Up until the time I was like 17 and my doctor prescribed me an antibiotic and retin-A micro and told me to wash my face with just water and a washcloth and that killed the worst of it. Zinc-based sunscreen helps too. i would recommend looking into switching to EWG verified makeup if you can. Eat less sugar and seed oils and other inflammatory foods. I actually love chicory syrup as an acne treatment which you can only buy from literally one brand on Amazon it works wonders. I also have a Mirena IUD which I think may have been a big game changer tbh
Apr 12, 2024
Related Recs
DIM (linked) This vitamin is technically for people experiencing menopause but it helped me so so much with my hormonal acne.
also, as gimmicky as it looks/sounds, curology is the ONLY topical treatment that helped my hormonal acne without making me purge a bunch…
If you’re able to, get Blood work done! this will help you determine any other underlying issues that may be contributing.
Drinking hot water + lemon + turmeric + pepper +chia seeds every morning is a godsend. i don’t even really break out now during my period???
good luck! adult onset acne is a bitch truly, and I hope you find something that works for you <3
Apr 12, 2024
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Ugh, I’ve got some really expensive/intensive ideas (sorry)🫠 : lasers + isotretinoin. but essentially anything with vitamin A (like a retinol) helps! it doesn’t treat the hormones, tbh, but it reduces the pores oil glands.
Also sulfur face washes really help calm down my breakouts. Really wish I’d known sooner. Good luck! Acne sucks
Apr 12, 2024
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i’ve had crazy hormonal pcos chin and hyperpigmentation stuff going on for like 10 years and i scar from acne really easily, so this was my life’s mission to figure out.
everything that @MARXINISTA said! i don’t have rx retinol but i use the ordinary’s .2% retinol w/ squalene at night (wont break the bank) followed by (blasphemy to some bc it’s not face lotion) palmers cocoa butter lotion. i break out over everything but this lotion does not exacerbate that, i promise!
in the mornings, i use axis-y dark spot correcting glow serum w/ niacinamide followed by whatever moisturizer suits your fancy (pyungkang yul has some good, gentle dark spot stuff if you’re interested) and then an spf (crucial). i saw results super fast using both the axis-y and the ordinary products!
if you can double cleanse that also helps. i use palmers cocoa butter oil cleanser followed by a traditional facial wash with tea tree oil. good luck :)
May 12, 2025
Top Recs from @taterhole
My dad teases me about how when I was a little kid, my favorite thing to do when I was on the landline phone with somebody—be it a relative or one of my best friends—was to breathlessly describe the things that were in my bedroom so that they could have a mental picture of everything I loved and chose to surround myself with, and where I sat at that moment in time. Perfectly Imperfect reminds me of that so thanks for always listening and for sharing with me too 💌
Feb 23, 2025
May 28, 2025
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I’ve been thinking about how much of social media is centered around curating our self-image. When selfies first became popular, they were dismissed as vain and vapid—a critique often rooted in misogyny—but now, the way we craft our online selves feels more like creating monuments.
We try to signal our individuality, hoping to be seen and understood, but ironically, I think this widens the gap between how others perceive us and who we really are. Instead of fostering connection, it can invite projection and misinterpretation—preconceived notions, prefab labels, and stereotypes. Worse, individuality has become branded and commodified, reducing our identities to products for others to consume.
On most platforms, validation often comes from how well you can curate and present your image—selfies, aesthetic branding, and lifestyle content tend to dominate. High engagement is tied to visibility, not necessarily depth or substance. But I think spaces like PI.FYI show that there’s another way: where connection is built on shared ideas, tastes, and interests rather than surface-level content. It’s refreshing to be part of a community that values thoughts over optics.
By sharing so few images of myself, I’ve found that it gives others room to focus on my ideas and voice. When I do share an image, it feels intentional—something that contributes to the story I want to tell rather than defining it. Sharing less allows me to express who I am beyond appearance.
For women, especially, sharing less can be a radical act in a world where the default is to objectify ourselves. It resists the pressure to center appearance, focusing instead on what truly matters: our thoughts, voices, and authenticity. I’ve posted a handful of pictures of myself in 2,500 posts because I care more about showing who I am than how I look.
In trying to be seen, are we making it harder for others to truly know us? It’s a question worth considering.
Dec 27, 2024