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| Fungal acne outbreak on my forehead in 2020. Alas, do not have a close-up pic. |
I had a fungal acne outbreak last year - well, more accurately, malassezia folliculitis outbreak. At first, I thought it was my regular hormonal acne playing up due to pandemic stress. The small bumps were red and sore, then one day I used a chemical sunscreen that I've safely used before and my skin began raging and itching like crazy. I was so uncomfortable I struggled to sleep.
That's when I went to the doctor and he gave me a round of antibiotics, and told me to ditch the chemical sunscreens and use a zinc-based sunscreen with minimal ingredients. This began my journey to overhaul and minimise my skincare products. This website has been my hero: https://folliculitisscout.com/ You can look up ingredients in skincare products and it will rank them for safety, potential irritants and things to look out for.
It took nearly half a year to find products that weren't triggering, and soothed my skin. My new routine is a lot less complicated than before - no more serums, no eye creams, and no daily sunscreen (replaced with my UV blocking umbrella).
I cleanse with Simple Gel face wash. I remove eye makeup with Bioderma micellar water. I moisturise with Innisfree Aloe Revital Soothing Gel. That's it. That's all my skincare products these days.
When I have beach day or go in the sun without my trusty umbrella, I use Ego SunSense Sensitive Visible Screen SPF 50+. It leaves a white cast on my skin, and also clogs my pores a bit so it's not for everyday wear. I haven't found a non-comedogenic zinc sunscreen to use daily yet. I don't feel the need to since I am not in the sun much, but if you have any recommendations, please hit a girl up.
During peak acne outbreak, I used BareMinerals powder foundation to cover up the splotchy red all over my face (thanks to Mecca in Indooroopilly for helping me find a safe foundation for my skin condition and for the colour-matching service). I don't wear foundation normally but if I did, I would definitely use BareMinerals. It's light and easy to wear, and great for sensitive skin.
