How to Get Rid of Acne Overnight With Black Voodoo Magic
Not gonna lie, I’ve been putting off writing this article because sh*t is about to get emotional. But it needs to be done. So here it goes….. How to get rid of acne in 3 simple steps, with product recommendations and all. Make sure you don’t miss the 10 additional tips at the end as well!
For more of my before and after photos, read my about me.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction.
- 2 Change Your Mentality Right Now.
- 3 Step #1: The Cleanse.
- 4 Step #2: Treat.
- 5 Step #3: Moisturize.
- 6 How to Build Up A Routine.
- 7 Summary.
- 8 Ten Additional Tips to Get Rid of Acne Faster.
- 8.1 1. Reduce irritation whenever possible.
- 8.2 2. Add a hyaluronic acid toner.
- 8.3 3. Clean up the diet.
- 8.4 4. Eat beef liver. Wait what????
- 8.5 5. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
- 8.6 6. Exercise.
- 8.7 7. Need to pop a pimple?
- 8.8 8. Change your pillow cases often.
- 8.9 9. BE GENTLE WITH YOUR SKIN.
- 8.10 10. Avoid stress.
- 8.11 11. Be an Eleven.
- 9 Final Words.
Introduction.
Let me start off by addressing the title gore. I hate to break it to you, but no… you cannot get rid of acne overnight with black magic. Sorry to disappoint.
Here’s the thing, there is no one-size-fits-all product or pill that’ll get rid of your acne overnight (except perhaps, the nuclear option: Accutane. But we won’t be discussing that in this post). Anyone else that tells you otherwise, is a lying sac of balls. The sooner you realize that, the faster you’ll clear your skin.
Don’t let your insecurities con you into believing what you want to hear. This world is FILLED with deceptive marketing, and quite frankly… BS, with the sole purpose of making $$$.
See this photo here? That’s approximately 8 years worth of MY OWN products! Full story here.
And the saddest part is that only a handful of those worked. Learn from my mistakes, follow the guidelines I will list here, and you should clear your acne in no time. I have made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. I am here to help you.
Change Your Mentality Right Now.
Skincare isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Treating acne will require patience, time, and dedication. Often times the trick is having the willpower to not jump the gun and bombard your face with dozens of arbitrary products all at once. More is not necessarily better. Often is the case, that less is more.
I know you don’t want to hear this, but the difference you see in the photos above of my acne didn’t happen “overnight.” It was the result of a year long skincare routine targeted towards my unique skin with products that work.
Note: if I didn’t make additional mistakes along the way, I could of have realistically achieved that progress in about half the time.
Just remember that consistent skincare effort paired with the right products for your unique skin, will do more for you than any magical lotion or potion promising to “cure your acne overnight” — whatever that means.
Note the emphasis on UNIQUE SKIN.
Ever wonder why a product on Amazon.com can have several thousand 5 star reviews, as well as hundreds of 1 stars? It’s because everyone’s skin is different. What works brilliantly for one person may not for another, and that’s for a whole host of reasons (e.g. genetics, environment, the acid mantle, hormones, skin type, sometimes diet etc.)
If this weren’t the case, we’d all be like those amazing people who can go weeks without showering, put bacon-grease mixed with equal parts dog poo on their face, leave it sitting for a couple days, then cleanse with a baking-soda-poison-ivy infused face wash and still have GORGEOUS skin that’s never tasted the existence of a pimple! Those lucky sons of bees!
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little… but you get the point. There are people out there that literally do nothing for their skin and still have a baby’s ass on their face (case in point, my crazy ex-girlfriend). :p
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The takeaway.
Everyone is unique. Some people have bad skin that requires multiple products; some people have great skin that requires minimal products; there’s sensitive skin, oily skin, dry skin, blemish-prone (ef our lives), dehydrated, balanced, aging skin, elephant skin, cheetah skin — you name it, and it probably exists!
So if a person comes up to you and says, “HEY! ERH MY GAWD! I found the natural MAGIC potion secret sauce for overnight flawless skin and it only costs $100,000!!!!” Just tell them to piss off. 🙂
With that said, let’s go into some time-tested, scientifically verified, clinically-sound routines, ingredients, and advice that’ll lay a strong foundation for building a skincare routine to clear your acne in no time.
These 3 steps are all you need! They will realistically clear up 90 to 95% of people. And if they don’t eradicate your acne completely, then there’s a few additional steps you can implement which will get you there. I will include these too. Let’s start!
