How I Used ChatGPT to Rebuild My Skincare Routine (and Finally Get My Glow Back)

Photo Credit: @autumlovedaily

I’m not someone who experiments much with skincare. I like what works, I stick with it, and I move on with my life. So when my skin suddenly decided to rebel breakouts, texture, oiliness I was genuinely confused. I hadn’t changed my diet, I wasn’t using anything wildly new, and yet my face felt like it had a mind of its own.

At first, I blamed stress. Then hormones. Then maybe just “getting older.” But deep down, I knew something in my routine was off.

Disclaimer: I’m not a skincare expert, aesthetician, or dermatologist — I’m just a 30-something woman with pretty normal skin that occasionally acts up. I like simple routines, basic products, and realistic results. So no, you won’t see me writing an encyclopedia about skincare, but if something actually works for me, I’ll share it — because maybe another woman out there needs a little direction, too.

When Everything Went Left

Here’s what was happening, I’d been using Paula’s Choice products for years without a single issue. My skin thrived on them. Then I tried a new face lotion by a different brand and I just wanted to give it a try. And that’s when the chaos started.

Within days, my skin broke out in tiny bumps. Not painful, just annoying. I’m someone who never really breaks out, so this was a shock. I stopped using the lotion and my skin calmed down within a few weeks, which pretty much confirmed it was the culprit. But even after tossing it, I was left with texture.

And let’s be honest texture is one of those things that doesn’t show up until you’re doing your makeup and suddenly everything looks off.

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The Vitamin Situation

At the same time, I had started a new vitamin stack. I was taking:

Magnesium Glycinate Drops before bed (helps me sleep like a baby). I’ve repurchased these about 5 times. I highly recommend.

Amazon

Magnesium Glycinate Liquid Drop

$25.99

Clean Nutraceuticals Collagen + Biotin + Keratin + Hyaluronic Acid + Saw Palmetto (a mouthful, but supposedly great for hair and skin)

Clean Nutraceuticals Collagen + Biotin + Keratin + Hyaluronic Acid + Saw Palmetto

$34.99

Calcium + Magnesium + Zinc + Potassium + Copper + D3 + K2 + B Vitamins

Calcium + Magnesium + Zinc + Potassium + Copper + D3 + K2 + B Vitamins

$26.95

It’s a lot, I know. I started them to strengthen my hair and support my overall wellness and honestly, my edges started growing back. But a few weeks in, I noticed my skin getting those little bumps again. After researching, I found tons of people mentioning they had mild breakouts when starting collagen or biotin. Apparently, it’s a common purge phase while your body adjusts.

So between the vitamins and that lotion, my skin was overwhelmed.

Enter ChatGPT (My Unlikely Skincare Coach)

One night, I was venting about how stressed and confused I felt. I had spent nearly $200 restocking skincare — Paula’s Choice, The Ordinary, Tatcha, Kat Burki, Drunk Elephant — and yet I didn’t even know the correct order to use things.

So I asked ChatGPT to help me rebuild my entire skincare routine from scratch.

It broke everything down in a way that finally made sense. Instead of layering a dozen products at night, I learned that my skin actually liked simplicity.

Here’s what my new structure looks like:

Day	AM	PM
Mon	Cleanser + Niacinamide + Kat Burki + SPF	Cleanser + BHA Pads + Tatcha
Tue	Cleanser + Glycolic Toner + Tatcha + SPF	Cleanser + Azelaic Booster + Kat Burki
Wed	Cleanser + Niacinamide + SPF	Cleanser + Moisturizer Only
Thu	Cleanser + Glycolic Toner + SPF	Cleanser + BHA Pads + Kat Burki
Fri	Cleanser + Niacinamide + Tatcha + SPF	Cleanser + Azelaic Booster + Tatcha
Sat	Cleanser + Hyaluronic Acid + SPF	Cleanser + Moisturizer Only
Sun	Cleanser + SPF Only	Cleanser + Mandelic/Lactic Exfoliant + Kat Burki

Morning Routine (Deep Skincare Mode)

Cleanser: Paula’s Choice Oil-Reducing Cleanser

Paula's Choice RESIST Perfectly Balanced Foaming Facial Cleanser

$26.00

Toner: Paula’s Choice Pore-Reducing Toner (until it ran out, now I’m using The Ordinary’s Glycolic 7% Toner)

Paula's Choice SKIN BALANCING Toner

$29.00

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

$13.00

Exfoliation (2-3x/week): Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Exfoliating Pads

Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant with Salicylic Acid, Facial Polish for Enlarged Pores

$48.00

Serum: Niacinamide or Hyaluronic Acid by The Ordinary (depending on the day)

The Ordinary Skin Support Basics Duo

$15.90

Treatment: Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

Azelaic Acid Booster Cream Gel

$13.00

Moisturizer: Rotate between Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream and Kat Burki Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream

TATCHA The Dewy Skin Cream

$23.00

KAT BURKI 15% Stabilized Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream.

$75.00

SPF: Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Daily Defense SPF 30. As a brown girl I can testify that this doesn’t leave a white cast on my face. Also, it doesn’t leave my skin dry.

Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30

$31.20

Night Routine (Keep It Simple)

• Cleanser: Same Paula’s Choice cleanser

• Moisturizer only: I let my skin rest — no acids, no layering.

That’s it. No more over-treating my skin at night. The next morning, my skin always looks calmer, smoother, and less congested.

Amazon

Pure Daily Care NanoSteamer Large 3-in-1

$49.95

What Changed

Pink collagen jelly gel mask

$19.00

Once I started following this routine (and stopped overloading my skin), the difference was immediate. My breakouts cleared, the oiliness balanced out, and that stubborn texture started softening.

The best part? When my period started, my skin didn’t freak out. No bumps, no hormonal chaos — just glow.

And yes, I still take my vitamins daily. I think my body just needed time to adjust, because now that first-month purge is over, my skin is thriving.

What I Learned About My Skin (and Myself)

• Simple is sustainable. My skin doesn’t want ten products at once — it wants consistency.

• Not every “rich” moisturizer is your friend. Even if it sounds nourishing, it might clog your pores.

• Vitamins can help — but your body needs time to adjust.

• ChatGPT is NOT replacing my dermatologist, but it’s great at helping me organize my routine and understand what each product does.

Again for the people who don’t read Chat GPT did not recommend these products. These were products that I have been using for months. But I was using them with products that simply didn’t work together. So she helped me create a routine.

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Find out the 5 style mistakes you’re probably making (and how to fix them)—download the free guide!