I came to Dubai from the colder climate of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and my skin didn’t take it as well as I did. It went from “okay-ish” to sensitive, red, and full of acne and zits everywhere. 

It was a disaster, honestly. I constantly felt very ugly and the post-acne scars did not help at all. I stayed at home a lot and was really keen on makeup, trying to hide it, and it only made everything worse.

It was a tragedy for my self-esteem, and thank God I had my husband with me, who always tried to cheer me up, even though I felt uglier than slugs (sorry, slugs). 

I tried to fix it as usual. I got more tea tree oil-infused stuff, I got the retinol Instagram is screaming about, and I got many super expensive essences and tonics, as well as creams, and everything only made things worse. 

After trying to cure this disaster with previous methods for a while, I realised I needed professional help and no more self-curing. 

So, I found a dermatologist abroad (a dermatologist because I was so sure I was having something like a disease at this point — I was at my lowest, really), and what happened? Well, she recommended I continue drying my skin and irritating it with more harsh elements. Nothing was helping me, and I was almost crying every time I washed my face. 

I know this sounds dramatic, but this was dramatic; I felt terrible every single second. If you have never had skin problems, you can’t even imagine how hard they hit your self-esteem. Never judge people with acne; please be kind to them and yourself. 

But it is not a sad story. Eventually, I found HER — my lovely, perfect, and beautiful cosmetologist in Dubai. She honestly saved my sanity and has changed my life. 

So what was the secret? Apparently, throughout my life before Dubai I was treating my skin so badly, it was constantly irritated and thus hormonal acne. But it somehow worked in the colder climate, where skin produces less sebum and is not as affected by the surrounding environment as it is in the hot climate. 

It turns out I don’t have combi or oily skin, as I was previously told in the colder parts of the world, where this is usually the answer to acne causes. I have normal skin — just normal! When I found that out, I was like, you are kidding me, right? 

It is just normal skin with narrow pores. Indeed, narrow pores cause acne when they are dried out or greased out, but this type of skin just needs the simplest things — thorough cleaning and good moisturising. That is it. 

It is always the easiest routine one needs, especially if you are an acne-prone skin holder.  

Now, thanks to the completely new approach, I get compliments about how clean my skin looks. 

My heart is stolen by the Spanish brand Sesderma, so I will mostly list them.

Step 1: Cleaning your face thoroughly with a non-alcoholic/ non-tea tree/ nothing drying. Just a good old thorough cleanser! 

My cleanser is the best thing ever; it leaves the skin light and refreshed. 

Step 2: Tonic

This is a crucial one. So, we all heard that pH is important, but what’s the actual chemistry behind it? So, your skin has a certain pH; simply put, it has a certain level of acidity. And when it touches water — it changes its acidity due to the water's influence. In order to maintain a calm and nice atmosphere for your skin, you need to levellate the influence of water; thus, you have to use a facial tonic. But it should be more acidic than your skin already is; thus, all the drying tonics are a big no-no. 

My facial tonic — the perfect thing. It smells good and feels good. 

Step 3: Acne treatment

First of all, this is my secret weapon — Azelac Ru Serum. Don’t overuse it, but once a week, it works like a charm for both redness and post-acne. 

Then, for active spots that need a bit of cauterisation, I use Sesderma Acnises Young Roll-on Focal; it is gentle but effective. 

Pharmacy stuff like Differin Gel is also great, but don’t overuse it. Be sure to put it only on the zit and do not dry out the surrounding area.

Step 4: Moisturising 

I like the facial gel. I use the gel on days and the creme at night to ensure my skin is not greasy when I am in the sun. 

Step 5: SPF

This Luminous Fluid is perfect for city days. It gives you the glow and the coverage. 

This HydroPeptide SPF 50 is great for beach days. They also have this tinted version I use for the city, though it is SPF 30. 

So, here is my routine. I hope this helps. Remember, you are the prettiest being on Earth, so treat yourself accordingly.