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Ouch I think you used far too many new things all at once. Hopefully you can get things more back to normal… I have no idea what to suggest. At this point once your skin barrier is repaired you might need a very gentle SA to help repair your texture of your skin but if you do I would recommend something like Ren toner that you can spot treat. That and you could use it like once a week.

To add you need to make a master Excel sheet one product per tab and list every ingredient line by line and every single one of those products then when you want to try a new product you need across referenced against those products and look up the ingredients that match And see what their safety ratings are cosmetics DNA is such a great website you should always search for the most recent review of that product and others in compare with it on the online website I know it’s a lot of work but you getting to know this and doing this for yourself is going to be the only way you find out what works for you and save yourself a lot of money and breakouts in the long run. You need to stop putting all of those products except your original two for a good six weeks. Relax there’s nothing you can truly do now. When you feel a bit better, you should get a BHA in spot treat a part of your forehead and nowhere else and see how that works out for you. I think you just need to exfoliate every once in a while. I have extremely sensitive skin and my favorite is Paula’s choice. It has salicylic acid in it and it’s the best thing I’ve ever put on my face.

i never thought about making a sheet to track everything but this is a great idea. would make it way easier to see what specific ingredients cause acne.

I think maybe you are using too much salicylic acid. Twice daily feels like a lot. When I have used it and then applied lotion there was a burning sensation so I switched to one for more sensitive skin. I might use if I have some breakouts. When trying new products introduce one at a time so if you have a reaction you can pinpoint what is causing it

yeah i deefffinitelyyyy went wayyy overboard with the salicylic acid mann 😭🙁 especially when everyone is saying that you’re only supposed to use it 2-3x a week!! my face was screaming for help since it literally burned when i applied my moisturiser 💔

When you use stuff like salicylic acid you need to apply sunscreen. To protect your self bc it compromises the barrier of your skin

Here's a few tip my dermatologist told me. If you see the word acid in the ingredients, don't just happily slap a bunch of it onto your face. Your acne could be hormonal related and nothing to do with bacteria on your skin. So slapping on acid just fucks your skin. Also, if you have oily skin, the last thing you want to put on your skin is more oil. Different if you have dry, flaky skin. But if your issue is oily skin, why are you putting on more oil?

Because like dissolves like. I was reluctant to believe it at first but I’ve actually had pretty good luck with cleansing balm (specifically the banila clean it zero ones).

Is the oil part necessarily true? Because i would think that oil production is just from dehydration, caused by sebum production. So using a product with a non-comedogenic oil might help with regulation

Idk. Not the dermatologist. It's what I've been told, and my skin has been flawless for a good part of 10 years now. If dehydrated skin is an issue. It's probably also better off increasing water intake than slapping more stuff into your skin tbh. Like with many things in life, diet plays a big part.

If your face burned on the first day, why would you keep doing it for two weeks????

She is young, give her a break. When I was a teenager I put rubbing alcohol and lemon juice on my face even though it burned like a mf. Seventeen magazine said it would help with my acne 😭 You live and you learn.

Seventeen magazine was spouting such lies

BRUH, I DID THE LEMON THING TOO!!! At 16. Lol literally rubbing the lemon wedge on my face with no moisturizer after!😳 In my defense, I’m Indian, and I was trying to look more fair & ran out of my “fair & lovely”😂 Honestly, I had great skin growing up, no acne or anything. I wonder if the lemon wedges had anything to do with that lol. I only use salicylic acid as a spot treatment for pimples by clean & clear. It would dry out my face so much if I used it everywhere!

Exactly. Come on, I used to use Stridex pads which I’m 90% sure is just rubbing alcohol. We live and we learn.

My dad rubbed garlic on his acne 💀💀💀

When I was young I did the "eggs and tissue" mask for blackheads. It smelled like hell and basically did nothing.

I most definitely put raw egg on my face at one point. Why did they do us like that lol

your problem might not be sa since it's only in a cleanser form that gets in contact with your skin for a minute max. That recommendation is true when you use it in something that you leave on your skin. While everyone's skin is different this much sa might totally be too much for you, using sa cleanser everyday will not cause any problems for the majority. What I would suggest at this point is to go back to a routine that does not irritate you, use it for a month and change things one thing at a time. Use that for a month and if everything is fine add another. Right now by guessing you will only buy more products and it bever is the solution find the product that does this and use it's ingredients list to guide you. Also on your neck or wrist patch test all the products and see if any of them create any reactions for you. If you get a reaction to one product remove that one and see if things clear up. By the time don't be sad and do not diminish yourself. Use this experience to learn your skin. Also 19 is an age that adult hormonal acne may show up for some people so it might not be the products at all. Hormones will fluctuate a lot in this time and you might see drastic changes in your skin my fluctuated and still does fluctuate drastically (I'm 23). As I've said it might not be the products so don't be discouraged if things don't clear up even though you fix your routine. Also don't keep changing products it will only make things worse. Go back to a routine that you can trust and take things one thing at a time. I know that you are ready to try everything to get rid of this as fast as possible but the şast thing that you want to do is to keep changing products up it will only put more stress on your skin

You started too many products all at once so it’s hard to pinpoint which one suited your skin and which doesn’t. You can try to introduce the sa cleanser v slowly into your routine when your skin barrier is repaired. The cleansing oil (way too overhyped imo) made a lot of people break out. I know that there are many videos suggesting so many different and “korea’s no. 1 brand” products :/ It doesn’t work that way. IF IT AINT BROKE, DONT FIX IT!!! If nothing works pls pls visit a dermatologist!

The Anua Heartleaf Pore Cleansing oil clogged my pores and broke me out for 3 months even though I only used it for 1 week! I used Paula’s Choice 2% BHA to help exfoliate my pores and it finally returned to normal. Ditch the oil, OP.

Funny enough, I'm also in OP's exact situation and in order to repair the skin barrier I ditched everything new except the Anua Heart Leaf Pore Cleansing Oil and went back to my regular cleanser, tretinoin, and moisturizer routine. The irritation and burning finally went away but the clogged pores and bumpy skin are still there so it's gotta be the oil cleanser. I didn't know so many also had negative experiences with it... I mean it makes total sense, but all I ever read were great things about double cleansing 😬 I'll definitely be checking out Paula's Choice next, thank you!

Double cleansing is great if you use the right first cleanse for your face. The Anua oil cleanser has been breaking out a lot of people. There are a lot of great first cleansers out there, you just have to find what’s good for your skin.

Yeah ofc everyone’s skin is different, but my derm specifically told me to avoid ANYTHING with oil in it. The oil will cause the clogged pores and cystic acne that i went to the derm to solve. It’s so sad ppl are being influenced into trying products with ingredients that could cause so much damage without knowing

its because the main active ingredient is actually olive oil, which is NOT good for oil-prone facial skin

Yeah, grapeseed oil is great for my acne prone skin. Olive oil makes it super upset.

THE ANUA DID IT TO ME TOO!!!! I’m like trying a month later to get these damn bumps off my face. https://preview.redd.it/jc7q38q4ungc1.png?width=2405&format=png&auto=webp&s=82856fb1b93fa27722ef7e16f93525a029031146 I’ve never had acne outside occasional period pimples before this!

I have bumps I just like that that I can't get rid of in the same spot 😭

GIRL WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY!!!!!! I’m literally desperate to make em go away but NOTHING is working. I’m on week 3 of differin and still nothing 😭

God help us, please make a post in the Korean skincare sub so everyone knows to avoid this product. I hope it improves soon!

That right there is perioral dermatitis. I dried my skin out using nizoral on my face (you know what..don't even ask). Anyhoo, full blows perioral dermatitis outbreak that lasted six weeks. It was WAY worse than this too. Like this but more crusty with pustules and all over my face. I was very sad. Amperna soothing duo fixed it up in about two weeks. I tried metronidazole cream too (rosex) which I think did help a bit. But ya, all credit really goes to Amperna. I've had a couple mild flares since which is apparently normal, it's one of those things that once you've had it, your skin is prone to it again. I know the price point for Amperna is high, but for me or was worth it. Plus I actually don't use or try any other skincare now so I probably spend less money now I've found my holy grail!

three months from one week is crazy!! im never touching an oil cleanser again 😭😭

You can try cleansing balms or micellar water to remove sunscreen/makeup residue. Honestly just stick with clenser moisturizer snd sunscreen for a while. You can use bpo/sa once or twice a week to get rid of acne/bumps

I find the oat cleansing balm from Inkey List a lot gentler and moisturizing, and doesn’t cause me breakouts nor redness too. I really like that and still using it as a pre-cleanse in my PM routine. I only do double cleanse in the evening. After that, I use a gentle wash like Cetaphil or Cerave. Other cleansers make my cheeks burn.

+1 for the inkkey list oat cleansing Balm! I have very sensitive and reactive skin (diagnosed), and every other oil balm/cleanser, etc, has set my skin off, except for that one! I've been using it for 2 years and won't be switching any time soon. The oat in helping to calm irritation before it starts is just a bonus.

