How I Cleared My Hormonal Acne For Good in 3 Months.
Hormonal acne can be a nightmare to deal with. They’re stubborn, painful, and seem to pop up at the worst times, taking a huge hit on your confidence. I’ve been there, battling hormonal acne for 2 years, and it’s been a roller coaster of emotions. At one point, I felt so exhausted and defeated. So, I started doing my own research, finding ways to manage my hormones, and finding products that provided quality ingredients.
After countless hours of research, trial, and error, I’ve finally discovered the regimen that works wonders. In this post, I’m excited to share the products and methods that helped me clear my hormonal acne for good. I’ll be covering:
Skincare products (topical creams) that worked wonders
Skincare device that took my skin to the next level
Supplements that balanced my hormones (*For me, these supplements had the biggest impact)
Why These Product Recommendations Work:
Finding the right combination of skin care products is key to tackling hormonal acne. I started incorporating products rich in vitamins, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and retinol into my routine. These powerhouse ingredients not only help clear acne but also strengthen the skin’s barrier, keeping future breakouts at bay.
To treat hormonal acne, you must hydrate and strengthen your skin (dry skin causes more oil to be produced, clogging pores), and manage your diet to maintain a healthy gut (healthy gut = balanced hormones = happy you, happy skin). The combination of ingredients provides the best results, as you can read below:
Salicylic Acid + Niacinamide + Hyaluronic Acid + Retinol:
Niacinamide:
Belonging to the vitamin B3 family helps treat hyperpigmentation, tighten pores, control water loss, and anti-aging
Hyaluronic Acid:
Helps soothe skin from active ingredients (ex, retinol)
Moisturizing as a hydrating agent, drawing water into your skin to make it more plump
Anti-aging
Retinol:
Initiates skin turnover, repairs skin, treats acne, and anti-aging
These four combinations help treat and prevent acne, remove pigmentation from acne, and promote healthy and strong skin.
Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C + Centella Asiatica:
Vitamin C & Centella Asiatica:
They both have wound-healing properties, reduce aging, and are full of antioxidants that help brighten up the skin
Both together work as a powerhouse to brighten your complexion and help you achieve that glow
The combination of all three helps soothe the skin and heal from previous wounds/acne, helping you get that healthy, glowy skin.
Skincare Routine (in order of which I apply):
1) P.M. Oil Cleanser: Beplain Mung Bean Cleansing Oil
How to use: squirt an appropriate amount on dry, clean hands on dry skin, and massage gently over your face for about 3-5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Oil cleanse before foam cleansing when you have sunscreen, makeup, etc. on, otherwise, you can go straight into foam cleansing.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Mung bean extract: balances sebum production, polysaccharides provide superior moisture retention, and strengthens the skin’s protective barrier
Panthenol & allantoin: conditions and protects the skin from external stressors, and strengthens the skin barrier
Non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t clog the pores), fragrance-free, & gentle formula for sensitive, oily, acne-prone skin
This cleanser dives deep into your pores to clean out all the dirt and oil without stripping your skin’s healthy barrier or drying out the skin, making this an optimal product for acne-prone, sensitive skin.
2) Foam Cleanser: Hommeface Daily Face Wash
How to use: after washing off the oil cleanser, rub it into your hands until you have enough foam. Lather and gently massage the foam on your skin thoroughly.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Tea tree & witch hazel: soothes & heals, tightens pores due to its astringent properties, improves skin barrier by promoting hydration, and protects skin against environmental pollutants
Centella Asiatica extract and Quercetinol: soothes skin
Hyaluronic acid complex: attracts moisture and inhibits the skin from drying out
This is a gentle cleanser that removes dirt inside the pores and controls sebum without using harsh ingredients. By using mild but effective ingredients, the cleanser strengthens your skin barrier and locks in moisture, without over-stripping your skin of healthy oils and bacteria.
