Hormonal Breakouts: My Go-To Routine

It's a fact of life that we all at some point get spots, regardless of how regimented our skincare routines are. Generally speaking day to-day I have relatively blemish free skin, my biggest skincare woes are redness and uneven texture. BUT, once a month my skin has a hormonal orgy where all participants (blackheads, whiteheads and those pesky red bumps) are invited (not on my behalf) to gather around my chin and jaw line. I have zero self-control when it comes to popping blemishes and I know its best to leave them alone. Frustrating but true. And whilst I can't prevent the natural from occurring, I can treat them and prevent scaring. So here's my go-to routine for hormonal breakouts.
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion £16.00 When I sprout those unsightly red blemishes Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is the product in my arsenal I reach for, because it works and quickly. Applied after cleansing before bed I simply dot on the watery pink paste with a cotton bud and come morning, they're noticeably smaller and less inflamed. This magic ointment's formulation includes salicylic acid (exfoliant that fights acne); sulphur (disinfectant) Calamine (astringent that also reduces redness) and zinc (astringent). It's effectively a spot-drying treatment, but be careful not to overdo it, you only need a little otherwise it'll dry up too much and cause your blemishes to flake. And as sulphur is a key ingredient, lets just say it doesn't smell like roses.
Lush Tea Tree Water £4.95 Once I've Mario has done his deed I will follow-up with a gentle toner in the AM. My personal favourite and one product I've repurchased aplenty is Lush Tea Tree Water. Tea Tree is a workhorse as its antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial, so will disinfect, keep inflammation down and keep away the bacteria that can cause spots. Its formulation also includes grapefruit a light astringent and juniperberry an antiseptic. It's these bacteria-reducing ingredients that will help the post-breakout discolouration and help keep skin clean and clear.
Pixi Glow Tonic £18.00 Pixi Glow Tonic is not a cult product for nothing. It's formulated with 5% concentration of glycolic acid to remove dead skin cells and Aloe Vera and Ginseng help to nourish. I prefer to apply at night before bed and as I sleep it puts cell turnover into 1st gear and come morning I wake up with a healthy glow and a smoother skin surface. I crack it out every 3-5 days when required, as when I apply daily it can be a tad drying on my combination skin. But it works wonders at battling hyper-pigmentation (red or dark spots) and helps fade scars just that bit quicker. I couldn't be without it.
The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% £8.00 Like gycolic acid, retinoids help your skin slough off dead skin cells promote skin cell regeneration, targeting post-pimple dark spots and preventing future hyperpigmentation. The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% has not only given my skincare regime the anti-ageing upgrade it required, it also helped lessen any post-pimple dark spots and improved pore quality, so they're less prominent and clogged. I recommend using The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% twice a week and increasing the frequency until you're comfortable with everyday use. I don't find the retinoid irritating, but it did initially dry out my skin. But when I do require a little more hydration I pair with a heavier moisturiser to minimise the chances of this happening again. 
Lush Mask of Magnaminty £12.50 Over the last few years I've tried and tested several masks, a few of which I'm not sure actually work, but there a couple I always keep in my stash that do actually work. Typically these are clarifying masks which help draw out impurities and adsorb oil. Lush Mask of Magnaminty is packed with natural ingredients such as honey a natural antiseptic, peppermint oil which helps to absorb excess oil and aduki beans which gently exfoliate the skin. Its self-preserving but not one you can keep in your stash for months, but its a great option for clearing and reducing inflammation. If used regularly 1-2 weekly it helps to keep my complexion clear and refreshed. For dark spot correcting I recommend Peter Thomas Roth's Pumpkin Enzyme Mask £56.00 that smells like sweet pumpkin pie.
What's your go-to routine to help manage hormonal breakouts? Emily