Skincare Guides

We’re here to tell you what we know, but don’t take it as medical advice. Talk to your medical provider about your specific health concerns.

Woman smiling and holding a Curology Custom Formula bottle.

Woman smiling and holding a Curology Custom Formula bottle.

Your Curology journey: month 1

Checking in on you and your skin goals after one month of custom skincare

A woman holds a magnifying glass over one eye, making it appear larger.

A woman holds a magnifying glass over one eye, making it appear larger.

Face serums 101: Curology’s breakdown

Face serums: what they are, if you need them, and some of our favorites

Man moisturizing his skin

Man moisturizing his skin

Skincare for men: 5 simple things to know

A guy’s guide to skincare basics

Mom and son photographed together

Mom and son photographed together

10 reasons your teen has acne, according to skin experts.

Plus some of the best teen acne treatments that actually work.

acne-friendly makeup header

acne-friendly makeup header

Acne-friendly makeup

How to separate the good from the bad

A melanin-rich woman with curly hair in natural light

A melanin-rich woman with curly hair in natural light

Sun protection for melanin-rich skin

Yes, even dark skin tones need sunscreen—here’s why

How to take before and afters like a pro

How to take before and afters like a pro

How to take before-and-after pictures like a pro

Learn how to take Curology-approved selfies that’ll wow people with your results

Women with cream product on cheek

Women with cream product on cheek

Pregnancy and skincare

Baby-safe skincare during pregnancy & breastfeeding

A pair of hands, half-submerged in light blue water.

A pair of hands, half-submerged in light blue water.

Which moisturizer is best for you?

Choosing the right moisturizer for your skin

Glasses resting on bed with Curology set on nightstand in background

Glasses resting on bed with Curology set on nightstand in background

Your first weeks on Curology

What to expect as your skin adjusts to your custom mix—and how to deal

Hyaluronic Acid smeared on a red background

Hyaluronic Acid smeared on a red background

Tip of the month: Try hyaluronic acid in your skincare routine

Hyaluronic acid: your best friend for dewy skin

Orange squeezed in hand

Orange squeezed in hand

Guide to vitamin C for skin

How your face might benefit from vitamin C’s antioxidant effects

A bird's eye view of a small cactus next a bottle of Curology custom cream

A bird's eye view of a small cactus next a bottle of Curology custom cream

Adjusting to tretinoin

Managing early side effects of tretinoin so you can get your glow

Skin cream on young male with facial hair

Skin cream on young male with facial hair

Facial hair and skincare

Do’s and don’ts for ingrown hairs, beard acne, waxing, and more.

A face with a pipette full of oil.

A face with a pipette full of oil.

Facial oils

Oils that don’t tend to clog pores or cause breakouts

3 A woman laying on her stomach poses with a turtle on her back.

3 A woman laying on her stomach poses with a turtle on her back.

Melasma 101

What causes melasma and how to treat it

Woman in peach colored top looking in round mirror and applying makeup to face with a pink sponge

Woman in peach colored top looking in round mirror and applying makeup to face with a pink sponge

How to exfoliate your skin

Salt, sand, sponges, and more

Two people in yellow and orange shirts with yellow, green, and blue balloons in place of heads, all against an orange background

Two people in yellow and orange shirts with yellow, green, and blue balloons in place of heads, all against an orange background

How to deal with clogged pores

Everything you need to know to prevent and treat clogged pores

Woman with voluminous brown hair in front of purple background

Woman with voluminous brown hair in front of purple background

Pores and pore size

Debunking myths about pores, pore size, shrinking pores, and more

A woman's face with a red flower in her mouth

A woman's face with a red flower in her mouth

Cleansers for “normal” skin

The best face wash for balanced, healthy skin

A woman smiling and looking into the camera while holding a bottle of Curology cream

A woman smiling and looking into the camera while holding a bottle of Curology cream