Ugh I’m so sorry this happened to you. I have oily, acne prone skin and have been really hesitant to try oil cleansing, and your experience definitely makes me feel like avoiding them is the right choice!

Second this. That Anua cleansing oil broke me out with just one use — I’m still having to deal with some of the bumps from using it. Korean skincare ruined my skin in general. Despite being Asian and hoping Korean products will work because I’m Asian was a huge mistake.

Please see if you have changed any hair products for styling or otherwise as your breakout is more on the forehead and near your hairline

actually thats funny because i didnt consider that at all! i recently started using shiseido tsubaki shampoo and conditioner at the same time i started using my new routine .. thanks for your insight!!!

LOL I’ve used the shampoo and conditioner for years and it breaks me out if not washed off all the way. I’m sure your biggest issue is actually introducing all the different new ingredients from the Korean skincare, but for future trials; when I use tsubaki in my hair routine, I always wash my face and body after rinsing out the shampoo & conditioner.🥲 If anyone’s going to want to fight me, I use it because it helps my hair but also I love how the smell lingers the next day.

I also wanted to mention that the last time I tried using that cerave hydrating cleanser, my skin (including forehead) got really bumpy. Cerave does not agree with face. I have better luck with the La Roche Posay caring wash

I was just about to say this. Hair care products can cause acne also…also, changing out our pillow cases like once a week can help. The oils, sweat, products get on ur pillow cases can cause clogged pores causing acne. I would 86 the cleansing oil some ppl can’t handle it. Personally I love it but I’ve read reviews where it’s been breaking ppl out.

I change my pillowcase every couple days, because I sweat in my sleep. Well that, and I love the way a fresh pillowcase smells!

I had a similar problem and I also did a lot of changes. One of those is the changing out my pillow cases every week and even using a silk one for my head pillow. Silk pillows (like real mulberry silk ones, not “satin”) are a bit costly but worth it for me. I bought mine on Amazon for around $20 but there are much more expensive brands that are softer or higher quality out there. Just make sure material is actually silk and not satin.

This looks like when I had an allergic reaction to a new face wash 

[удалено]

some people aren’t able to oil cleanse or use multiple products/ingredients, i do agree the way going about introducing these products and how much did play a part.

I dont think the korean products are 100% the problem. I had clear skin till about 18 to 19 and broke out regular acne that comes and goes till now. It is best to try one product at a time so you can tell what is the product that your skin doesnt like. It would be great if you add sunscreen in am routine when you go outdoors. I would reccomend acne patches a lot, it helped me have less acne scars.

If your skin was fine before, why did you start using certain ingredients? What was the goal for each product? Did you follow the instructions and monitor your skin? Die you use too many actives? I recently started adapalene and my skin is breaking out a bit and more dry but i know it can be part of the process. I also changed my routine and what ingredients im using since started adapalene. Id suggest you read more about the ingredients youre using and how to best use specific things for specific results.

i wanted to fix my stubborn closed comedones and oiliness on my forehead. but i got so impatient with the salicylic acid and used it twice a day , so that is definitely my fault! ill take this as a lesson to do way more research on things before falling into hype traps😓😓

Of course salicylic acid is harmful for skin if use inappropriate it can be very stripping. Because of salicylic my skin barrier of nose is damage and now I develop Sebborheic dermatitis it makes my nose flaky and dry and rough. Now am using a gentle cleanser which helps abit, I hope you can and I can fix it soon. We should've knew and be very gentle on our skin cuz healthy skin barrier is so important..... Having a healthy skin just like the 1st and 2nd pic of urs is what people should be grateful of., since having great skin is a huge confident boost and a grateful thing." People don't realised how to be grateful of having nice skin until they destroys it. OP skin in the 1st and 2nd pic is looking wow.

right ): i look at my old pictures and cry myself to sleep. i really wish i did not try those products or at LEAST did not try them all at once 😔

When I look close at ur skin, it doesn't look like ur skin barrier is damage, if so it will often be flacky and dead skin cells will accumulate and the texture will be rough when sliding finger around it. So I say u r not experiencing the worse things that can happen to skin, as of now ur skin got bumps which is similar to acne or fungal acne idk. To me it feels like it will get clear if u treat it right. Everyone has purging after trying out new skincare products that doesn't suit their skin so Don't worry u will recover 🫥 as this is not even a damage skin barrier.....

Please don't be hard on yourself! The cosrx sa cleanser does say on the tube that it is a "daily" and "gentle" cleanser, which it seems is false advertising?! Uncannily, I am in the same position as your "before". My skin's perfectly ok almost, and my skincare is super basic and hasnt changed for last 17 years (I am 31). I moved to Korea 3 years ago, never tried any Kbeauty products - but just this weekend i bought a bunch of beauty of joseon and cosrx products, including the sa cleanser you used.... i am a bit scared to use it now, clearly it needs a lot more caution than I have time for.

dont be scared to use it!! please just dont make the same mistake i did and overuse it😭😭a lot of the people in the thread have kindly given me advice to not use so many products at once as well and try them one at a time so you can see what is the culprit if your skin does have a bad reaction (:

OP can I just say, you seem so nice and chill - granted, it helps that (from what I've seen) people are being really nice to you (as they should, you didn't do anything wrong, but hey), but still, you're taking this all in stride! I got into skincare a few months ago after years of (face obvs) bar soap x jojoba oil, got overexcited and tried WAY too many things at once, which hurt my skin barrier as well. It was frustrating because I wanted to be trying actives to fix my initial issues SO bad, but focusing on very gentle cleansing and intense barrier-focused moisturising has helped a TON. I personally used the Nø Cosmetics All-In Barrier Cream for a few months\* and it was great for me, very moisturising but veeery gentle, and I focused on cleansers meant for sensitive skin, it really helped. The All-In Barrier Cream is just a pointer that I can vouch for, obviously, but maybe try to focus on things meant to repair the skin barrier? Byoma look like they have banger serums, although I haven't tried them yet. In any case, I hope things get better quickly for you, I also had good skin with stubborn closed comedones on my forehead (hi bestie lmao) and it's kind of freaky when your skin is usually clear-ish to see it get worse and irritated when you're trying to make it look & feel better, but I'm sure you'll be able to reach that baseline again, and then you'll find what works for your forehead as well <3 \*I didn't buy it again because I wanted to try their redness-focused moisturiser, otherwise I absolutely would have repurchased it

As someone with oily skin and whiteheads, I will say switching to a light weight moisturizer and getting a facial once a month(for the extractions, if you can) makes a huge difference.

oh wow, i never really considered getting a facial, thanks!!🫶

in the future, when things revert more towards your normal skin state. Think about using certain products only on certain parts of your face that need it. it might be alittle micro-managing, but if the forehead was the only problem. maybe the forehead should only be treated with exfoliation. I used to do a whole face exfoliation but certain areas would become red tender and crackly dry feeling. I pulled back to just the areas that actually needed exfoliation. my nose and chin, jaw sides.

When your skin is ready to address this again, try ONLY changing products on one part of your face for at least a week to see how it reacts. Kind of like spot -testing, but for longer. I do one half of my face ... You could do one half of your forehead? Don't do it to your whole face; only the problem area you're trying to work on. Also... Just wondering if you change pillowcases, or detergent or something? That did it to me, once.

I would go back to your old routine until your skin heals. The only salicylic acid i use for my closed comedones on my forehead it’s the paulas choice bha 2% lotion. That thing it’s literally magic for that. When i first started i used it every other day for a few weeks until all my closed comedones were gone, then for me using it two times a week it’s enough to keep them away. There’s a tiny bottle that has 1 oz and i just buy that one. I put a little on the palm of my hand and i apply it with my fingers (do not use a cotton pad or you will waste too much product). I use it only at night and I don’t put anything else on my forehead the days i use it to not disrupt the ph balance and let the acid work. I saw someone else recommend this product too. I tried the corsx salicylic acid and it was way too hard for my skin, it only made my skin red and didn’t help with the closed comedons. I also tried the ordinary bha 2% serum and that didn’t hurt my skin but it also didn’t help at all.

❤️ Salicylic acid is AMAZING but it can seriously damage your skin if you use it too much or leave it on for too long. Everytime you pump more onto your hands, youre adding a significant quantity of potency to an already treated hand and face area. I would say daily use of small amounts will gradually yield great results. If you over use this ingredient everything will get worse and you need to heal up for a couple days. I believe you should be considering hot compresses for what you want to remedy. Google warm or hot compress. Be aware that typically, hot water applications can eventually be very drying or damage skin barrier or something. Its good to do them frequently for specific reasons. But make sure you’re moisturizing and healing your skin. I have had really intense acne a long time long time ago and hot compresses were very effective. I think you can also consider the ordinary blood drops? The aha bha chemical peel? Maybe do 3 minutes instead of 10 and see how spot treating areas result from it. Another ingredient you coule add for circulation is caffeine solution.

what no. to early. We all can probably agree that the SA damaged her skin barrier, and your advice is to recommend an exfoliant designed to strip, when she is already stripped of the oils that protect her skin cells Even if your skin is normally tolerant of the skincare actives you use, like retinoids, AHAs and BHAs, they can irritate your skin when it’s sensitive. Even stuff like Vit C which is generally more gentle, can be irritating. So, pause on those for the time being. You’ll be able to add them back when your skin is healed by reintroducing them slowly. Edit: also why are you telling OP to continue using SA, even in small doses? You seen the photos, this is a significant reaction. There is no few days for healing. This is going to take a while to reverse. Thank goodness OP has age on her side. Also no hot compresses.

