I initially posted my minimal skincare routine in October 2021, but after triggering what is (probably) perioral dermatitis I needed to change things up a bit.
Since PD could be caused/triggered by different things for different people, it can be challenging to determine what kind of skincare routine you actually need – and yes, it could also be nutritional, making it even more challenging.
For skincare, eliminating products with potentially irritating ingredients is a great start, especially SLS and fluoride, in addition to chemical sunscreens and anything with ingredients that are known to cause dermatitis (even some mineral sunscreens contain these!).
Sooo, here’s what has been working for me in terms of skincare, and what I’ve been sticking to as far as a “routine” goes:
Nutrition
- Eliminate or seriously limit sugars, simple carbs
- Same as above for alcohol, caffeine, dairy, and soy
- Eliminating all of these completely for at least a week really helped!)
- I do have these on occasion now, but my skin does minimally flare up with PD symptoms, which for now I find manageable enough for my “indulgences.”
My Maintenance Skincare Routine for Perioral Dermatitis:
- Mineral sunscreen!
- No makeup!
- Fluoride-free toothpaste!
- No soap!!! I have not washed my face with soap since early May 2022. This is mainly because I haven’t researched or bought an SLS-free cleanser yet, but don’t worry, cleansing is still happening.
- I don’t “wash” my face every day anyway, because it typically isn’t necessary. A good rinse in warm water while I’m in the shower and a gentle scrub with a cloth or my Salux cloth are generally enough.
- However, now that I’m wearing mineral sunscreen daily (because, ginger in the Sun), I do need a way to wash that off, which brings me to…
- Sunscreen removal CLEANSE:
- Oil cleanse (+ throw in a nice facial massage while it’s on 🤤)
- This is a single-ingredient oil – you could use coconut, olive, or whatever you like. I’ve been using raspberry seed oil.
- Gently rinse/wipe off as much oil as you can with a wet cloth and warm water.
- DIY face mask made with bentonite clay, spirulina, charcoal, and (optional) lavender/chamomile tea water (or just regular water)
- Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes (or until it’s dry), then wash off in the shower, or use a washcloth.
- Oil cleanse (+ throw in a nice facial massage while it’s on 🤤)
- MOISTURE:
- I’ve continued to use my witch hazel post-shower and/or cleanse on areas of my face that aren’t affected with PD.
- For the areas that ARE affected by PD, I strictly use 100% pure lanolin.
- If I feel or notice a FLARE-UP coming on:
- Continue all of the above, but apply zinc ointment to the affected areas, either on top of, or instead of the lanolin.
- Since zinc is white and does not blend in, I typically use lanolin during the day, and then apply zinc while I’m at home or as an overnight mask just on the affected areas.
This has been working pretty well for me so far, but I’ll continue to tweak as needed.
