What was it that Queen said in “Bohemian Rhapsody”? Was it “I’m just a pore boy”? Honestly, same. That’s how we feel whenever we come down with pesky breakouts that can sometimes dim our dewy complexions and put a damper on our glow. While pore-cloggers like dirt and excess oil probably aren’t going anywhere any time soon (thanks, hormones, environmental pollution and stress), a solid AM/PM skincare routine can help draw out impurities for a brighter-looking, more even-looking skin tone.

What Are We Up Against?

Sure, we know what blackheads and whiteheads look like, but how exactly do they form?

Blackheads, also known as open comedones, occur when your pore becomes clogged with sebum (an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands). The sebum undergoes a chemical reaction in which it’s oxidized and turns a black color.

Whiteheads, or closed comedones, appear when a pore fills with bacteria and, without a way for the bacteria to exit, form a white tip.

Pimples, AKA pustules and papules (they even sound annoying), occur when a pore becomes inflamed and fills with pus and debris. Pimples can swell and irritate the area around them.

And it’s not just a teen problem! Adult acne is a real thing, and it can sometimes be debilitating when it comes to being social… but it doesn’t necessarily have to be… not if we take measures to help prevent breakouts as much as possible.

So How Do We Help Our Skin Fight Back?

Your daily skincare routine is your best bet at helping to reduce the appearance of acne and other skin concerns. It’s what you do day in and day out—those habit-forming skincare choices—that help protect your skin from stressors and allow the inner you to shine.

AM

1. Cleanse

There’s nothing better to help wake up in the morning than splashing some cool water on your face. Using an AM cleanser is the tried-and-true method for helping to remove any overnight dirt or oil you may have picked up from your pillowcase. Making sure your face is clean before you apply makeup ensures a clean foundation for your product to take to, helping provide better coverage and application.

TRY: Aloette Start Clean Deep Cleaning Cleanser – This deep-clean gel cleanser helps cool and purify the appearance of skin, designed to draw out pore-clogging impurities from acne-prone skin, utilizing Lactic Acid, Aloeganic® Aloe Vera and Peppermint Oil.

TRY: Aloette City Detox Environmental Defense Powder Cleanser – Add just a sprinkle of water to this charcoal-infused powder cleanser for a luxe, sulfate-free lather that helps break down dirt, oil, makeup and other impurities for a brighter-looking complexion.

2. Tone

A toner helps wipe away additional impurities and to enhance the absorption of other skin care products in your routine. Simply add a few drops to a cotton pad and apply to the face and neck in upward motions for a more balanced-looking complexion.

TRY: The Aloette Toner Collection contains specially formulated ingredients for each skin type. Help remove stubborn makeup, dead skin and other impurities without drying out the skin.

3. Activate

A good rule of thumb with your skincare routine is to apply products in order of thinnest to thickest. Next up in the viscosity rank is serum, a nutrient-packed system that helps deliver and activate concentrated antioxidants for your skin. Whether it’s infused with age-defying hydroxy acids to help firm the appearance of skin or bright botanical extracts to help soothe your complexion, a serum can be a game-changer in the ultimate skincare routine.

TRY: Aloette Beauty Biome Microbiome Complex Serum – Help balance your complexion and boost the skin’s barrier function with Beauty Biome’s Aloe Vera + pre- and probiotic formula.

TRY: Aloette C The Light Vitamin C Serum – Help brighten the appearance of skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots for a more even skin tone with this skincare superstar.

4. Moisturize

For deep hydration and conditioning of the skin, a lightweight yet hydrating moisturizer is a MUST in your daily skincare routine.

TRY: Aloette Be Smooth All-in-One Balm – Help address signs of aging with this skin-loving daily moisturizer. Featuring Matrixyl Synthe’6, this intensely hydrating balm helps smooth away dry spots and reduce the appearance of fine lines for a more clarified-looking complexion.

TRY: Aloette Gold Rush Crème to Oil Hydration Treatment – This creamy, age-defying pressed oil treatment uses an advanced botanical and tripeptide blend to help restore your skin’s glow with deep moisturization.