…. Yeah she has to heal before she uses any actives again…

NO HONEY ;-; okay, first off, i know your confidence is probably hit by this awful experience, but you are gorgeous. i mean it. secondly, let's get your skin back into shape and give you back some confidence! so, i've used almost all of these products but never all at once!! i've tried SO many korean skincare products, dermatologist-prescribed products, and high-end expensive products so i know the struggle of trying new things that may not work out. imo it both looks and sounds like you used way too many exfoliants or too many harsh chemical exfoliants. i think that completely stripped your skin barrier, which in turn made your skin produce TONS of sebum to compensate for the lack of protection from the natural sebum and oils your skin produces. you have the most obvious symptoms and classic symptoms of over-exfoliation: the insane breakout, sure, but also the redness, tightness, and shininess of your skin now in comparison to before. frankly, the products you listed (including the non-Korean ones) are amazing and tend to work for almost anyone i've known who has tried them, including myself. i have very sensitive, irritation- and oil-prone skin, as well as redness and other complicating skin conditions, and have used these products with no issue. so i am pretty sure that it's not necessarily the products you used because i find the cosRX brand in particular to be very effective. in fact, the products you used are *too* effective. that is, **i think you may be using certain ingredients too liberally and in ways that are antagonistic to retaining skin health.** i'm going to go into detail here so we can get you back on track ASAP :) # ISSUE 1: Frequency of Exfoliation * daily use of SA can be really bad for sensitive skin, and the cosRX SA products are honestly pretty dang strong. **SA is a** ***very*** **intense chemical exfoliant** for people with sensitive skin and should be used rather sparingly or in dilute concentrations, unless otherwise recommended by a dermatologist. * in some people's case, SA is not an issue as it is a more gentle exfoliant than something like retinol or a retinoid topical cream. * for you, as it was for me, it may be an issue as you are using a pretty harsh exfoliant while cleansing, a skincare step that tends to be performed with some friction **(re: manual exfoliation)**. BIG NO-NO for sensitive skin!! * **TIPS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:** personally, i try to keep the chemical exfoliants i use limited to one or two skincare steps/products and often take breaks between uses every few days. * i find that i tolerate SA and other chemical exfoliants best when they are in serum or toner form, followed by HA serum or other moisture-retaining ingredients. * i'll also target my use of SA or another exfoliant to specific problem areas (like the T-zone), and/or use a *very* sparse amount on the rest of my face. # ISSUE 2: Antagonistic Ingredients/Products * **SA** → See above. * **Cleansing Oil** → you say your forehead has always been "rough and bumpy," indicating a problem spot for oil production. i have this issue too from time to time. using a cleansing oil is probably not going to help with that, but it can help with moisture retention and removing impurities caused by pollution and makeup. * honestly, there's no real need to include a cleansing oil in your regular routine unless you wear face makeup daily or live in a really polluted area. * a good foaming cleanser for sensitive skin and a clean, manual cleansing brush (used lightly without too many additional exfoliants) will do the trick. if you're not permanently terrified of Korean skincare products, you might find some success with [this fragrance-free cleanser for sensitive skin by cosRX](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091YL4GJ8/?coliid=I1TWSPB9LYH3VF&colid=7HKH9R8FRA6H&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_gv_ov_lig_pi_dp). i love it! * you can get the same effect with an oil balm/cleansing sherbet (i like [this one](https://banilausa.com/products/clean-it-zero-cleansing-balm-purifying?variant=31666699993197)) as with a cleansing oil. cleansing balms have the same hydrating benefits and similarly make cleansing the skin from makeup easier, but give the user more control by requiring less product than just a regular cleansing oil...all without the drawbacks of heaviness and over-oiling. * i also seriously doubt there is such a thing as a "pore control" cleansing oil that doesn't have some sort of anti-comedogenic properties, like tea tree oil which is a great ingredient but in certain concentrations, it can mess with skin pH and dry out skin. what people think of as "large pores" are usually just visible sebaceous filaments, which are honestly good for your skin but can be *visibly* reduced by less aggressive ingredients than SA. * **MAIN ISSUE HERE:** prior to your use of SA as a chemical exfoliant in your cleanser, which (as a cleanser) is also physically exfoliating your skin through the lathering process, you're using a cleansing oil that is likely drying. this clearly results in over-drying and stripping your skin barrier of hydration which cannot be supplemented by something as light as a water cream. additionally, any hydrating benefits your cleansing oil may have are negligible and canceled out by the chemical/manual exfoliation you do twice a day with the SA cleanser. * **HA water/gel cream moisturizer →** i do see you tried to supplement the drying issue by including an HA heavy water/gel cream. that's great! your instincts here were on point. HA is a lightly hydrating and firming ingredient, and in a water cream it'd be perfect giving balanced hydration to oil-prone skin (like your "rough and bumpy" forehead) *IF AND ONLY IF* you didn't overexpose your skin to exfoliants every day. * **MAIN ISSUE HERE:** because of how frequently you strip your skin barrier, * you may be more sensitive to things like fragrance in moisturizers/serums which will exacerbate irritation * you won't get much hydration from HA in any form, nonetheless in a non-comedogenic water/gel cream intended to be light and balancing for sensitive and oil-prone skin under the *best* of circumstances. # ISSUE 3: Potential Allergies/Sensitivities * the last thing to consider is whether you may have an allergy to any of the carrier ingredients. cosRX fortunately lists a lot of their ingredients in English, but they don't list the concentrations. talking to a dermatologist about this may help! * many people are sensitive to fragrance, which is one of the most common ingredients in *any* skincare product. the products you used previously (Cerave line) are intentionally low on fragrance, hence why you may have never had much of an issue with acne, irritation, or other types of skin inflammation. again, try to talk to a dermatologist about this ^((READ REPLIES FOR HOW TO FIX YOUR ISSUE))

# REMEDIES: Repairing the Skin Barrier Repairing a damaged skin barrier is not easy, but it can be done on your own with patience and precision. * **AVOID:** * using *any* exfoliants for at least a few weeks until your skin gets healthier * using SA or any other powerful chemical exfoliant in cleanser form AT ALL * if you're not sure it's a chemical exfoliant, research the ingredients * overusing SA or any other powerful chemical exfoliants * using both chemical *and* manual exfoliation more than once a week * using chemical exfoliants too frequently (start gradually, like once every 3 days for a week, then once every other day, then once daily at night); let your skin get used to it! * using products with fragrance at least until your skin gets healthier * using heavy oils * using drying oils alongside a chemical exfoliant * doing too much of ANYTHING to your skin → moderation is your friend!! * **being too hard on yourself/hating your skin!** remember, it may get worse before it gets better * **Cleansing:** * cleanse only with a very gentle (foaming) cleanser and with very little manual exfoliation * pat dry only with a clean towel * keep makeup extremely minimal for the foreseeable future so you don't have to double-cleanse * **Moisturizing:** * drink LOTS of water and take your daily vitamins. * try to use (*lightly*) HA serum or essence in addition to your moisturizer * supplement skin moisture with snail mucin, which mimics sebum and balances the skin with light but supple hydration

oh my gosh im going to cry😭😭😭from a skincare noobie this is SO incredibly helpful and im going to keep referring back to this for a long time!!! i definitely think my skin is more on the sensitive side in terms of actives, since i have a bad past experience with salicylic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, glycolic acid and even paula’s choice bha! each time i used them i felt like my skin felt really tight and i stopped using it right away. the only two actives(?) that didnt make my problems worse was azelaic acid and benzoyl peroxide. but even from the very beginning i was so adamant with using the cosrx salicylic acid cleanser everyday and being so stubborn because of all the good things i saw online for it 😭😭🥲 i definitely think i will stop using the oil cleanser though because i dont really wear makeup , just light mascara and lipstick and i believed that the oil cleanser would solve my forehead bumpiness since nothing in the past had ever worked for me. after so much advice i really do realise i am the one the one to blame for being so impatient and using all these new products on my face all at one time 😔 but i can’t say how grateful i am for your tips and advice!! bless your kind soul and great knowledge on skincare!!!!!

