My Retinol and Exfoliant Nighttime Routine for Oily Acne-Prone Skin
Updated: Sep 14
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TL;DR for my fellow skimmers 💕
Two to three nights a week, I follow my active skincare routine with retinol or exfoliants. Here's what I use, in order, and why it works for my melanated oily, acne-prone skin.
Every night: Double cleanse with La Roche-Posay Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil, no exceptions
Retinol nights (2x a week): With ANUA 77+ Toner, CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum, ANUA PDRN Serum, Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum, and La Roche Posay Moisturizer
Exfoliating nights (1x a week): Touch in Sol No Pore Blem AHA BHA PHA Toner on a cotton ball, extra ANUA PDRN Serum and La Roche Posay Moisturizer for hydration.
Alternative exfoliating option: Onekind Youth Drops left on overnight when I want to switch it up from my Touch in Sol toner
Non-negotiable: Sunscreen every single morning or none of this works, my two faves can be found here
If you've already read my soothing nighttime skincare routine, you know what I do on most nights. This post is part of my full skincare system. If you want the overview of every routine I use, the skincare hub is right here!
But two to three nights a week I switch things up and bring in my actives.
Note: I'm not a licensed esthetician, this is what works for my skin.
The one thing every night starts with...
I always start with the La Roche-Posay Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil by double cleansing with it. If you prefer to only do one wash, I like using the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser in those cases. This cleanser is stronger so typically one wash will get the job done. Regardless, everything else builds on this clean base.
And if I ever have an active breakout while I'm doing any of these routines, I always use my pimple patches on those spots to protect them. I talk about how and when I use pimple patches to get the most success with them here!
Retinol night (2x a week)
I do this routine twice a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, depending on how my skin feels:
After cleansing my face I mist my face with water to dampen it (if needed) then tap my ANUA Heartleaf 77+ Soothing Toner into my skin.
I give it two to three minutes to fully dry before moving on. This is important with retinol because applying it to damp skin can increase irritation.
Once my skin is dry, I apply my CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum. I use slightly more than the standard pea-sized amount to cover my face without overdoing it.
I give that two to three minutes to fully absorb before moving on to the next step.
Then I tap about 4-5 drops of my ANUA PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Serum into my skin.
No wait time here!
Afterward I tap some of my Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum under my eyes, and I finish with my La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer.
As a quick note, every product from all my skincare routines is applied to my neck too!
Exfoliating night (1x a week)
I do this one once a week and it is my most intense active skincare nights. After cleansing, I dry my face completely then:
I take a cotton ball and put several drops of Touch in Sol No Pore Blem AHA BHA PHA Toner on it and apply it all over my skin. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't sting a little because it does. It's not bad but it's noticeable as a heads up!
I give it four to five minutes to fully dry.
As a quick note, this product is not currently on Amazon and I only found it on the Touch in Sol website.
After that I apply my ANUA PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Serum. I typically do a little more than usual on exfoliating nights, around six drops total for my face and neck, because skin needs that extra hydration.
Then I apply my Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum and a hefty layer of my La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer. My skin needs it after this toner and I give her what she needs.
The occasional exfoliating alternative...
If I don't feel like using my exfoliating toner or want to switch things up, I'll use my Onekind Youth Drops instead. This one is meant to stay on overnight. When using the Onekind Youth Drops:
Apply ANUA 77+ toner as usual and let it dry.
Apply an almond size amount of the Youth Drops to my face and neck and let that dry down for a couple minutes.
Then apply my La Roche Posay moisturizer, and that's it! I let it work overnight and in the morning I wash my face with water a little more thoroughly than usual before going about my day.
How my active nights are helping my hyperpigmentation...
My active nights, in conjunction with my soothing nights, are a big part of why my hyperpigmentation has been improving. Retinol speeds up cell turnover and exfoliants help clear the surface so that brightening products can actually do their job. If you're dealing with dark marks and acne scarring and want to see everything I've been using specifically for hyperpigmentation, that post is right here.
None of this works without sunscreen...
But please, please remember that using retinol, exfoliants, or any active ingredients without wearing sunscreen every morning wastes your products and time. Actives increase your skin's sensitivity to sun exposure and the sun will undo the progress your nighttime routine is making.
My morning sunscreen is a non-negotiable and I wrote about my two favorite ones and why I LOVE them as a Black woman with oily skin right here!
Want to track all of this?
If you're building out a skincare routine with multiple different nights and active ingredients like I have, it can get complicated fast. That's why I made the Pivot & Pink | Glow Skincare Log! It's a beginner-friendly Notion template where you can easily customize it for your needs. You can:
Log all your staple products, wishlist items, and things you’re trying out
Track how your skin is responding to products
Keep an ingredient library of what your skin loves & hates
Use my tested pause and reset protocol when your skin starts acting up and you can't figure out why
Keeping track of what you're using on your skin is one of the most helpful things you can do when on a healthy skincare journey, and it’s only $3!
In summary...
Building a nighttime skincare routine with retinol and exfoliants can be transformative for melanated oily, acne-prone skin, especially when paired with a soothing routine and sunscreen. By tailoring your routine to your skin's needs and tracking your progress, you can achieve healthier, glowing skin over time. Remember, patience and consistency are key, here's to radiant, confident skin!
The journey to a life that you truly love doesn't have to stop here!
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