Super gentle (and cheap) routine for acne prone/sensitive skin

When you suffer from acne, the last thing you want to do is use anything irritating on the skin. In fact it seems that irritation is one of the main causes of acne. Any time I have used one of those really harsh "acne-busting" detergent cleansers - which resemble little more than handwash - my skin breaks out like crazy because it is so irritated. It would also leave my face feeling dry and tight, something I can't stand. You can't scrub acne away. Over-cleaning the skin won't prevent blemishes developing. It's only natural to want to deeply cleanse when you suffer from acne but unfortunately it doesn't help. On the flip side, my skin improved in leaps and bounds when I started using an extremely gentle cleansing method. A mild, water-soluble cleanser helps reduce oily skin and acne without making your skin feel dry and tight. Here's the skincare routine I've been using for a while, and my acne and sensitivity issues have improved about 60%, I would say.

Cleanser: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (£8-ish)

Plain white gel that is lightly stroked over the face, then removed with a hot cloth. It leaves my face comfortable, soft and clean, and takes my makeup off just fine, contrary to what others say. I highly doubt I'll ever use anything else!

Special treatment: La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water (£6-ish)

This refreshing spray gives the skin a shot of antioxidants in its purifying spa water. Ok, it might sound like hokum but I can attest that it's very soothing and smoothing, and after a week of using it twice a day my skin felt different - amazingly so, in fact. It aborbs very quickly and tones down redness like magic. If you have sensitive skin, this might just be the product that surprises you. 

Moisturiser: Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion (£8-ish)

This is a lightweight lotion that always makes my face feel peachy and plump, and creates a lovely smooth base for foundation. It's noticable how much better I look with this on, simply because it makes my makeup glide on. Some people find it greasy, although I don't. (Liz Earle Skin Repair Light, a product I inexplicably used for years, is a different story!) I personally find it absorbs very easily, but if you find yourself feeling oily before maekup, try using a powder-free shine-absorbing sheet to ensure a better application and a matte finish. To me, the Cetaphil moisturiser is a unique product and it never fails to amaze me how soft and silky it makes the skin feel, in a way nothing else does. I haven't found anything else like it and it performs incredibly highly.

I'm not sure how long the Thermal Water Spray lasts because I only recently started using it, but I have been using the Cetaphil products for a good few years now and I know that I only buy about two bottles of the cleanser per year, while the moisturiser outlasts its use-by date! So this is a very purse-friendly routine and one that has improved my skin no end. Other than a few slightly nasty chems in the Cetaphil products it is mostly free of dangerous ingredients, too. I recently decided that I'm never going to use any more risky synthetics to get rid of my acne - benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid etc. - it simply isn't worth it for vanity! A gentle regime like this improves my skin just enough for me to be happy with it - without doing anything harmful to my body. I think it's great and I hope you like it too. (~_^)