Twitter can be wild sometimes and often sends me down insane rabbit holes. The other day, CeraVe started trending. My heart sank because CeraVe has saved my skin’s life these last few months and I was concerned that something was wrong with the product or that the CEO was a Maga. I was terrified to click on it. When I finally mustered the nerve to see what was happening with my beloved CeraVe, the hilarity that ensued was peak Twitter. First I saw everyone lamenting CeraVe being sold out because it was trending. I started panicking of course and went on Amazon to make sure my products were in stock. But after strolling down a page of tweets, I found out what happened.
CeraVe was trending because of Cardi B. Cardi was having a bout of adult acne and was at her wits end. So she took to Twitter to ask her followers for advice. Cardi stated that she had been to a dermatologist who put her on Retinol but “that sh*t dried her face” and made it worse. Another follower suggested CeraVe products but Cardi wasn’t having that either. Cardi said she tried CeraVe and it did nothing for her skin. Below is a play by play via People:
“I need ya help tho….,” Cardi, 28, began in a series of posts on Twitter. “I been breaking out lately and my face is extremely dry. I don’t think these products are working. I think it’s the water out here …..What are some good products for little black heads, break outs and dry skin on your face ?”
“This is my cheek … It’s been happening for like 3 months now … S— really is uncomfortable,” she added in another tweet alongside a close-up snap of her skin, showing inflamed breakouts and clogged pores.
Fans started to reply, recommending skincare favorites like Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Clinique products. However, Cardi said that she’d tried them all, to no avail.
“It really don’t work for me,” she said the CeraVe cleansers and moisturizers.
She also said she bought “the whole package of Clinique” and that “it worked [a little] bit but still sometimes my face gets really dry and I’m breaking out on my chin.”
The “Money” rapper then detailed how she had recently been to a dermatologist who recommended she try retinol but claimed the product made her face “burn” and dry out even more. Some fans pointed out that retinol has a “purging phase,” but Cardi said she “don’t got time for my face to do that.”
“I did I said it in previous post. That gave me some s— that dried my face more and make me get more [pores],” she said. “Thet said it will take 3 months but I don’t got time for that and didn’t give me a reason on why I’m breaking out. I never broke out on my cheeks and chin [before].”
Cardi later added that she wants “to go to a good dermatologist that do blood testing and everything. Get to the root of the problem but I don’t know any.”
Poor Cardi. My sis is in a pickle. There is nothing fun about reliving your teen years by developing adult acne, especially during a pandemic when doctors and things are not readily available. More than likely the acne is happening because she is in a new place using different water and her face is just reacting to it. It is also possible that it is due to a hormonal change. Whatever the case, I hope Cardi finds someone to help her because she seemed truly distraught.
There was an esthetician that popped up on her feed with a large following that gave her some advice (read trying to sell her services). Maybe Cardi will try what she has suggested and get her skin back to normal. I do understand where my girl Cardi was coming from. Last year, I was going through a period where I was getting dry patches all over my face and no matter what I did, nothing worked. One of the Celebitches suggested La Roche Posay Lipikar Balm which worked great on my body but not my face. So I started using Tree of Life’s Vitamin C serum mixed with The Ordinary’s Lactic Acid serum and CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Night Cream and my skin is glowing ya’ll! Like I said, there is nothing fun about adult acne or skin issues period as you get older and I don’t envy Cardi this situation. Hopefully, she will find what she needs and my CeraVe products won’t sell out.
I been breaking out lately and my face is extremely dry.I don’t think these products are working.I think it’s the water out here …..What are some good products for little black heads break outs and dry skin on your face ?
