Product Guide: How to Treat Acne + Aging Simultaneously

Acne isn’t only for teens anymore—in fact, it affects more and more adults (primarily women) at an alarming rate. 54% of women over 25 experience some form of acne, which means that around half of us are attempting to tackle issues related to acne and aging simultaneously.

Addressing this epidemic is precisely why Kristina and I formulated the Kristina Holey + Marie Veronique collection. If you are experiencing this unsavory combination, rest assured that you’re not alone. Then read on for best practices for treating it.

Morning

General Acne/Aging Skin

1. Using a cleanser in the morning is optional. If you have dry skin, we recommend rinsing with tepid water. If your skin is inflamed, cleanse with yoghurt. If you have normal to slightly oily skin, use an oil cleanser such as our Pure + E.O. Free Oil Cleanser.
2. Tone with Balancing HypoTonic—apply to a cotton pad and swipe over the face/neck.
3. Apply a layer of Barrier Restore Serum, Protective Day Oil and Everyday Coverage Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 in quick succession. (No need to let the skin dry between layers.)

For acneic or breakout-prone skin, use our Treatment Cleanser, then apply our Treatment Serum in place of Barrier Restore Serum and Treatment Oil instead of Protective Day Oil to control oiliness.

For sun-damaged skin and hyperpigmentation, apply Vitamins C+E+Ferulic Serum before Barrier Restore Serum for added antioxidant protection and brightening power.

For rosacea-prone, dry or inflamed skin, apply Soothing B3 Serum before Barrier Restore Serum.

Evening

General Acne/Aging Skin

1. Cleanse skin with Pure + E.O. Free Oil Cleanser.
2. Tone with Balancing HypoTonic—apply to a cotton pad and swipe over the face/neck.
3. Apply a layer of Gentle Retinol Night Serum (if pregnant, use Vitamins C+E+Ferulic instead), Barrier Restore Serum and Barrier Lipid Complex in quick succession. (No need to let the skin dry between layers.)

For severe acne, cleanse with our Treatment Cleanser, then apply a layer of our Intensive Repair Serum followed by Treatment Retinol Serum and Barrier Restore Serum every night. Replace Barrier Lipid Complex with Treatment Oil.

For mild acne, cleanse with our Treatment Cleanser, then apply a layer of our Treatment Retinol Serum and Barrier Restore Serum every night. Alternate Intensive Repair Serum and Treatment Serum every other night. Replace Barrier Lipid Complex with Treatment Oil.

For blackheads, congestion and problems around the t-zone, cleanse with our Treatment Cleanser, then apply Intensive Repair Serum for clogged pores on the nose and forehead, 1-2 times per week. Use Treatment Retinol Serum nightly and Treatment Serum 3 times per week after your retinol.

To refine pores, cleanse with our Treatment Cleanser. Use Gentle Retinol Night Serum every night, and add a layer of Intensive Repair Serum once a week.

For dry, redness-prone skin, cleanse with Pure + E.O. Free Oil Cleanser, then apply Gentle Retinol Night Serum, followed by Soothing B3 Serum. 1-2 times per week, add a layer of Intensive Repair Serum before the Gentle Retinol Serum.

Notes

* A note on the combination of Barrier Restore Serum + Gentle Retinol Night Serum: As an unexpected bonus, our approach echoed the results of studies that recommend improved barrier function as a way to help people use retinoids. Facial retinization, an issue some people experience when starting retinol use, was greatly reduced when they built up barrier function prior to embarking on a retinoid treatment protocol.   

** A note on the combination of Barrier Restore Serum + Intensive Repair Serum: Salicylic acid (found in Intensive Repair Serum), when combined with sodium PCA and phospholipids (found in Barrier Restore Serum) can prevent dehydration in the skin. This is an excellent combination for refining pores and clearing congestion without drying out the skin, but it can be easy to overdo it. Intensive Repair Serum can dry the skin quite a bit, so unless you have really oily skin I’d limit it to 2 to 3 times a week, and only use it at night.