This $29 Serum Is My Most Reliable Weapon Against Hormonal Acne

Acne is a fickle thing. There’s no one-size-fits-all cure, and if any brand or product positions itself as such, you should run far away in the opposite direction. It’s all about finding the right routine for you, taking into consideration things like your skin type, lifestyle, budget, and preferences. Hormonal acne is particularly difficult, as it stems from internal workings that are essentially out of your control. After years of trial and error, I’ve found a hormonal acne skin care routine that keeps flare-ups at bay and mitigates inflammation — but that doesn’t mean I never get breakouts.

In fact, it’s quite the contrary. When my acne was at its peak, my dermatologist prescribed Spironolactone, a blood pressure medication and androgen-blocker that’s often used to treat hormonal acne. It worked for years but eventually hit a plateau, and I didn’t super love the idea of taking pills that weren’t serving their purpose anymore. When I saw a TikTok from a dermatologist about Winlevi, a new topical form of Spironolactone, I asked my doctor about it right away. She prescribed it to me and while it’s not as powerful as oral medication, it works well to keep my breakouts to a minimum.

Along with the Winlevi, I’ve crafted a skin care routine that strikes a balance of treating my acne and offering nourishing hydration so that my skin can recover and heal. That means that among my acne-targeting products (like my holy grail serum from Glossier and Tower 28’s viral facial spray), there are plenty of gentle-yet-effective cleansers and soothing moisturizers.

Ahead, discover my go-to routine for keeping my acne-prone and sensitive skin as happy as it can be.

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