The exact products a beauty editor used to tame her hormonal skin.

This story originally appeared on Adore Beauty.

Raise your hands if you've been personally victimised by your hormones? *raises hand*

Now... keep them raised if that results in longer-term skin changes?

If your hand is still up, then keep reading because the start of last summer brought me a full social calendar and the worst skin of my life.

Watch: The ways you can do to improve your skin while sleeping. Post continues after video.

But before I talk about how I helped my skin bounce back, let me re-introduce myself in case we haven't met before.

Hi, my name's Alisha and I'm a beauty content creator who hasn't missed doing her skincare routine in six years.

Yep, that means I've taken off my makeup for SIX YEARS STRAIGHT.

Even when I'm drunk, tired and travelling.

Honestly, I'm quite proud of that stat, so you can imagine my surprise when I woke up one day and my skin was inflamed. Usually, I'd put it down to it being pre-menstrual, but the timing and placement of the breakouts didn't make sense. So, I took myself to the doctors and some blood tests later, I realised an imbalance of hormones was the culprit of my skin changing.

Overnight, I'd gone from a fairly normal skin type to tight, dry, itchy skin and scalp that had erupted in little cheek and forehead pustules.

Needless to say, I wasn't happy, but as a skincare girlie, I knew I could fix it.

Here's how I did it...

Step 1: Say goodbye to your actives.

As much as I love my retinol, AHAs and vitamin C, I had to pack them up for the sake of my skin.

Because putting actives on sensitive skin can further exacerbate any irritation and lead to further inflammation.

Not to mention, since actives are formulated to penetrate the skin deeply, you're risking disrupting your skin barrier which can lead to further water loss and damage to the skin structure.

Which will inevitably delay any healing — so for the sake of your skin, walk into the bathroom and take them off the shelf so you won't be tempted to use them.

Step 2: Swap in skincare that's gentle.

I know what you're thinking, "But that's so boringgggggg" and "How will gentle skincare help me solve my acneeeeeeeeeeeeeee". But the truth is, prioritising hydration and protecting the skin's barrier function is pretty essential to regulating the skin's oil production.

As for specifics, here's the routine that I used for two months until my skin got back on track:

Cleanse with CeraVe's Hydrating Cleanser, $23.99.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. Image: Adore Beauty.

Any time my skin starts to act up, I immediately add this cleanser back into my rotation because it takes off the buildup of dirt and toxins but still leaves my skin feeling extremely hydrated. And I put that down to ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin in the formula, which is known for keeping your skin moisturised for up to 48 hours post-use. Not to mention is non-comedogenic, dermatologist-approved and has a 4.5 rating. Plus, at $24 for almost 500ml, it's an absolute bargain.

Treat with Avène Tolerance Control Intensive Skin Recovery Serum, $69.99.

Avène Tolerance Control Intensive Skin Recovery Serum. Image: Adore Beauty.

Once my skin was dry, I would go in with a pipette of this and honestly, this is a GOD SEND, especially if your skin is itchy, dry or you've had had a little too much sun. You need to add it to your cart immediately because it has vitamin B5 which is good for skin wound healing. It promotes the production of collagen, plus it repairs and rebuilds damaged skin tissue. Not to mention, it has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe and calm the skin down (goodbye itch and sunburn) whenever you use it.

Lock in the moisture with La Roche-Posay's Toleraine Dermallergo Ultra Nuit Cream, $47.95.

La Roche-Posay ToleraineDermallergoNuit Cream. Image: Adore Beauty.

One of the reasons this is my go-to cream is because it has Neurosensine in it which unlocks a soothing sensation, plus, glycerin to lock the moisture in and thermal spring water to make sure you're getting antioxidant protection as well. It's comforting, lightweight and dermatologist-approved – so perfect for ALL skin types but particularly anyone going through a skin reaction.

Going back to basic skincare routine! Image: Adore Beauty. 

Step 3: Follow up with SPF in the daytime.

Follow up with SPF in the daytime! La Roche-Posay or Ultra Violette have different options for all skin types. 

And just... try not to stress. I know it is easier said than done, but… stress only increases our cortisol levels, which triggers our sebaceous glands to create even more oil, leaving us with even more problems.

When the irritation starts to slow down, and you feel your skin starting to act how you remember, then start incorporating a blemish control serum, either from Avène or CeraVe, because they're both gentle and will help with future breakouts.

Final thoughts...

My biggest tip is to have patience because, just like Rome wasn't built in a day, your skin needs time to bounce back.

For more from beauty editor Alisha Bhojwani, click here.

Want more skincare tips? Here are our top suggestions:

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Feature image: Adore Beauty/Supplied.