The One-Year Clear: Solving Stubborn Acne & Supporting Mental Health
- inthinkerator
- Jun 21, 2025
- 11 min read
Updated: Jul 24, 2025
I fully cleared my acne-riddled skin in four months after four years of frustration. It was a tumultuous time for me because of how frustrating it was to switch between treatments, an experience that’s often glossed over by influencers.
Clear skin is a point of insecurity and uncertainty for thousands of us. There’s a multi-million dollar industry built on fixing that through serums, pills, and wellness strategies. Today, I’ll share what worked for me regarding clearing my acne, plus how it affected my mental health.
Who Should Use This Routine?
As a quick note, this strategy involves retinoid, a high-reward, high-risk skin treatment.
Try more mild products first before you try a retinoid. Less severe acne can be cleared with salicylic acid and good skin habits, and you won’t need to suffer the drying or irritation that sometimes accompanies retinoids.
If you’re in the persistent acne trenches with me and nothing’s worked so far, then go ahead and give this routine a try. Sensitive skin types can also be compatible with the strategies I suggest, provided you take steps to mitigate side effects. I’ll explain how to do that as well.
The Short Answer to Stubborn Acne
Use adapalene, a specific type of retinoid, to treat your skin. Add some BHAs, but only if your pores are particularly clogged. Use adapalene 3-4 times a week at night, and BHA 1-2 times a week at night. Don’t use both on the same night. Make sure your moisturizer has barrier-supporting ingredients, like ceramides, to reduce irritation from your active ingredients.
Adapalene and most retinoid products will take 3+ months to work. I get that it’s frustrating, but giving treatments time to take effect is one of the most important tenets of skincare. Try to stick to the routine for at least 3-4 months before you try something else.
The Medium Answer to Stubborn Acne
So what finally worked for my stubborn, cystic acne? You’ve probably heard the answer already: retinol. I used Differin Gel, but La Roche Posay’s adapalene gel can also get the job done. I will note that these two products are very different from drugstore retinol products, such as those sold by Naturium, Cocokind, Murad, and most beauty brands. I’ll explain below why adapalene worked for me and how adapalene is distinct from other types of retinols.
In a nutshell, one of the most effective ways to treat acne is with adapalene, BHAs, and good barrier support. I would recommend Differin Gel, Bioessance’s Squalane BHA Toner, and moisturizers with lots of ceramides. Some ceramide options are CeraVe’s Renewing Night Cream and TonyMoly’s Mochi Skin Toner.
Scientific studies have shown time and time again that adapalene is incredibly effective in combating acne by improving cell turnover, which prevents oil or buildup from accumulating in the layers of your skin. No buildup, no acne.
One study on adapalene with 253 subjects, conducted over 16 weeks, showed a significant reduction in lesions in subjects who were prescribed 0.1% adapalene gel. Many similar studies exist, with varying parameters. Generally, adapalene is widely accepted as a highly effective acne treatment, as corroborated by the National Library of Medicine’s review of existing retinoid studies.
However, retinoids and BHAs can be irritating, so keep reading for tips on how to use these ingredients correctly.
Skincare Philosophy: Do You Really Need Twenty Toners?
As a teenager in high school with a face that felt, at least to me, like a minefield, I was horribly unhappy with how I looked. To any younger readers, I think it’s an important reminder that most people you meet don’t notice your insecurities with the laser precision that you do. It’s a cliche, but it’s a piece of advice that doesn’t lose validity just because it’s a cliche.
Perspectives on skincare and mental health vary along a wide spectrum: there are the ten-step Korean skincare advocates, the less-is-more school of thought, and the self-care leaning crowd that avoids covering blemishes, instead opting to accept how they look. Personally, I don’t think any single philosophy is the answer. It’s about knowing what your goals are for both your skin and your confidence, and then deciding how to best achieve those goals.
I think it’s important to acknowledge how skincare and cosmetic products fit into your daily happiness. The ‘objectively optimal’ skincare routine, if there is one, may be effective in clearing your acne—but it may not be the best choice for your lifestyle, personality, or wallet.
The ten-step system, Cetaphil-onlys, and anything in between can work. But besides considering what’s effective for your skin, it’s also important to consider what makes you feel happy and beautiful. Some people really enjoy layering serums. It’s a nightly ritual that helps them relax and feel good about themselves, and that’s worth considering along with cost and efficacy. For others, having a long skincare routine is a drag that only highlights any insecurities they may have. If nineteen bottles on your bathroom counter is what makes you happy, then show us your Sephora haul with pride. And if anything more than a simple cleanser makes your head hurt, don’t feel bad for ‘not taking care of your skin’.
Similarly, fragrance is typically not great for your skin. But if you like scented products and enjoy the experience of using them, then buy scented products. As long as they aren’t overly irritating to your skin, you can indulge in them without guilt.
At the end of the day, good skincare is a balance between what’s healthy for your specific skin troubles and your user experience. Choose skincare that you enjoy applying, otherwise it’ll be hard for you to stick to the routine. A totally optimized skincare routine is great, but it doesn’t work at all if you don’t use it. Set realistic goals and try to have fun.
