I  have oily, dehydrated, acne-prone skin. for the longest time, my skincare routine was all about fighting acne. panoxyl 10% twice a day, vitamin A in the morning, exfoliators, retinol at night — it was intense. every new product I bought promised acne control: niacinamide, tea tree, salicylic acid — and I grabbed them all.

but my makeup kept flaking, especially around my chin and forehead. i just assumed that meant combo skin, until someone here explained: that’s actually dehydration 🫶

i gave adapalene another shot, thinking i could handle the purge. i couldn’t. i broke out bad, needed pimple patches 24/7, and even burned my skin from leaving panoxyl on too long. it was like high school skin trauma all over again — and i was NOT going back there.

so i switched everything. i stopped punishing my skin and started healing it. i focused on moisture, repair, and barrier support — and within 1–2 days, my skin responded in the best way.

now, here’s my routine that’s helped me get glowing, calm skin — and yes, everything here is available on MercelBay.com (they’re based in Boston so no customs, no delay, no crushed boxes 🙌):

Morning:

• COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser – gentle but leaves skin feeling clean
• Propolis Bonajour Serum – nourishing & so calming
• Green Tea Water Cream – lightweight but super hydrating
• Medicube Sunscreen – zero white cast, non-greasy

Night:

• Bakuchiol EX Advanced Face Cleanser – helps keep acne in check, retinol alternative
• Rx JNN EGF Peptide Toner + Serum + Moisturizer – skin repair trio that changed the game

Weekly Extras:

• Aloe Vera Gel – 2–3x a week as a calming mask or overnight treatment (cooling + hydrating, amazing for post-breakout skin)
• Green Tea Mask – once a week for clarifying and calming without stripping

within just a few nights of switching to this routine, my breakouts started calming. by day two, i didn’t even need pimple patches. my skin now looks hydrated, not tight. makeup sits beautifully. and best of all — when i wake up, i don’t see acne first. i see healthy, glowing skin.

and real talk — if you’re in the U.S. and tired of YesStyle delays, damaged packages, or customs surprises from Stylevana, try MercelBay.com. they carry Korean skincare like Rx JNN, COSRX, Bakuchiol EX, Bonajour, and Medicube — all shipped from the U.S.

sometimes, your skin just needs a reset — not more harshness. healing starts with kindness 🩵✨