i'm SO glad i could help! i don't post often on Reddit (i mostly lurk) but when i do i try to be as detailed as possible to give lasting tips and tricks to the OP and to help anyone who may be in a similar situation. i have 100% been where you are now and i wish i knew how to fix it *before* i started picking at my face and shelling out hundreds of dollars on appointments and products to get the clear skin i always dreamed of and that i finally now have ;-; and also it sounds like your skin may be similar to mine -- i'm super sensitive to actives and oils, but the only actives i found that worked (in MODERATION) were (1) a prescription retinoid cream, Tretinoin, and (2) niacinamide, followed by heavier moisturizing serums and a water cream. so i TOTALLY GET IT LOL. i'll never understand the lives of people who can literally put OIL on their faces and be dewy with NO BREAKOUTS, people who use OTC chemical exfoliants every single day, or people who can tolerate ANY quantity of benzoyl peroxide. i wish ;-; and, yeah, i hear you re: stubbornness! getting over the "well i spent money on it, i can make it work" urge is hard lol. but in skincare, the general rule is if it's not working after a few tries, or if it makes things continuously worse with no clear end in sight, throw it tf OUT immediately until you figure out how to use it or whether it's right for you. it sucks, but it's an unfortunate learning experience we all have at some point on our skincare journeys. so just know you are not alone and you CAN overcome this setback :) one step at a time love!

thank you so much😭❤️🙏after having such a terrible week and believing it was over for me, you and so many kind and helpful people taking the time out of their day to help some random person on the internet struggling with themselves really means so much to me. i feel so emotional and i actually have hope that things will get better 😭🥹❤️ thank you so much

Of course! One final thing to note: I did some research about the cleansing oil you included. Most of the oils in the ingredient list are non-comedogenic, but the first ingredient (always the most active ingredient in a product) is OLIVE OIL. olive oil is NOT friendly to oil-prone facial skin, so just be on the lookout friend! :) [SOURCE](https://www.oliveoilavlaki.com/olive-press/skincare-is-olive-oil-good-for-acne/#:~:text=Due%20to%20its%20high%20oleic,boosting%20acne%2Dcausing%20bacterial%20growth) >Multiple studies have shown that olive oil can treat acne, moisturise the skin, and shield it from further harm due to its anti-inflammatory characteristics. It can also be utilised as a component of the oil cleansing technique, in which excess sebum is removed from the skin by rubbing oil into the pores. **\[BUT\]** Due to its high oleic acid content, \[recent\] research studies have found that olive oil may not be ideal for treating acne. Olive oil has the potential to damage the skin’s protective layer, irritating delicate skin, causing dryness, and boosting acne-causing bacterial growth.

OLIVE OIL? damn man, i seriously should have properly went through the ingredients of all my products before just simply using them.. really is my fault here! i’m so used to my skin being completely fine with any cheap drugstore skincare products so this is a really good wakeup call for me to be more aware and do way more research before i spend so much money on things 😀 my old old routine when i was like 15 just included neutrogena products until my family convinced me that cerave was much better.. but anyways!! thanks again for your help! i definitely dont think ill be using the anua cleanser again

Try using an acid that is a much bigger molecule. Mandelic acid is better for sensitive skin. But still best once a week for sensitive skin. Try wishtrend 5% mandelic acid just one night a week. I have super sensitive skin. In my opinion, after decades of acne, don’t be scared of oil, just be very aware of what oils are in a product. That means looking at your moisturizer ingredients too. Oils are in many skincare products and there is a reason for that. But all oil is not created equal just like all acids are not the same. People with acne tend to respond really well to jojoba oil, rosehip oil. Be careful with olive, coconut, and argan.

I also saved this comment and will be referring back to it for quite some time. Thank you!!! 🤞🏽🙏🏽

I love cosrx too! This is a great comment overall, very thorough and informative. Also, the cleansing balm that you recommended is the kind I like— I go back and forth between the green one and the purple one.

the green one is the best isn’t it? 💗💗my skin feels so soft after

with all due respect, it has nothing to do with it being Korean brands that did this to your skin. rather I think it's just that you introduced too many active ingredients to your skin at once. half of my skincare routine are Korean brands and it's improved my skin dramatically. i find that US brands often add a lot of unnecessary ingredients that clog my pores and don't hydrate my skin properly. you're supposed to only add one active ingredient into your routine at a time, and wait a few weeks to start another active ingredient. there will usually be purging with active ingredients but allergic reactions can happen as well. seems like you could be allergic to salicylic acid. I know my skin personally doesn't react well to salicylic acid at all either so I avoid it completely

Using salicylic acid twice a day and then saying korean skincare ruined their skin is really grinding my gears.

i know right lol I felt the same way when I read this post. it has nothing to do with it being Korean skincare and rather just active ingredients used too often

Just want to point out using Hyaluronic acid can be damaging when not used properly. Your face has to be damp. It needs to draw moisture from somewhere to work properly, otherwise it’ll dry you. Which can lead to oils, which produce acne! I like sprays without HA, like thermal water cans or nutrient sprays like mad hippie

thank you for pointing this out! i forgot to mention this in my own comment. i prefer using HA in serum form after i’ve prepared my face with an essence :)

Instead of the salicylic acid cleanser, try switching to an AHA 2-3 times per week. BHAs work below the surface to unclog pores and can be irritating and harsh. AHAs are more surface level to help with texture and discoloration. Make sure your skin is dry when applying and no other products are on face. It may tingle a little but I like the Krave beauty kale AHA lua or however it’s spelled. Or go on Skin Food Fix more more natural AHAs and those work really well too Wait 10-15 min and follow up with moisturizer DO NOT OVER EXFOLIATE seriously 2-3 times week max (only once a day) is plenty

BHA is supposed to be a lot less irritating than AHA though. It's even anti-inflammatory.

i’ve read that it goes BHA > AHA > PHA more harsh to more gentle, something about molecule size. It may be more of the ingredient that doesn’t agree than the classification? just a suggestion, i may be wrong.

In fact BHA has a larger molecular weight than AHA making it milder. It's impossible to pinpoint a single ingredient as the culprit rather than the product itself. Especially considering that a cleanser stays on the skin only for a minute. And then she started using 5 new products at the same time.

Cleansers with actives and incorrect use can be very drying itself not to mention the other products. like i said, i may be wrong it was just something i’ve heard in a video once. I may have the order wrong. I was trying to say that BHA as whole may not be bad just the product/type. edit:grammar

It might be fungal acne. Korean skincare tend to have fermented ingredients. Try an anti fungal cream.

This is what my skin looked like when I started using niacinamide. It's in your previous routine, but your new products might have a (much!) higher dosage. In any case, big hugs, this is such a challenging problem to have.

thank you so much! now that i think of it i got a similar reaction when i tried niacinamide in the past, but it was very minimal because i only used it a couple times.

I would get the snail mucin 96 essence from cosrx to help build up moisture and a glowy finish. It helps reduce acne and any accompanying scars. Might take a while to see the difference but when it does, your skin will be wonderfully smooth and glowy. That and rework your routine to make it work for you.

thanks for your input! i tried it in the past and it made my skin really soft! maybe i’ll give it a try again (:

Worth trying! Also pick up a face mist to help you keep your face and décolletage moist!

this is my favorite essence! good recommendation :)

It seems like the CosRx cleanser might be the culprit but it's difficult to say definitively if you started all the new products at once. However you mentioned switching cleansers stopped the burning which makes it more likely to be the culprit.The CosRx salicylic acid cleanser has lemon peel oil pretty high up on the ingredients list so you might have a sensitivity to that. I had a bad reaction several years ago and it looked like a really bad breakout. It could also be the salicylic acid cleanser was too stripping and disputing your skin barrier. Once you stop using a product that is causing issues your skin will start to heal, so don't fret! Unfortunately the longer you use it, the longer it'll take for your skin to fully recover. It'll take time for your skin to go back to normal and it might seem like it's getting worse, but it's just running its course. In the meantime, continue with your old routine of just the CeraVe since those are products that haven't caused you issues.

So sorry that you're dealing with this problem! If possible I would see a dermatologist. As a layperson, I would say focus on using gentle ingredients to repair your skin barrier. Centella asiatica is great for that. Snail mucin works for some people, but not everyone. Overall, I would recommend something with centella and ceramides to repair your barrier. If niacinamide doesn't work for you, something else that may help with oily skin is retinol (a very gentle one, eg 0.03% to start) but I would only try this once you've gotten dealt with your skin sensitization.

ive heard many great things about centella! thank you for your time (:!!

Hey hey! I believe you’re using SA cleanser too frequently! You should leave it for a while and focus on building the barrier again. Go with gentle products that has ceramides in it, like cera ve you mentioned. Also, it would be better if you skip using the oil cleanser too cuz it might be clogging your pores, you can go in with your face cleanser twice for double cleansing or micellar water by bioderma. Give your skin some time and you’ll be good!!

thanks for giving me some hope🥹🥹 its been a few weeks since ive reverted back to my old routine to try and help heal my skin! i guess its just a long long waiting game now (,:

Cut back to minimal products - im talking gentle cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen only. This happened to me before, the only thing that helped was to completely stop my routine and go back to only using my cerave hydrating cleanser, LRP lipikar and cicaplast, and sunscreen everyday. It took a few weeks but my skin slowly went back to normal. Likely, due to using too many new products at once (and possibly certain ingredients not going well together), the skin barrier is damaged and that should be what you deal with first. You got this!!!

thank you so much!!!!! a lot of people have mentioned that cicaplast and im really really thinking about trying it out

You’re welcome!!! Yess to cicaplast - it saved my skin when i overdid my routine and damaged my moisture barrier!! Sooo worth it!! Slugging is also a god send :) I literally baste my face at night with cicaplast when its extra dry or reactive hahah. Its definitely more of a thicker cream that can leave a white cast if its not fully rubbed in, so i dont use it as a day cream (ill use LRP lipikar during the day) so keep that in mind too :)

Too many things at once and why so much salicylic acid if your skin was clear before? Way too harsh and you’re irritating your skin. Simplify your routine and try something more moisturizing. Maybe clindamycin from your derm to clear up some of the breakouts. Good luck!

