% off
CODE: fawn

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, the best Mother’s Day gifts are the ones that actually get used.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

A few thoughtful, practical pieces that fit into someone’s routine will always go further than something that looks good but sits untouched.

If anything here caught your attention, this is a good time to pick it up before Mother’s Day.

Cheers,

Fawn

We’ve all bought items that didn’t quite hit the mark.

Instead of letting them gather dust, why not repurpose them?

I’ve learned some nifty tricks to turn these almost-theres into everyday essentials, saving you both cash and time.

In this article, I’ll show you some smart ways to make the most of what’s already in your stash.

1. Repurpose Face Wash as Body Wash

If your face wash isn’t suitable for your facial skin, don’t throw it away.

Instead, use it as a body wash.

Face washes are usually gentle, making them perfect for areas like your chest, back, and shoulders.

This way, you don’t waste the product, and your skin still gets the benefits.

Using a nice, gentle cleanser all over feels great and can be soothing.

It’s a simple trick to make the most of what you already have, turning a potential waste into a win for your skincare routine.

In fact, I’ve used a benzoyl peroxide face wash as body wash in acne-prone areas for years!

2. Use a Spoon for Depuffing Eyes

If you wake up with puffy eyes, a simple trick can help: chill a spoon in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, press the cold spoon gently against your under-eye area to reduce swelling and make you look more awake.

It’s the same reason I like Hero Cosmetics’ eye cream: it has a metal applicator that feels cool against your skin, soothing and reducing puffiness just like the cold spoon trick.

It’s an easy and effective way to start your day looking refreshed.

3. Old T-Shirts to Dry Your Hair

For curly or frizzy hair, switch to using an old cotton t-shirt instead of a towel.

Towels can create friction and lead to frizz, but a soft cotton t-shirt is much gentler.

Avoid rubbing your hair; instead, try the ‘plop’ method: lay the t-shirt flat, flip your wet hair onto it, and wrap the shirt around your head.

This technique helps define your curls and reduces frizz, leaving your hair looking smoother and more manageable.

4. Old Mascara Wand as Brow Brush

Clean an old mascara wand and use it to tame and shape your eyebrows.

Wash the wand thoroughly to remove any leftover mascara.

Once clean, use it to brush your eyebrows into place, giving you precise control over stray hairs.

This simple hack helps keep your brows looking neat and polished without the need for expensive tools.

It’s a budget-friendly and eco-friendly way to make the most of what you already have.

5. Lip Balm for Cuticles

Did you know you can apply lip balm to your cuticles to keep them moisturized and prevent hangnails?

Lip balm is designed to hydrate and protect, making it perfect for soothing dry, cracked cuticles.

Simply massage a small amount onto your cuticles, especially before bed, to lock in moisture overnight.

This easy hack helps maintain the health and appearance of your nails without needing multiple products.

It’s also a convenient solution when you’re on the go and don’t have cuticle oil handy.

6. Hair Conditioner as Shaving Cream

Use hair conditioner as a shaving cream alternative.

It provides a smooth surface for the razor to glide, reducing the risk of nicks and cuts.

SHOP HERE

Apply a generous amount to the area you want to shave, let it sit for a minute to soften the hair, and then shave as usual.

This method not only gives you a close shave but also leaves your skin feeling soft and moisturized.

Personally, I use Naturium Glow Getter to shave and never experience razor burn.

SHOP HERE

Plus, the added moisture from the conditioner helps prevent irritation, leaving your skin feeling pampered.

7. DIY Curl Refresher Spray

Take an old spray bottle, fill it with water, and use it to refresh your curls by dampening them.

• Begin by lightly misting your hair to rejuvenate your curls.

• Follow up by applying curl cream to add definition and hold.

• Finally, apply a small amount of hair oil to seal in moisture and add shine.

This method helps maintain frizz-free, bouncy curls without needing a full wash and style.

It’s ideal for refreshing your hair on non-wash days or whenever your curls need a little extra attention.

8. Reuse Sheet Mask Packaging

After using a sheet mask, squeeze out any remaining serum from the packaging and apply it to your neck, hands, or décolletage.

SHOP HERE

The leftover serum is packed with beneficial ingredients that can nourish and hydrate other areas of your skin.

Gently massage the serum into your neck to keep the delicate skin firm and moisturized.

Apply it to your hands to give them a soft, youthful appearance, and don’t forget your décolletage (aka your upper chest area).

This simple step maximizes the benefits of your sheet mask and ensures that no product is wasted.

9. Repurpose Facial Oil for Cuticle Care

If facial oil is too heavy for your face, use it to moisturize your cuticles and nails.

Facial oils are rich and nourishing, making them perfect for hydrating dry, cracked cuticles and nails.

Simply massage a few drops into your cuticles and nails to keep them soft and healthy.

This is a great way to repurpose products that may not suit your face but still offer moisturizing benefits.

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Some of my favorite facial oils are True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil and Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil.

SHOP HERE

Even if they are too heavy for your face, they can still provide excellent hydration for other areas.

Be careful though, the Sunday Riley one is excellent for acne thanks to salicylic acid which can dry out your skin a little.

10. Extend Your Skincare Routine Beyond Your Face

Anything you can do to your face, you can reasonably do to your neck, upper chest, and the backs of your hands.

These areas are often exposed to the same environmental stressors as your face and can benefit from the same skincare treatments.

