I teamed up with my girlfriend Megan to share her skincare suggestions for hormonal acne.  Wrinkles and acne?!!  Adulting is so fun!  Haha!  

Meg has been a licensed medical aesthetician for 20 years….and she’s been my best friend since we were 12!  When I asked on Instagram you guys had SO many skincare questions for her!  Today we are sharing her suggested routine for hormonal acne….those breakouts that happen around that time of the month.  If you are regular, you can be proactive about using these products before breakouts occur.  If not, and those annoying breakouts pop up as a fun surprise, we hope these suggestions will help! 

How do I layer my products?

No matter what products you are currently using, Meg recommends layering products from lightest to heaviest.  Starting with cleansers and toners, then your serums, and ending with your heavier creams.  This is the most effective order to get the most out of your products!

Hormonal Acne Morning Skincare Routine

PCA is Meg’s skincare line of choice and what I use most often.  We’ll be discussing the products above, as well as providing some more budget friendly options.  Remember, you are only using this during that time of the month when you have hormonal acne, so while these products are an investment, they will last a long time!!

Step 1:  Cleanser

Meg recommends THIS facial wash for oily/problem skin.

You can find it HERE.  Use code CRISP20 for 20% off at checkout and FREE shipping.  

Meg says that while higher end cleansers may feel better on your skin, your cleanser is one place where you can use a budget-friendly drugstore option.  For hormonal acne, you want to find one with  salicylic acid. 

This CereVe is one drug store budget option that she recommends.  Find it HERE and HERE. 

As is this!  Find it HERE and HERE.

She does not recommend using these cleansers all the time, as they can be drying and strip your skin.  However, they are effective for combatting that monthly hormonal acne. 

Step 2:  Toner

Meg’s favorite is THIS smoothing toner from PCA.

You can get 20% off and FREE shipping at checkout using code CRISP20 HERE. 

If you are looking for more budget friendly options that still contain salicylic acid…

This La Roche Posey toner can be found HERE and HERE.

and this Thayer’s can be found HERE and HERE.

I grab my cotton rounds for applying toner HERE. 

Vitamin C and E Advanced 

Vitamin C is an antioxident that is SO important for helping with discoloration, fine lines and wrinkles.  This is one of the products where Meg says you need to spend the money to buy from a quality line to actually see the benefits.  This product burns a little at first, but that means it’s working, and I 100% have seen improvement from using it daily!  

While this is important, Meg says if you have active breakouts, skip this step until they have cleared up. 

I use this one from PCA. 

You can use code CRISP20 to get it for 20% off with FREE shipping HERE. 

Step 3:  Acne Gel 

This gel clears and prevents blemishes.  Apply a thin layer all over your face. 

You can grab it for 20% off with FREE shipping with code CRISP20 HERE.

Step 4:  Acne Cream 

This is a spot treatment for existing acne.  Find it HERE and use CRISP20 for 20% off and FREE shipping. 

Step 5: Moisturier with SPF

SPF is a MUST!  The sun ages our skin more and faster than anything else!  It is SO important that your morning moisturizer contain spf.

I use this one from PCA.  It is lightweight and blends easily. 

Grab it for 20% off HERE with code CRISP20.

Your moisturizer is another place in your skincare routine where you can choose a more budget friendly option, as long as it contains spf. 

This CereVe moisturizer HERE and HERE.

and this La Roche-Posay is also a great budget friendly option!  Find it HERE.

Recap: 

Cleanser, Toner, Acne gel, Acne Cream spot treatment, Moisturizer with SPF

5 Step Hormonal  Nighttime Routine 

The nighttime routine is very similar with the addition of a few products!

Step 1:  Clense and DOUBLE cleanse!! 

This is a MUST!!!  The first cleanse just get the makeup and dirt off, the second cleanse actually cleans your skin.

See above for the cleanser options!

Step 2:  Toner

Same options as above! 

Step 3:  Retinol 

EVERY skin type needs to be using retinol within your routine.  Anti-aging, acne, pigmentation…..retinol exfoliates the skin and stimulates the growth of new, healthy skin cells.  If this is not already part of your skincare routine, it needs to be!

I use this .5%.  If you have sensitive skin, you may want to start with .3%.  You want to SLOWLY incorporate this into your routine and work up to using it daily, as it is potent.  BE SURE to wear your spf when using retinol because it does make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

This is another product where you want to buy high end to ensure you are getting a quality product. 

You can order retinol HERE and use CRISP20 for 20% off and FREE shipping.

Step 4:  Acne Gel and Acne Cream 

The cream is a spot treatment, so only use as needed. 

Step 5:  Moisturizer

I use this collagen hydrator at night.  The difference in your night time moisturizer is that it does not need to include SPF.

Find this one HERE and use CRISP20 to get 20% off and FREE shipping. 

Again, this is a place in your routine where you can go with a more budget friendly option!  Find one Meg approves HERE.  

Masks

Another way you can help prevent hormonal acne is to incorporate masks into your routine once or twice a week.  Different masks help with different problem areas!  Here are a few we recommend! 

Meg swears by this one!  Find it HERE and use CRISP20 for 20% off and FREE shipping.

This pore refining treatment also helps to exfoliate, minimize the appearance of your pores and purify the skin.  Find it HERE. 

As far as budget friendly masks….

I ordered this one from Amazon based on the 40k+ five star reviews.  It is a great pore cleanser, but can dry out your face, so use it sparingly!

Find it HERE.

I love this one for hydrating and brightening, plus it feels amazing!

Find it HERE. 

This is another clay mask I ordered based on the great reviews!  Can also be drying, but is effective for a deep clean! 

Find it HERE. 

I hope this has been helpful and Meg and I look forward to answering more questions together soon!  If you have specific skincare questions for Meg, feel free to reach to her in her Instagram account HERE.  She is happy to help you with any and all questions you might have about your skin!