Anyone got any recommendations for period acne outbreaks?
This is what I have too.. my skin is bad normally, but breaks out. Even on BC it didn't stop it at all. By the time my skin recovers, it's time to start all over again.
So far, just fighting individual bad break outs, microfiber cloth cleaning, switching to a harsher acne-fighting cleanser (I use Hydrovitron from DS labs right now, and it's very harsh like a retinoid cream would be but it's a cleanser so I like it better than the creams) during the times it starts flaring up, using a daily zinc and sulphur mask the entire 1 1/2 weeks before I shower has been the only things helpful. So Far.
I'm starting a new routine with slow implementation based on some research articles I've been finding online. I'm starting with upping my green tea intake to 3 cups a day, and rubbing the tea bag along my face when I'm done drinking it each time. Mechanical gentle 'washing' of the skin 3x a day, plus green tea is suppose to be stupid helpful with inflammation and acne in general.
I started doing toner/cleanser backwards, using witch hazel on my face to knock off some of the dirt and then giving my skin a good scrubbing. I find it cleans it more efficiently that way. Scrubbing my face first, and then using toner only to find dirt has been left behind doesn't really bode well for cleanliness overall.
I'm also switching to a rosehip oil for the linoleic acid content and vitamin E and A content. I was using pumpkin seed oil, with some success, but it is REALLY green and thus it just won't work for what I need.. it dyes everything it touches green lol and most of my sheets and towels are stark white. And I still find it a bit heavy on my skin. OCM cleaning with oils and just a touch of oil in spots I find dry out easy on my face.
I'll be trying zinc supplements once they arrive in the mail.
I'd really like a light weight green tea moisturizer/sunscreen but I haven't found one on the market yet at all besides proactiv.
I really do like Murad's spray-on acne fighter for the body, for my shoulders and neck and chest area, but it's expensive and I haven't broken down and bought it yet. :/
The mask thing in the short term has been really effective, and wearing it about 10-20 minutes before I jump in the shower or while I eat breakfast but before I brush my teeth helps a ton.
The mask I use is from YG Labs it's called Zinc and Sulfur mask and it's a clay mask.