For instance, I use an extra pea-sized amount of retinoid for those areas in addition to the one pea-sized amount I use for my face.

This helps to maintain a consistent anti-aging routine and keeps these often-neglected areas looking youthful.

You can do the same with other skincare products like exfoliants, hydrating serums, moisturizers, and oils.

Extending your skincare routine to these parts of your body ensures that your skin stays healthy and glowing all over.

Final Thoughts

Not every product is going to work perfectly for your face, and that’s normal.

What matters is how you use what you already have.

A lot of these products can still be useful in other ways, whether that’s on your body, your hair, or different areas of your routine.

Repurposing your skincare helps you cut down on waste, save money, and get more value out of everything you buy.

Before you replace a product, it’s worth asking if there’s another way to use it first.

Cheers,

Fawn

For example, if you’ve ever had stubborn skin texture, exfoliation might have been the right move!

However, with so many options available, choosing the right type of exfoliant can be overwhelming.

In this guide, I’ll break down the differences between chemical and physical exfoliants, their benefits, and how to incorporate them into your routine for optimal results.

What Are Chemical Exfoliants?

Chemical exfoliants work by breaking down the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing them to be easily sloughed off.

Unlike physical exfoliants, which rely on manual scrubbing, chemical exfoliants use active ingredients to dissolve and remove dead skin cells.

Types of Chemical Exfoliants

• AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids): These water-soluble acids, derived from fruits and milk, work on your skin’s surface. Common AHAs include glycolic acid and lactic acid, which are excellent for addressing anti-aging and dark spots.

SHOP HERE

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• BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids): Oil-soluble acids that penetrate deeper into the pores, making them ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. Salicylic acid is the most well-known BHA and is excellent for treating acne on your skin.

SHOP HERE

• PHAs (Polyhydroxy Acids): Larger molecules than AHAs and BHAs, which makes them less irritating. They work on your skin’s surface and are suitable for sensitive skin. Examples include gluconolactone and lactobionic acid, both of which are beneficial for sensitive skin.

  

  SHOP HERE

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Benefits of Chemical Exfoliants

Chemical exfoliants offer numerous benefits, making them suitable for various skin types and concerns. Understandably, whichever one you choose will depend on your specific needs.

For Oily and Acne-Prone Skin

Chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid can penetrate deep into your pores, removing excess oil and dead skin cells that can lead to breakouts.

Regular use can help keep pores clear and reduce the frequency of acne flare-ups.

For Dry and Mature Skin

AHAs like glycolic acid and lactic acid help remove dead skin cells from the surface, promoting smoother and more hydrated skin.

These acids also stimulate collagen production, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

My advice: Start with a low concentration of chemical exfoliants and gradually increase as your skin builds tolerance. Look for products that combine AHAs and BHAs for a balanced approach. Murad’s AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser and MaeLove’s AHA BHA Serum are great options to consider.

Popular Chemical Exfoliants in Skincare

AHAs: Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid

• Glycolic Acid: Derived from sugar cane, glycolic acid is the smallest AHA molecule, allowing it to penetrate the skin deeply. It effectively removes dead skin cells, brightens our complexions, and improves skin texture.

• Lactic Acid: Derived from milk, lactic acid is a gentler AHA than glycolic acid, suitable for sensitive skin. It exfoliates your skin surface while providing hydration. It’s a good middle-ground between glycolic acid and mandelic acid, and I especially like it for people with stubborn skin texture.

• Mandelic Acid: Derived from almonds, mandelic is probably my favorite AHA for its gentle exfoliation properties. Even better, it helps fight fungus (think dandruff) and can help with acne due its semi-lipophilic characteristics. It acts somewhat like a BHA in that sense.

BHAs: Salicylic Acid

• Salicylic Acid: Derived from willow bark. It penetrates deep into the pores, dissolving excess oil and dead skin cells. This makes it particularly effective for treating acne and blackheads.

PHAs: Gluconolactone and Lactobionic Acid

PHAs are gentler than AHAs and BHAs, making them suitable for sensitive skin.

They work on your skin’s surface to exfoliate without causing irritation.

Gluconolactone and lactobionic acid are common PHAs that also provide hydration and antioxidant benefits.

Full disclosure: some people might try PHAs and not really experience that many benefits. If you’re new to skincare and know you have reactive skin, PHAs might be suitable for you, but otherwise, I recommend checking out a lactic or mandelic acid product.

My advice: Incorporate these chemical exfoliants into your routine based on your skin type and concerns. Start with a low concentration and gradually increase as your skin adjusts.

What Are Physical Exfoliants?

Physical exfoliants use manual scrubbing to remove dead skin cells from the surface.

These exfoliants can be in the form of scrubs, brushes, or cloths.

Types of Physical Exfoliants

• Scrubs: Contain small, gritty particles like sugar, salt, or microbeads that physically slough off dead skin cells.

• Brushes: Manual or electronic brushes that exfoliate the skin with bristles.

• Cloths: Specially designed cloths, pads, or gloves with a textured surface that exfoliates when rubbed against your skin.

Benefits of Physical Exfoliants

Physical exfoliants can provide instant results by removing dead skin cells and revealing smoother skin. They are particularly effective for certain areas of the body, like the elbows, knees, and feet.

For All Skin Types

When used correctly, physical exfoliants can benefit all skin types. They help to smooth rough patches and improve the overall texture of your skin.