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 25, 2021
THESE PRODUCTS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!! pic.twitter.com/7qKdtIen61
— EFRAIN (@TUENEMIGOEFRAIN) January 25, 2021
The funny tweets that popped after CeraVe started trending:
Pls don’t clear the shelves of cerave. I worked too hard to figure out my skincare routine. pic.twitter.com/qzn0uofQxn
— Andrea ❥ (@andreaalove) January 25, 2021
CeraVe facial cleanser is also what I recommend for the vulva. Soap raises the skin pH and is drying (affecting the acid mantle), an unscented, gentle cleanser is best 😍
— Jennifer Gunter (@DrJenGunter) January 25, 2021
My Cerave gonna be out of stock longer now lmaooooo pic.twitter.com/445l0ADxTc
— My Apologies, Ms. Girl… Ms. Who? (@_kirrraaa) January 25, 2021
not CeraVe trending because of Cardi😭 pic.twitter.com/nw7NDxKyMl
— JUICY (@xjuicyb) January 25, 2021
Photos credit: Avalon.red
I’ve been feeling extra dry lately but I think it’s because of the weather. So I pulled out my humidifier and put it next to my bed at night. It’s helped. I don’t wake up feeling like I have a tight dry face anymore.
Is it possibly your indoor heating ?
Maybe lay off the heavy makeup for a bit.
I came here to say that. Let that skin breathe! Then use some lactic acid and vitamin C from the ordinary and find other products of theirs that suit her skin type. It takes some trial and error, even for the rich and famous. I finally have nice skin after 39 years. All I need now is some fillers for the fine lines. But that’ll never happen on my salary. Haha
It’s not always the makeup. It actually rarely is. My skin actually breaks out a lot when I don’t wear makeup because my skin is so oily and the makeup and powders help with that. Many times people need an antibiotic treatment for a few weeks and the acne will calm down and go away completely.
Yeah us girls know she’s likely detoxing from cosmetics, hair products & multiple implant surgeries. She’s beautiful- but prolly needs to let all those chemicals run their course. Maybe go on a cosmetic fast a la make under.
As an adult-acne sufferer with skin that gets parched in the winter, I can sympathize with her. I can’t say that I’ve ever found one Holy Grail product, I generally have a rotation of oils / creams / serums, and so on that I use off and on. Some days are better than others, but maskne is a real issue now too. Thank goodness for my little acne patches, lol.
I also have adult acne and I use Proactive and it works for the first month then I have to move on to something else but end up going back to it. Nothing really works long term for me so I’m happy to hear what other people are using.
I actually didn’t START getting acne until I was 21. Never had it as a teenager, the moment I was able to to to bars my skin when crazy. Finally got my skincare routine figured out though! I also am not a huge fan of CeraVe. I use an Aveeno cream cleanser with a soft scrubber on my face, then a pore toner and then a combination moisturizer. Twice a day!
Skincare is so important!
Lactic acid, vitamin C, glycolic acid, salicylic acid and retinol are all ingredients that work against acne. Mandelic acid is great for sensitive skins as is azalaic acid. It’s always hard to find the right combination of treatments and one does need a bit of patience.
I sleep with pure vitamin e every night and my skin, which is usually very issue prone, has been amazing. I also use cerave night cream and aloe vera in the am for tightening.
I feel her pain! Acne has been an issue for me since my teen years. Differin gel daily and tea tree oil for spot treatment have worked wonders for me now that I’m older. I’ll also use a tea tree face wash about once or twice a week and other days use Cetaphil. CeraVe is great and I put it on before my morning walk. Oil of Olay Regenerist is what I use before makeup application.
I use and love cerave. I also use a few products from The Ordinary (the vitamin c suspension, glycolic acid toner, an eye serum, niacinimide+zinc, squalane oil, the retinoid in squalane oil, and the red AHA/BHA peeling solution a couple times a month) I alternate nights applying the vitamin C and retinoid (never together). Every morning I use the niacinimide+zinc and moisturize with the plain squalane oil. My skin is usually clear and dewy and looks so healthy. I have acne prone skin and had breakouts for yearssssssss until I found the ordinary, quality products I could actually afford to buy an entire regimen and keep it stocked.
Thanks so much for sharing the details of your routine. So many times people share what products they love without explaining the routine. Do you regularly use Cerave and if so, what products and how do they fit into your regimen?
I also like the Ordinary and I like tree of life serums that I learned about in the Amazon posts here. I just wipe down my face with a warm washcloth in the morning, then use a vitamin C toner, and use Vitamin C serum, Cerave lotion, and a separate sunscreen.