3) A.M. Toner: Numbuzin No. 1 Calming Herb Toner
How to use: put the toner directly on your hands and let it absorb into your skin.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Houttuynia cordata, cica, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis root: provides care for tired skin, redness, and inflammation, purifying the skin as well as balancing oil and your skin’s PH levels
Hyancinthus orientals: purifies and cleans the skin
Polygonum Multiforum: hydrates the skin
Centella Asiatica extract and Quercetinol: soothes skin
Hyaluronic acid complex: attracts moisture and inhibits the skin from drying out
Numbuzin’s toner helps maintain oil-moisture balance by using a low pH5.5 formula that soothes and purifies the skin. The combined ingredients have been tested to reduce heat-induced redness, which is imperative for acne-prone skin. When the temperature of our skin rises (working out, alcohol, etc.), even by one degree, our skin will start to produce more oil, expanding our pores. This toner has 93% concentrated herbal extracts that will calm down heat-induced skin to reduce inflammation and prevent future acne.
3) P.M. Toner: Aestura A-Cica 365 Calming Hydro Toner
How to use: take an appropriate amount on your hand and gently apply it along the skin to let it absorb.
Why it works & its ingredients:
PHA 3%: softens the skin and helps with evening out skin texture
CICA BPM: an exclusive CICA ingredient developed by Aestura, which has Beta-glucan, Phytosterol, and Madecassoside, which moisturize, relieve, and calm the skin, and restore the skin barrier
This toner is what made one of the biggest differences for me- after about a month of consistent use, I noticed my pores were clean all the time without any sort of scrub exfoliation. I couldn’t see my blackheads anymore, and my skin was evening out and felt much stronger and less sensitive than before.
4) Niacinamide: COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum
How to use: Pat it gently on your face and neck- a little goes a long way for this product!
Why it works & its ingredients:
SH-Polypeptide-121: boosts collagen, helping skin elasticity
Copper Tripeptide-1: improves skin texture
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl & Benzylamide Diacetate: controls excess sebum and provides pore care
Oligopeptide-68: brightens skin
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8: soothes and calms acne, redness, and inflammation
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: firms and tightens skin
This is a functional serum that helps boost the effects of all your other serums, hence why it’s the first serum to put on the skin before all others. Each peptide in this booster, paired with either hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinol, etc., will act as a booster to maximize its effects, creating a synergy effect. This is a water-based texture that instantly absorbs, and is great for those who have sensitive skin, and/or complex skin concerns, as this is a multi-functional serum that will act as a synergy booster.
5) P.M. Vitamin C (alternating days with retinol): COSRX The Vitamin C23 Serum
Alternatives for sensitive skin:
COSRX The Vitamin C13 Serum - 13% vitamin C instead of 23%
Numbuzin No.5+ Vitamin Concentrated Serum- mildest Vitamin C/ brightening serum
How to use: Pat it gently on your face and neck- use around 2 ~ 3 drops. Because it is heavily concentrated, using a lot at once will irritate your skin.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Vitamin C: clears acne and blemishes, and brightens the skin
Tocotrienol, sodium hyaluronate, and allantoin: optimal synergy providing skin elasticity and hydration
This vitamin C is loved by a lot of people- I saw that my skin had become much brighter within just a week of using this serum. I highly recommend it if you have acne scars, or sunspots, or want to brighten your skin in general.
*If you are worried about vitamin E (known for clogging pores) in this serum, this serum is safe to use because it is in the form of tocotrienol, not oil vitamin E.
5) P.M. Retinol (alternating days with vitamin C): IOPE Retinol Super Bounce Serum
How to use: take a small amount and gently apply on the face. Do not go overboard with this serum, as retinol can be irritating to the skin.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Bio Seletinoid, Granactive Retinoid, and Capsule Retinol: a retinol and retinoid quadruple complex that boosts skin’s elasticity, and firmness, and reduces the appearance of fine wrinkles. This blend also helps reduce and control the spread of acne.
Lacto-exosome: fortifies the skin barrier while providing a soothing and comforting effect to the skin.
This retinol is mild and soothing, and I’ve seen visible results with my skin being firmer and tighter. I would recommend doing a small test on your skin, or mixing a pump or two into your moisturizer before increasing the frequency and amount you use!
6) Hyaluronic Acid: Wellage Real Hyaluronic Blue 100 Ampoule
How to use: gently apply a small amount on the skin in rolling motions until absorbed.