Immediate Results

Physical exfoliants provide immediate gratification by visibly removing dead skin cells. This instant smoothness and radiance make them popular for pre-event skin prep.

My advice: Avoid using physical exfoliants on your face as much as possible. Choose physical exfoliants with gentle, rounded particles to avoid micro-tears in the skin. Avoid over-exfoliating, which can lead to irritation and damage. Nerra's Exfoliating Body Glove Set and First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub are excellent options for physical exfoliation.

Popular Physical Exfoliants in Skincare

Scrubs: Sugar, Salt, and Microbead Scrubs

• Sugar Scrubs: Sugar is a gentle exfoliant that dissolves in water, reducing the risk of over-exfoliation. It’s suitable for sensitive skin and provides a mild exfoliation.

• Salt Scrubs: Coarse salt scrubs offer a more vigorous exfoliation and are ideal for rougher areas of the body.

• Microbead Scrubs: Made of synthetic or natural beads, these scrubs provide a uniform exfoliation. However, you’ll likely want to avoid plastic microbeads as they are harmful to the environment.

Tools: Brushes, Sponges, and Exfoliating Cloths

• Brushes: Facial and body brushes come in various bristle types and can provide thorough exfoliation. They are great for achieving a deep clean but should be used gently.

• Sponges: Exfoliating sponges, like konjac sponges, offer a gentle exfoliation suitable for daily use.

• Exfoliating Cloths and Gloves: These cloths and gloves have a textured surface that physically removes dead skin cells when rubbed against your skin. They are convenient and effective for quick exfoliation.

My advice: Use physical exfoliants once or twice a week, depending on your skin type and sensitivity. I like to use them before shaving. Avoid using them on broken or irritated skin. And in my opinon, there's never a reason to use physical exfoliants on your face unless you realllllly want to.

Combining Chemical and Physical Exfoliation

Combining both types of exfoliants can provide comprehensive benefits, but it’s important to do so safely.

How to Safely Combine Both Types

To safely combine chemical and physical exfoliation, alternate between them rather than using them simultaneously.

For example, use a chemical exfoliant on one day and a physical exfoliant later in the week.

This approach prevents over-exfoliation and allows your skin time to recover.

Tips on Frequency and Routine Integration

Start with a gentle chemical exfoliant and gradually introduce physical exfoliation into your routine.

Pay attention to your skin’s response and adjust the frequency accordingly.

For most skin types, exfoliating 2-3 times a week is sufficient.

If you’re using other actives, like retinol and vitamin C, you’ll want to exfoliate less often.

My advice: Find a balance that works for your skin. Use chemical exfoliants for deeper, more targeted exfoliation, and physical exfoliants for immediate smoothness. Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigment Corrector and Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment can be incorporated into a balanced routine.

Product Recommendations

Here are some top exfoliant products tailored to different skin types:

• For Oily/Acne-Prone Skin:

  1. Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant: A salicylic acid serum that penetrates deep into the pores to clear acne and blackheads.

     

     SHOP HERE

  2. Neostrata Glycolic Renewal Serum: A glycolic acid toner that exfoliates the skin surface and reduces oiliness.

     

     SHOP HERE

• For Dry/Sensitive Skin:

  1. Sunday Riley Good Genes: A lactic acid treatment that gently exfoliates while providing hydration. Super creamy texture. I like using this in place of tretinoin about once or twice a week.

     

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  2. Medik8 Press & Glow: A PHA-based toner that offers mild exfoliation without irritation. For what it’s worth, I’m not the biggest fan of PHAs, and I generally opt for azelaic acid or mandelic acid instead.

     

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My advice: Choose products based on your skin type and concerns. Start with lower concentrations and frequencies to see how your skin reacts before increasing.

How to Incorporate Exfoliation into Your Routine

Incorporating exfoliation into your skincare routine can maximize its benefits while minimizing the risk of irritation.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Cleanse: Start with a gentle cleanser to remove impurities.

2. Exfoliate: Apply your chosen chemical or physical exfoliant.

3. Hydrate (optional): Use a hydrating product to prevent barrier disruption

4. Serum: Apply a serum that addresses your specific skin concerns.

5. Moisturize: Follow with a moisturizer to lock in hydration.

6. Sunscreen (AM only): If desired, finish your morning routine with sunscreen.

Tips on Avoiding Over-Exfoliation

• Frequency: Limit exfoliation to 2-3 times a week to avoid irritation. You can use BHAs for acne more frequently than AHAs for anti-aging as they tend to be less irritating.

• Observation: Monitor your skin’s response and adjust the frequency if needed.

• Hydration: Ensure you’re using hydrating products to support your skin barrier. I love this barrier repair serum from Cocokind.

Potential Side Effects and Precautions

While exfoliation can significantly improve your skin’s texture and appearance, it’s important to be aware of potential side effects and take precautions to avoid damage.

Possible Side Effects

• Irritation and Redness: Over-exfoliation or using too strong an exfoliant can cause irritation and redness, especially for sensitive skin types.

• Dryness and Peeling: Excessive exfoliation can strip the skin of its natural oils, leading to dryness and peeling.

• Breakouts: Over-exfoliating can disrupt the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to breakouts and other skin issues.

Precautions

• Patch Test: Always perform a patch test when trying a new exfoliant to ensure it doesn’t cause adverse reactions.

