Nikita’s skincare protocol

Skincare how-to guide

Built to be practical and repeatable. Follow it exactly for at least 6–8 weeks before making changes, then adjust only if needed.

Everything you need is on this page: products, daily routines and a hygiene checklist.

Quick reference

Daily sequence at a glance

Use this as the short version. The full step-by-step details are below.

Morning
Cleanse, Mandelic Acid, Moisturize, Sunscreen (every day)

Afternoon
No touching, Reapply sunscreen

Evening Option  A - sensitive
Micellar Water, Shower with PanOxyl on face + body, Moisturize

Evening Option  B - standard
Micellar Water, Shower with PanOxyl on body, Cleanse face, Moisturize, Benzoyl Peroxide

Always
Wash hands before starting, use clean disposables, avoid touching your face.

Expected timeline

Most people see the first visible improvement around week 6, with fuller results by week 8. If nothing has changed by then, stop guessing - see a dermatologist and adjust from there.

Product list

Use these exact stores

Do not substitute stores to save time. Some skincare products have counterfeit listings on other marketplaces.

These aren’t referral links. I don’t make money if you buy through them.

Product Price Store
Cotton rounds $7.99 Amazon
Clean headband $7.99 Amazon
Antibacterial Soap $23.49 Amazon
Disposable face/hand towels $14.40 Clean Skin Club
Silver Ion pillowcases (nice to have) $34.99 Clean Skin Club
Micellar Water $15.39 Target
PanOxyl Shower Gel 10% $23.98 Target
Face Reality Gentle Cleanser $31.00 Art of Skincare
Face Reality Hydrabalance Gel $31.00 Art of Skincare
Face Reality 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide Cream $28.00 Art of Skincare
5% Mandelic Acid Serum $41.00 Art of Skincare
Face Reality Daily SPF 30 Plus $35.00 Art of Skincare
Total (all products) $294.23 Expensive but worth it if you stay consistent.

Read first

General guidelines before starting

  1. Always start by washing your hands with antibacterial soap. If you touch anything dirty, wash them again.
  2. Dry your face only with single-use disposable towels.
  3. Patch test any new product on a small spot along your jawline for 24 hours before putting it all over your face.
  4. Use lukewarm or cold water for your face.
  5. Benzoyl Peroxide and Mandelic Acid can dry your skin and trigger an early purge. Give the routine 6–8 weeks before changing anything.
  6. Wear sunscreen every single day while on this routine. Mandelic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide weaken your skin barrier and going without sunscreen while using them can do real damage over time.
  7. This only works if you actually do it. Skip days and you’ll barely see results.

Step-by-step routines

Morning, afternoon and evening

Morning skincare routine

  1. Brush your teeth first - toothpaste residue can irritate your skin.
  2. Clean hands with antibacterial soap and don’t dry them afterwards.
    Antibacterial Soap
  3. Wash face with cleanser using lukewarm/cold water for at least 60 seconds, with gentle pressure.
    Face Reality Gentle Cleanser
  4. Dry face and hands with one or two disposable towels.
    Disposable face/hand towels
  5. Apply one pump of Mandelic Acid to face only (avoid eyes, neck and combining with Benzoyl Peroxide).
    5% Mandelic Acid Serum
  6. Wait about 60 seconds for Mandelic Acid to dry.
  7. Apply moisturizer: one pump for face and one pump for neck, careful near eyes.
    Face Reality Hydrabalance Gel
  8. Wait about 60 seconds for moisturizer to dry.
  9. Apply sunscreen every day, no exceptions. Mandelic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide weaken your skin barrier - skipping sunscreen while using them risks long-term damage.
    Face Reality Daily SPF 30 Plus

Afternoon maintenance

  1. Do not touch your face with dirty hands.
  2. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours while outside, especially when UV index is 3+. Clean hands before reapplying.
    Face Reality Daily SPF 30 Plus
  3. Wash your face after sweating (for example after the gym).
    Face Reality Gentle Cleanser
  4. If UV index is above 5, cover up: wide-brimmed hat, UV umbrella, shade and UV-protective clothing.
  5. If you nap during the day, use a clean side of your regular pillowcase or your Silver Ion pillowcase.
    Silver Ion pillowcases

Evening skincare routine

Choose one of two options below. Option A uses PanOxyl as a rinse-off treatment on the face - better for sensitive skin since the benzoyl peroxide washes off instead of sitting on your skin overnight. Option B uses a separate cleanser and a leave-on benzoyl peroxide cream for stronger treatment.

Option A - sensitive skin

PanOxyl on face + body in the shower, no leave-on benzoyl peroxide.

