Finding the right skin care products for acne scars and bumpy skin texture is tricky, to say the least. But we developed a routine with only four products that gives you results in less than a month. Read on to see what works.
Like many Klog readers, Soko Glam’s photography intern, Amanda, was looking for a routine that would quickly and effectively diminish the appearance of her acne scars and smooth out her skin texture. And Tina, one of our writers, came up with a four product plan that starting showing serious results in less than a month. After three weeks of using the four products Tina recommended, Amanda’s skin looks like this:
Without further ado, here is the routine Amanda has been sticking to for the past three weeks:
Treating the scars with the Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid
Amanda makes sure to apply this highly potent serum (it’s composed of 20% vitamin C!) to her affected areas. With such a strong dose of vitamin C (which is one of the best brightening ingredients), Amanda’s scars were brightened and lightly exfoliated. This daily gentle exfoliation helped smooth out her skin texture.
Although Amanda eventually started applying the Triple C serum to her scars daily, she started out slowly with this acid. Since it’s pretty strong, you may want to begin by just adding it in every other night until your skin becomes accustomed to it.
Soothe texture with the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
If you haven’t seen our video as to why we love snail mucin for acne scars, watch it here. But to sum it up: Snail mucin is full of amino acids that are known to repair skin damage, making it a savior for skin that has uneven texture. Not only does this essence use snail mucin to even out acne scars, it’s also super hydrating. When you use it after Triple C, it puts the hydration back in so your skin soaks it up and feels super smooth. It provides hydration that doesn’t feel burdensome, AKA thick.
Infusing skin with nutrients every night with the Leaders Balancing Recovery Mask
Amanda slaps on one of these Leaders’ biocellulose balancing sheet masks every single night. There are two key points to this: First, she sheet masks every day. It’s something you might not be able to do every day if you’re busy, but it’s an excellent way to hydrate skin on top of the snail essence.
The second thing that’s important is using a biocellulose mask. Biocellulose masks ensure that your skin soaks up everything (as opposed to microfiber, which tends to leave too much essence/residue on your skin). They’re especially great if you have oily skin and you want something refreshing rather than rich moisture. But whether your using biocellulose or microfiber, the real point is to sheet mask every day.
Sealing everything in with the Cosrx Centella Blemish Cream
This is—quite literally—one of the best moisturizer for acne-prone skin. Since it contains centella asiatica, an antioxidant that works as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory ingredient, this Cosrx cream helps calm skin and even out skin tone amazingly. This is technically a spot treatment but you can apply to wider areas (put a very thin layer over your nose and cheeks, or wherever you get redness), and you’ll wake up with more even skin.
And if you’re really dry, after applying the Cosrx cream to your affected areas, you can apply a thin layer of the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream all over your face. It’s great for calming redness and is chock full of ceramides to help strengthen the skin barrier and add an extra layer of moisture.
Bottom line:
Give this routine a try and see how it works for your acne scars, but be diligent. Try your best to sheet mask every day and not skip any products (aside from the Triple C if your skin is sensitive).
“Combining the Triple C serum and the snail essence really helped even out the texture issues I had on my cheeks,” says Amanda. “I use this combination every night and my skin has really benefitted from it. The texture around my cheeks has evened out and my skin overall looks smoother and brighter.”
+ What do you think are the best products for acne scars? Share your picks in the comments!
Additional reporting by Tina Cho