• Start Slow: Begin with a low concentration and gradually increase as your skin builds tolerance.

• Avoid Overlapping Actives: Be cautious when combining exfoliants with other active ingredients like retinoids or strong acids to prevent irritation.

• Hydration is Key: Follow exfoliation with a hydrating serum and moisturizer to replenish moisture and support the skin barrier.

• Sun Protection: Exfoliation can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Consider applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen during the day, seeking shade as necessary, or wearing protective clothing.

My advice: Listen to your skin. If you notice signs of irritation or sensitivity, scale back on exfoliation and focus on soothing and hydrating products until your skin recovers.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right exfoliant can make a big difference in how your skin looks and feels.

The goal isn’t to exfoliate more. It’s to exfoliate smarter.

Once you understand the difference between chemical and physical exfoliants, it becomes much easier to pick what actually works for your skin.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Chemical exfoliants help clear pores and smooth texture over time.

• Physical exfoliants give instant smoothness but should be used carefully.

• You don’t need both at the same time. Alternating is usually enough.

At the end of the day, it comes down to your skin.

Pay attention to how it reacts and adjust as needed.

And don’t forget, exfoliation is just one step. Your results will always come from consistency, a simple routine, and not overdoing it.

Cheers,

Fawn

If you’re anything like me, you probably think you already have your skincare handled.

I’ve always felt like I had mine handled.

Tretinoin, vitamin C, plus things like at-home dermaplaning and light microneedling.

Nothing extreme, but enough that a professional treatment felt unnecessary.

The one facial I’d gotten before was a quick, cheap service a couple of years ago.

My skin looked a little glowy after. I didn’t think much of it.

So when I was invited to try the Glo2Facial, I said yes out of curiosity.

I wanted to see what a proper professional treatment would feel like compared to everything I’d been doing on my own.

I went in with a bare face, right after showering, and didn’t put anything on my skin.

What I didn’t expect was how different my skin would look after, or how much more like myself I’d feel walking out.

If you’ve been doing everything right and your skin still isn’t where you want it to be, this is worth reading.

My Skin Going Into This

My skin wasn’t at its best walking in.

No severe acne, but a long history of hormonal breakouts along my chin.

The kind that cycle in and out around your period, when testosterone spikes during days one through seven and ramps up oil production.

Men express those androgens along the jaw and cheeks because that’s where beard hair grows. We don’t grow beards, so instead we get breakouts.

Fun trade-off, right?

I also have hyperpigmentation along my cheekbones.

In a weird way I’ve always kind of liked it.

It creates a natural contour effect, almost like a built-in shadow.

But it also means my skin tone isn’t even, and that’s the first visible sign of aging.

Uneven tone shows up before fine lines or wrinkles.

Even after years of tretinoin and vitamin C, which are considered first-line treatments for hyperpigmentation, I’d hit a wall.

Progress had stalled.

That’s the point where home actives stop being enough and you start looking at treatment-resistant hyperpigmentation and textured acne scarring that needs something more.

But if I’m being honest, it wasn’t just that.

I’d been going through a rough patch. Grief, bereavement, just life being heavier than usual.

And when you’re in that kind of place, even basic things start to slip.

It was harder to stay consistent. Some nights I didn’t even feel like washing my face.

My skin reflected that.

I had more blackheads than usual, my complexion looked flat no matter what I tried, and everything felt congested and uneven.

There were days I’d look in the mirror and just feel off, like I didn’t recognize myself.

That’s where my skin was going into this.

I was curious what an hour on that treatment bed would do.

What the Treatment Felt Like, Step by Step

Leslie greeted me at Only Glam Med Spa and got me settled.

She cleansed my face with cotton pads to lift the surface oils, wrapped a headband around my hair, and we began.

The Glo2Facial typically starts with RF Pro, short for Radio Frequency Pro, a gentle radiofrequency step designed to boost collagen and prep the skin for the rest of the treatment. In my case, we moved straight into the next steps based on my skin type.

Step one: the primer gel. It’s applied first to activate the OxyPod and prep the skin. It barely felt like anything.

Step two: Oxfoliation. This is where it started to feel different.

The OxyPod creates a CO₂-rich environment on the surface of the skin.

Your body reads that as a lack of oxygen and responds by sending more oxygenated blood to the area, which is the point.

That’s how the treatment brings nutrients up to the skin from within, instead of just sitting on the surface.

On my skin, it felt tingly, with a mix of warm and cool and a faint vibration underneath, with a bit of sting at first.

Within a few seconds, my skin adjusted and it started to feel more comfortable.

Leslie removed everything with warm cotton pads, which felt calming.

Step three: Ultrasound. A different feeling. There was no tingling. The device felt warm as it moved across my forehead, cheeks, and chin. It felt like the Clarify serum was being pressed deeper with each pass. It was soothing.

Step four: Detox, which mimics a lymphatic massage. The device switched to a soft vibrating setting with a gentle red glow, and Leslie used more pressure as she moved it across my face. This step helps move fluid through the skin and improve circulation, which can reduce puffiness and redness. By the time she finished, my skin felt clean and smooth without being tight or stripped.

Nothing about it felt aggressive. That surprised me, because exfoliation was happening.

When I left, they gave me a gift bag to take home.

It included a holographic Glo2Facial tote, a black pouch, under-eye patches, and a lavender crossbody bag.

