Insider Routine: A2 - A Personalized Skincare Plan for Oily Skin with Acne and Blemishes

Living with oily skin can be a daily challenge, particularly when it's accompanied by acne and blemishes. Oily skin is often the result of excess sebum production, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts (1). In order to address these concerns, it's crucial to follow a tailored skincare routine that keeps your skin clean and balanced without over-drying it. That's where Insider Routine: A2 comes in. Designed specifically for Insiders with oily, acne-prone skin and blemishes, this approachable guide will help you navigate your skincare journey with ease.

Monday: Building a Solid Routine

Morning:

1. Foaming Cleanser: Start your week with a foaming cleanser specifically designed for oily skin. Cleansers containing ingredients like salicylic acid or tea tree oil can help break down excess oil and target acne-causing bacteria (2).

2. Oil-control Toner: After cleansing, apply an oil-control toner to help regulate sebum production and refine your skin's texture. Ingredients like witch hazel and niacinamide can help minimize the appearance of pores and reduce inflammation (3).

3. Oil-free Moisturizer: Choose a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer to hydrate your skin without adding extra oil. Look for non-comedogenic products that won't clog your pores.

4. Sunscreen: Protect your skin from harmful UV rays with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30. Opt for an oil-free, mattifying formula to keep your skin looking fresh throughout the day.

Evening:

1. Foaming Cleanser: Cleanse your face again with your foaming cleanser to remove any dirt, oil, and impurities accumulated throughout the day.

2. Oil-control Toner: Apply the oil-control toner to help balance your skin's oil production overnight.

3. Benzoyl Peroxide Spot Treatment: Use a benzoyl peroxide spot treatment to target acne and blemishes. Benzoyl peroxide works by killing acne-causing bacteria and promoting skin cell turnover (4).

4. Oil-free Moisturizer: Finish your routine with your preferred oil-free moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated overnight.

Tuesday - Thursday: Consistency for Results

Maintain the same morning and evening routine as Monday to ensure consistency in your skincare regimen. Consistency is essential for seeing results and allowing your skin to adjust to the products and ingredients.

Friday: Gentle Exfoliation

Incorporate gentle exfoliation into your evening routine to help remove dead skin cells, improve skin texture, and promote cell turnover.

Evening:

1. Foaming Cleanser: Cleanse your face with your foaming cleanser.

2. Oil-control Toner: Apply the oil-control toner to help balance your skin.

3. Exfoliator: Use a gentle exfoliator suitable for oily, acne-prone skin. Consider chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid (a BHA) or glycolic acid (an AHA), which can penetrate deep into pores to unclog them and dissolve dead skin cells (5).

4. Benzoyl Peroxide Spot Treatment: Apply the spot treatment to target acne and blemishes.

5. Oil-free Moisturizer: Finish with your preferred oil-free moisturizer to lock in hydration.

Saturday: Detoxifying Face Mask

Treat your skin to a detoxifying face mask to help absorb excess oil and impurities.

Evening:

1. Foaming Cleanser: Cleanse your face with your foaming cleanser.

2. Oil-control Toner: Apply the oil-control toner to prep your skin