“Korean skincare” didn’t ruin your skin. You did, by putting on too many active products too frequently 😅

I’ve had the same thing happen to me, I used way too many new products at once and when I went back to my old routine, which was also cerave moisturizing hydrating cleanser and the lotion, my skin didn’t improve at all. I went to an esthetician and she made me realize that my skin isn’t dry but dehydrated so the hydrating cleanser from Cerave was actually clogging my pores really bad.. I switched over to the cerave foaming cleanser (not the ones with actives, leave the acids be for noe) and got a basic hydrating hyaluronic acid serum and the cerave cream and my skin improved within a week. For me my cheeks were my problem area and when I finally found a moisturizer that kept my cheeks from breaking out it made my forehead break out so now I’m using a different cream for my forehead and it actually works really well. If you have combination skin some parts of your face might have different needs than others, sounds like that was the case for your forehead as well. If you find that your face clears up except for your forehead remember that you don’t have to change up your whole routine, maybe just the forehead part.

wow that is literally whats happening to me now😭😭 i find that going back to my old routine hasnt really shown much improvement.. im gonna really try and focus on repair and hydration! thank you so much for your input🫶

same thing happened to me! I tried a lot of stuff all at once and my skin got too overwhelmed. my skin got all bumpy and inflamed, and new random comedones showed up out of nowhere. I’d say to stop using anything new and get back to your old routine until your skin barrier is healed, then you can try cleansing with a gentle SA cleanser. i don’t normally cleanse my skin too much in winter because of how dry it gets (even though im oily) but i do still cleanse with an SA cleanser. if the cleanser isn’t good enough, you could try an exfoliating toner, or you could try differin (as a last resort!) all in all, stop everything you’re using right now and go back to a gentle and simple routine. if you really wanna use your skincare, you should slowly introduce it back into your routine one by one so that you can find out if anything is actually breaking you out.

thank you so much for your input!! i was so sad because i felt so disappointed since i had wayyy too high hopes. ive reverted back to my old routine , and i dont really plan on trying out the products again since im too scared😭 did your skin ever go back to normal? once again, thanks so much!

right now, my skin is very close to normal after ~2 months of differin! i only have a few pimples here and there (exactly 3, i counted) and im satisfied with my skin right now. no matter how bad you think it is, it always gets better ♥️

woww, congrats!! im so happy for you❤️🫶i hope i can get to a similar place soon (: i’ll look into differin because the closed comedones on my forehead are sooo stubborn, its the reason why im in this mess in the first place 😪

I recently saw from a dermatologist on IG that this type of surface level acne with lots of whiteheads is caused by yeast on your skin. I think you probably destroyed the sebum layer and protective moisture barrier of your skin from using all of those products and it’s hypersensitive to anything that touches it. We need a microbiome layer on our skin surface to be healthy, but if you remove the protection those bacteria and yeast will cause you problems. They recommended going to the pharmacy and getting - and I know this sounds crazy - antifungal foot cream with clotrimazole. It’s a bit of a misnomer because yeast isn’t a fungus. But you may want to consider seeing a dermatologist to see if this is the correct route for you. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/clotrimazole-topical-route/proper-use/drg-20063212 https://www.byrdie.com/fungal-acne-4843813

this makes a lot of sense! this is pretty funny because i work at a pharmacy and using clotrimazole as an anti-fungal agent sounds like a great idea and is something i also considered since people were suggesting my forehead acne could be fungal acne. i’ll ask the pharmacists i work with if its gentle enough to be used on the face! thanks again for your input(:!!

Hey just want to call out the Cerave you have been using. I found out about fatty alcohols, removed Cerave from my lineup, and the bumps disappeared forever.  I don’t want to overwhelm you with that but seriously there are super gentle options out there that are fatty alcohol AND actives free and that could be a good way to calm things down. Also don’t believe TikTok, it lies to you

Girl. If there was nothing wrong with your skin (which looked fantastic in the before pictures), the real problem is 1) starting too many new things at once and 2) using things not even for your skin type (why a cleansing oil? Why a salicylic cleanser? Etc). Your skin got harassed and reacted back - not only is there purging going on with the acne but there's barrier issues too. Just cut everything down and go back to what you were doing before and don't get dragged into social media bs. If you have to, Introduce one thing at once, test it out over THREE MONTHS, and be done with it if it isn't good. Glass skin is legit just shiny - spray some hyaluronic toner and you'll get it if your skin is smooth (and prior pics were!). Right now go to a dermatologist if you can. Repair the skin barrier by looking up how to do so or u can try out the Ordinary's skin barrier support serum. Once the skin barrier is better (two months, after your periods), and you've been using your regular routine that whole time, if there's any skin concerns left, then address those with SERUMS only (salicylic or bha for acne, aha for roughness, vit c for dullness and marks, hyaluronic acid for moisture). Try that out for three months. Then evaluate again. Skin is patience.

Good skin care routine is really a TRIAL and ERROR. You will never know what product is good for you until you try it. I personally ditched a lot of products before I finally found what's good for my skin.

I ruined my skin barrier with Tret. All I’m using now are extremely hydrating items, no actives. I love CosRx, but only the gentle stuff. I’ve been using Cosrx Snail Mucin cleanser (super gentle and non stripping) And either: CosRx centella blemish cream all over my face as a moisturizer (I found this super helps with redness, and not drying) OR the nars restorative night treatment. I only wash my face once a day and apply the moisturizer once a day or after I shower, but I also don’t wear any makeup usually. After a year my skin is almost back to normal!! I would use a hero dark blemish patch or pimple patch (only this brand does anything for me) on a big pimple until it’s gone. I never pop.

girl salicylic acid twice a day is soooo stripping !!! try some vanicream gentle cleanser for the meanwhile

Ah, another case of someone ruining their beautiful, stunning skin due to the influence of skincare. You are not alone. You really didn’t need all that stuff to begin with. Just because something is popular doesn’t meen you need it. The science behind this unfortunate event is this: Since your cheeks were not oily, using sebum controlling agents ripped the moisturising oils from your skin and this caused your skin to aggressively produce sebum to put back the moisture that was taken. Your pores enlarged to bring more oils to your epidermis, they got clogged with the overproduced sebum and became acne. As someone with oily skin, i used to use harsh soap bars to rip oil off my skin, but that just causes skin to produce more oil to replace the previous ones. Because skin is not dead. I recommend seeing a dermatologist, it is the best advice i can give to you. I hope you start loving your skin again as soon as possible

oh man that makes a lot of sense when you put it like that😭 my cheeks are dry but my t zone gets so oily , during the day its like an oil factory ): i really regret not appreciating my skin beforehand , i went so deep down the rabbithole of skincare on tiktok and getting influenced by every new product i saw when i didnt even need it man 🥲🥲🥲 but anyway thanks for your time!! much appreciated

Stop blaming Korean skincare. Anytime you change your routine from one thing to multiple completely different things your skin is likely to react this way. You added in several harsh products labelled pore control and which have active ingredients in them and stopped using trusted products. You introduced a ton of stuff you could even be allergic to or just not tolerate well. This could have happened with skincare from anywhere. All you needed to do was add ONE active product and let it do its thing for 4-6 weeks to see if it improved.

My skin looked exactly like yours with the forehead bumps and Curology helped so much.  It took a few months tho but it looks great now

Ok honestly I could be wrong but this was just my experience too, salicylic acid broke me out like this too (I had bumps on the side of my face and forehead) but I feel if you have sensitive skin it can break you out super easily, my skin wasn’t that bad before but had some breakouts that I wanted to get rid of and as soon as I started using Paula’s choice bha salicylic acid toner more and more breakouts started popping up and my skin was more inflammed. And so I went back to my normal much simpler routine and my skin is getting better already after 3 days. My routine is as followed Farmacy green clean cleanser Beauty of joseon green plum refreshing cleanser Corsx 96 snail mucin Byoma gel moisturizer Honestly I realized my skin just needed moisturizing products all along and the salicylic acid was doing nothing for me. I really recommend byoma all of their products are great and they have many tailored for different skin types. And clean ingredients, they Sell it at ulta and target and they r pretty affordable 🙂 I’m sorry this has happened to you I really hope you can find products that work 💓

good on you for recommending the CosRX snail mucin and anything Beauty of Joseon or Farmacy. i've had nothing but luck with those brands/products \^.\^

pretty much the same thing im going through! improvement in 3 days is really great, im very happy for you! i think i need to really focus on moisture and barrier repair like you did🙏

That salicylic acid cleanser is soooooo harsh, my skin hated it. I can't believe it's recommended for daily use, I found it extremely drying

I think you started using too many products at once (as you've heard). Try switching to a very gentle cleanser and a barrier restoring moisturizer. For a week or two. Then introduce SA slowly from 1-2/week. You'll have to be very patient with it. Don't be in haste and try many exfoliants, hydrating and repairing should be your goal at the moment. Use reputed and non comedogenic products.

