Senior Skin Therapist - Rachael Forbes

We’ve all been there, your skin starts breaking out, the panic sets in, we grab EVERYTHING exfoliating we own, and slap it all on. We think, more actives, more exfoliating, more “acne fighting power”. Products all layered together in a chaotic routine in the hope that something in this cocktail will have the magic eraser effect.

In reality, this is where things start to go in a backwards direction.

Breakouts don’t need stronger treatment — they need smarter treatment, and more often than not, the barrier is already under pressure before the breakout has even thought about settling in.

So why does treating breakouts aggressively often make things worse?

When your skin is inflamed, the natural response is to try and dry it out, strip it back, and reduce infection and oil. The thing is, your skin really doesn’t like being treated this way.

Over time, aggressive routines can:

• Further disrupt the skin barrier

• Increase sensitivity and redness

• Trigger more oil production as the skin tries to compensate

• Make breakouts angrier and last longer

Instead of improving the skin, we tend to end up in a cycle of — treat → irritate → break out more → treat it even harder.

Instead of seeing improvement, we see skin that is being pushed closer and closer to its breaking point. It doesn’t get a chance to rest and reset.

Another point worth noting is that not all breakouts are the same.

One of the biggest issues I see is that most breakouts are being treated the same way.

Some skin is dealing with congestion, some with inflammation, some with hormonal shifts, and a lot of the time there is a barrier impairment issue going alongside these, and it is often completely disregarded.

This is where things go wrong — using strong acne products on skin that is already under a lot of stress. What the skin actually needs isn’t more treatment, it is support.

What are some signs your barrier might be involved?

This is where we really start to connect some dots and get an idea on “how can we treat this?”

If your breakouts are happening alongside things like:

• Tight-feeling, dry skin but persistently breaking out

• Products feeling sore and stingy on the skin

• Increased sensitivity that wasn’t present before

• Oily skin that still feels very dehydrated

• Breakouts appearing after introducing stronger actives, perhaps incorrectly

All of these are yelling at us, “SKIN BARRIER IS STRUGGLING!!”

When the barrier becomes upset with us, everything else becomes harder to manage.

Where do we shift from here, and what needs to happen first?

Before we shift our focus into “treating acne”, the priority needs to be stabilising the skin — we do this because calm skin responds, reactive skin resists.

This isn’t about giving up on active ingredients, it’s about using them in the right environment.

If the barrier is compromised, even the best acne routine will struggle to perform properly.

So what are the barrier-safe ways to approach breakouts?

This is where things get simplified. Not in a “do nothing” way, but in a “do what actually supports the skin” way.

Gentle cleansing

Gentle cleansing should remove excess oil, SPF, and buildup — not leave your skin feeling stripped or tight afterwards. If your skin is feeling squeaky clean, it is probably too much.

Hydration

Hydration is often underrated when it comes to breakouts, but dehydrated skin tends to overcompensate by producing more oil, which can actually lead to congestion and imbalance. Hydration helps the skin function properly again — this is when things start to regulate.

Targeted actives (but not everything at once)

This is where most routines tend to go wrong. You don’t need five strong actives layered together.

You need:

• Niacinamide for inflammation and oil balance

• Salicylic acid for congestion (used carefully, not constantly)

• Occasional spot treatment where needed — not a full-face dousing

We are not focusing on strength of products, but rather control and consistency.

Barrier-supporting moisturiser

Moisturiser does not make a breakout worse when it is the right one. Look for ingredients like ceramides, panthenol, and fatty acids. These help to rebuild the skin’s structure so it can withstand treatment again. Skipping moisturiser usually makes a breakout harder to manage, not easier.

SPF daily

This is non-negotiable. UV exposure increases inflammation, slows healing, and can worsen post-breakout pigmentation. If the skin is struggling, SPF becomes an even more important step in managing this.

Instead of focusing on “stronger”, focus on “smarter” ingredients to help support breakout-prone skin. These include:

• Niacinamide

• Zinc

• Centella Asiatica

• Ceramides

• Hyaluronic acid

These will assist the skin with rebalancing, and in turn make breakouts a lot easier to manage long term.

So we’ve looked at supporting the skin through a breakout and what we should be using to achieve this, but what could we have been doing prior that needs to be stopped?

This is often the hardest part in treating a breakout because it feels like you are “doing less” and taking a backwards step.

But if your skin is inflamed, it usually means:

• Too much exfoliation

• Too many actives at once

• Harsh scrubs or physical exfoliants

• Constantly changing products

• Trying to aggressively dry out breakouts

None of these scenarios are helping a compromised barrier. They just prolong the issue.

How long does it take to see improvement when we shift the focus into supporting the skin rather than taking away from the skin?

This depends on what your starting point is barrier-wise, but generally:

• Mild imbalances — a couple of weeks

• Moderate disruptions — 3–6 weeks

• More stubborn cases — anywhere from 6–12 weeks or longer

The most important thing here is consistency, not giving up and pushing through even when it feels like there is no end in sight.

Your skin will rarely respond well to constant switching or panic changes in your routine; it does, however, respond quite happily to stability!

Feel like this is something you need some support with? Reach out to a skincare professional!

Sometimes we need more than at-home adjustments, and it really is worth getting some guidance on this journey if:

• Breakouts are painful or cystic

• Skin is constantly reactive no matter what you are trying

• You feel stuck in a cycle of flare-ups

• You are unsure whether it is acne, congestion, or barrier impairment

Because at this point, guessing usually makes things harder to manage. Take the guesswork out of it — feel free to reach out and either myself or one of our experienced skin team can guide you through step by step :-)