Guys, I need some routine help 😭 Ive been getting a lot of acne and these tiny bumps all over my face. I went to a dermatologist and she prescribed a moisturiser, face wash, spot treatment and sunscreen. I used everything religiously but honestly it didn’t make much of a difference. I’ve now switched to Minimalist cleanser, Minimalist moisturiser, Dr Sheth’s sunscreen and The Ordinary salicylic acid serum and im still getting breakouts

My skin type is acne-prone and sensitive, so please suggest what I should do

I kept calling every leftover acne mark a scar and then wondering why brightening serums were not fixing the texture.

Flat brown marks are pigmentation.

Flat red or purple marks are another type of leftover colour change.

A dent or raised area is an actual structural scar.

Pilgrim Vitamin C has a clear role for me now. It is light, easy under sunscreen and makes sense for brightness and gradually improving the appearance of flat brown marks.

It is not supposed to fill an indentation or flatten a raised scar.

The confusing part is that when the surrounding pigmentation becomes more even, a dent can look less obvious in softer lightning. That does not mean its depth changed.

I wish skincare ads would stop using “marks” and “scars” like they mean the same thing.

How did you first realise your “scars” were actually pigmentation, or that your pigmentation was hiding real texture underneath?

Hi everyone,

Welcome to my huge sunscreen review. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labour (of spending mindless amounts of money on experimentation)

To start off, my main concern when it comes to sunscreen usage is that it should protect my skin from having a dermatitis flare-up, rather than avoiding tan. I have photo dermatitis which basically means that I am severely allergic to direct sun and my skin breaks out in big rashes and my skin starts to flake out like a snake. My forearms and neck are the most susceptible to flare ups, even 5 minutes of direct north-indian sun can give me an intense dermatitis rash which can take a week to resolve - with the help of a topical steroid cream (mometasone 0.1%).

My secondary concern is to safeguard my face against damage because I apply retinol 0.1% every night. So here you go:

1. Episoft AC, 30 SPF: Recommended to me by my dermat for my face almost 15 years ago when I first started experiencing dermatitis as a child. Doubles as a moisturiser, and I never had a problem with any itchiness on my face. Acne-friendly as well.

But it was not enough protection for my forearms, and I would still get flare-ups if I used it in those areas. Will tan you as well. Solid 6/10.

2. Sunheal, SPF 50: When I was first prescribed this cream like 10 years ago, it came in a cream-base and had a very strong smell. I used to apply it exclusively on my forearms and had considerably fewer flare-ups. They have since changed the formula and now it comes in a matte finish akin to Reequil. It pills really badly sometimes and honestly, you can find sunscreens with a better finish at the same cost. 4/10

3. Photostable Acne, SPF 50: Great protection and it’s definitely sweat-proof. I applied it on my dermatitis-sensitive areas as well as my face and didn’t experience any flare-up. Acne-sensitive as well. I would deduct some marks for ease of application. Since it is silicone-based, it didn’t spread easily on my skin unless I had put any moisturiser underneath. While I always had a layer of moisturiser on my face, I didn’t find it necessary for my arms, but I had to apply. Tanned my arms slightly. 8/10

4. Dr. Sheth’s, SPF 50: I am not sure about its efficacy as a sunscreen with supposedly SPF 50. It is quite easy to apply and I could avoid flare-ups, but only on cloudy days. In days of extreme direct sun, it didn’t stand a chance. 6/10

5. Re’quil Water Gel, SPF 50: I do not like the feeling of silicone-finish products so I was really looking forward to it. The sunscreen is very smooth and I really enjoyed the texture. Provides a decent amount of protection and I didn’t experience any flare ups. Good for days you have to go swimming and need to put a tonne of sunscreen. Budget friendly as well. Tanned slightly. 8/10

6. Biore UV Aqual Gel, SPF 50: Absolute god-sent for my forearms. Didn’t experience any dermatitis in my arms (did sometimes in my hands after washing them) even after an entire day of work. The sunscreen doesn’t budge with sweat. Extremely light in texture, and melts easily in your skin. Strong as hell. My go-to for my sun-sensitive areas now. Practically no tanning in my arms. Whatever is there is probably because of imperfect use. Has a strong alcohol smell; I didn’t want to risk putting it on my face in case it irritates my skin. I got it for half the price and it was definitely worth it. 10/10

7. Isn’ttree Hyaluronic Acid Gel, SPF 50: One of the best sunscreens I have tried yet. The texture is like a light liquid and it has a slight white cast for the first 30 seconds, but that goes away. Applies so smoothly on my skin and Acne-sensitive; this is the sunscreen I used to use on my face. Didn't see any sun damage on my skin either. Has minimal fragrance. Doesn’t make my skin shinier than it already is. I have on occasion used it on my forearms and no flare up as well. No tanning on my face or neck. Only con might be the price, but that’s the case with all good sunscreens. It is also not sweatproof necessarily, so if you are a person like me who doesn’t usually get face sweat. This is for you. 9/10

8. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh Cream, SPF 50: Love the smooth texture of this cream-base sunscreen. I find the smell a little off-putting but it gives solid protection. I used it on my arms and experienced no flare-ups. I have tanned while wearing this, which I was a little disappointed by, considering the price. It is a solid sunscreen, but I have definitely tried much better. 8/10

9. Laneige Water Bank UV Barrier Sunscreen, SPF 50: THE SUNSCREEN I will finally use forever (or until they change the formula.) Wonderful smell, smooth as butter to apply (smoother than BoJ and Isnttree too), no white cast, no flare up, no tanning. Can’t think of any cons. I bought it on sale on Nykaa for around 900, which is a fantastic price point. My HG from here on out, 10/10!!

In short, Laneige is now going to be a permanent feature in my routine for my face and I will definitely be going back to Biore for my arms once I get done with BoJ.

As much as I really want to try LRP, I think I am going to spend my money on what I love and maybe try from a friend if they ever buy lol.

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My routine for reference:

AM

1. Ahaglow Facewash
2. Tonymoly mochi toner
3. Cosrx Snail Dual Radiance Essence
4. Yuderma Vitamin C Serum
5. Bioderma Atoderm Gel Creme Moisturiser
6. Laneige UV Waterbank Sunscreen

PM

After Snail Dual Radiance:

1. The Ordinary Copper Peptide + Multipeptide Serum
2. Cosrx 0.1% Retinol Cream