PM

No matter what type of day it’s been, your skin has been through a lot. While the same basic steps apply for your nightly skincare routine, the products you use may differ based on your needs for this time of day.

1. Cleanse

For a nighttime cleanser, look for products that focus on removing makeup and daytime buildup for a residue-free finish. Aloette’s Essential Cleansing Oil helps soothe the skin and refresh it with leading ladies like sesame, avocado, olive and safflower oils so you can rest easy. You should also exfoliate the skin once or twice a week for a deep cleanse of your pores.

2. Tone

You may prefer a lighter toner in the evening, like this Aloette Pure Radiance Bioactive Mist. Spritz the Kombucha mushroom and Lumitone Complex-infused mist onto skin to help increase the balance and brilliance of your complexion.

3. Activate

A nighttime serum may be more target-focused on a specific area of the face, like the under eye area (especially necessary, depending on what time you get to bed!). Aloette’s Eye Witness Intensive Eye Balm helps reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines and puffiness for more awake-looking eyes.

4. Moisturize

PM hydration is the best time to make use of an ultra-indulgent moisturizer that truly takes the time to penetrate past the skin’s barrier deep into skin. The Aloette Advanced Night Recovery Pro Night Crème with Revivaderm is an age-defying formula that helps soften skin for a more dewy-looking complexion in the morning.

Take our Skin Care Quiz to find out more about which Aloette Products are right to help address your skin concerns.

Maybe you’ve been an avid Retinol user for years, or maybe it’s simply a word that makes you go, “Oh, that’s that stuff in night cream, right?” Regardless, if some of your skincare goals include reducing signs of aging, brightening your complexion, and firming up the skin, it’s time you get to know the star ingredient behind Aloette’s NEW Age-Defying Retinol Night Serum, Renewal-A to understand how you can incorporate it into your weekly skincare routine for an age-defying, healthier-looking glow.

What is Retinol?

 The perfect base for your skincare cocktail, Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while also encouraging healthy skin renewal. It penetrates deep into your skin, to the inner layer called the dermis, to help balance the complexion from the inside out.

Retinol is often associated with Retinoids, but it’s important to note that the two are not interchangeable. A “Retinoid” is an umbrella term for any form of synthetic Vitamin A, and can often refer to prescription-strength dermatologic skincare products. Meanwhile, Retinol is a gentler, yet highly effective ingredient used in over-the-counter skincare products like Aloette’s Renewal-A Age-Defying Retinol Night Serum that can play a massive role in helping to reduce signs of aging.

Who is Retinol For?

Because of Retinol’s incredible age-defying and skin-brightening properties, it’s often encouraged for use as soon as you begin to notice signs of aging in your complexion. While those with mature skin tend to see the biggest improvements with use, even those with younger skin can enjoy the powerhouse antioxidant’s skin-firming benefits. Feel free to begin incorporating a Retinol-based PM serum or cream into your skincare routine during your mid-to-late 20s and beyond, starting with applications 2-3 times per week and working up.

When Do I Apply My Retinol-Based Product?

 Because Retinol is formulated to even out the skin tone, it may cause increased sun sensitivity, meaning that you should only apply Retinol-powered products as part of your evening skincare routine. And, you should also make sure you’re using an SPF-based moisturizer every AM to help protect your fresh and delicate skin.

For an instant boost of hydration with Retinol serums, like Aloette’s NEW Renewal-A Age-Defying Retinol Night Serum, you should apply to freshly cleansed and toned skin, before your favorite moisturizer. If you prefer a time-released overnight cream, like Aloette’s Advanced Eye Recovery Pro, specially formulated to help perk up the under-eye area, make this the last step in your evening routine so that your skin can soak up ~all~ the skin-loving benefits while you sleep.

Should I Use a Retinol Cream or Serum?

While this is somewhat a matter of preference, it also comes with understanding how the differing benefits of a cream versus serum work to help address your specific skin concerns.

A serum is a nutrient-packed, hydrating delivery system that helps supply and activate concentrated antioxidants for your skin. Serums are often highly targeted for specific skin concerns—if addressing signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles and creating a more balanced-looking complexion with a burst of antioxidants are top skincare priorities for you, stocking up on a Retinol Serum like Renewal-A Age-Defying Retinol Night Serum would be a great way to optimize your skincare regimen.