It was a nice touch after the whole experience.

Why the Clarify OxyPod and What’s In It

There are different Glo2Facial OxyPod options depending on your skin goals, whether that’s refinement, hydration, or pigmentation.

Leslie recommended Clarify based on what I’d described, including congestion and hormonal breakouts.

The Clarify formulation is designed for breakouts, congestion, and post-acne marks.

The key ingredients include bamboo charcoal, camellia extract, and mandelic acid.

Bamboo charcoal is a strong antioxidant that helps draw out impurities.

Camellia extract helps calm the skin, which is useful for skin that’s reactive or prone to redness.

Mandelic acid is a gentler exfoliating acid. It has a larger molecular size than glycolic acid, so it penetrates more slowly, which makes it easier to tolerate while still helping improve texture and breakouts.

The combination made sense for what I was dealing with.

And the way it felt on my skin reflected that. It felt effective without being harsh.

What Happens After: The Skin Regeneration Piece

I looked in the mirror right after, and my skin looked calmer and brighter, with less blotchy areas.

The texture felt smoother.

I still had a few pimples from the days before. They were raised and red, but the rest of my skin felt more even.

My pores looked smaller too. With less buildup, they looked less noticeable.

What surprised me most was the lack of irritation. I could feel the exfoliation happening, but my skin showed zero redness afterward. Most treatments that exfoliate this thoroughly leave some kind of reaction.

Leslie explained that this is how the treatment is designed to work.

The Glo2Facial doesn’t force a reaction like a peel or laser. It supports your skin so it can regenerate from within, working with your natural cell turnover.

The Oxfoliation step brings more oxygen to the skin, the ultrasound supports serum absorption, and the lymphatic massage moves fluid.

Each step is building a better environment for your skin to do its own work.

I asked Leslie when I could expect to see the full results, and she said it typically shows up around one to two weeks in.

For hyperpigmentation, she said it usually takes three to four sessions to see more noticeable change.

After years of layering stronger actives and thinking that was the only way forward, that idea landed in a new way.

Maybe your skin doesn’t need to be pushed harder. Maybe it needs to heal.

The Morning After

I stood in front of the mirror longer than usual the next morning, which isn’t something I do unless I’m picking myself apart.

This time, I wasn’t.

I just stood there looking, then caught myself touching my skin because it didn’t feel like mine. The texture was gone, or at least it felt that way. It was smoother than it had been in a while.

At one point, I started thinking about how foundation would glide on, how different makeup would sit on top of this. That thought stayed with me as I got ready.

I didn’t do much that morning. I followed Leslie’s aftercare instructions and kept everything focused on hydration with a serum, a bit of moisturizer, and sunscreen before heading out.

Nothing complicated, but it felt right.

My skin looked better than it had in months, and for once, I wasn’t standing there trying to figure out what needed fixing.

I didn’t have makeup on, and I still felt pretty.

Final thoughts

I went into this treatment skeptical. I read the studies, I use the actives. A facial wasn’t going to show me something I hadn’t already figured out on my own.

I was wrong.

The last few months have been hard. Bereavement does something to you that’s difficult to explain until you’re in it.

You stop taking care of yourself the way you would because the energy to maintain it just disappears.

My routine slipped and my skin started to show it.

There's something nobody talks about when it comes to skincare and grief.

When you spend years building a skincare routine as involved as mine, you can start to feel like it's what's holding everything together.

When life gets hard and the routine slips, you look in the mirror and feel ugly. Ugly in a way that tired and dull don't quite cover. Like you've lost something you can't get back.

The morning after the Glo2Facial, I stood in front of the mirror longer than usual.

My skin felt smooth in a way it hadn’t in months. I wasn’t wearing anything on my face and I still felt pretty.

I smiled at myself. That hadn’t been happening in a while, and I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it until that moment.

It felt like the kick I needed to remind myself that I’m beautiful without all of it.

The Glo2Facial reminded me that years of pushing harder wasn't the answer. Giving your skin the right conditions and trusting it to do the rest is. That reframe meant something.

If you’ve been doing everything right and your skin still isn’t where you want it to be, this might be worth trying.

Find a Glo2Facial Provider Nearest You and ask about the Clarify customization if breakouts or hyperpigmentation have been on your mind.

Your skin knows what to do. Sometimes it just needs a little help getting there.

Cheers,

Fawn

A few years ago, my own breakouts got bad enough that I basically became obsessed with figuring out how skincare actually works.

And yeah, I went through the phase where I just grabbed whatever said “oil-free” on the label and hoped for the best.

Didn’t really work out. Shocking, I know.

It took some time, a lot of failed products, and way too many hours reading ingredient labels to finally find stuff that actually helps.

If you want to know about foods and habits that affect your skin, I talk about that in this post.

But today I’m focusing on products, specifically the ones I keep coming back to because they work.

Most of the good ones have at least one of these key ingredients in them:

• Salicylic Acid: Deep-cleansing exfoliant that unclogs pores and sloughs off dead skin cells, targeting acne at its source.

• Benzoyl Peroxide: Potent antibacterial agent that zaps acne-causing bacteria and reduces inflammation for clearer skin.

• Mandelic Acid: Gentle exfoliant derived from almonds that dissolves dead skin cells and improves skin texture without irritation.