  1. Brush your teeth first.
  2. Clean hands with antibacterial soap and dry with a disposable towel.
    Antibacterial SoapDisposable face/hand towels
  3. Apply Micellar Water using cotton rounds (fresh section for each area: left face, right face, neck, hairline).
    Micellar WaterCotton rounds
  4. Get in the shower and keep face away from water and hands as much as possible.
  5. Wash hair with head tilted back (about 45 degrees) to reduce face runoff.
  6. Apply PanOxyl 10% to face, neck and body breakout areas. This acts as a rinse-off Benzoyl Peroxide treatment - gentler than a leave-on cream.
    PanOxyl Shower Gel 10%
  7. Let PanOxyl sit for 60 seconds, then rinse thoroughly.
  8. Exit shower and dry everything except your face with your regular towel.
  9. Put on headband if your hair touches your face.
    Clean headband
  10. Wash hands with antibacterial soap again.
    Antibacterial Soap
  11. Dry face with disposable towels.
    Disposable face/hand towels
  12. Apply moisturizer (one pump face, one pump neck).
    Face Reality Hydrabalance Gel
  13. Sleep on a fresh side of your regular pillowcase or your Silver Ion pillowcase each night.
    Silver Ion pillowcases

Option B - standard

PanOxyl on body only, separate face cleanser, plus leave-on benzoyl peroxide cream overnight.

  1. Brush your teeth first.
  2. Clean hands with antibacterial soap and dry with a disposable towel.
    Antibacterial SoapDisposable face/hand towels
  3. Apply Micellar Water using cotton rounds (fresh section for each area: left face, right face, neck, hairline).
    Micellar WaterCotton rounds
  4. Get in the shower and keep face away from water and hands as much as possible.
  5. Wash hair with head tilted back (about 45 degrees) to reduce face runoff.
  6. Apply PanOxyl 10% to neck and body breakout areas (not face).
    PanOxyl Shower Gel 10%
  7. Let PanOxyl sit for 60 seconds, then rinse thoroughly.
  8. Exit shower and dry everything except your face with your regular towel.
  9. Put on headband if your hair touches your face.
    Clean headband
  10. Wash hands with antibacterial soap again.
    Antibacterial Soap
  11. Wash your face with cleanser for at least 60 seconds using lukewarm/cold water.
    Face Reality Gentle Cleanser
  12. Dry face and hands with disposable towels.
    Disposable face/hand towels
  13. Apply moisturizer (one pump face, one pump neck).
    Face Reality Hydrabalance Gel
  14. Wait 60 seconds.
  15. Apply a pea-sized amount of 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide cream to face only.
    Face Reality 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide Cream
  16. Sleep on a fresh side of your regular pillowcase or your Silver Ion pillowcase each night.
    Silver Ion pillowcases

Important disclaimer

I’m not a dermatologist. This is based on what I’ve learned and what’s worked well for my clients but your skin might respond differently.

Use this guide at your own risk, patch test products and if you feel unsure about any step, check with your doctor or dermatologist first.

Bedding protocol

Sleep hygiene checklist

  1. Change pillowcase every 3 days: day 1 one side, day 2 the other side, day 3 replace. This applies to both regular pillowcases and Silver Ion pillowcases.
  2. Replace bed sheets and duvet covers every 5 days (or more often with body breakouts).
  3. Wear clean, dedicated sleep clothes every night and don’t reuse daytime clothing.
  4. If travel limits laundry: iron your pillowcases, sleep in a clean long-sleeve shirt and bring your own pillowcases if possible.

Common question

Why retinol and tretinoin aren’t in this guide

Sun sensitivity stacks up

This routine already includes Mandelic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide, both of which weaken your skin barrier and make you more vulnerable to UV damage. Retinol and tretinoin are also photosensitizing. Layering all of them together significantly increases the risk of sun damage, irritation and hyperpigmentation — the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve.

The routine is already dense

There are a lot of active ingredients here. Adding retinol or tretinoin on top means more potential for irritation, more complex timing constraints and a higher chance of giving up because the routine becomes unmanageable. Simpler is more sustainable.

Anti-aging comes after clear skin

The main benefit retinol and tretinoin offer over what’s already in this list is anti-aging. That matters but it’s a second-order concern. If your skin isn’t clear yet, adding anti-aging products won’t help you look better — it’ll just complicate your routine. Get clear skin first, then layer in retinoids once your skin is stable and you can afford the extra sun sensitivity.

Wrap-up

Clear skin makes a real difference in how you come across on dates and in photos. If you also want help with dating profile photos, you can check out my photography services.