a guide to using our products on acne-prone skin

Breakout and blemish-prone skin often requires some extra TLC - TREATMENT, love, and care. Today, we're talking about how to use cocokind on acne-prone skin. We'll walk you through each step, and how each of the following products and their all-natural ingredients can help. Let's get right into it!

 

step 1) deeply cleanse

Use our AHA jelly cleanser to remove makeup and dirt from the skin. It's always important to cleanse, but it's especially crucial when you're breaking out! At night, there really shouldn't be any excuses. Make sure your face is completely clean and makeup-free before heading to bed. Leaving your face unchecked before sleeping can clog your pores and cause unnecessary consequences! AHA jelly cleanser is a uniquely gentle clarifying cleanser with 4% AHAs to help unclog and minimize the appearance of pores for soft, smooth skin.

Another great cleansing option is our oil to milk cleanser, which starts as an oil and transforms into a milk when mixed with water. The gentle, pH-balancing formula cleans and nourishes skin without stripping it of natural moisture, which is super important when you're in the middle of a breakout. It also promotes a healthy microbiome and helps clarify the skin. And the best part? You can actually wash it off like a traditional cleanser!

 

step 2) always follow up with toner

Toning acts as a second cleansing step - it helps remove any remaining dirt or makeup while ALSO balancing your skin's pH and supporting its acid mantle.

Acid what? Your acid mantle is the thin film on the skin’s surface that helps act as a barrier against environmental stressors. It’s important to maintain the pH level of the acid mantle to avoid stripping down this protective layer.

which toner should you use? 

Both of our toners are great for cleansing and soothing skin, but our raspberry vinegar toner is more acidic than our rosewater. It is specifically designed for those with oily or blemish-prone skin, since it has a low pH of 3.5 (vs. 5.5-6 for the rosewater toner). Cold-pressed and fermented raspberries deliver an acetic acid and nutrient-rich vinegar that helps to balance sebum and calm angry skin.

Post-cleansing, spray the toner 1-2x onto a cotton pad. Gently dab all over face, or on acne-prone areas to deeply cleanse. Note that this toner is definitely stronger and more acidic than the rosewater toner, so we recommend using it 2x a day, max.

If you struggle with body acne, we think you'll love spraying the raspberry vinegar toner on your body breakouts post-showering (and drying off).

Our rosewater toner has a higher pH of about 5.5, which is the average pH of healthy skin. If your skin's pH is lower or higher than this, the rosewater toner will help restore it to a healthier level. This toner can be used as freely and frequently as desired, and it will help reduce visible redness while also balancing and soothing the skin.

If you follow us on Instagram, you'll know that we love using the rosewater as the final step in the cleansing process, as a refresher throughout the day, as a makeup setter, and as an added ingredient to our facial oils. Mixing a few sprays of the toner in with any of our moisturizing oils helps increase spreadability and absorption of the oil.

 

step 3) mask and exfoliate

Cleansing, toning, and moisturizing may be our holy trinity, but masking and exfoliating are just as important!

masking

Our chlorophyll mask purifies and soothes the skin, leaving it calmer and visibly brighter. You can use it as often as every night, if your skin is really loving it!

To get the most out of this mask, place one full scoop into your palm and add an equal amount of liquid. This mask was designed to be mixed with water, but can also be mixed with any of our facial oils, toners, or even yogurt or coconut milk. It's all dependent on what your skin needs!

A few ways to customize this mask: 

-For dryer skin, mix in 1 pump of our cleansing oil or a couple of drops of our chia oil.

-For oily skin, mix in 2-3 sprays of our rosewater toner, our raspberry vinegar toner, or a mix of both!

-For areas that need a little *extra* purifying power, mix LESS water into the mask so that it has a thicker texture.

-On sensitive areas, add in more water to dilute the mask and make it thinner.

Whatever you choose, leave the mask on for at least 20 minutes, and simply rinse off with warm water to remove. 

Another great option is our sea kale clay mask, made in partnership with Jeannette Ogden of @shutthekaleup. Our creamy clay formula is great for oily or acne-prone skin because it helps reduce excess sebum and oil and purify skin without drying it out. Simply apply it, relax for 20 minutes, and then rinse it off with cool water. As you rinse it off, use circular massaging motions - the cucumber seed powder in our formula will gently exfoliate your skin.

At night, you can use our resurfacing sleep mask to help fade the appearance of dark spots and uneven tone left behind after a breakout. This ultra-nourishing mask centers around bakuchiol, a plant-derived retinol alternative, which gives you all of the smoothing and brightening benefits of a traditional retinol without the usual negative side effects. 

exfoliate

When dead cells build up on the skin's surface, they can clog your pores and trigger excess oil production. To avoid that, we recommend using a gentle exfoliant, like our turmeric illuminating solution 2-3x per week!

This chemical exfoliant will help you slough away dead cell buildup, improving your skin's texture and encouraging a smooth, clear complexion.

 

 step 4) treat

Our probiotic acne serum uses 1.5% salicylic acid to treat acne, blackheads, AND clogged pores! Here's how it works. 

Salicylic acid works both at the skin's surface AND at the pore level! It's oil-soluble, which allows it to penetrate into pores and work on unclogging them. On the surface, it helps smooth skin by separating the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the surface. Pores are left clear, and the skin's surface is left softer and smoother!

Our formula also nourishes skin with hydrating beta-glucan (a recent study found that beta-glucan was 20% more hydrating than hyaluronic acid!) and microbiome-friendly probiotics, so you can avoid the irritation and dryness that usually comes with acne treatments.