• Sulfur: Natural element that absorbs excess oil and unclogs pores, reducing acne and preventing new breakouts.

• Azelaic Acid: Multi-tasking powerhouse that diminishes acne, fades dark spots, and calms inflammation for smoother, more even skin.

• Zinc Oxide: Soothing mineral that reduces inflammation, controls oil, and acts as a protective barrier against acne-causing irritants.

So, let’s dive into the top 10 acne-fighting products you can use at home.

1. Best overall: Adapalene Gel 0.1%

If you’re dealing with acne, Differin gel might just become your new best friend.

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It works best for mild to moderate breakouts, and adapalene is one of the better retinoid options out there for keeping acne under control.

The catch is that it’s not a spot treatment.

You can’t just use it once or twice and expect results the way you might with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Retinoids work by speeding up how fast your skin cells turn over, and that cycle takes about 28 days.

So you really do have to be consistent, and most people need 3 to 6 months before they see a real difference.

Start with a pea-sized amount 2 to 3 times a week, then slowly work up to 5 or 6 nights.

Always apply it at night, and follow up with a moisturizer.

Beyond the gel itself, I also really like two other products from the Differin line.

The Daily Deep Cleanser has 5% benzoyl peroxide, which treats and prevents breakouts without being too harsh.

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It soaks up extra oil and releases a light moisturizer that won’t clog your pores.

The Resurfacing Scar Gel is great for what acne leaves behind.

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It helps fade post-acne marks, smooth rough texture, and firm the skin with peptides, all while keeping things hydrated.

2. Best for Body Acne: PanOxyl 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash

Benzoyl peroxide is honestly one of my favorite acne ingredients, and PanOxyl is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to use it.

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It works by killing the bacteria that cause breakouts in the first place, making it especially good for oily skin.

Personally, I found it just as effective as prescription treatments for inflammatory acne.

It is generally considered stronger than salicylic acid though, so if you have sensitive skin, you may want to patch test or start with a lower concentration.

The nice thing about benzoyl peroxide is how flexible it is.

You can use it as a cleanser, a leave-on gel, a mask, or a spray depending on what works for your routine.

For body acne specifically, I also really like Naturium’s Salicylic Acid Body Spray 2%.

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The 360-degree nozzle makes it easy to hit spots on your back or shoulders that are hard to reach.

It has encapsulated salicylic acid and niacinamide to help balance oil and calm irritation, plus a brightening blend to even out skin tone and a fermented complex that adds hydration for smoother skin overall.

3. Best Serum/Gel: Replenix BP Acne Gel 10% Spot Treatment or Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10%

If you want something to target individual blemishes, Replenix BP Acne Gel is worth trying.

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It uses medical-grade benzoyl peroxide, so it’s a step up from your average drugstore spot treatment.

Apply it directly to problem areas and it works to clear existing breakouts while stopping new ones from forming.

It’s strong, so results tend to come pretty quickly.

For something a little gentler, Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10% is one of my all-time favorites.

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It’s especially good if you’re dealing with acne alongside red marks, rosacea, or just general uneven skin tone.

The formula combines a glycinated azelaic acid complex with niacinamide, vitamin C, and coffee seed extract, which together help brighten skin and improve tone over time.

It also balances oil without drying your skin out.

Sensitive skin types tend to do really well with this one.

4. Best Face Mask: Sofie Pavitt BP Mask or Murad Rapid Relief Acne Sulfur Mask

The Sofie Pavitt Face Reset BP Mask is a newer find for me and I’m genuinely impressed.

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It has 5% benzoyl peroxide, but unlike most BP products, it’s an actual rinse-off mask. You leave it on for 3 to 5 minutes and wash it off.

It’s effective without being drying, which is pretty rare for a benzoyl peroxide formula.

If benzoyl peroxide tends to irritate your skin, the Murad Rapid Relief Acne Sulfur Mask is a solid alternative.

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It uses sulfur, salicylic acid, and Austrian peat to cut down on oil, shrink pimples, and clear out blackheads.

The formula is hydrating and easy to remove, so it doesn’t feel like a punishment to use.

5. Best for Hormonal Acne: Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment

If you’ve ever dealt with those deep, painful breakouts that seem to live under your skin, this one is for you.

Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment uses phytosteroids to target stubborn cystic acne without needing steroid shots or prescription pills.

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It forms a thin, invisible layer over the skin that helps the active ingredients penetrate deeper, and the 2% salicylic acid works to break down the bacteria causing the problem at the source.

For extra help with hormonal acne, I also wrote about CurrentBody’s red light mask, which honestly made a noticeable difference for me personally.

6. Best Cleanser: CeraVe Salicylic Acid Cleanser, Kate Somerville EradiKate Daily Foaming Cleanser, or Paula's Choice 2.5% BP Cleanser

The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is one of my favorite drugstore picks, and I’ve gone through multiple bottles of it.

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It has salicylic acid to fight breakouts plus niacinamide to support your skin barrier, which is a nice combo for the price.

It reduces existing blemishes and helps prevent new ones from forming.

Honestly, I think it’s one of the best salicylic acid products you can grab at the drugstore, and it’s especially great for teenagers because it’s simple and straightforward to use every day.

One thing to note, it can feel a little stripping if you have dry skin. This one is better suited for oily skin types.

Kate Somerville EradiKate Daily Foaming Cleanser is a good option if you want something a little more targeted.

