A 5-Step Morning Skincare Routine For Acne-Prone Skin

If you’re prone to breakouts and want to get clearer, calmer skin, then you probably have a million questions about where to start. What products do you need? How do those products work? What order should you apply them in? To address any skin concern, you need to start with the basics, which is a skincare routine that involves cleansing, treating, moisturising, and protecting your skin. With acne, this means looking out for lightweight moisturisers, gentle cleansers, and ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide. 

Scroll down for a simple, easy-to-follow morning skincare routine for acne-prone skin, featuring product recommendations and application tips. Then save this link and check out our evening skincare routine for acne-prone skin. 

Kick off your morning skincare routine by cleansing with a gentle gel-textured cleanser. Look out for ingredients like salicylic acid, which will help to unclog pores and remove excess oil from the skin without drying it out. Spend two minutes massaging your cleanser into your skin, then rinse it off using warm water and a clean flannel. 

When it comes to choosing a serum, look for a product which promises to calm and soothe. Ingredients like niacinamide, cica, prebiotics, and mushroom will help to reduce the inflammation and irritation that causes spots to appear angry and feel painful. Pat your serum onto damp skin, using your fingertips to gently press it in. 

Oily and acne-prone skin needs moisture just as much as dry skin does. If your skin isn’t hydrated then your oil glands will go into overdrive and produce even more sebum, which leads to shiny skin, clogged pores, and more breakouts. Keep your skin moisturised with a light gel-textured formula that contains hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. To apply, massage all over your face and neck. 

UV exposure can cause early signs of skin aging and lead to skin cancer, but it also has an impact on breakout-prone skin. Since UV causes inflammation, it can make spots worse, and is also responsible for those annoying red marks that linger behind after a breakout. Look for a light-textured formula which has both UVA and UVB protection, and a minimum of SPF 30. Apply generously all over skin – 365 days a year!

Finally, apply a targeted spot treatment to any active breakouts. These products contain super-concentrated blends of acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid, zinc, tea tree, and niacinamide which help to take down the blemish quickly and effectively. In the day time, you’ll probably want a treatment that appears invisible on your skin, so look out for clear, gel formulas (which absorb fast and sit well under makeup) or try spot stickers, which draw the impurities out of spots, prevent bacteria from getting in, and help to conceal any unwanted redness.