It hadn’t been but three days after I’d so superfluously bragged to my dad about the status of my skin, that I noticed a few new bumps around the corners of my mouth, most of which (at the time) were exclusive to the left side. Huh, that’s weird, I thought to myself, not overly concerned and chalking it up to hormones since my period was looming. Fast-forward a few weeks, however, and I was in total panic mode. What had started as a few bumps had morphed into a full-blown breakout, and I was experiencing an ever-increasing flush of red inflammation all around my nose, chin, and mouth that looked more like some kind of crazy rash—hardly the hormonal pimples I was accustomed to.
Long story short (and fear not—there will be another in-depth story about my experience coming soon to Who What Wear), after getting in to see a derm while home for the holidays, I found out I was dealing with perioral dermatitis and some acne. My skin was a true melting pot of everything that can happen to one’s skin at this point: flaking, scales, bumps, redness, pimples, itchiness… You name it, I had it! I was prescribed a special breed of antibiotics to help clear the flare-up (although my doctor told me it could definitely recur), I went back on spironolactone (a prescription medication that has helped clear my skin in the past), and I began taking neem (more on that below). Last but not least, I was forced to replace my old skin-improving product routine with an entirely new one devoid of any and all actives and exfoliating agents and in favor of barrier-friendly hydrators and lightweight, non-irritating formulas.
Luckily for me, my need for an overhauled product regimen perfectly aligned with the launch of a brand-new, low-priced skincare brand called Byoma (exclusively sold at Target), which prioritizes practically every single thing I was looking for in new, dermatitis-friendly products: clean, noncomedogenic, dermatologist-approved ingredients specifically designed to improve and repair the skin’s barrier function while simultaneously hydrating, balancing, and brightening. A proprietary Tri-Ceramide Complex is touted as the line’s MVP, and all seven formulas (one cleanser, one toner/face mist, two moisturizers, and three serums) are mix-and-match compatible and boast complementary key ingredients to boost skin health.