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It’s formulated specifically for acne-prone skin and uses 3% sulfur to tackle active breakouts, unclog congested pores, and help prevent new blemishes from forming.

It also draws out impurities, which makes it useful if blackheads or sebaceous filaments are a concern for you.

What keeps it from being too harsh is the botanical side of the formula.

Honey and rice bran extracts help soothe irritation, and oat extract absorbs excess oil without throwing your skin’s balance off.

Paula’s Choice CLEAR 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide Treatment rounds out this category nicely.

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It’s a lightweight, oil-free lotion that targets existing breakouts and prevents new ones, and the concentration is gentle enough to use twice a day without a ton of dryness or irritation.

Soothing plant extracts help calm redness, and it dries down to a matte finish, so it works well under makeup too.

It’s versatile enough to use on your face or body, and it holds up well for cystic acne prone skin.

A solid addition to any acne routine.

7. Best for Dark Spots: Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigment Corrector

If post-acne marks are your main frustration, this serum is a really strong pick.

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The formula combines mandelic acid, lactic acid, bakuchiol, and other brightening agents to speed up cell turnover and help regulate melanin production, which is what actually fades those stubborn dark spots over time.

If you want something more budget-friendly, Paula’s Choice Discoloration Serum and Topicals Faded Serum (lowkey smells bad but it works) are both worth looking at.

8. Best Sunscreen: Supergoop Glowscreen, Supergoop Mineral Unseen Sunscreen, or Hero Superlight Sunscreen

Sunscreen is non-negotiable when you're treating acne, especially if you're using retinoids or acids that make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

Mineral sunscreens are a great fit for acne-prone skin because they’re zinc-based, and zinc actually has acne-fighting properties on top of sun protection.

The downside is they can feel a little heavy.

My current favorite non-mineral option is Supergoop Glowscreen, which gives a really nice glowy finish and works beautifully as a base under makeup.

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For mineral sunscreen, Supergoop Mineral Unseen Sunscreen is my go-to.

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It has a powdery finish and no white cast, which is hard to find in a mineral formula.

If you want something more budget-friendly, Hero Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30 is a solid pick.

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It’s lightweight and works well for acne-prone skin, just keep in mind it can leave a slight white cast on deeper skin tones.

9. Best Moisturizer: Versed Dew Point or Korres Yogurt Cream

The Versed Dew Point Gel-Cream is probably my favorite thing I’ve tried from Versed.

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It’s super lightweight with a jelly-like texture that absorbs almost instantly, which makes it especially good for oily skin in the warmer months.

The formula has sodium hyaluronate to lock in moisture, aloe leaf juice for hydration, and green tea extract to soothe and protect against environmental damage.

It’s ideal for oily and acne-prone skin since it hydrates without clogging pores, but honestly I have dry skin and I still reach for it regularly.

It keeps skin bouncy and refreshed without any heaviness.

The Korres Greek Yoghurt Gel-Cream is another good one for acne-prone skin.

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It's built around a prebiotic strain called alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, which nourishes your skin's microbiome, reduces dryness, and helps strengthen your barrier over time.

If your skin tends to be reactive or easily irritated, this one is worth looking at.

10. Best Tool: Banisher 3.0

I have the Banish microneedling tool, which is excellent for supporting the healing of textured scars and hyperpigmentation.

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You can’t use it over active acne, but it’s a fantastic tool for improving skin texture and reducing the appearance of old acne scars.

This tool promotes skin rejuvenation by stimulating collagen production, leading to smoother and more even-toned skin over time.

The Bottom Line

That’s my full list. Whether you’re dealing with active breakouts, scarring, or dark spots, there’s something here that can help.

Just remember that none of this works if you’re not consistent. Most of these products need time to do their thing.

One last thing: keep hydrocolloid patches in your routine. They’re cheap, they work, and they save you from picking.

My favorite is Hero Cosmetics, but Cosrx is a solid budget option. It’s a little less sticky but gets the job done.

As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments.

I hope this helps!

Cheers,

Fawn

What makes it different from other AHAs is how mild it is.

It has a larger molecule size, so it absorbs into the skin more slowly, which means less irritation.

It’s also a good option for acne-prone skin.

Because of how it’s structured, it shares some similarities with salicylic acid and can help keep pores clear.

Compared to stronger acids like glycolic acid or even lactic acid, mandelic acid is much easier on the skin.

That makes it a better choice for people with sensitive skin or those just starting out with exfoliating acids.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the main benefits of mandelic acid and how to use it in your routine.

Benefits of Mandelic Acid

Mandelic acid products and similar chemical peels have unique benefits that you won’t find with every type of chemical exfoliant.

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In fact, mandelic acid peels are particularly great for people with darker skin tones and have great anti-aging benefits.

Safe for Sensitive Skin

Of the three main AHAs, mandelic acid is a larger molecule than either glycolic or lactic acid.

Therefore, it penetrates in your skin more slowly and reduces the risk of irritation often found with other exfoliants.

This unique feature makes mandelic acid ideal for people with sensitive skin as it’s less likely to cause excessive dryness or compromise your skin barrier function.

Suitable for Darker Skin Tones

Because mandelic acid is less likely to irritation, it may be more suitable for people with deeper skin tones.

This is because darker skin tones often respond to irritation with a condition called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).

You may recognize PIH better as dark spots.