My Skincare Journey
I went the normal route: once I noticed the acne cropping up around my chin, I rushed to the nearest Sephora and picked up the first bottle that had ‘acne’ on the label. It was a generic salicylic acid treatment that stung my face and didn’t help a whole lot.
Next, I tried tea tree oil spot treatments, moisturizing sheet masks, a custom-made Chinese medicine toner, and everything in between.
Each time I switched treatments, two very bad things happened: first, I didn’t give any single product a chance to actually work on my skin because I was too impatient. No one wants to hear this, but there are no products that will fix stubborn acne in a day—or even in a month, to be honest. Time is the most important skincare ingredient. And second, with every switch, I became more and more fearful that I’d look like this forever. Nothing worked, and nothing ever would. I started to feel like an outlier, someone the internet and dermatologists couldn’t—or wouldn’t—cure.
The hardest truth to learn in the skincare sphere is that ingredients take time to work. BHAs like salicylic acid are oil-soluble treatments that unclog pores. As such, they’re used to treat blackheads and mild acne. Salicylic acid usually won’t show results until 12 weeks in, and other treatments may take even longer.
Though this waiting period is certainly frustrating, it’s worthwhile in the long run.
I spent four years or so hopping between drugstore toners and miracle cures to no avail. If I’d stuck to one effective treatment, I could have cured my acne in a quarter of that time. My attempt to find a solution faster actually only lengthened the process.
It was only until college that I finally developed the confidence to just wait it out. And that’s when I started to see results with my skincare routine. I do believe acceptance is a huge factor in skincare. You can have self-confidence and accept who you are while still looking for ways to improve your appearance. These two concepts are not mutually exclusive. Loving yourself through every part of the skincare process can go a long way in terms of improving your mood in the interim and actually seeing results.
For me personally, I decided I wanted to commit to my skincare routine even if I didn’t look exactly how I wanted in the meantime. I experimented with fashion and accessories to improve my self-confidence—clear skin isn’t the only way to feel pretty. I started taking better care of my hair as well, which also helped me feel comfortable with my reflection. Whether you want to look good for yourself, your partner, or your friends, don’t forget that the right people will always see your value regardless of how you look.
The Long Answer to Stubborn Acne: My One-Year-Clear Skincare Routine
Now the fun part. After a deep dive on YouTube, trawling through Reddit and personal blogs, and even a dip into scientific studies on individual ingredients, I cleared my acne. To preface, I have very dry skin that is not sensitive in the slightest. I tolerate acids and active ingredients like retinol very well, with minimal side effects. But don’t worry; I’ll also suggest ways to make these ingredients work for my sensitive skin folks.
Here’s the basics of my routine and why it worked:
First, I added double-cleansing to my routine. Double-cleansing is typically done with an oil-soluble cleanser and a water-soluble cleanser. The idea is that an oil cleanser helps remove makeup, sunscreen, and other physical dirt from your skin, while also penetrating deeper into your pores to loosen sebum. While double-cleansing won’t clear stubborn acne on its own, it’s a good start to healthier skin and can help with maintaining unclogged pores.
This Muji oil cleanser was unoffensive and got the job done with no fuss. It’s a runny oil texture that you rub onto dry skin. When you wash it off with water, it becomes milkier. Made mostly of olive oil, this formula is light and easy to apply. Olive oil is rich in squalane, which is fantastic for moisturizing dry skin, and contains a ton of vitamin E (tocopherol). Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects your skin cells from free radicals, which can reduce collagen production. Since collagen is what makes your skin bouncy and firm, choosing collagen-healthy skincare is important for youthful skin.
There is some controversy surrounding olive oil for acne-prone skin. I personally didn’t have an issue, but if your pores are easily clogged, try The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm instead: it’s mostly sweet almond oil and oat kernel oil. Sweet almond oil is loaded with antioxidants, including vitamin E and vitamin B.
Follow your oil cleanser with a water-soluble cleanser. Now that the oil buildup and makeup or sunscreen have been gently removed, we can work on cleansing bacteria away. This is a super-easy, non-irritating gel cleanser. Low pH products are good for your skin as they support your skin’s natural microbiome.
Don’t opt for products that are too harsh or strip your skin completely clean; losing your natural oils entirely actually isn’t good for treating acne. This will further irritate your skin, causing more issues like dryness and itching. This cleanser should work well for all skin types.
The Differin Gel treatment features 0.1% adapalene in its formula. That may not seem like a lot, but again, it’s one of the strongest treatments you can buy over the counter. 0.1% is more than enough to make a difference.
The texture is a translucent, lightweight gel that glides onto your skin easily. Retinoids and retinols have been known to cause dryness and irritation for sensitive skin types, but you can still use these products even if your skin’s a little finicky.
Retinol, Retinoids, and How They Fight Acne
First, a quick rundown on retinol: Retinol is a vitamin A derivative. This ingredient increases the turnover rate of skin cells and can work into the deeper layers of your skin to promote collagen production.
