Acne on my face, but not my wardrobe

Hey everyone! It's been a while since my last post. I haven't been completely idle, though. Coming up with a skincare routine for my acne-riddled complexion has consumed all my time. By the end of 2014, I want to kiss my pizza face goodbye! I've been plagued by constant acne since fourth grade, caused by a combination of food allergies and simple hormones. It's taken years, but I finally have a skincare regime that's cracking down on my body's pimply reign of terror. Check it out under the cut!

First up, a good old-fashioned cleaning. Skincare discussion across the internet extol the virtues of exfoliation: cleaning out pores! Scrubbing away old skin! Getting rid of excess oil! These are largely true, but excessive exfoliation does tend to dry out your skin and damage it further. That being said, a good scrub goes a long way. So, as with anything, moderation is key. My personal exfoliator of choice is Lush Herbalism. It's an all-natural scrub that doesn't contain potentially harmful microbeads. Instead, almond meal, kaolin, and rice vinegar (among a plethora of herbal ingredients) "exfoliate and...mop up excess oil." I've been using it a few times a week for a month or two now.

Step 2, masks! For the more stubborn breakouts and oily patches, my go-to mask to deep-clean my pores and dry out inflamed pimples is Cosmetic Warrior, another Lush product. It's made of fresh garlic, eggs, kaolin and tea tree oil. Definitely don't use this one more than two or three times a week, especially if you have sensitive skin; it can dry you out quickly. An alternative is an oil cleanser. GlamGlow's PowerMud does much the same thing but to a less extreme degree. It's easier to remove and doesn't smell like raw eggs, but is priced at $69.00, while a $7.00 pot of Cosmetic Warrior lasts more than a week if used sparingly.

Masks, reprise: Thought we were done with masks? Not quite. Make sure you have a timer handy and twenty more minutes to kill. Mario Badescu's Healing & Soothing Mask is a must-have to ease all the drying and scrubbing from the last two steps. It leaves my face feeling soft instead of dried-out and damaged. I've realized that for my combination skin, finding a good balance between dry and oily is key.

I'm sure the age-old "cleanser, toner, moisturizer" ritual is familiar to us all. And while there are arguments for and against toners, I'm fond of Breath of Fresh Air, yet another herb-based Lush product, for a bit of extra softening and cleaning.

Next up, moisturizing. I used to be terrified of putting straight oil on my face. Oil, for an already oily acne-spotted complexion? No, thanks. But I found that jojoba oil is an excellent, soothing moisturizer and much cheaper than many products. It is light and absorbed quickly, and most importantly, it doesn't contribute to more pimples. You can find it for under $10 at Trader Joe's and other grocery stores.

For spot treatment: pure tea tree oil, another grocery store gem, is excellent at cleaning, calming, and drying out especially nasty pimples. Be careful near your eyes though! I'd also recommend Burt's Bee's Acne Spot Treatment for a much less pungent method. (It can go under makeup, too!)

I hope this was able those of you with stubborn acne <3 keep on trucking!!