Published: January 30, 2025
With hormonal acne being triggered by hormonal fluctuations, there is often not much that you can do to prevent those hormones from causing your skin to produce more oil than it usually does. With that said, the subsequent breakouts can be controlled, so long as you’re following the right skincare routine.
What does this involve? Read on as CBGärdN shares a game-changing skincare routine that will help to soothe your complexion and eliminate the look of hormonal acne breakouts.
Start With a Foaming Cleanser
Cleansing should always be your first move when carrying out your skincare routine, no matter your skin type. However, when hormonal acne is causing your skin’s sebum production to go into overdrive, cleansing becomes even more crucial. Your skin relies on your cleansing efforts to clear away all of that excess sebum, saving it from delving into your pores and causing blockages/breakouts.
While there are plenty of cleanser types out there to choose from, acne-prone skin is usually best cleansed with a foaming cleanser. The foamy lather that these cleansers produce is fantastic for lifting away excess oil and other impurities.
With that said, keep in mind that some foaming cleansers could potentially make your hormonal acne worse. Avoid formulas containing sulfates or other ingredients that are notorious for dehydrating the skin. After all, dehydration only exacerbates oil production!
Instead, find one that makes use of different cleansing agents, along with a variety of hydrating ingredients. This is where the CBGärdN CB Silk Facial Foaming Purifier really shines. It’s filled with an array of skin-loving ingredients, including peptides and plant extracts. Not only will it leave your skin feeling perfectly cleansed and rejuvenated, but it will also minimize the look of enlarged pores, soothe the feeling of inflammation, and brighten your overall complexion.
Exfoliate Your Skin
Cleansing is something that you should be doing twice a day, without fail, when you’re dealing with hormonal acne. However, even if you’re diligent about that, you’re unlikely to be 100% successful at preventing that extra sebum from sinking into your pores. Some oil will still make its way in. This is why exfoliation is so important too.
While cleansing removes the sebum from your skin’s surface, exfoliation will pull out any oil that has already worked its way into your pores. It’s a great tool for tackling the appearance of clogged pores, with exfoliation capable of quickly leaving them feeling clear and detoxified.
When dealing with a hormonal acne flare-up, you may need to exfoliate every other day. This means picking an exfoliator that isn’t so aggressive that it will damage your skin barrier when used this often. This damage will only cause dehydration, which, as we mentioned, will increase sebum production.
Rather than opting for an exfoliator that contains a high concentration of acids, we’d recommend starting with a slightly gentler formula, like the CB Microexfoliant Peel. It’s extremely effective at removing excess sebum, dead skin cells, and other problem-causing impurities but won’t irritate or inflame your skin either.
Apply a Clay Mask
If your hormonal acne isn’t too severe, you may find that a good cleansing and exfoliating regimen, along with the rest of the steps in this routine, helps to clear up your complexion pretty quickly. However, if your breakouts are quite intense and your skin is even oilier than oily, then adding a clay mask to your routine a couple of times a week can be a big help.
Why a clay mask? Because clay is renowned for its ability to absorb excess sebum from the skin. It binds itself to oil, meaning that once you rinse away the clay, it takes that oil with it. This not only helps to ensure that the pores remain clear but also gives the skin a brighter finish.
Even better, if you find a clay mask that also offers up complexion-soothing ingredients, it will help with the feeling of inflammation too, in addition to removing excess oil. This is exactly what the CB Purifying Heating Mask does. With aloe vera, arnica, grape stem cells, and vitamin E, it will quickly leave inflamed skin looking calmer and more balanced. The fact that it’s a thermal mask helps with this too. The heat will leave your pores feeling more relaxed and pliable. This allows the clay to work more efficiently while also encouraging the absorption of the other ingredients in the mask.
Balance With a Toner
As vital as cleansing and exfoliating are, it’s important not to forget that, even with gentle products, these processes can still interfere with skin barrier function. Many ingredients disrupt the skin’s natural pH balance. If you don’t rectify this, you might find that oil production continues to increase.
This is why toners are so commonly recommended to people with acne-prone skin. The right toner will help to rebalance surface pH while also offering up an array of other benefits.
