I had my first pimple when I was in Grade 4 and I was only 11 years old during that time. Thankfully, it emerged from my forehead so I still managed to hide it with my hair.  I know how awful it is to have pimples all over your face because my mother still had acne even in her 40’s. She was always conscious about the appearance of her face. She tried to consult a dermatologist but it didn’t work. She also tried different products including those advertised on televisions. Because of fear of experiencing that kind of scenario, I used a foam cleanser, which is the Celeteque Hydration Facial Wash that my mother was using during that time, believing that it could get rid of that one pimple on my forehead. Bu after some time of using it, it got worse. I got new small pimples on my forehead so I stopped using the product.

I went back on using bar soap but this time, I got really harsh on my skin. I wash my face twice every morning and evening and once in the afternoon. I had read on a textbook that washing your face twice every morning and evening will keep your skin clean and clear. But still, my skin did not improve. I already developed acne on my cheeks.

My mother was really worried because I am already having pimples at a very young age. She decided that I should use foam cleansers “formulated” to treat acne. For years, I had been using Pond’s Acne Clear Face Wash. It was not that bad but I still do get pimples from time to time. I just got used to my acne and never tried to get rid of it because trying another product might make it worse again.

Hearing these words almost every day, I became desperate to get rid of my acne. I used Proactiv for two months but all I got is dry and irritated skin, and even made my acne worse. It has benzoyl peroxide which is an acne medication and this ingredient made my skin very dry and flaky. Acne, irritatated, dry, and flaky skin. Name it all.

I also tried using the whole Beauche set which was recommended to me by my cousin. It did improve my skin. It dries out the pimple pretty fast and it also gives your skin that glow. But after some time, it is not effective anymore. Some of the products were too heavy for my skin as they contain petroleum, if not, it is too harsh because of exfoliating and bleaching ingredients, and their products contain a lot of alcohol and fragrance in it. And then, I continued to use only one of their products which is the clarifying solution, an astringent.

My tito from Korea sent me this TonyMoly Clean Dew Tea Tree Seed Foam Cleanser. I have high hopes on this product because Koreans really do have beautiful skin. Indeed, it worked well for my skin. It minimized the appearance of pimples on my face, and it became smoother and brighter in complexion.

Korean skincare left a good impression on me. I started using their cosmetics to hide the imperfections of my skin. I used Laneige BB cushion, the pore control variant. It did not break me out. It also has a smooth and nice finish.

I already emptied the foam cleanser that my tito had send me and I was not able to get a new one. So I used random soaps claiming that they can clear acne and the clarifying solution from Beauche. I discovered that among all these random soaps, the Olay Total Effects Foaming Cleanser works the best with the clarifying solution.

My routine became stable. I wash my face with the Olay foaming cleanser, then clarifying solution. This routine is for the evening. In the morning, I wash my face with the foaming cleanser then apply the Laneige BB cushion.

Although my skin was a lot better, and makeup played a huge role on that, I still wanted to have clear skin and be makeup-free. I still do get breakouts from time to time. That is when I stumbled upon this Korean skincare youtuber, Joan Kim. She had acne before and after she used Korean skincare, her skin became clear and flawless. You will never think that she suffered from acne before. From her, I learned about the 10-step Korean skincare. It is composed of an oil cleanser, a water-based cleanser, exfoliator, toner, essence, serum, sheet mask, eye cream, moisturizer, and sleeping mask. The products that I tried from her recommendation for acne-prone skin are the Banila Co. cleansing balm, CosRx Good Morning Gel Cleanser, and Son & Park Beauty Water.

And this made my skin the worst! This was my worst breakout throughout my life. I had really big pimples on my forehead and cheeks. They are so big that three pimples collided as one. Covering my face with makeup won’t make it look better. I was tempted to pop those big pimples. Gross. Afterwards, it left me with really deep acne scars.

I went back to my old routine. Olay foam cleanser then the Beauche clarifying solution. Then I wear makeup during the day but it doesn’t look on my skin anymore. I had really deep acne scars and putting makeup on will make those scars more visible.

And then my mother saw this product, Some By Miracle Toner on Facebook. It was the hype during those times. Before, when trying a new product, I get really excited. But this time, I was almost hesitant to try that product. Then my mother asked me to order that product online. On the first day that I used it, I was afraid to see new pimples emerging from my skin the next morning. But it was gentle, I did not expect an exfoliating and acne product to be this gentle. It does not sting and dry the skin. I stopped using the clarifying solution and replaced that with this toner. After some time of using it, I heard compliments saying that my skin was getting clearer. They even asked what product I used.

Because of that product, I trusted Korean skincare brands again. I realized that using the right products is critical to achieve results. What works for others may not work for you because each of us have different skin types.

From that, I tried to build my own 10-step Korean skincare. I add products gradually so I would know what products work best for me. So here is my skincare routine which I am still improving.

I did not include all the steps in the 10-step Korean skincare because I thought that some of these are not actually necessary. My skin is A LOT better now. This is so rewarding. After years of suffering from acne, I can already leave the house without makeup on. Waking up to a better skin excites me every morning. I rarely get new pimples. Maybe once in a month and that pimple subsides soon.

For those who suffer from acne right now, I know the struggles of living with acne and I encourage you to not lose hope and take this as a challenge to reach your goal: CLEAR SKIN.

Proper SKINCARE is the key, which means you won’t put anything that will irritate or aggravate your skin like harsh acne medications. Like other organs of the body, your skin will tell you how you take care of it. If you’re still struggling with acne despite all the products that you put on your face, then these may not be the right products for you. Or worse, these products may actually be the root cause of acne. Overusing acne medications could be counterproductive. Instead of seeing results, you will see it getting worse which is I know, very frustrating.

I am 100% that you can heal your skin. Trust me. I’ve been through it all. I cannot say that I have the most perfect skin but I am already contented and happy with it knowing that I can still improve it. Nothing can happen overnight. It also requires patience.

Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

For suggestions and more updates, like/follow us on:

Facebook Page: @umacsblog

Twitter: @scamublog

Instagram: @scamublog