Skincare Essentials: Isabelle

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving! Is anyone else feeling like their skin is different after feasting on home-cooked treats? Since middle school I've had mild acne that seems to flare up every so often.  I tried taking antibiotics for a while, which helped but gave me stomach upset. I eventually seemed to build a tolerance to that and my acne returned, so I looked for topical alternatives. My friends know that I'm fairly compulsive about my daily morning and bedtime routine, and here are a few of my essential skincare items:

1. Clarisonic Mia 2 (here) - when I first used this device, I wanted to sneeze because the vibrations tickled my nose. Now that I'm used to it, my face just doesn't feel clean without using it twice a day. (pictured: acne brush head)
2. Body Shop Tea Tree Night Lotion (here) - I apply this after scrubbing my face with the clarisonic at night. I like it because it's not a heavy moisturizer, and I think it's helped with some of my hyperpigmentation problems.
3. Ren Clay Cleanser (here) - It took me a while to get to this cleanser, but I found that it's worth the price tag. The cleanser itself is thick and somewhat milky when applied, so my face doesn't feel dried out after using it. It's also supposed to have some antibacterial ingredients to keep the acne at bay.
4. Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask (here) - Okay, so this is just a baby sample and I haven't used it much, but it's kind of like a special treat when my skin is feeling really irritated. After leaving it on for ten minutes (or longer), my skin feels cool and refreshed (even though you look kind of sickly from the green tint when it's on!)
5. Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer (small size here) - I bought this before they sold out on Sephora over the summer; apparently it's being reformulated and released at the end of this year. This is another light moisturizer, but with 40+ SPF for the day. I like the scent and I think the oil actually keeps my skin from getting too oily throughout the day. It also has physical sunscreens instead of chemical, which I've heard is better for you with regards to free radicals.
6. Retin-A Gel - This is a prescription gel that helps control my acne by increasing the turnover rate of the skin cells where it's applied. I've found it to be more helpful than benzoyl peroxide treatments, and it doesn't bleach my sheets or towels like benzoyl peroxide can.

Leave your favorite products in the comments, especially if you have combination-acne prone skin like me!

-Isabelle