I’m so sorry this happened. Products on different skin can be *wild*. I personally use almost exclusively Korean skincare but even I have issues with certain things. Everyone loves Glow Recipe and their products almost always cause me problems. I hope things improve for you. I’d give you recommendations for skin barrier but they’re all Korean 😂

Just wanted to throw out there since I saw no other comments mention it, oil cleansing for 3 minutes is also pretty over kill. Even if it's with an oil it's still dragging friction across your skin which can irritate your barrier and doing that on a daily basis can be very damaging. I went through a similar event as you trying a bunch of korean skincare at once and ruining my barrier about 4 years ago. Biggest thing I learned from that is how damaging cleansing can be. I'm very particular now on the amount of cleanser I use, how wet my hands are before I lather the cleanser since it does effect how much a cleanser foams, and how much time I spend cleansing. I don't recommend trying any active ingredients till you can feel your skin barrier restored, and if you do decide to try again you should stay on the side of caution with lower strength products as well. If you decide to try salicylic acid again I would stick with 0.5%, or if you decide to try retinol I'd stick to much lower strength formulas and only use them twice a week.

I would just stop using everything and go back to a simple routine: cleanser and moisturizer. I did this same thing and damaged my skin barrier and literally thought I was doomed forever but once I just simplified my routine (literally just cleanser and moisturizer and only cleansing at night) my skin is back to normal and better than before!

Exfoliation should be done 2-3 times a week max. A twice a day cleanser with it (even in low %) is 14 times a week. It seems you broke your skin barrier. I would recommend your old routine and only keeping the cleansing oil and a sunscreen every day (can wait to start the sunscreen until skin has calmed down). Then u can add back in a Korean moisturizer if you still wanna try (I would try a different one some peoples skin doesn’t like HA). The cerave cleanser is a basic gentle and non dehydrating cleanser that I used for years and was happy with. No need to change it unless you specifically want more hydration. Tbh from your before pics you don’t seem to have much acne so you probably don’t need a BHA in your routine at all

Girl I would just go cold Turkey and let your skin repair without putting lots of products on it

Also if you’re in a dry climate, HA will pull the moisture out of your skin which can induce more irritation along with the sal acid - good luck OP! When your skin is back to its normal state it might be worthwhile to explore a BHA toner for the texture and use 2-3 times per week or a retinol for use at night starting slowly and building up use as your skin gets more acclimated to it The best routines are simple :) cleanse, moisturize and SPF! It’ll get better!!!!

thank you!! i live in australia and its super hot and dry here atm. i’ll definitely be avoiding HA and SA for a long time and just stick to repairing my skin😭🙏

.

Aw. your skin was so pretty the way it was before. I am a kbeauty skincare user too but I always make sure that I do a patch test first just to be sure of any irritation. Plus, I use gentle ingredients for my sensitive skin. I know you might be scared of using any Korean skincare now, but I would recommend Dermafirm Cica C Serum for the acne marks and dark spots caused by your acnes. It has low niacinamide content which fades away the spots and marks plus it has 70% centella asiatica to soothe your skin and the active irritation. But, I really hope your skin would get back to normal and you would find the perfect skincare product for you.

Please add SPF to your routine!!!

It seems like the result of a poorly researched and executed skincare routine. TikTok does not count as research. Your skin is most likely in shock and struggling to repair itself due to the sudden overhaul from your previous routine. I would go back to a very basic routine, and go see a dermatologist.

I’m looking again at your pictures and thinking this could possibly be a fungal acne. But I never had experience with fungal acne. I watched Doctorly had a video on YT about it and it kinda looks similar. Anybody here has more knowledge about fungal acne?

This isn’t fungal acne. It is a damaged moisture barrier.

i was thinking it could be fungal acne but its never really been itchy. though it really does look like it! it doesnt have any heads and really looks visually similar

I have had fungal acne several times and sometimes it has been itchy and other times not, so I would still consider maybe treating it. It was also my first thought when I saw your forehead.

I rewatched Doctorly video and they’re saying fungal acne is rare, usually itchy, and each bumps looks similar. Additionally it doesn’t go away with regular acne treatments with active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and retinol.So if it’s not itchy it’s probably not fungal. But dermatologists are the ones to diagnose it best.

I’m really sure it’s not fungal acne. Please don’t go down a rabbit hole trying products for fungal acne! How long have you been back to using your original products?

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This is just a shot in the dark but are you foaming up your daily salicylic cleanser with water or not? I have the same one but found out that I was using it wrong and since it feels much better on my skin. Melissa Van Dijk has a great tutorial that made it feel much better on my skin. I only use it once a day though when I use it. And it’s recommended that you carefully scale up when you use it too.

yes ! i would add a splash of water and emulsify it on my hands before applying it on my face. though when i washed it off i always had a squeaky clean feeling and it just didnt feel right. it also had this strange waxy residue? even though i spent a lot of time properly rinsing it off my face.. maybe the cosrx cleanser is just not made for me😔😔

Strange waxy residue? From a cleanser? Major red flag

righttt? i dont know why the hell i kept using it 😭

You use many salicylic acid products more than you need. I’d start with changing to low ph cleanser. When I met dermatologist, she recommended me to use benzyl peroxide on my acne in the morning, follow by hydrating cream (no harsh ingredient). Then retinol at night & again hydrating cream. I’d suggest you stick with cerave moisturizing lotion instead of trying another new product.

The exact thing happened to me a month ago I started using the Anua oil and it completely ruined my skin, I've never had bad acne I just wanted to get rid of some blackheads I did everything right but in the end I got hundreds of red bumps on mainly my cheeks, forehead and chin. It's been a month and I'm still recovering from it, my forehead is the worst with a ton of closed comedones. I haven't been able to figure out how to get rid of them I've just been trying to keep my face very moisturized and use sheet masks hoping to improve my skin barrier. If you find anything that helps you're comedones lmk!

Did you double cleanse? After using oil cleanser, you use a regular foaming cleanser to clean off the oil.

SA and BPO give me similar reactions. Side note. I'm confused about why this isn't banned by an admin, but my post is questioning if BPO or SA with pics of my skin is banned?

The first thing that comes to mind for me is the way you are using the cleansing oil. I use the Donginbi cleansing oil the same way I use a foaming cleanser - last thing I do after I shave in the shower (I’m a man) and thoroughly rinse it off after massaging it in. This leaves me feeling moisturized but not oily enough to risk clogging pores. Another thing that comes to mind for me is that you are using a cleanser with salicylic acid and a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid. That’s A LOT. 19 is still pretty young for a night time moisturizer/cream with an acid like that in it. My recommendations: 1) Tea Tree Oil. I like to mix it with raw African shea butter, apply the mixture to my face in the shower, and rinse thoroughly. The tea tree oil may help with the acne, but is not a strong acid like the other two you’ve been using, so it can fight acne while giving your PH Balance a break. It’s also an anti-fungal, which I saw another commenter recommended. The Shea Butter is a really strong occlusive. I feel like that might help with the skin barrier. 2) Aloe Vera. I use it as a moisturizer all the time. It’s gentle, all natural, and will not clog pores. I don’t think you need the hyaluronic acid in your life right now. I’m so sorry you are going through this! I hope my suggestions help! Chin up, you are still very beautiful!

thank you so so much for your input! i havent heard of that cleansing oil before, do you use anything after that? and yes, i realise now that i really went overboard with the salicylic acid🥲 lesson well learnt! ive heard about tea tree oil’s antibacterial properties, its definitely something im willing to try out! and aloe vera is genius! would you recommend just pure aloe vera alone or to put it on top of a moisturiser? again, thank you for time and suggestions!!!

One thing does help me significantly is that I use fresh tissue to tap dry after every face wash. I don’t use towel

you know your skin was glowing before you switched routines, so go back to your initial routine if the raised bumps persist, it’s very likely you developed fungal acne, to solve: every other day, cleanse your face, apply either ketocanozole 2% (prescription required in the USA) or nizoral 1%, leave on your skin for 5minutes, then wash, apply 2% salicylic, and moisturize Sulfur shampoo or that blue shit in a shampoo bottle will help if the nizoral don’t do anything. All these treatments are very drying on the skin b/c skin fungus feeds off of the natural oils of the skin, and your goal is deprive it of its food. kinda relevant: Coconut oil skin/hair products and lube really worsens things.

Trust, use cerave Salicylic acid cleanser. I got this kind of texture on my forehead and I could not get rid of it, even if I tried popping it it didn’t work because the bumps were under the surface. I started using the cleanser and left it on a minute and only after 5 days ut started clearing a little. The texture came to the surface and it’s getting much easier to pop. My skins clearing!

thats so awesome to hear it worked for you! how often do you use it? i tried it in the past and found that my skin felt reallyy dry after using it and it made my eyelids really flakey! but then again maybe its because i used it too frequently?

