Thread by @BowTiedFawn

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐃: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧 🧵👇

"Dermatologists hate her for these 7 easy tricks!"

1. Food Triggers

If you're dealing with regular acne and blotchy skin, you may be sensitive to certain foods in your diet

You should consider slowly eliminating foods like whey, other dairy (A1 proteins), sugar, and wheat to see if that . . .

Moves the needle

I don't tolerate whey well so I sub in egg white protein instead to keep my face clear

Grimhood has mentioned goat milk whey as an alternative - I believe Mt. Capra is the brand

I get the egg white protein from @True_Nutrition

@True_Nutrition 2. Cleanser

Note: I included aff links here to products I love

So, if water isn't enough for you, you can consider 3 options:

- Gentle cleanser
- 2% salicylic acid cleanser
- 4% benzoyl peroxide cleanser

Let's go through them 👇

@True_Nutrition - A gentle cleanser to clear out sweat and dirt without causing irritation, can be used twice a day

This has no irritants (unless you're part of the .01% of the population allergic to propylene glycol) or anything esoteric twitter hates (parabens)
amzn.to/3SeBkSM

@True_Nutrition - An exfoliating cleanser formulated with beta hydroxy acids and polyhydroxy acids to dissolve the lipophilic gunk in your pores

This one has effective concentrations of salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and niacinamide which I love

amzn.to/3DWwTZh

@True_Nutrition - A benzoyl peroxide cleanser to kill off propionibacterium acnes (the little buggers responsible for your whiteheads, ick)

Because BP metabolism creates oxygen free radicals I'd stick to a wash-off product rather than a gel

amzn.to/3DJyott

@True_Nutrition Note: I'd avoid using salicylic acid or BP cleanser more than once a day if you can help it

Time these around the sweatiest parts of your day (ie. gym time) for maximum efficacy

And fair warning, BP can bleach fabric so wash your face and then hop right in the shower

@True_Nutrition 3. Treatment

The best topical ingredients to fight acne are as follows:

-salicylic acid or betaine salicylate
-benzoyl peroxide
-azelaic acid
-lactic and glycolic acids
-OTC retinol 0.1-0.5%

Aaaand my absolute favorite, adapelene 0.1%

@True_Nutrition Hey, while you're here - do me a favor!

Hit the follow button and check out my newsletter

I teach you everything you need to know about taking care of your skin:

Okay, so adapalene 👇
bowtiedfawn.substack.com/p/your-roadmap…

@True_Nutrition Adapalene is a low-dose, acne-specific retinoid that upregulates cell turnover

It is truly magic in a tube for those who need it (like Kate did in the very first picture!)

I also used it on @KreiserMatt who had been dealing with cystic acne for years:

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt 4. Moisturize

You need to be even more gentle with acne-prone skin than other skin types

Preferably, you should use something light with fatty acids and hydrating alcohols twice a day after actives

This is my favorite moisturizer:
amzn.to/3xCXzKg

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt Unless you are 100% sure you can tolerate them, I would stay away from heavier, saturated fats like tallow and coconut oil

These fats are mostly compromised of stearic, palmitic, and lauric acids which are particularly heavy and can be comedogenic

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt I like the @VanicreamSkin Lite Lotion because it has a real basic ingredient list

Also, don't be afraid of the weird-sounding names

Ex: PEG-30 is just an emulsifying agent, it helps hold oil and water together

Preservatives are formulated at <1% anyways

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt @VanicreamSkin 5. Fragrance

If you're already dealing with redness, irritation, and/or active acne, I suggest you stay away from fragrance

Fragrances are some of the most common irritants I see in bad formulas

Check the ingredient lists on your products and avoid . . .

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt @VanicreamSkin those formulated with:

- fragrances

- perfumes

- essential oils

- fruit extracts

Some people will tolerate fragrance better than others which takes me to . . .

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt @VanicreamSkin 6. Personalization

I tolerate low-dose benzoyl peroxide and adapalene well

Others respond well to exfoliating agents like salicylic or azaleic acids well

You'll need to experiment with a few different actives to see what works for you

If you're new, my best advice is . . .

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt @VanicreamSkin Start with a gentle cleanser and moisturizer

Cleanse twice a day and decide if that fixes your face

If it doesn't, try an exfoliating cleanser once a day like the 2% salicylic one

Maybe you want something a little stronger?

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt @VanicreamSkin Okay, try adapalene 3-4x per week and reevaluate after 6 months

Everything is trial and error here

Just don't overuse actives - that's how you compromise your skin barrier and make the problem 1,000x worse

And finally . . .

@True_Nutrition @KreiserMatt @VanicreamSkin 7. Be Patient

A cell cycle is 4 weeks at the minimum!

You need to go through multiple cell cycles using the same active ingredients to decide if they work

So, if you tell me you used a product for two weeks and it didn't do anything, I'm gonna smack you into 2035, okie?

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