Or, if you want an indulgent, ultra-creamy nighttime moisturizer that is very easy to apply and will take the night to absorb deep into the skin to help reduce the signs of aging and reveal a brighter glow, a Retinol cream may be for you. Try pairing with a Vitamin C serum to help complement the effects of the Retinol for a more youthful-looking complexion.

Aloette’s Retinol-Powered Secret to Age-Defying Skincare

Ready to give Retinol a go? Our NEW Renewal-A Age-Defying Retinol Night Serum is formulated with the likes of Niacinamide, Vitamin C and a skin-loving blend of Ceramides to deeply condition skin and help smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a brighter-looking complexion.

Simply apply to freshly cleansed and toned skin 2-5 times per week as part of your nighttime routine. Follow with your favorite Aloette moisturizer for best results.

Face masks can instantly transform your at-home skincare routine into a serene, spa-worthy oasis. Whether you’re using a face mask throughout the week for ultra-pampering skincare benefits, like deep hydration and the removal of excess oils, or as the perfect pairing for a night with friends and a glass of wine, it’s always key to understand what your skincare face mask is doing for you and which kinds work best with your skin type to get the most out of those 20-minute self-care skincare spa treatments.

Gel Masks

Help bring the appearance of brightness back to your complexion by gently lifting off dead skin, excess oil and surface impurities from the top layer of your skin to help reveal a more natural-looking glow. Environmental pollution and UV rays can take a toll on your complexion, but an exfoliating gel mask can help balance out the appearance of skin tone. Aloette Restorative Enzyme Peel Exfoliating Gel helps deliver results in just 60 seconds.

Best For:

Sensitive Skin: Restorative Enzyme peel is an exfoliating option that is great for those with more temperamental skin as it utilizes Fruit Enzymes to gently removes dead skin cells. It also contains Aloe Vera which is known for its soothing benefits that hydrate and relieve dry, sensitive skin!

Sheet Masks

More of an on-the-go option, the sheet mask is a thin cloth sheet with holes for the eyes and mouth that’s pre-soaked in skin-loving serums. These skincare masks provide your skin with the much-needed moisture and nutrients that help create a firmer, more radiant-looking complexion. This hydration-intensive mask is specially designed to create a moisture barrier for your skin to help lock in the benefits of the treatment. And, a cool bonus with this mask type is the ability to help hyper-treat the appearance of skin for certain skin concerns, whether it be dark spots or fine lines. Try applying Aloette Skin Refining Toner before you apply your sheet mask to help soak in as many nutrients as possible.

Best For:

Dry/Normal/Combination Skin: Sheet masks answer your skin’s SOS to boost hydration and lock in the moisture for a healthier-looking complexion.

Overnight Masks

A mask that encourages us to get our beauty sleep? You don’t need to tell us twice. Overnight skincare masks are the revitalizing finish for your evening skincare routine, designed to boost deep hydration into the skin throughout your sleep. Simply apply to cleansed, toned skin before bed and wash off when you wake up, or simply rub the excess product into the skin! The lightweight, creamy, age-defying formula helps protect skin while moisturizing throughout the night. This is a great option for anyone who needs an extra boost of moisture to help get that dewy morning glow-look. Try mixing in Aloette best-selling Beauty Parfait Probiotic Yogurt Treatment with your overnight mask or night cream to help soothe and rehydrate the skin.

Best For:

Mature Skin: As we age, our natural skin hydration can, so it’s always a good idea to help replenish that moisture with good-for-your-skin skincare products. We love an overnight mask for mature skin because it’s gentle yet helps bring back a youthful-looking glow—all while you sleep!

Mud/Clay Masks

Really indulge in the luxe spa day feel with a mud or clay mask. These pore-refining skincare stars draw out impurities like magnets to help balance and firm the appearance of your complexion. Mineral-rich and naturally detoxifying, mud masks help draw out excess dirt and oil to clarify the look of your complexion. The Aloette Muddy Up Deep Cleansing Masque gently pampers the skin while working double-time to help draw out pore-clogging impurities and brighten the appearance of skin.

