10 Daily Essentials That Make Life with Sensitive Skin and PCOS Easier
If you’re reading this, I feel for you. Skin issues began in my teenage year and reared their ugly head (pun intended) again when I was in my early twenties. I would always get this one pimple on the tip of my nose that made me think of the Full House episode where DJ doesn’t want to go to school for fear her peers would call her Rudolph.
Bad skin can make you feel horrible about yourself. I went through years of trial and error with products only to later be diagnosed with a plethora of diseases such as PCOS, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, POTS, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and I’m sure more to come.
I was desperate for answers and a dermatologist put me on .05% Tretinoin (AKA Retinol). Enter the era of the worst breakouts of my life. I went through the initial “purge” period for six months, thinking that was normal. Spoiler alert: it was not. I kept reading Reddit page after Reddit page and listened to strangers on the internet telling me I should stick it out. This kept me going until I had cystic acne all over my face. I had enough at that point and knew it was time to look for another route.
The worst part is that I was a teacher at the time. The mortification of being stared at by 8th graders is a fear of being perceived like no other. I wouldn’t wish that upon my worst enemy.
I was a chronic Googler at the time, desperate for answers. An absolute angel appeared before me on TikTok and gave me the best skincare advice that changed everything for me:
1.Stop washing your face twice a day.
But Madeleine! That’s gross.
No it isn’t. I realized that my skin was actually way too dry, which was causing overproduction of oil. I kept thinking that my skin was oily since I had acne, but it was just overcompensating because I was stripping away all natural oils.
The exact TikTok said, “Stop washing your face in the morning.” I was ready to try anything at this point, so I got rid of my usual morning ritual of double cleansing.
And what do you know? The cystic acne got better. I definitely still had breakouts, but I later found out that was a hormonal imbalance.
2. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel
The first product that stopped the acne was Dr. Dennis Gross’s Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel. This product finally got rid of the cystic acne. For the first time in years, I felt like I could go more than a few weeks without getting a breakout. I started using them slowly. I’d recommend twice a week to start, then gradually increasing depending on how your skin reacts. This product is also great because you can get a tiny box for a smaller cost, so if you have a bad reaction, you haven’t spend $200 on skincare you can’t use.
After using this product for a few months, I felt confident enough to switch to the extra strength version.
3. Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Daily Peel
These bad boys don’t mess around. I started these slowly, just as I did the universal daily peel pads. I started using them once a week, then increased to twice a week. I was able to increase to every other day. My skin was glowing for the first time in years. I was able to use these without much of a purge period. I think it lasted about a week or two.
Always listen to your body. If your skin burns, it isn’t right for you. Take a few days off and revisit (only if you think it was from overuse). Don’t continue using a product that gives you a rash.
At this point, I was heavily on the skincare side of TikTok. I was confident enough to revisit what women referred to as the Holy Grail skincare product: tretinoin.
Shop the extra strength version here
4. Tretinoin - .025%
The definition of insanity is trying something the same way over and over and expecting a different result. I realized I was, in fact, insane, so I went to the dermatologist.
I shared that the first time I was given tretinoin, I had a breakout for six months. He helped me figure out the dosage was too strong for me.
I had a short purge period which was about a month. It started with a few breakouts and then gradually increased to skin peeling excessively.
The skin peeling means you are almost to the finish line. Only use tretinoin in areas you REALLY need it. For me, this was my forehead, nose, and chin. If you can get away with fewer areas, great. If not, start very slowly.
I began to apply this once a week for two weeks, then increased to twice a week for two weeks, and then three times a week for two weeks…you get the picture.
If I take a few days off, the peeling starts again. Someone once told me they stopped retinol because they peeled, but that’s the point. You have to look kind of ugly sometimes to benefit your skin in the long run.
5. “Sandwich” your Retinol.
Dermatologists tend to hand you a solution and not explain ways to apply. One of the best ways to apply Tretinoin is through a method called “sandwiching”. This involves moisturizing as the first step in your skin care, waiting for that to dry, then applying Tretinoin. Let the Tretinoin soak into your skin for at least twenty minutes and then apply another layer of moisture. This can be the same product you used before, but I like to use a light moisturizer —> Tretinoin —> snail mucin —> heavy moisturizer.
This process takes quite a long time. I recommend starting your nightly skincare as early as possible so you’re not up at midnight looking like a swamp monster.
6. Having a daytime moisturizer and a nighttime moisturizer.
My absolute favorite daily moisturizer is Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. This is a cheap product, but the results look expensive. Make sure to apply this prior to sunscreen in the morning. This is easiest to do if you put it on immediately after waking up.
For night time, I really like Avene Tolerance Control Skin Recovery Cream. This isn’t too “thick” and I sometimes put it on in the morning if my skin is really dry from too much Tretinoin.
7. Snail Mucin
Hear me out, this isn’t that gross. It’s actually so cooling and is refreshing especially after a hot day. It is quite sticky, so don’t go macking on your husband immediately after applying.
My favorite is CosRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. I have yet to try their other creams, but I look forward to doing so.
8. Vitamin C Serum
This is a fantastic step I now include daily in my morning routine. This should go on prior to anything else. I’ve noticed my skin is significantly brighter after using this for a few months. It does make your skin more susceptible to sunburn, so be sure to wear sunscreen daily and put on a hat if the sun is bright.
No need to buy the most expensive one. They all do the same thing.
9. Cut toxins out of your diet
I had no idea how much my diet influenced my skin until I started having reactions to everything I ate. I would get debilitating stomach pain and nausea immediately after eating, sometimes even while eating.
I noticed that alcohol started giving me headaches within a sip or two.
This ended up being Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, which has changed my life completely and also my diet. I now only eat low-histamine foods (which is very limiting and makes me sad often), but I feel so much better.
Most people will see this and think, “Yeah, yeah, I know I need to cut out processed foods and yada yada,” but will never actually do it. Have enough love for yourself that you at least try to cut one thing out per week that you know is bad for you.
10. Sunscreen
This one seems obvious, but it still boggles my mind that people enjoy baking in the sun. I come from a long line of pale people, so sunscreen was integrated into my routine from the time I was a small child.
Some of my favorites:
-Suntouchable Whoa Glow Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
This one looks fabulous under makeup. It has a clear tint, so you can’t see it. It serves as a makeup primer as well.
-Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+
I use this one for my whole body. It does have a white cast, so you may not want to put this on before you hit the town. More of a “gardening in my backyard” sunscreen.
Every product listed is available for purchase on Amazon.