Fine lines and wrinkles

Wrinkles vs. fine lines and the science of aging skin

Carrots of various colors against a neutral background

Carrots of various colors against a neutral background

Foods that can trigger breakouts

The truth about dairy, fat, soy, and more

Pieces and chunks of orange peels arranged into a rectangle shape against a light neutral background

Pieces and chunks of orange peels arranged into a rectangle shape against a light neutral background

Multi-tasking anti-aging ingredients

Anti-aging skincare hacks

Slices and loaves of breads of various sizes and types against a purple background

Slices and loaves of breads of various sizes and types against a purple background

Unclog your pores with azelaic acid

This pore-unclogging powerhouse busts blackheads, acne, and inflammation

Woman in a sports bra and shorts jumping into a split against a light neutral background

Woman in a sports bra and shorts jumping into a split against a light neutral background

How to deal with body acne

Products and routines to get “bacne” off your back

Two arms in boxing gloves, arm on the left punching the hand on the right, all against a purple background

Two arms in boxing gloves, arm on the left punching the hand on the right, all against a purple background

Beat breakouts with clindamycin

This antibiotic fire hose puts out fiery breakouts

Closeup of foot in a yellow sock stepping and pressing a pink balloon with blue dots, all against a purple background

Closeup of foot in a yellow sock stepping and pressing a pink balloon with blue dots, all against a purple background

How to treat cystic acne

Everything you should and shouldn’t do

"Acne" written in pink and purple makeup against a peach background, with lipstick and makeup brushes next to the letters

"Acne" written in pink and purple makeup against a peach background, with lipstick and makeup brushes next to the letters

How to deal with hormonal acne

Learn about—and limit!—those breakout cycles

Two bodies in a white and purple hoodie with white flowers instead of faces, against a white background

Two bodies in a white and purple hoodie with white flowers instead of faces, against a white background

How to deal with hyperpigmentation

Treating post-acne spots and scars

Woman with bangs with pale whitish powder covering cheek, eye, and part of hair against a green background

Woman with bangs with pale whitish powder covering cheek, eye, and part of hair against a green background

Soothe inflammation with metronidazole

Helps soothe skin conditions like POD and acne rosacea

Person wearing white shirt with black dots and black pants with white dots against a neutral background

Person wearing white shirt with black dots and black pants with white dots against a neutral background

Block hyperpigmentation with tranexamic acid

Tranexamic acid helps block hyperpigmentation and reduce inflammation

Person in denim jacket and red nail polish squeezing pink balloon with black text "Acne" against a purple background

Person in denim jacket and red nail polish squeezing pink balloon with black text "Acne" against a purple background

What is acne anyway?

The causes of acne explained

Hands holding a red rubber ball against a neutral background

Hands holding a red rubber ball against a neutral background

How to get rid of a pimple

How NOT to pop that juicy pimple

Woman with nail polish holding Curology bottle against neutral background

Woman with nail polish holding Curology bottle against neutral background

Cell turnover and collagen production

We’ve got anti-aging skincare down to a science

exfoliate header

exfoliate header

Chemical exfoliation 101

Acid, peels – no scrubs

Fingers with red nail polish popping bubble wrap against a neutral background

Fingers with red nail polish popping bubble wrap against a neutral background

Am I purging?

When acne gets worse before it gets better

Woman in peach colored top looking in round mirror and applying makeup to face with a pink sponge

Woman in peach colored top looking in round mirror and applying makeup to face with a pink sponge

Foundation makeup for acne-prone skin

The complete guide to choosing the right foundation for your skin

Woman with black hair in green shirt touching face with hands against a neutral gray background

Woman with black hair in green shirt touching face with hands against a neutral gray background

Foundation makeup for aging skin

Looking for the perfect foundation for your skin? We’ve got you covered

Curology cleanser on pink bathtub with running water and pink tile background

Curology cleanser on pink bathtub with running water and pink tile background

Cleansers for all skin types

The complete guide to cleansers for every skin type

Close up of woman with cream on her face, holding hands near face

Close up of woman with cream on her face, holding hands near face

Cleansers for oily skin

The complete guide to cleansers for oily skin

A wrapped lollipop resembling a blue eye against a pink and blue background.