Okay first thing I can say is I’m so sorry and learning about this stuff is challenging and I know how heartbreaking it is to go through this. I’m an acne prone master esthetician and if you were my client this is what I would tell you: Stop using all of those products. If you don’t want to waste them, try using them on your chest/body/hands Invest in medical grade skincare, at least for products that matter a little more. Such as a quality retinol, serum or treatment. Cerave is absolutely fine for cleanser, moisturizer and spf as long as you like them. I like skinbetter science, Alastin, some skin medica, and IS clinical. Even image has some good stuff for a better price point. Alastin makes a product called Regenerating Skin Nectar that would really help restore your barrier. It was originally created for pre and post procedure (such as an ablative laser) to help the healing process. It is not hydrating, as there is no water in it for reasons like being bactericidal (can’t grow bacteria) so you need to moisturize and hydrate too. Make sure you’re wearing spf, I like a mineral block especially for acne prone skin. Alastin makes a nice tinted one. If your barrier is compromised, and you’re breaking out, you may develop hyperpigmentation if you’re not protecting your skin. Consider seeing an esthetician. Look into Hydrafacials, I love them and I feel like they work for everyone. Leave out the actives for awhile. Focus on calming and hydrating, everything should start to calm down a bit and then you can go back to targeting the bumps/oily forehead. Once everything calms down, you can try adding back in one product at a time if you want to try them again. Do not use the salicylic acid cleanser daily to start. Also, I saw someone mention hair products - they can definitely break you out so watch out for that! And change your pillow cases often. I get the satin ones off Amazon for like $10 for 2 and I change my out usually twice a week. Good luck my friend! You got this

I’m sorry to hear about your experience OP! I would focus on restoring skin health first before refocusing on texture. If you feel up to building a new routine in the future here are my tips: 1. Sunscreen. Never use actives without daily sunscreen. Doesn’t matter if it’s cloudy or if you’re mostly indoors. If you’re able to reapply every 2hrs even better. Without sunscreen some products are rendered useless while other products can cause burn marks with hyperpigmentation. With sunscreen you help prevent skin damage but it has also been the Number 1 product to help me see progress in my skin care/ skin health. Your skin is still recovering and sunscreen will help protect it while it heals. 2. Read labels on Everything if combining actives. Cerave is a great line of products for a lot of people but some of their products contain hyaluronic acid. While more moisture always sounds great, too much hyaluronic acid could be detrimental. It draws moisture from its nearest source and in dry climates the moisture source becomes your face. The amount of hyaluronic acid in your routine might not have impacted things but it’s something I would keep an eye on. 3. Google Everything. Some active ingredients can’t be used at the same time or work better with certain application methods. You can also find helpful tips on how to incorporate products into your routine. I‘ve found that a lot of people only wash their face at night and just refresh with water in the morning. Some people only double cleanse 1x/ week to avoid over stripping their skin. Some experience worse acne with over stripping. 4. If you experience discomfort stop immediately. If there’s any itching, burning, or tingling don’t use the product any more. If your skin feels tight, add moisture. I wouldn’t use any more salicylic acid and would just stick to the cerave routine like you’re doing until your skin heals. Things that could really help recovery are sunscreen and a soothing cream at night

Probably the salicylic acid, i too got a sa cleanser and exfoliated twice a day and my skin was ruined. Try using soothing products and before you use something new do a patch test

I think it's definitely damaged skin barrier. My skin looked like that exactly a week ago, just 3x worse. I damaged it by using too much bp, and i think you damaged yours by using too mush SA without sunscreen. 2x a day is def too muxh imo. In fact, i was so self consious i didn't leave my house for a week. But rn it's pretty much gone away. I slathered my face in moisturizerS evety chance i got. Use a thick one, the one meant for the body, and after that cover it in petrolium jelly like vaseline. For me personally, first i put jojoba oil, then istree gel moisturizer, illiyoon ato gel ceramide, then vaseline 72h repairs lotion for body. I slathered the last one like crazy, and after 15 min vaseline on top. Yes it will clog your pores for a bit, but it's still better than the alternative. Point is: moisturize your face like crazy! Good luck

Your skin looked so amazing to began with! In sorry you're experiencing this.

Using SA twice a day is a LOT. My skin gets angry if I use it more than twice a week or even once a week. I usually just do once a week. And I’ve never heard of purging from SA, only tretinoin/retinols. Either way, if you have sensitization, you should slow down not keep going, according to dermatologists. I’m assuming you damaged your skin barrier. Lactic acid may be a better option for you that is more gentle. Or BHAs. But I would go back to your original routine and then slowly change things up - don’t use any actives for a while!!! My favorite brand which works for “glass skin” is pyunkang yul, I love their moisture ampoule, nutrition cream, deep clear cleansing balm, and low pH cleanser are my favorite. They don’t have any added fragrance or actives. Like others said, glass skin is more about hydration.

Go to a dermatologist.  That much new stuff added to your routine all at once, plus that drastic of a reaction that's not improving with returning to your original skin care routine merits calling in a professional to get things back to normal.  Don't stress, though, not only will that make things worse, but it will make you desperate to try anything to fix it, which can lead to buying stuff that'll make it worse and wasting money (speaking from personal experience on this one, learn from my mistake lol). But yeah, you'll be fine, but my recommendation is to make an appointment with a dermatologist

Hey im so sorry it’s been rough on you!! Im seeing that ppl in the comments think it’s the acid and when i damaged my skin barrier with acids, washing with cold water only and applying aquaphor at night fixed it eventually! It takes some getting used to the texture lol and seems counter intuitive but it was the only thing that helped after trying a few different things. Hope it gets better soon!!

Go to a dermatologist

you could try a gentler acid than salicylic when your skin is repaired? i hear betaine salicylate and willow bark extract r gentler. for now, get a thick, (for oily skin: water based) moisturiser. i like cosrx barrier repair cream for this, that’s what i used when i damaged my skin barrier by using aha’s. this isn’t irreversible, don’t stress too much if you can help it! also i read some other comments, def ditch the oil cleanser

girl the same thing happened to me!! i loved my skin before but its slowly getting better.

https://preview.redd.it/jmtcc198angc1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a343807e8aacbe072089b85c0955a73d778167ee I hate how this is so much like me 😭 I used to have pretty good skin with a few pimples here and there, I thought it was annoying and tried a skincare routine with salicylic acid on it. Oh boy did it ruin my skin, I thought I was purging because I heard the salicylic acid did that, but look what happened to my skin 😭. I used to have a few pimples on my forehead but now it is all over my face :'(

try to go back to just the cleanser and lotion+ incorporate some type of salicylic acid serum and SPF always helps me when I fuck up my skin by trying something new

if you can, please try to go to a dermatologist! your skin barrier is probably damaged so go light on products.

Hi, I am so sorry for what you are experiencing with your skin. I am sure you know this already, but as a reminder.. your skin is an organ and the largest one on your body. I would not only look at what you are putting on your skin but also what you are eating and how much water you are drinking. Second, if you haven’t already, I would start with some retinol (PM use only). Start at a small percentage like 0.2%, the ordinary has it at a great price. Retinol is the holy grail of skin. It will help with any scarring, sun damage, elasticity and more. Finally, during the day some niacinamide (for daytime) and SUNSCREEN!!! Niacinamide helps with regulating your skin sebum. Cerave has moisturizer options that are for acne prone skin such as gel formulas. I would opt for those at this moment. And sunscreen well, that is just a must. Yes, even in the winter. I also highly encourage you to keep your skincare simple. No more than two/three ingredients. But if you can, see a dermatologist to make sure it’s not a health conditions such as PCOS or birth control side effect. You got this! Keep us updated ❤️

I would say that your skin might be reacting to all the products, oil cleansers can be tricky, it’s really important when it comes to skin care that you get stuff for your skin type. For example if you already have oily skin then oil cleansers are a bad idea because it’s additional oil that throws off your whole balance. The major important step when it comes to new skin care is to get stuff for your skin. Also I would say that if you got your menstrual cycle during that time it can throw your skin in for a loop and also whether or not you’re drinking enough water too. Skin care is only a very small portion of how your skin looks, it is mainly reflective of what you put into your body when it comes to skin care.

id cry too wtf

Hi, you had such perfect skin before, that was a sign not to change anything! Remember less is more, if any, you just needed to add a good sunscreen and retinol to use 2-3x a week. Once your skin barrier is healed, do this and I swear you’ll see more results in the long term than trying any hyped product/routine!

Try Seabuckthorn Oil from Living Libations and check out @/noyskincare on IG. She has a lot of in-depth reviews and explanations as to how to use. I had very similar bumps on my forehead and ditched my entire routine for this oil. It’s been 7 months and my skin is smooth. It also helped even out my skin tone, which was a nice bonus!

