Fungal Acne Skincare Routine *2025 UPDATE

It's been about 6 months since my skin has been mostly under control. I wanted to share a list of my favorite products to help fight fungal acne. Sulfer and Nizoral weren't the best choices for me. My routine has changed and I've tried a bunch of new products.

Moisturizers:
Hada Labo Premium Lotion *2025 reformulated and unsafe
Hada Labo Gel Cream *It's only a trigger if you use products with fatty acids
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in one cream

Occlusive:
Cerave Healing Ointment
EltaMD Intense Moisturizer

Cleansers:
Vanicream Facial Cleanser
Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo

2025 PRODUCT UPDATE:

My skin is mostly clear, but my biggest trigger now is my own sweat. I still get small bumps around my hairline and the occasional rouge spot on my face. Retinol has helped keep fungal acne under control though it hasn’t completely eliminated it. I try to keep my skincare products FA safe. 

I currently use:

COSRX snail 92 all in one cream
Torriden Low Molecule Hyaluronic Acid Toner 
Vaseline/Aquaphor.

Eye Makeup Remover:
Swan Mineral Oil

Body Wash/Shampoo/Face Mask:
Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo
Head & Shoulders shampoo
Selsun Blue shampoo 

Conditioner:
Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Conditioner (*contains fatty alcohols)

Sunscreens:
DRMTGLY Broad Spectrum 45
DRMTGLY Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46
Cotz Face Natural Skin Tone SPF 40
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46

2025 PRODUCT UPDATE:

I now use Garnier - SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-In-1 Waterproof for makeup removal. I use generic Zinc shampoo as body wash. I use whatever hair products and try to keep my hair off my shoulders in the shower. I always wash hair first then use body wash after.

I will use any sunscreen at this point whether it's safe or not: Walgreens and Dollar Tree. My FA safe sunscreen is COSRX - Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen SPF50 PA++++ though!

  

Note: EltaMD clear is safe and the tinted sunscreen is NOT safe. A tinted dupe is supposedly DRMTGLY Anti Aging Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46.

Retinol:
Retino A 0.025% (Tretinoin, not FA safe)
Differin

My Retinol Routine & Experience

Starting Out: The First 6 Months

I began my retinol journey with Differin (Adapalene) twice a week. My nighttime routine looked like this:

1. Wet face and apply a moisturizer all over.
2. Use healing ointment or Vaseline on sensitive areas—under the eyes, sides of the nose, and corners of the mouth.
3. Apply a dime-sized amount of Differin, dotting it all over my face.

Optional: If dryness occurred, I would layer moisturizer and ointment/Vaseline all over before bed for extra hydration.

Transitioning to Tretinoin

Once my skin adjusted, I introduced Tretinoin 0.025%, following a similar application method:

1. Apply moisturizer and let it dry for at least 30 minutes before applying Tretinoin.
2. Use a pea to dime-sized amount of Tretinoin.
3. After at least an hour (or right before bed), reapply moisturizer and a layer of ointment/Vaseline for added protection.

Sunscreen in the morning is a must. I've had some bad irritation that felt like a chemical/sun burn when I forgot to use it.

How I Incorporated Both Products

I alternated between Differin and Tretinoin to prevent irritation:

• Differin: 2 times a week
• Tretinoin: 1 time a week

The key is listening to your skin—if you notice redness, burning, or peeling, pause retinol use and focus on moisturizing and healing before resuming. Spacing out applications and using a heavier moisturizer when needed can help prevent irritation.

Reminder: Retinol works over time. You don’t need to apply it daily! If you’re experiencing burning every day, something is wrong.

When starting Tretinoin, begin with 1-2 times a week and gradually increase usage. You can bump up the percentage after your skin adjusts, whether that means increasing frequency or after 1-2 years of consistent use. Once you switch to a higher strength, restart the process with once-a-week applications and build up slowly.

***2025 Update: My Current Routine

I’m still using both Differin and Tretinoin, but I’ve adjusted based on my skin’s needs.

• During colder months, my skin becomes drier and more sensitive, so I use Differin if my skin needs  a break.
• I no longer need moisturizer with every application. I'll do it for colder months if needed!
• I now regularly use Tretinoin 0.05% and 0.1% gel versions.

Tretinoin: Cream vs. Gel

I've noticed better results after switching from cream to gel. It’s less irritating but can be very drying if overused. With Tretinoin, less is more!

Many people recommend using cream for acne-prone skin and gel for sensitive skin. 

Since Tretinoin increases cell turnover, it may reduce the impact of potentially fungal acne (FA)-triggering ingredients in other skincare products. When I first started researching retinol, the only FA-safe Tretinoin I could find was 0.1% strength, which felt overwhelming as a beginner. My experience is that the faster cell renewal helped keep my skin clearer and reduced reactions to non-FA-safe products, including skincare, hair products, sunscreens, and anything else that comes into contact with my skin.

• 0.1% Micro Gel: Works best for me! It’s drying and has a grainy texture, but I prefer it.
• Cream Formula: Smoother application and less drying—good if the gel feels too harsh.

I’ve been using retinol for five years nowmand if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that patience is key! Even after all this time, using too much can still irritate my skin. A pea-sized amount is truly all you need.

2020: I try to use Differin daily and throw in 1-2 days a week of just Tret. I’m using a nonsafe Tret for anti-aging purposes. If I got a purge or breakout then Differin takes care of it. I’m still in my first year of Tret and I’m working my way up to being able to use the safe product: A-Ret Gel 0.1%






I developed angular cheilitis on both sides of my mouth, which appeared as dry, irritated patches. To treat it, I applied Monistat 7 twice a day and it cleared up within a week. Any antifungal cream can help, but it’s important to stop using it once the issue is resolved.

I’ve also used Monistat 7 to prevent bad fungal acne breakouts from spreading, like the time I had it overtake on my earlobe. However, I don’t recommend it for daily use! Only as a targeted treatment when needed.

Shower Routine:

I apply zinc shampoo to my dry skin on my problem areas: face, neck, and chest as a 5-minute mask. I also apply it to my scalp and upper shoulders as a ‘barrier’. I apply conditioner and try to keep it off my neck/shoulders until I rinse. 

Diet

I briefly considered going on the candida diet but it’s really restricting and not sustainable. I always thought dairy was a trigger for me but after reintroducing that into my diet- I had no noticeable reaction. It turns out gluten makes me break out the most. A day of pizza really helped me pinpoint it and any time I ever had beer had caused breakouts. Cutting back on that has helped keep my skin clear.

Recently I have been taking Nutrition Now Pb8 Acidophilus capsules. I’m wondering if it will fix my gut and help get rid of it. There’s not much information online about it. I’ll update if I notice any changes.

Fungal acne safe sunscreens with supposedly no white cast*:

DRMTGLY Broad Spectrum 45
Cotz Face Natural Skin Tone SPF 40
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46
Robot Skin Lab Gokujun UV White Gel (or Hada Labo UV White Gel)
Nivea - Sun Protect Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++
Missha - All Around Safe Block Essence Sun Milk- (GREEN CAP ONLY)
*These were recommendations I found throughout reddit

DISCLAIMER~

As always!! I’m a regular person, not a dermatologist. I went on the Simple Skincare Science blog to learn about fungal acne and chose products from the massive list. You can ask me questions about any of the products I’ve used but anything else that’s not listed...I’m not knowledgeable about it. I also can’t tell you if what you have is fungal because bumps are bumps. The ONLY way you can figure out if it's fungal is by eliminating products and only using FA safe products.

Related Posts:

Retinol for Fungal Acne

Fungal Acne Skin (Part 1)
Fungal Acne Products (Part 2)