Take the CB Facial Toner, for example. It balances the complexion while also providing some intense hydration, thanks to the likes of sodium hyaluronate and glycerin. It contains niacinamide too – a fantastic ingredient for acne-prone skin. Multiple studies confirm this form of vitamin B3 to be a superstar at eradicating the look of breakouts. It evens out the appearance of skin discoloration too, making it perfect if your previous breakouts have left your skin dotted with acne marks.
Turn to Serums and Treatments
You’re now at the stage of your skincare routine where you can really hone in on targeting various aspects of your skin. If you’ve been prescribed an acne treatment by your doctor or dermatologist, now would be the time to use it.
If you don’t have any topical acne medication to apply, find yourself a serum that’s geared toward aiding oily, acne-prone skin. The CB Replenishing Serum is one. It’s designed to hydrate and support the complexion, containing a number of ingredients that have been proven to do just that while also clearing the appearance of acne. Sodium hyaluronate, for example, has been found to be extremely effective at reducing how severe acne looks, as well as minimizing how oily the skin feels. It’s packed with antioxidant-rich ingredients too, including grape stem cells, nettle leaf extract, and lilac extract.
The CB Refining Complex Serum from the Satin Leaf Hydrating Collection would be worth considering too. Again, this formula contains sodium hyaluronate. However, this time, the super-hydrator is combined with a different blend of antioxidants. There are also a few ingredients in this serum that are great for smoothing away the look of wrinkles, making it a great one to add to your routine if your hormonal acne has hit you at a later stage of your life!
Moisturize and Protect
The final step of your skincare routine should be to moisturize your skin while also protecting it from the sun. UV exposure is something that you need to avoid as much as possible when dealing with hormonal acne. Studies show that not only do UV rays make you more likely to experience severe acne breakouts, but they also increase your chances of developing acne marks and scars afterward. Plus, even a small amount of sun exposure can be enough to trigger an increase in sebum production. This is especially true when you’re currently going through a hormonal acne flare-up.
To save you from having to apply separate moisturizer and sunscreen products, an SPF moisturizer, like the CB Multi-Active Moisturizer With SPF 30, would be ideal. It’s a lightweight cream that will lock in hydration while also protecting your skin from the sun.
Of course, your skin won’t need SPF in the evenings. However, a lightweight moisturizer is still essential. Our top choice would be the CB Rehydration Cream. It’s filled with antioxidants, which your skin will appreciate at night. It also contains salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid that’s often recommended for acne-prone skin. Being oil-soluble, it’s able to work its way through the grease that coats your skin’s surface. This increases the absorption of the moisturizer while preventing the appearance of clogged pores.
Don’t Forget: Your Lifestyle Matters Too
While it’s definitely worth putting some extra effort into your skincare efforts when dealing with hormonal acne, it’s important to remember that your lifestyle habits play into this in a big way too. After all, many aspects of your life influence your hormones, which, in turn, impact your skin.
Stress is a big factor. Each time you’re stressed, your hormones go into overdrive and, as a result, so does oil production. Staying in control of your stress levels can go a long way in clearing up your complexion!
Your diet will also affect your skin. Studies have found that certain foods can exacerbate acne, including hormonal acne. Experts recommend cutting back on fatty foods, sugar-filled foods, dairy products, whey protein, and chocolate. Instead, stock up on foods that are rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. These can help to reduce the appearance of acne.
Sleep deprivation, or even just poor quality of sleep, can also lead to hormonal acne. They increase the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in your body. This speeds up sebum production while also inhibiting the skin’s natural healing process. Not only will your breakouts get worse but they’ll also last for so much longer.
Caring for Hormonal Acne With CBGärdN
There’s no denying that dealing with hormonal acne can be incredibly frustrating. While some hormonal acne triggers, such as stress and sleep deprivation, can be controlled, this condition is often linked to more significant hormonal fluctuations that you can’t change, like puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. When this occurs, the key to keeping your complexion clear, fresh, and blemish-free is to develop a solid skincare routine. Follow the steps that we’ve shared above and you’ll quickly be on the path to achieving a flawless glow!
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