That being said, people with darker skin tones can still use stronger acids like glycolic acid as long as they don’t cause irritation for you.

Promotes Chemical Exfoliation

Mandelic acid chemically exfoliates the top layer of your skin by breaking down the bonds that hold your dead skin cells together.

This layer of skin is also known as your stratum corneum.

Chemical exfoliation is a beneficial process to help with speeding up cell turnover and fighting unwanted skin texture.

Improves Skin Texture

If you have rough bumps and uneven texture, mandelic acid is your new best friend.

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By gently turning over the top layer of your skin, mandelic reduces fine lines and unnecessary roughness.

Over time, your complex will even out and glow beautifully.

Reduces Uneven Skin Tone

Thanks to its ability to speed up skin cell turnover, mandelic acid fights uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation.

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Thanks to its acne and scar fighting properties, it’s the perfect exfoliating acid for people with oily skin.

Uses for Mandelic Acid

Thanks to its versatile nature, mandelic acid has tons of applications for use in your skincare routine.

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Reducing Acne

Not only is mandelic acid antibacterial, but it’s also somewhat anti fungal!

This means that it can:

• Unclog pores

• Reduce excess oil production

• Fight mild acne

• Help treat fungal acne

As a bonus, it also has some anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce redness.

Improving Signs of Aging

If there’s one thing AHAs are good at, it’s fighting fine lines and wrinkles.

By promoting skin cell turnover, mandelic acid has promising anti-aging benefits.

That being said, the anti-aging effects won’t be as significant as they would if you were using something stronger like glycolic acid.

Brightening Dull Skin

If you’re dealing with dull skin, you might benefit from adding a mandelic acid product to your routine.

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By getting rid of dead skin cells and evening on your skin tone, it can help you develop a beautiful, healthy glow.

Side Effects of Mandelic Acid

Even though mandelic acid is generally well tolerated, people with sensitivity might experience mild skin irritation.

Signs of irritation include redness and itching and typically subside once you reduce the frequency of your product.

You can also use hydrating serums and moisturizers to reduce your chances of developing irritation.

Summary: Mandelic Acid Benefits for Skin

Mandelic acid is a gentle exfoliating acid that works well for a wide range of skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Because it absorbs more slowly, it offers the benefits of chemical exfoliation with a lower risk of irritation.

With consistent use, it can help improve skin texture, brighten dull skin, and support a more even-looking tone.

It’s also a practical option if you want to target mild breakouts without using harsher actives.

If you’re looking for a simple way to add exfoliation into your routine without overwhelming your skin, mandelic acid is a solid place to start.

Cheers,

Fawn

Generally, you should apply a spot treatment after using your cleanser and toner but before your moisturizer and facial oil.

Depending on the active ingredients in the spot treatment, it can be used as part of your morning skincare routine or evening.

This article will explain everything you need to know about when to apply a spot treatment.

When to Apply Spot Treatment

If your spot treatment includes active ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, you are safe to use it either morning or night.

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Generally, if your product includes glycolic acid or lactic acid, then you should stick to applying it at night.

Regardless of when to apply them, these are all great ingredients to fight skin texture and acne.

Be sure to look for them in your spot treatment products!

When to Apply Spot Treatment in the Morning

Your morning skincare routine should follow this order:

1. Cleanser

2. Toner (optional)

3. Spot treatment

4. Vitamin C (optional)

5. Moisturizer

6. SPF

When to Apply Spot Treatment in the Evening

Your nighttime routine should follow this order:

1. Cleanser

2. Spot treatment

3. Anti-aging or hydrating serum (optional)

4. Moisturizer

5. Facial oil (optional)

Sticking to this order will help improve your skin’s ability to absorb the acne treatments.

Do you put acne treatment before or after moisturizer?

You should apply your acne treatment before moisturizer.

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Moisturizers are much heavier than acne treatments.

Therefore, if you apply them before your spot treatment, you may reduce the efficacy of the treatment as it can’t absorb as well.

Generally, we structure your regular skincare routine by applying products from “thinnest to thickest” or “wateriest to oiliest”.

Best Acne Spot Treatments

1. CeraVe Acne Control Gel

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2. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

   

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3. Murad Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treatment

   

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CeraVe Acne Control Gel is a great treatment formulated with salicylic acid while La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo contains benzoyl peroxide and lipo hydroxy acid.

Alternatively, Murad Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treatment uses salicylic acid to help unclog pores and reduce breakouts.

All of these ingredients can help reduce clogged pores, so the best one for you depends on your skin type.

Generally, salicylic acid is a gentler option for sensitive or dry skin, while benzoyl peroxide can be more effective for inflamed acne but may cause dryness or irritation.

How to Use Acne Spot Treatment

To use acne spot treatment properly, first wash your face so you’re working with clean skin.

If desired, you also apply a toner for further cleansing.

Then, apply a thin layer of your spot treatment to the affected area.

Allow it to absorb for 1-2 minutes.

Finish off by applying any serums or moisturizers to help protect your skin barrier.

Do you put acne treatment before or after serum?

Your acne treatment should come before your serum to maximize its efficacy.

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How long do you leave acne spot treatment on?

You should leave your acne spot treatment on for a few hours.

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Preferably, if you are applying a spot treatment as part of your evening skincare routine, you can just leave it on overnight and wash it off in the morning.

Do you leave acne cream on overnight?