While this may not seem acne-relevant immediately, this is actually one of the most effective long-term strategies to treat acne. Improving skin cell turnover is fantastic at preventing anything from getting trapped in your skin, meaning less clogged pores and acne.
While BHAs or other popular acne treatments reduce inflammation and loosen any buildup that’s already present, retinols can help prevent this situation entirely. If you have the patience for it, retinol is one of the best choices for both acne and aging—cell turnover and collagen production are also going to reduce wrinkles drastically.
You may hear the terms retinol and retinoid used interchangeably, but they’re a little different. Retinols are a subclass of retinoids that are more gentle on your skin, but may be less effective. Any retinoid product will eventually be converted into retinoic acid by your skin, which is what helps with cell turnover. Retinoids convert to retinoic acid faster than retinols. Basically, the faster a product turns into retinoic acid, the stronger the effects are.
So, how does adapalene factor in?
Adapalene is a topical retinoid, so that means it’s automatically stronger than any retinol product. This is significant because until recently, most retinoids were only available by prescription. As a result, most high-strength acne treatments on the market are retinols, not retinoids. As a retinoid that doesn’t require a prescription, adapalene is among the most effective treatments you can get without seeing a doctor.
Using Retinoids with Sensitive Skin
For sensitive skin, make sure you’re taking really good care of your face before and after applying. I didn’t include a toner because they aren’t completely necessary, but adding a toner with soothing ingredients before adapalene application can mitigate uncomfortable side effects. Look for:
centella asiatica (soothing, anti-redness)
allantonin (soothing, moisturizing)
ceramides (barrier support)
These and similar ingredients will reduce redness and irritation. Additionally, try applying moisturizer directly before and after applying retinoids. This is called the sandwich method, and helps to pack in hydration before you apply treatment.
There are a lot of moisturizers that work well; I’ve selected CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Night Cream because it has both ceramides and niacinamide. This opaque cream has a medium-thick texture, sinks in fast, and doesn’t feel greasy.
Ceramides are lipids found in the outer layer of your skin. These are important for your skin barrier as they help maintain a thick, functioning layer between your skin and the outside world. When this barrier is disrupted, your skin doesn’t retain water as well, leading to dry skin. A damaged skin barrier also means bacteria can become trapped under your skin, which causes acne. Retinoids can be tough on your skin barrier, so it’s extra important to maintain a healthy outer layer of skin if you’re using adapalene (or gentler retinols).
Niacinamide is a supporting ingredient that improves ceramide synthesis, helping your skin repair itself and stay hydrated. 2% niacinamide is enough to increase the synthesis of fatty acids and ceramides. This ingredient also has some wound-healing properties, so it helps soothe your skin at the same time.
If you’re using an active ingredient, you need to use a sunscreen. Retinoids, BHAs, and AHAs will all increase your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Protect your skin with a good sunscreen. The Missha All Around Safe Sun Gel is my personal favorite; it’s light, sensitive-skin friendly, and has a very mild scent. Any sun damage will compound your acne, dryness, or irritation issues, making any treatment less effective.
Shop around for a sunscreen you enjoy using so that you can stick to it. While 100% mineral sunscreens are a little healthier for your skin, they also tend to have thicker textures and more white cast. This is an area of skincare I don’t really optimize because my daily experience of applying sunscreen is more important to me. Plus, if I don’t enjoy putting on sunscreen, I won’t do it at all. And no sunscreen is way worse than using a chemical sunscreen.
Routine Application Details
In the mornings, I used the oil cleanser, followed by moisturizer and sunscreen. Never apply actives in the mornings as exposing irritated skin to sunlight often leads to more irritation.
At night, I used the oil cleanser, then the gel cleanser, followed by adapalene and moisturizer. I applied adapalene every other night. On off nights, I only used my cleansers and moisturizers.
This is a pretty simple routine that I believe will drastically reduce most acne. If long, intense self-care sessions are your thing, feel free to add extra hydration, soothing, and exfoliating steps! Just remember to stick to your basic double cleanse, regular retinoid application, soothing moisturizer, and sunscreen.
At the End of the Day, Your Mental Health Matters More
Give these products a try and see how your skin reacts. Some dryness and redness are normal with retinoid use, but if it’s unbearable, try a milder treatment like BHAs. Or, try adding in more soothing ingredients and limiting retinoid use to one or two times a week. You can increase the frequency at which you use adapalene as your skin adjusts.
If any of these products just don’t feel good to use because of tactile, sensory, or other reasons, look for other products. Self-care and skincare should be an enjoyable part of your day, not another chore to complete before bed.
Ultimately, what matters most is how you feel about what you’re putting on your skin and how you feel about how you look. Try to find a balance between the two. You are you regardless of how your skin looks. But if you’ll feel more like yourself with clear skin, then by all means, I encourage you to keep at it with skincare routines. It can be a long, confusing process to find what works for you, but remember that you’re worth it.
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