At night, I use baby oil on a cotton square to take off my makeup, then I wipe the baby oil off with a dry washcloth, then wet the washcloth and exfoliate a bit and use whatever gentle cleanser I have hanging around. I’ve recently started steaming my face by holding a hot washcloth on it for a minute or two and that has surprisingly helped a lot. Then I use a stridex pad with salicylic acid in it OR the Ordinary glycolic acid toner. Then, the Ordinary niacinamide with zinc, hylauraonic acid serum from tree of life, and then either retinol serum from tree of life followed by Cerave, OR one of the retinol lotion creams that’s been recommended here in the Amazon posts. Sometimes I do a forward fold when I’m rubbing the last lotion in, it feels good to stretch my back and I have some idea that letting the blood flow to my face is helping. It’s a lot of steps, but I enjoy doing it and my skin looks really nice lately. If I don’t want to do all this, I’ll just use the baby oil, water on a washcloth, a stridex pad, the niacinamide+zinc and the retinol lotion.
If my skin is breaking out, at night I just wash it, steam it, use a liberal amount of benzoyl peroxide 10% and then Cerave lotion.
I love, love, love phisoderm for dry skin, it’s very gentle and non-drying. It took me years to find it and recently it’s become much harder to get – the only place I could find it when I last needed it was Walgreens online, not even sold in stores. I stocked up because I don’t know if I’ll find it anywhere next time (it is on amazon for 4x it’s regular price, but that’s not for me).
I actually have a magic creation that I use like the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding used Windex. I mix vitamin e gel & aloe gel and it seems to cure anything and everything. Whenever I do something that I know will make me break out (flying, getting my eyebrows done) I preemptively put my aloe/vitamin e mixture on my face and it keeps my skin calm. I know it doesn’t sound that impressive to mix two gels, but it makes me feel like a genius inventor that I mixed them and it cures every skin ailment I ever have.
Where do you find vitamin E gel?
It used to be everywhere, but now I can only find it on amazon. They sell a 3 pack of Fruit of the Earth vitamin e gel (they also have single bottles, but whenever I need it, the single bottle costs the same as the 3-pack, so I always go for the 3 pack).
I also swear by aloe vera and Vitamin E! That combo and oil cleansing have been game changers.
The Fruit of the Earth aloe gel was the only moisturizer I could use for years.
Two youtubers fixed my adult maskne: Hyram and Dr. Alexis Stephens. The routine that had my adult acne under control stopped working in the pandemic. Dr. Alexis Stephens is a board certified dermatologist and cosmetic chemist, and she also gives a lot of advice for people of colour around how to avoid and deal with hyperpigmentation.
Niacinamide+Zinc. Works wonders every single time.
ooooh yes Zinc does wonders for me. I don’t really have acne but I do have a lot of pores, which I’ve been told is not a bad thing though they really need good cleaning. So I use a zinc mask every week or so. And it’s amazing. It just makes the skin radiate. I love it.
skin stuff is so personal and everyone is different. It is a pain finding what works you. As far as acne, it’s weird her doc would have prescribed retin A, I would think that’s for wrinkles, but I guess it does help with your pores. It just seems that she should have been prescribed clindamyacin (cleocin-T), which I was given in high school but never had the patience for it. My derm prescribed it again for my folliculitis (le sigh) but he told me I can use it on my face. Now when I get a zit, I just use that for a few days and it’s fine
I was prescribed Retin A as a first solution back in my teen years. I hated it. It burned and it was stinky. I ended up going on Accutane, which was literally life-changing.
accutane is super hard core, though, and I know it’s not something that they just give you until you’ve tried other things. My friend was on it in high school (in the early 90s) and she lost a ton of weight because there was something about blood sugar and accutane, like she really had to watch it. And they made her go on birth control because of the horrible birth defects it can cause. We are in our 40s now and her skin looks great, so she has no regrets. But I think they’ve determined that a lot of people committed suicide while taking it, and I thought it had been pulled off the market now.
