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Step-by-step guide

Tracking acne and breakouts alongside your routine

Acne often seems to shift from one week to the next, which makes it hard to tell whether a new product is helping, doing nothing, or making things worse. A simple record of breakouts and routine changes gives you something to look at instead of a feeling.

The trap of judging too early

Many products take several weeks before any difference shows, and hormones, stress, and sleep move things around in the meantime. A record kept over a longer window separates a real pattern from a bad week.

Step by step

1. Split your face into areas. Forehead, cheeks, chin, and jawline are a common split. Create a folder for each in Library so each zone has its own photo history.
2. Photograph without makeup, in the same light. Use a consistent spot near a window. Pick one day a week for photos and set the folder reminder to match.
3. Mark affected spots on the body map. In a Diary check-in, tap each spot you want to note. For each one, log roughly how severe it feels and how itchy or tender it is.
4. Log new products as Routine items. Add the product, the date you started, how often you use it, and which areas it's for. Tagging the area is what lets the Pattern Finder work later.
5. Note irritation on the checklist. If something stings, feels too greasy, or seems to do nothing, use the flag options on that day's checklist. The notes stay with the day's record.
6. Keep the Diary going through the trial. Consistent check-ins are what give the Pattern Finder enough days to work with.
7. Read the Pattern Finder with care. It compares your average severity on days you used a product against days you didn't. Results are labeled Early signal, Worth a look, or Consistent pattern. They describe your own logged days only, so read them as a prompt to review, not a verdict.
8. Review at the end of each month. Look at the photos together, the routine history, and the averages, then decide what to keep, change, or stop with your clinician if you're using a prescribed treatment.