To work this serum into your routine, apply it after essence and spot treatment (if you use those!) and before moisturizer! 

Speaking of spot treatments - rather than simply drying out the skin (as most spot treatments do), our turmeric spot treatment targets visible signs of inflammation and the look of dark spots. Packed with turmeric, ginger, and tea tree oil, this organic treatment unclogs pores and helps visibly brighten skin by diffusing excess melanin.

Excess melanin production is usually the cause of darker looking spots - basically, it's NOT something we want an excess of.

Here's how to get the most out of your spot treatment: start by cleansing the skin to ensure that the treatment can absorb fully and effectively. Apply the treatment stick to blemishes or areas that appear uneven. To remove, simply wipe the turmeric off with a damp cotton pad (try using a spritz of either of our toners). This spot treatment is gentle enough to use frequently as you desire.

Can you sleep with it on? Yup! However, though it won't stain your skin, it will stain clothing and other fabrics (like your pillowcases), so plan accordingly. Lay a towel over your pillowcase before you hit the hay.

You can also layer the turmeric stick under the chlorophyll mask for extra spot-fighting power. Simply apply the turmeric stick to your desired areas, and then apply a thin layer of the chlorophyll mask over it and all over your face. Wash both off after at least 20 minutes and follow-up with toner on a cotton pad to make sure all of the turmeric has been removed.

Another great option is our turmeric tonic, which is our turmeric stick's sister product. Our invisible formula sinks right into the skin, so you can treat your skin overnight without staining your sheets or all day without anyone being able to tell - you can even wear it under makeup! 

Our two turmeric spot treatments have similar benefits, but since our tonic uses turmeric extract and our stick uses turmeric root powder, you'll get more brightening benefits with the stick. With the tonic, you might notice the appearance of blemishes diminishing faster.

step 5) moisturize! 

ALWAYS moisturize, even when you're breaking out! Contrary to what many think, drying out your acne is not useful. Think about the evolution of your pimples. The skin’s natural way of healing an infection (aka, your blemish) is to release the infection through the skin’s surface. Drying out the infection rather than allowing it to exit the skin is more harmful than beneficial, and can actually prolong the recovery process. By drying out the irritated spot, you’re covering up the infection with dead skin cells that prevent it from healing naturally–not to mention, excessively dried out skin can flake off and scar, which we want to avoid. It's best to just let your skin do its natural regenerative thing!

For deep hydration, we recommend our chia facial oil or facial repair oilFor lighter moisturizing, or for those who are new to moisturizing with oils, we recommend our chia facial oil or our watermelon hemp oil (which can also be used on the hair and body)! If you'd rather use a cream moisturizer, you can opt for our texture smoothing cream - the base of this silky cream is an emulsion of oil and water, so it'll feel super lightweight and is great for acne-prone skin.

Use one of these products day and night on a freshly cleansed and toned face to keep your skin nourished and aid in the healing process.

Want even deeper moisture? Try using a spritz or two of our glow essence before using your facial oil. The lightweight formula will kickstart the hydration process and improve absorption of whatever products you use next!

 

step 6) protect!

And NEVER forget sunscreen! Sunscreen use is crucial to healthy skin, no matter the type. Besides helping protect against sunburn, skin damage, and premature signs of aging, sunscreen also helps keep dark spots from old breakouts from getting darker. 

We recommend our daily SPF, which is a physical sunscreen that offers a soft finish and a lightweight feel. Our formula uses non-nano zinc oxide, blue phytoplankton, and microalgae to protect your skin from UVA rays, UVB rays, blue light, AND pollution! On top of that, our sunscreen was specifically formulated to avoid clogging pores and to offer a non-oily finish and feel. 

 

summing it up

Your basic essential skincare steps are: cleanse, tone, exfoliate and mask, treat, moisturize, and use SPF in the daytime. Everyone's skin is different, so we always recommend listening to your skin and developing a routine tailored to its specific needs. Since developing a routine can feel daunting, I wanted to share with you a recommended AM and PM routine if you are breaking out. Again, always listen to your skin and add or skip steps as necessary!

AM

  1. Cleanse with our oil to milk cleanser.
  2. Tone with our rosewater toner on a cotton pad.
  3. Spray our glow essence directly onto your face and gently pat it in.
  4. Massage or pat 2-3 drops of probiotic acne serum into skin.
  5. Apply our texture smoothing cream, watermelon hemp oil, chia facial oil, or facial repair oil as a moisturizer.
  6. Apply daily SPF facial sunscreen lotion.

PM

  1. Apply our cleansing oil and 1-2 sprays of our rosewater toner to a cotton pad. Wipe all over your face to remove makeup. Alternatively, you can remove your makeup using the cleansing oil and use the sea moss exfoliator to double cleanse and remove build up.
  2. Use our turmeric spot treatment or chlorophyll mask (or both!)
  3. Rinse off the mask and/or wipe off the turmeric stick using a reusable facial round and toner combo.
  4. Tone using our raspberry vinegar toner. This time, make sure nothing else comes off on the pad! Your face should be totally clean and free of residue after this step.
  5. Moisturize with our texture smoothing cream, watermelon hemp oil, chia facial oil, or facial repair oil.

 

Again - everyone's skincare needs are unique. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to use our products, and you don't need to use all of them to benefit from the natural ingredients! We hope this helps and we're always around to answer additional questions at info@cocokind.com!

Other resources to learn more about how to use our products:

How to choose the right toner for you

How to choose the right moisturizer for you

General comprehensive post on how to use cocokind

How to mentally deal with hormonal acne