Why it works & its ingredients:
100% pure hyaluronic acid (the same type of HA found in human skin) that provides stable moisture absorption and retention
Panthenol (B5): soothes the skin and moisturizes
Sacharide isomerate: helps retain moisture
Hyalufixer: boosts hyaluronic acid
I have gone through 3 bottles of these, and this will stay a staple item in my skincare routine. It’s a very thin, watery-like substance that absorbs very quickly. Immediately after use, I feel that my skin is much more hydrated and plump, reducing the look of fine lines. This product is not greasy or oily at all, if that is something you are worried about!
7) PDRN: VT Cosmetics PDRN 100 Essence
How to use: Gently apply to face and neck after waiting for the hyaluronic acid to fully absorb into the skin.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Phyto PDRN (plant-based PDRN extracted from Korean Ginseng):
stimulates the metabolic activity of skin cells, enhancing the skin’s natural repair and regeneration process
promotes the growth of fibroblasts (cells responsible for collagen and elastin production), reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and improving skin firmness/skin elasticity
helps retain moisture within the skin
plant-based PDRN has a lower molecular weight, allowing for better absorption into the skin
9) Moisturizer: AESTURA Atobarrier 365 Cream
How to use: take a small amount and gently apply it on the face- usually a small blueberry amount is plenty to cover the face.
Why it works & its ingredients:
Ceramides: provide immediate double hydration, and improve the skin barrier and sensitivity. The ceramides reach 10 layers deep inside the skin in just 2 hours (dermatology tested), increasing skin surface moisture, and evening out skin texture and tone.
This is a moisturizer loved by many, many people, and I have gone through about 6 bottles of it already. It’s a light, buttery-like texture, without greasiness, and extremely mild and hydrating. I use this moisturizer all year long, even during the winter when my skin is especially dry.
Skincare Device that Took My Skin to the Next Level
How to use:
Air Shot Mode: after cleansing, brush against dry skin 2-3 times a week. This is to minimize pores
Air Shot Mode uses small, electric needles to improve pore elasticity. The small needles create non-damaging passageways on the skin layer which help tighten the pores.
Booster Mode: after applying ampoules/ serums, gently rub against the skin in circular motions. This mode can be used daily.
Booster mode helps absorb active ingredients, giving your skin that healthy glow.
MC Mode: use after applying moisturizer, in pulling upward motions on the skin. This mode can be used daily.
MC Mode helps minimize fine lines by enhancing skin volume and increasing collagen production.
Derma Shot Mode: after MC Mode, slowly massage and pause for 1-2 seconds on desired areas and repeat. This mode can be used daily.
Derma Shot Mode uses EMS to stimulate sagging skin and massage the muscles to create firmer skin.
Before Medicube came out with the Booster Pro, I had the Air Shot, Booster, and Derma Shot devices all separately. I started using these devices in 2020 and started adding to my collection as each one came out and I have to say the Air Shot and Booster is a game changer. I can visibly see my pores smaller with the Air Shot, and my skin feels so smooth after. With the Booster, my skin looks glowy and so healthy after. My skin looks much more plump, and I can feel on my skin that the Booster really helped absorb all the serums on my skin. This device is one of the best homecare devices I’ve ever used.
Skincare Supplements that Support Hormonal Balance
I researched ALL (I mean ALL) the ingredients they use in their supplements, and I am amazed. They have packed everything good for you into their vitamins.
I personally take all the supplements in the Inner Glow Line and have been for the past year I’ve noticed a huge improvement with my periods- cramps are gotten so much better, mood swings- they’re basically nonexistent for me now, I break out with maybe 1-3 pimples each cycle, and they have played a huge role in my energy level during my leutial phase.
These supplements provide essential nutrients that support the skin’s natural barrier function and help regulate hormone levels. By maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria on my skin. I was able to reduce inflammation and prevent breakouts. Incorporating probiotics as well into my daily routine helped support my skin’s microbiome, resulting in fewer flare-ups and a clearer complexion.
Hormonal acne is never easy to deal with, but with the right products and a consistent routine, it is possible. I really hope that you give these products a chance and on yourself, because I really have seen the results and so many great benefits. If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an email below!
