Fragrance

For starters, anything with fragrance is a chemical burn waiting to happen. Essential oils included, fragrance is for your perfume! Not your face. Which also doesn't need a scrubbing to be clean! You know how the skin beneath your eyes is quite sensitive? Did you know that taking a knee or something similar to the skin beneath your eye can cut it open without anything sharp? Your skin is sensitive! I treat my face the way I treat my under-eyes, and I sure as hell don't use physical exfoliants.

Exfoliating

A physical exfoliant cleanser or mask is almost just cutting your face open and give your micro tears. I've observed that this can work for people with thicker skin. Men often find physical exfoliants to be ideal, and listen. Just listen to your face, if it vibes that way thats great! Still try to keep it to be every other day so these micro tears can heal. Most importantly, give your skin the moisture it will need in order to do this healing and WEAR SUNSCREEN when you exfoliate on any level! The sun can do the most damage and it will come for you.

Moisturizing

Speaking of moisturizer, don't skip it! I don't care what type of skin you have, you need moisturizer. "But Kayla, my skin is oily I don't need-" I don't want to hear it. Your skin can and often times overproduces oil because it's in a moisture deficit! And if your skin is dry or combination, lean towards heavier creams or buildable moisturizers. My biggest tip for moisturizer other than just using it is to apply it asap. Applying moisturizer while your face is wet helps lock in that extra moisture, especially when you've used hot water and your pores are out there in the open. Follow up with sunscreen! I said it once and I'll say it again, the sun can do the most damage and it will come for you.

Scarring

This is going to be less research, more using my lego blocks of what makes logical sense to me. Before that, one fact everyone can agree on is to not pick scabs off. Ideally don't agitate and extract from your skin more than necessary. An overwhelming majority of skincare professionals discourage extractions entirely, or general picking at your face as it is what leads to scarring.

Scarring for me looks like darker and weaker skin. Your skin is constantly cycling and replacing itself. Scars typically run a bit deeper in my skin with it being an absolute baby about everything. So this extra pigment is a few layers deep in the skin. What I think worked best for me was gently exfoliating this away, while protecting the new skin that surfaced.

SA Cleanser

This is what I actively use as a cleanser! Salicylic acid at play once again, and Cerave is not only reputable but that don't fluff their products. This cleanser does exactly that, cleanses. I like having Salicylic acid just to continue to encourage dead skin, keratin, and dirt to leave.

Sunscreen

So like, I like the supergoop sunscreen enough. I haven't found a sunscreen that feels good, sits well on the skin and under makeup, and is high enough in spf to say definitely that it's the end all be all. This one is pretty good though, I like the way it feels and doesn't always make me break out? This is completely subjective, honest just please wear sunscreen

Buffet

Okay so this serum is just god tier for skincare. I put my mom on this and after a week her skin looked significantly less aged.

"By utilizing four well-studied peptide technologies, skin-friendly amino acids, and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes... it helps significantly improve skin smoothness and target multiple signs of aging at once"

Pregame Primer

Honestly this was a makeup game changer for me. I'd like to say before all non makeup wearers ditch this section- there is a slight tint to this primer alongside its protective properties. It does great for evening out your complexion and also is good for calming agitated skin. I wear this underneath makeup or by itself!

Underneath makeup it helps to remedy your skin and keep your makeup from clogging pores by keeping it on top of the primer, similar to Kbeauty products.