How I Tamed My Dry, Breakout-Prone Skin In Just Four Weeks

Yulia Gorbachenko

You’d think that, as a fitness instructor and actress who’s constantly in front of a camera and inspiring others (hopefully!) to live their best life, I’d have the whole taking-care-of-myself thing down. Sure, I have my workouts and meal plan in check. But with a super-hectic schedule—I teach around eight workout classes a week, recently got hitched, bought a new house, and I’m constantly creating content for my social handles and going on auditions—my wellness routine has gotten off track.

Even though most days I sweat like crazy for a good chunk of time, I hardly drink any water before or after my workouts. And while I preach the importance of sleep for recovery and energy, I get into bed each night with my phone in hand instead of shutting off my mind.

Also, my skincare routine had become nonexistent. And after months of neglect, my skin was dull and dry and breakouts were constant.I knew I needed to make some important changes for my mental and physical well-being. So I decided to take on my skincare regimen first, as just one meaningful way to start getting back in control of my self-care routine.

For four weeks I committed to test-driving the newest products from Olay, making these easy-to-use, affordable items staples in my daily routine. Here’s what went down on my mission to get back my glow.

I made cleansing around workouts a built-in habit

Give me any reason to dress up and my inner voice screams bring on the glam! But in my everyday routine I’m living my best “sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on” life. And although that’s when I typically feel my prettiest, recently my skin had been dull and I’d been breaking out like a teenager.

Why was this happening?! I either teach or take a cardio, strength-training, or spinning class almost every day, so shouldn’t I be the poster woman for a post-workout glow? Finally I admitted to myself that never washing my face after working out had to be to blame. Because I don’t wear makeup to class and I’m constantly wiping off with a towel, truthfully I didn’t ever think it was that big of a deal.

I made washing my face before and immediately after every workout a priority, tossing Olay Detoxifying Face Scrub Vitamin C + Black Charcoal cleanser in my gym bag to use right in the studio’s locker room. I learned charcoal is known for grabbing onto impurities, plus “detox” was right in the name, so I figured it was a good option for washing away sweat and grime post-workout.

I also kept Olay Pore Perfecting Face Scrub Vitamin C + Dragon Fruit by my sink to use before bed. I liked that both products contain super-soft cleansing particles (suspended in creamy liquid) that gently buff skin. Immediately after trying each, my skin felt noticeably smoother. And after just a week, I noticed fewer pimple-related bumps; by week four, my skin looked crazy clear.

Jadi Collado

I found “lazy” ways to start hydrating my skin

Brightening Pressed Serum StickOlayolay.comSHOP NOW

I also integrated a moisturizing step into my day routine and at night. Before, I was literally putting nothing on my face after cleansing, even though I knew I should. The only rationale I can give for skipping this basic step is that I was always jetting out of the bathroom instead of carving out even a few more seconds for skin maintenance.

Since even just slapping on moisturizer was too easy to ignore, I had to find something I’d actually use: Instead of the typical cream or lotion, I started swiping on the Olay Brightening Pressed Serum Stick every morning. It’s packed with hydrating glycerin to help your skin retain moisture, and feels super-light on my skin—it literally glides on. And I love the portability of a solid serum. I started keeping one in my gym bag at all times, with no worries about it spilling. This gave me zero excuses not to moisturize when I washed my face after class.

Every night I looked forward to quickly smoothing on the Olay Overnight Firming Gel Mask. This nighttime moisturizer-mask hybrid (which is essentially straight-up hydration in a jar) gave my skin that ooey-gooey, super-hydrating feel you get after using a sheet mask—but without having to sit and wait with a horror villain-like mask on my face. The key word here: overnight. Themorning-after glow made me do a double take in the mirror; I couldn’t believe how refreshed and dewy my skin looked as soon as I got out of bed.

Jadi Collado

I started using a super-convenient, at-home peel

Vitamin C + AHA Resurfacing Peel Olayolay.comSHOP NOW

From all the skincare articles I’ve read, I knew a chemical peel might help solve my blah-skin problems. I’d never done a DIY one, but the Olay Vitamin C + AHA Resurfacing Peel—which, if you couldn’t tell from its name, is powered by alpha-hydroxy acid and vitamin C—was by far the VIP (very important product) of my skincare overhaul.

The bright amber-colored treatment has an amazing citrus-y smell. And the warming, tingling sensation it creates is super-mild. It’s reminiscent of the comfy seat warmer in my car, but for my face! The two-step process—applying the vitamin C mask, then massaging the AHA activator on top—only takes two minutes. Then you just rinse your face. So easy!

After every use, my skin felt like a baby’s bottom. Plus, I swear I had fewer blackheads and breakouts, and my skin looked way better with zero makeup. The one day a week I indulged in this beauty treat quickly became my favorite “me” time.

Jadi Collado

Lesson learned: Skincare is self-care

Four weeks of religiously practicing my new daily and nightly regimen, and my skin is poppin’ and the glow is real. Just like my workouts, my skincare routine is now a ritual I look forward to. Results equal motivation, am I right?

I’m excited to keep killin’ my wellness checklist. Next up is learning how to cut down my screen time at night. And as if a fired-up outlook wasn’t enough, last week, a coworker at one of the studios I visit almost every day said: “I don’t know what you’re doing, but like, you look incredible. I mean you always do, but right now—wow.” Boom.

Fashion credits: Earrings by Luv AJ

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