I had a good run with some retin a in my early 20s, it closed all the pores on my chin, I don’t know why I stopped using it. probably because of the burning and the drying
She’s wealthy and connected – can’t she just make an appointment with a dermatologist?
Yeah, I think this is her trying to be “relatable” on social media. She’s super rich and has celebrity friends – any one of them can recommend a good derm.
Was about to say the same thing. She needs to go back to and work with the dermatologist. There’s no magic wand and diagnosis is usually a process of elimination.
I was gonna say, if over-the counter products aren’t helping then go see a derm. When I was 18 and my acne got bad I went to see a derm and she is the one who asked the right questions that let to me being diagnosed with PCOS. She helped my skin so much with the right prescriptions.
did you read, she said she was prescribed retinol by her dermatologist and it didn’t work…..yeah she should go back to the derm but there’s nothing wrong with venting
The quickest way to deal with this is to go to a good dermatologist. However, in lieu of that check out the following products:
Cleanser: Shu Umeura Balancing cleansing oil to remove makeup or just clean your face(emulsify 3 times!!)
Mask & Toner: Biologique Recherche-Mask Vivant & Lotion P50
Moisturizer: Biologique Recherche- Creme Dermopurifiante
Natural things such as aloe vera gel, and viatmin E help the skin heal itself and add moisture. I wish her luck as adult acne is brutal.
I always wonder if it’s stress or diet related, if something changed with her diet or in her life or sleep patterns. Good luck to Cardi and all who are dealing with this on top of the pandemic!!
I don’t have adult acne but I was PLAGUED in my teen years.
I love that everyone has their own little tricks! Keeping skin clear as it ages has been a struggle. Retinol used to irritate my skin, but now I really notice if I skip it for a few days. Vitamin C has been a hero product for me for years. It’s trial and error. I hope my current routine can hold for at least a couple of years because that period when your skin is angry and needs more care is not fun. I feel you, Cardi.
One of my friends has horrible adult acne – much worse than the photo Cardi posted. Literally the only thing that worked for her – suggested by an esthetician – was to swipe her face with a couple of cotton balls soaked in hydrogen peroxide and then immediately wash her face with a mild moisturizing cleanser. Then the esthetician advised her to wear a light SPF 30 moisturizer only until the acne sores fully healed. Seriously, within two weeks her face was like new! The hydrogen peroxide presumably killed much of the bacteria inflaming her face, and not wearing makeup allowed her acne sores to heal without drying and peeling. To this day, 15 years later she still uses hydrogen peroxide on her face a few times per week and has not had an acne problem since.
I’m gonna try benzoyl peroxide on my face. Thanks for the advice.
I stumbled across African Black Soap by Shea Moisture and it was game changing for my mild rosacea. So my skin wasn’t pink and itchy anymore and then, because I stopped touching my cheeks as much, my acne levels dropped by about 90%. Now, the maskne situation is real and I’m sure would resolve with me eating less sugar & dairy, but How Dare You even suggest such a thing. Also, Alba’s acne dote pimple patches are amazing to help heal and relieve deep-rooted adult acne.
Any one have a lip balm suggestion for extremely sensitive lips? I can only use Vaseline but I would like something better. Seriously, Burts Bees original is too harsh for me
@chicken tetrazzini: Vaseline is great! It’s the best cheap lip and skin product for sensitive skin. I use it regularly. Burts bees gives me rashes which is a damn shame.
But if you want an alternative bite beauty has an agave nighttime lip therapy that is excellent that i use day and night. It’s one caveat is it’s $33 Canadian and in pot form and it’s not as convenient as a stick of lip balm.
Clinique makes a product called superbalm moisturizing gloss and it is super hydrating and glossy. It comes in a few bright colors but it is very sheer. Love this stuff!
L’Occitane shea butter lip balm stick is the best I’ve ever tried. (I tried the gel type, and did not like it enough. https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/shea-butter-lip-balm-stick-01SL0045K13.html
Also, Bigelow’s My Favorite Night Balm is amazing. https://www.bigelowchemists.com/my-favorite-night-balm-no-306.html
I highly, highly recommend the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I used to use Vaseline religiously as lip balm but felt it dried my lips out. I got the Laniege as a gift and I haven’t looked back! They also have it in a tube which I haven’t tried but it would be convenient for on the go as the Sleeping Mask is in a small jar with applicator.