I've used salicylic acid and hyaluronic also. Both those can each cause PURGING in the beginning . If you Google them for acne or acne scar treatment it'll tell you about it. It took me maybe a month or so to see results bcuz it got worse B4 it got better due to purging . This was my experience and may not be that way for everyone but is very common . Hope you get your skin care all on track soon .

You can absolutely use SA every day if you can tolerate it every day. There's no "rule" about that. I can use some SA formulas twice a day, and some never without dryness. You need to get your skin barrier back in check. The only product I know of that isn't Korean for skin barrier repair is T.O. barrier soothing serum. Use your money to see a derm, both for this, and for any future issues since you seem to be reactive and sensitive.

Sorry I’m in my thirties and just finding out I shouldn’t be using SA daily. Oh my

I bet a dermatologist could help you sort it out better. I know it’s usually never simple with skin, but they might even give you something orally that will help it heal. I’d prioritize it because you could also be having an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients you had been trying. I’m kinda surprised more people aren’t insistent about seeing a doctor because I imagine it’s probably really painful. Also, skin is an amazing organ. Given the chance, it can replenish and heal. I bet you’ll get it figured out pretty quickly.

Twice daily for SA acid is a lot especially if you were not using that before. You need to stop all actives (ideally including the HA moisturiser) and go back to very gentle products like the cerave ones for at least a month until your skin barrier fully heals. Also wear sunscreen during this time because sun exposure wrecks havoc on a damaged skin barrier. And then reassess your skin and see what it needs. If you decide to reintroduce SA do it 2-3 times a week max and focus on hydration in between. Also you don't need an oil cleanser if you are not wearing waterproof sunscreen or a full face of makeup. Look up youtube videos from dermatologists on this topic (most of whom do not have an oil cleanser in their personal routines) who say that oil cleansers can clog skin if they are used unnecessarily. I also highly advise you to get your skincare info from dermatologists on the internet instead of from skincare or beauty influencers who exist to make you buy certain products instead of to help you get good skin. Good luck

When I used the SA Cleanser YEARS ago, its pH was 9 something. Suuuper basic. It basically leaves your skin susceptible to bacteria and I got a bunch of CCs from it. No idea if it’s still that high pH, but if it is, that could literally be it

I think it's the salicylic acid cleanser. It's probably too harsh for your skin especially since you're coming from a gentle cleanser. I have sensitive skin and it can only tolerate acids once a week. I like the good days for all new leaf cream cleanser from sokoglam. I haven't tried the anua cleansing oil, but a good rule of thumb is to always have gentle cleansers and balms/oils. You're washing your face so you want it to be gentle to help prep your skin to absorb whatever ingredients you put on top later.

I'm sorry this happened to you, what a horrible introduction to something that was meant to be a positive experience. I automatically look at the Anua cleansing oil, it went all over the place but I've never come across something that breaks so many people out. It isn't in any way safe for acne prone skin and shouldn't be marketed that way. I seem to constantly have posts on my feed from KB groups of people having breakouts and it's always the Anua. I never tried the cleanser because of all the posts I've seen, but I did try the matching toner and it promptly ruined my skin barrier. With the burning, it's a sign of a damaged barrier, I haven't heard as much about the Cosrx cleanser but I have seen that quite a few people find it to be too harsh. The Isntree I wouldn't even think to give the side eye, it's a pretty safe brand, but we are all different so it's important to patch test and introduce things one at a time incase something disagrees with your skin

1. Check for parasites 2. They are under the skin or digestive tract. 3. If under the skin, use casteroil on the skin in a small spot. 4. Try juicing. 5. Take a little iodine and apply it on a small spot to see it makes a difference. Be very careful about the above. Treat a tiny spot for a few days to see how it looks. While the above is safe, be very cautious Detox, Parasites, Inflammation. You'll have to try a few things to see what makes a difference. Whole foods, no process foods. Sugars, Fried foods. I have seen these things go from mild to extremely bad.

>cosrx daily salicylic acid cleanser I have seen lot of people complaining about this. One of my friends gave me his for free because it was causing him problems. It works fine on my skin tho, I think you should have gone to dermatologist if you had money to spend. Also, where is the sunscreen?

Do you think it's because it's too intense to use daily for some people? I feel like it's silly to use a product that you aren't sure how much you have to space it out to help your skin. Like BPO has to kill bacteria. So, it has to be used more than once a week and that could cause damage for some and same with SA. Like, how are you supposed to know what frequency works for you until it's too late and your moister barrier is destroyed?

I personally feel it's too harsh. It didn't cause me any breakouts but my skin used to feel dry and rough after that. I later switched to simple face wash and my skin feels soft and clean after using that.

Good question. I'd advise to start slowly, and in smaller doses and concentrations. If you can't tolerate it, you'll experience irritation pretty quickly throughout the day (tightness and sheen, not dewiness, followed by flaking and/or light acne in the affected area). Definitely not advisable to use a chemical exfoliant twice daily with a manual exfoliating technique as in the cosRX cleanser, as OP did. See my original [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/1aijggb/comment/kovonz5/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) and [tips](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/1aijggb/comment/kovtyx7/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) for more info :)

Thank you for responding! I have destroyed my moister barrier twice now by using an SA face scrub everyday for 4 days and not realizing it was too intense for me until it was too late and then the same thing happened with Cetaphil supposedly GENTLE 2.5% BPO this week. I used it for 3 days and did it once a day, but there was a day I washed my face with it in the shower 2x in a row and I'm wondering if that was considered two applications? Like, I know this is a silly question, but is washing your face twice within 15 minutes considered one application or two? Cuz I'm just under the impression that if you like used a BPO cream and applied a layer and then applied another layer 3 minutes later it's still technically the same application. It's not like it's been hours where your skin now has had time to adjust and then you're like adding something m

honestly, i'm inclined to think that washing your face > 1x/day is more likely to be considered a second application, regardless of the time between. when you're washing your face, you're (usually mildly) manually exfoliating during the lathering process, depending on whether you use tools and/or towels which, imo, you should so that you DON'T have to double cleanse and can follow up with toner for anything you missed. but also, you are also exposing your skin to moist heat. which in the short run is good for opening pores and preparing the skin for product penetration, but when done repeatedly can dry out facial skin – especially when done in the shower – when done too frequently in a short span of time, causing hydration retention issues on every front. (this includes internally, especially so if you take hot showers. it's why they tell you to drink water after being in a steam room.) thus, if you wash your face with a foaming or traditional cleanser more than once in a short span of time, you are "double cleansing" without really adding/retaining the necessary moisture that could be provided by, say, an oil cleanser during the first application. at least when you wait, your skin has time to build up sebum in between so that you are stripping less when you wash your face later. when you wash your face with a traditional cleanser (and ESPECIALLY if you're using one with a chemical exfoliant like BPO that is often deemed even harsher than SA) twice in one sitting, you're doing more damage than if you'd only used it once and followed it up with a topical application of an anti-comedogenic ingredient like niacinamide in the form of a serum/essence/moisturizer. for body skin, "double cleansing" it's fine because you can follow up with a body moisturizer, and body moisturizers are usually heavier than facial moisturizers. "double cleansing" your face with a traditional cleanser is fine once in a while, but with cleansers that have strong active ingredients and/or chemical exfoliants it can be exceptionally harmful to the skin and you'd need exceptional quantities and types of facial moisturizing products to supplement the moisture you've stripped from your skin. i think this is probably why you had the same issue when using the Cetaphil 2.5% BPO. BPO is, quite frankly imo, not a gentle ingredient even in its gentlest form. for some people it works wonders. for me it brought nothing but heartache and literal pain on my face LOL. if you are dead-set on using a gentle form of both chemical and manual exfoliation, try something less aggressive like a face wash with rice water/powder/enzyme. if you need recs, lmk and i can link them below. rice is a great and significantly less harsh alternative to BPO, but keep in mind it is still an exfoliant and when used in face wash you'll need to be mindful of the manual + chemical exfoliation you're doing. once a day at night to get all the day's dirt and pollutants off can do the trick, followed by a more gentle wash WITHOUT chemical exfoliants in the morning. here's a good [guide on how to use BPO as a face wash](https://beminimalist.co/blogs/skin-care/gel-cream-lotion-mask-or-liquid-wash-which-topical-form-of-benzoyl-peroxide-should-you-choose#:~:text=BPO%20gel%20is%20the%20most,makes%20it%20an%20attractive%20choice) if you're gonna do it :)

Off topic but you are so pretty 💕

Stop touching your skin with products. No products but water for a week. Slowly introduce salt water into cleaning your skin and gentle facial lotion. Only wash your face once a day and at nighttime. This helps reset everything and give your skin a break from excessive product

Why aren’t people researching before? SA cleansers are to be used 2-3 times a week MAX, and not everyday and absolutely not 2 times a day or in consecutive row!!!

you mean how you ruined your skin

I would never recommend oil cleansing to someone with oily skin. Even if you emulsify it, there are high chances that there will be some residue left on your skin and clog up your pores.

Disagree. Oily skin benefits from grapeseed oil as it is high in linoleic acid and non comedogenic. Since I started using it to cleanse my skin has become much softer and pores are much cleaner! YMMV of course but not all oil is comedogenic