A wrapped lollipop resembling a blue eye against a pink and blue background.

Eye care 101

Beauty is in the under-eye of the beholder

Birds-eye-view of a prickly cactus in a terracotta pot.

Birds-eye-view of a prickly cactus in a terracotta pot.

Moisturizers for dry skin

The ultimate guide to face moisturizers for dry skin

A close-up of a person's face, smearing cream across their cheek with one finger

A close-up of a person's face, smearing cream across their cheek with one finger

Moisturizers for acne-prone skin

The complete guide to moisturizers that don’t clog pores

A woman's face, half-obscured by a diagonal slab of plexiglass

A woman's face, half-obscured by a diagonal slab of plexiglass

Moisturizers for combination skin

The best face moisturizers for combination skin that won’t clog pores

Close-up of a woman wearing a bucket hat with a fake bug on her cheek

Close-up of a woman wearing a bucket hat with a fake bug on her cheek

Moisturizers for sensitive skin

The best face moisturizers for sensitive skin

The Curology set floating in a pink bathtub filled with water

The Curology set floating in a pink bathtub filled with water

Curology products and routine

How to check your products and establish your routine

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Determining your skin type: dry skin

What to avoid, and what's good for you

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Skincare for wedding prep

Six months to “I do” — everything you need to know

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Get glowing with tretinoin

Pore-unclogger. Protein powerhouse. Purveyor of the mythical "glow."

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Fight acne-causing fungus and bacteria with zinc pyrithione

When unwanted guests crash the party on your skin, ZP restores peace

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Skincare through the decades

Our guide to skincare on a timeline

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headerNormal

Face sunscreen for normal skin

The best face sunscreens for normal skin

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headerOily

Face sunscreen for oily skin

The best sunscreens for oily skin

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headerAcneProne

Face sunscreen for acne-prone skin

The best face sunscreens that won’t clog pores

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headerCombination

Face sunscreen for combination skin

The best sunscreens for combination skin

headerDry

headerDry

Face sunscreen for dry skin

Moisturizers with SPF, tinted sunscreen for dry skin, and more

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Repair skin damage with niacinamide

Rebuilding aging skin (and defending against dark spots, too!)

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Concealers for all skin types

Got something to hide? This is the ultimate concealer guide

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cleansersAcneProneHeader

Cleansers for acne-prone skin

How to choose cleansers for acne-prone skin

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headerSensitive

Face sunscreen for sensitive skin

Face sunscreens formulated not to irritate sensitive skin

A woman's hand rests on her face, as if she's just smacked herself out of frustration.

A woman's hand rests on her face, as if she's just smacked herself out of frustration.

What to do if you’re still breaking out

Troubleshooting your skincare routine

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Changing your Curology formula

Not sure your first formula is “the one”?

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Acne scar treatments and realistic expectations

Can you “fade” acne scars?

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Skincare tips for traveling

How to prevent acne breakouts while traveling

Closeup of a person's face with their hands resting on their head.

Closeup of a person's face with their hands resting on their head.

Concealers for aging skin

The best concealers for skin with fine lines or wrinkles

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concealers acne prone skin header

Concealers for acne-prone skin

Concealer should cover up acne, not make it worse!

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Athletics and acne

Breakouts after workouts? Don’t sweat it.

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Determining your skin type: oily skin

Skincare secrets for oily skin

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cleansersHeader

Which face cleanser is right for you?

Choosing the right cleanser for your skin

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Acne scars and how to prevent them

How to prevent acne scars of every type

Women with sun damage on a black and white image

Women with sun damage on a black and white image

Photos That Will Convince You to Wear Sunscreen Every Day

See what sun damage can really look like

Hand marking off days on wall calendar.

Birth control and acne

Find out how birth control affects acne