Hope you love it as much as I did 🙂
@sher I’ve always wanted to try the laneige sleep lip mask because of the hyaluronic acid but i am wary of the scent. I bought the regular sleep mask for skin and while it works so well the scent really bothered me!!!
elf calm balm is great.
Thanks all! Truly appreciated
Stress, hormones and diet can all make a difference. I know exactly when my cystic acne is going to make an appearance cause it always coincides with my period. For cardi i do think it would be worth it for her to get blood work done and to see a dermatologist because she can afford to and it’s obviously affecting how she feels.
For my combo skin i use a low level salicylic acid. For this i use Sunday Riley UFO oil to purge the zits, the ordinary alpha albutrin for the dark spots and acne scars, and a good moisturizer (Sometimes it’s a hydrating sleep mask like Glow avocado, or the belif moisture bomb). In the morning i use Elta md spf 46 or cetaphil moisturizer with spf 15 depending on the weather.
I tried all kinds of treatments but nothing worked so greatly as changing my diet. What you put in your body can be the best beauty treatment. I started after watching Liah Yoo on YouTube, who is a skincare guru and makes these cute videos about what really goes on at cell level, aside from specific products. So, no more sugar whatsoever + no more sodas + limited dairy has worked wonders. I combined this with a couple of products from Paula’s Choice and in the last 13-14 years.. this is the first time I see amazing progress in a matter of months. What you put on top matters, but comes from within can be crucial. I promise.
Cardi regularly posts what she eats on Instagram and her diet is TERRIBLE! Lots of salty, fatty means, dairy GALORE and almost no vegetables. It’s usually iceberg lettuce drenched in dressing.
I’ve had BAD cystic acne since I was a teenager. I was a beta tester for Accutane. Nothing the dermatologists gave me worked.
In my 50’s I gave up coffee and DAIRY, and OH MY GAWD, my face cleared up. It’s not the caffeine in the coffee but the acid in the coffee. Tea is fine. But the DAIRY, OMG, the DAIRY. If I had a TARDIS and could go back in time and tell my teenage self to cut out all dairy, I could have saved myself a ton of money and grief. Also, giving up sugar really helps, too, but that’s super hard for me since its in everything.
Now, this may not work for everyone, but it’s so cheap to try. You don’t have to buy anything. In fact you DON’T buy dairy. Give it up for two weeks, and you quit craving dairy. And after two weeks, if your face didn’t clear up, then you can try someone else’s advice instead.
Also, I love the Vivant Skin Care line. Everything works. It’s a bit expensive, but it my skin looks great, (and I’m in my 60’s now). Except last week my hubby bought some goat cheese and I had a nibble. Yup. Acne. I should have known better.
I do Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide in the morning and at night, I mix a tiny scoop of vitamin C powder into my niacinamide, and follow up with a facial oil on the dry spots, and Eight Saints Cloud Whip moisturizer at night (during the day I use elf daily hydration.) For blemishes/maskne I use elf salicylic acid gel. My skin has been amazing for the first time in forever.
I didn’t have significant acne until my late twenties. I was chasing it for at least 10 years until I read about saw palmetto on acne dot org message boards. It prevented the cystic stuff on chin and jawline (320mg once to twice daily) in a manner that was no less than a miracle.
Its method of action is suppressing testosterone at the skin level. This same method of action is used in a new topical acne medication called Winlevi that is being released sometime early this year.
I’m almost 55- I still take saw palmetto once daily (most days), I use prescription strength adapalene (0.3%) at night along with a 12% niacinamide spray, then dapsone and vitamin c serum during the day. I’m hopeful I can change to just winlevi during the day and adapalene at night.
Hope this helps some who have adult female acne.
Thank you for the excellent info! Adult acne is horrible.
Sure thing!
