Teen Shares DIY Budget Skincare Routine That Successfully Cleared His Severe Acne

Acne is one of the common skin problems teens face. Sometimes, though, the condition can be so bad it won’t go away even after you’re past your 20s. Carlos David happens to be one of those teenagers who suffered from severe acne for many years.

Now, Carlos has revealed how, in recent months, he was able to fix his acne problem using only cheap products found at drugstores. The 16-year-old concocted his own skincare routine by putting together all of the products he found. He then posted a series of photos documenting his transformation. As expected, the Internet was stunned.

Carlos suffered this severe form of acne on his face.

But look at him now with a clearer, healthier skin!

Carlos, also known on Instagram as yadigcarlos, has only over 6,000 followers, but somehow his post on his budget skincare routine received 22,000 likes. Note that although Carlos was successful with his DIY acne treatment, he waited eight months before seeing results.

Carlos started his routine in February 2017…

By October of that same year, he already had smoother skin.

So what’s Carlos’ secret? The teen reveals that his skin care routine involves five steps. The first is to wash his face with a low pH cleanser in the morning. He specifically used Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser priced at $10.

A low pH cleanser helps maintain a balanced pH level on the face, Carlos said.

Next, Carlos goes for an alcohol-free toner, specifically the $10 Lumene Klassikko Refreshing Toner, which he swears by. Carlos describes it to be “very gentle” on his skin. The high school student also cleanses his face at night and stresses that it’s a must. He uses the $15 Mario Badescu Acne Facial Cleanser. The nightly routine also includes the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner that costs $18. This toner helps with the acne scars since it gently removes dead skin cells.

Carlos also uses a once-daily serum for hyper-pigmentation.

He found love in $11-worth Art Natural Vitamin C Serum. He also applies a Mario Badescu Whitening Mask that costs $24. Carlos explains that the product may not work for some since there are other people who said it didn’t work for them. However, for Carlos, the whitening mask helped even out his skin tone.

The next step – also the most important – is to moisturize.

Carlos swears by the $8 E.L.F. Daily Hydration Moisturizer. He applies it every morning to hydrate his facial skin.

Not only is the product affordable; it also has an amazing smell. At night, he uses a different moisturizer, the $9 Advanced Clinicals Collagen Skin Rescue Lotion.

Finally, Carlos reveals that sunscreen is a big part of his skincare routine.

Carlos uses Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen Lotion, which costs $10. According to him, this product “actually helps prevent further damage onto your hyper-pigmentation and scarring, and prevent sun-caused acne.”

Despite having all these anti-acne products that worked, Carlos emphasized that he didn’t merely rely on them.

They should also be done in conjunction with diet and exercise. Since he found his own go-to acne treatment routine, Carlos has not experienced a relapse. He managed to keep his skin healthy and have a smoother complexion.

Carlos received praise for his post, with some people saying he’s truly an inspiration. As for those who are struggling with acne, here’s what the teen has to say:

“I hope this shows people who are struggling with acne and acne scars to realize that it does get better. Not only physically, but emotionally too. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come.”