Best For:

Oily/Acne-Prone Skin: Mud and clay masks will help absorb extra oil secretion from your skin to leave you with a radiant-looking glow. These nutrient-rich masks are also known for being antibacterial, which can help reduce the appearance of breakouts.

Be Mindful of Your Complexion:

Mud and clay masks are very absorbent, which means that while deep-cleaning pores, they may soak up too much moisture from dry and sensitive skin types to make this a good option for regular use. An exfoliating skincare mask is a good alternative, as it can also lift away oil and dirt without drying out the skin.

Exfoliating Masks

Exfoliating is a must in the skincare world, as it helps you get rid of dead skin buildup, draw our pore-clogging impurities and balance the look of the complexion for smoother-looking skin. These skincare masks often contain tiny exfoliating particles that help polish away dull skin for a brighter-looking complexion.

Best For:

All Skin Types: Everyone can benefit from the rejuvenation that the deep-cleansing exfoliating mask can provide. Those with oily and acne-prone skin might benefit from the Aloette Stick Shift Exfoliating Cleanser Stick with skin-purifying Charcoal and Moroccan Lava Clay.

Be Mindful of Your Complexion:

Worried about exfoliating your sensitive skin? The Aloette Face Polish Gentle Oatmeal Scrub is formulated with gentle organic aloe vera to help smooth the appearance of skin.

Pollution. One simple word that holds a lot of meaning.

It’s no surprise if smoggy cities and roaring exhaust pipes are the first things that pop into your mind when you hear this term, but have you ever thought about what pollution could be actually doing to your skin? Much like a body of armor, our skin acts as a protective layer to the outside world—helping to keep environmental stressors and pollutants out (most of the time).

Even though the skin’s purpose is to help “protect,” it’s still an organ that soaks up a lot of the outside world. If you don’t take the time to care for it, you’ll start to notice… trust us. So, to help you on your way to clearer, healthier-looking skin, Aloette is breaking down what you need to know about environmental stressors and what key ingredients you should be looking for when it comes to skincare prevention:

Pollution Skincare Concerns to Look For

Fine Lines: Environmental stressors don’t just affect skin at the surface level. Pollution can dive deep into the skin, which often results in potential loss of smoothness and “bounce.” This can lead to age-accelerating impacts like fine lines and wrinkles.

Dark Spots: Sun damage isn’t just sunburn. UVA and UVB rays can result in the appearance of an uneven skin tone, dark spots, and sunspots, especially over time. Wearing sunscreen and applying Vitamin C is a great way to help improve the look of and uneven skin tone and help prevent future sun damage.

Enlarged pores: Pollution is also known to cause pores to appear larger. Not only does this create an uneven appearance, but it can increase the chances of blemishes and congestion since the skin is more “open.”

Ingredients That Can Benefit Your Anti-Pollution Skincare Routine

Green Algae Extract | This ingredient is full of antioxidants to help protect the skin from environmental stressors and restore the look of the complexion. Add a dose of this nutrient-rich extract to your skincare routine with a lightweight cream that helps provide anti-pollution benefits, especially against high-energy visible blue light. Aloette BioDefense is an Environmental Protection Cloud Cream that is packed with Green Algae Extract and other clean ingredients to help replenish the skin while instantly working to hydrate and plump the look of skin.

Lactic Acid |A popular chemical exfoliant, Lactic Acid helps refine the look of pores and exfoliate the skin. Our Pollution Control Environmental Defense Charcoal Mask is formulated with Charcoal, Bentonite and Kaolin Clay to help draw out pore-clogging impurities while helping to reduce the look of shine. You can use this face mask 1-2x a week to help clarify and refine the look of skin after exposure to outside stressors.

Charcoal | This fine powder works like a magnet to help draw impurities out of the skin. As the main ingredient in the Aloette City Detox Environmental Defense Powder Cleanser, Charcoal combines with a Papaya Extract to help refresh the look of dull skin while gently cleansing the day away. Just add a sprinkle of water to the charcoal-infused powder and it instantly transforms into a luxurious cleanser that lathers away dirt, oil and makeup.