I like Origins Checks and Balances foaming cleanser https://www.origins.com/product/15342/11226/skincare/cleanse/face-wash-and-cleansers/checks-and-balances/frothy-face-wash. If she’s struggling with oily skin, she can wash her face at the beginning of the day, before any workouts, and before she goes to bed. That was my lesson learned. I’m sure she knows this tho.
Well, sometimes your skin just loses its sh*t. That doesn’t look like acne though, it looks like regular ‘losing its sh*t’ breakouts. Which are annoying, I know.
If her doc prescribed retinol, it might be too strong. Prescription strength isn’t for everyone. I’d start with The Ordinary or Medik8, they have low concentrations in squalane. First Aid Beauty has a great one at 0.25%. No foaming cleansers, just a good balm or milk, lactic acid on days where you don’t use the retinol, HYDRATION and a simple moisturizer on top (since she can afford it, Kate Somverville has wonderful moisturizers and products in general). SPF during the day. I’d start there to make sure the skin barrier isn’t compromised and if it is, well you have to just be gentle and wait.
Adult acne is usually hormonal though. Getting hormones checked if nothing helps is the next step (if one can afford it).
Could be a hormonal thing too. My acne has always been related to my hormones.
Ernest Lazlo Sea Mud Soap. It’s completely changed my skin, which used to be dull, prone to breakouts and blackhead-y: now it’s super fine, my pores are invisible and it’s velvet to the touch. Sometimes I’ll do an oil cleanse followed by the soap and always follow with serum and brightening moisturiser, but Sea Mud soap morning and evening is an absolute winner.
CeraVe facial moisturising lotion in the pump bottle is L.I.F.E.
I am a reformed $60-80 moisturiser heaux (jars which usually last 2-4 months tops).
I used to sniff at the un-glamarous cerave in the pump bottle and then I bought it one day in winter and it changed my life – $10 and it lasts at least 4-6 months.
My skin is pretty good. Combination in summer and dry-ish in winter. Cerave sorted that out.
I no longer buy super expensive skin care now – just stuff that is science based and worksl
– gentle low ph balanced cleansers (no more harsh surfactants)
– glycolic and PHA exfoliator
– Vit C serum (L-Ascorbic acid not derivatives)
– Cerave moisturiser
– Niacinamide serum at night
– Retin-A 2x week
– Azelaic acid cream
Cold pressed rose hip oil, ladies. I was going to say something about also not letting Offset spray inappropriate liquids in your face, but I won’t (sorry, Kaiser. Admit, it was a little funny).
vitamin e suppliments, Vitamin B, omega 3, plenty of water and no sugar helped me no end. Also minimising amount of dairy and processed food.
I never had terrible skin as a teen. Regular acne but nothing super bad. But at 28/29 I started getting cystic acne on my neck and chin. Ouch! What helped was prescription Tactuo, and Cetaphil. The Tactuo even killed a big BIG cystic pimple my husband got 2 weeks before our wedding. It truly was massive. Now at almost 39 I have nice skin. I also moisturize after each shower and wear sunscreen (mostly in summer).
dermatologist MD here. No blood test can diagnose acne. Your hormones are SUPPOSED to fluctuate every month, but even people with stone cold normal hormone levels can have bad hormonal acne and benefit from systemic treatment (with spironolactone, birth control pills, low dose antibiotics, etc) in combination with topical treatment. No single blood test, or combination of blood tests, is helpful because hormonal acne is a clinical diagnosis. It’s really a waste of time and money to do any kind of labs for acne. PCOS can certainly be a cause of acne but I can determine high suspicion for PCOS based purely on a patient’s history—the diagnosis and definitive treatment of PCOS, however, is outside of a derm’s scope of practice and should be handled by an OBGYN. I’ve referred to OBGYN when I suspect this but still can effectively treat the acne in the meantime.
Diets high in sugar can also worsen acne, particularly the hormonal kind.
P.S. CeraVe is magnificent and I recommend their products all the time and use several myself.
sometimes a breakout is a sign the product is working, as your skin is ‘purging’ out impurities since they need somewhere to go and need a way of getting out of your skin