Step #1: The Cleanse.
Pretty self-explanatory. You gotta clean your face. However, the type of cleanser you do that with is very important! You want a barebones, gentle, not-drying, pH balanced cleanser.
Let me repeat: you want gentle, non-drying, pH-balanced cleanser! So none of these harsh acne-washes with active ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide; these ingredients can be beneficial but are generally less effective in face washes.
To make this easier for everyone, I’ve provided a list of great cleansers (including some of my favorite) that are very well tolerated, and most importantly — pH-balanced!
I have found all of these to be gentle, yet cleanse well enough without stripping the natural oils from the face (yes, those are important). These will go a long way in maintaining the health of the moisture barrier.
If you don’t understand what pH is, or why it is very important to skincare. Read my guide all about it here.
| Accure Sensitive Facial Cleanser | pH 5.5 | Good for sensitive, dry, or normal skin. |
| Acne.org Cleanser | pH 5.5 | Good for combination, normal skin. |
| CeraVe Foaming | pH 5.5. | Good for normal to oily skin. |
| Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel Cleanser | pH 5.0 | Good for sensitive, dry, or dehydrated skin. Avoid if you're sensitive to yeast (has saccharomyces ferment). |
| Hada Labo Tokyo Hydrating Facial Cleanser | pH 5.5 | Good for sensitive, dry, or dehydrated skin. |
Step #2: Treat.
This is where the bulk of the magic happens in terms of clearing acne. The idea is to use something that will actively treat and prevent breakouts. Simply cleaning your face isn’t enough to get rid of your pimples all on its own (for most people). You’re gonna need some heavy duty active ingredients to come in and do the heavy lifting. You should be looking for something that has comedolytic, keratolytic, anti-inflammatory, or anti-bacterial properties to address all the major causes of acne. (1)
Now, I don’t want to overwhelm you here… but you have A LOT of options! Think of it as a good thing. To try and make this part as simple to understand as I possibly can, I’ve provided a mega-list of ingredients and products that treat acne.
I ordered the ingredients from the most to least effective. So, for example, because benzoyl peroxide is the first active ingredient listed on the table below, it is the most effective. On the contrary, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate is the last active ingredient listed meaning it’s the least effective (doesn’t mean it won’t work! It’s just simply less effective than the rest).
I also provided general recommendations to encompass all skin types, so you can make the best informed decision possible. If you’d like to learn any more about one of these ingredients specifically (for example what it is, its benefits, the science behind it, how to use it, side effects etc.) — I have written extensive articles about each ingredient individually. Feel free to click on the links provided below if you’d like more information!
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Best Acne Treatments
| Ingredient. | Benefits. |
| Benzoyl Peroxide | 2.5% as effective as 10% with less irritation. Antibacterial, unclogs pores, anti-keratinizing. Very potent! |
| Recommendations: | Acne.org 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide; Paula's Choice 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide |
| Salicylic acid (BHA) | Chemically exfoliates, unclogs pores, bacteriostatic, and keratolytic agent. Doesn't cause photosensitivity (i.e. increase adverse effects of sun exposure). |
| Recommendations: | Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid (Good for sensitive, dry, or dehydrated skin); Paula's Choice Regular Strength 2% BHA (Good for all skin types); Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA (Good for oily, tough skin); Stridex Pads 2.0% BHA (Good for oily skin, very affordable) |
| Azelaic Acid | Powerful tyrosinase-inhibitor. Antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-keratinizing. Well tolerated. |
| Recommendations: | GIGI Bioplasma Azelaic Cream 15%; Ecological Formulas Melazepam Cream; 20% Skinoren Cream; 15% Finacea Gel |
| Retinoids (e.g. Adapalene, Tretinoin) | Unclogs pores, regulates cell-turnover. Has anti-aging benefits. |
| Recommendations: | Differin (first FDA approved prescription strength retinoid OTC); Tretinoin requires doctor's prescription, but you can try Curology.com |
| Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP) | A vitamin C derivative. Comparatively better than antibiotics. Lightens skin. No side effects. Very gentle. A "natural" solution. |
| Recommendations: | Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum: (Full Review Here) |
Step #3: Moisturize.
Finding a good moisturizer that doesn’t break you out is honestly one of the hardest freakin’ parts about treating acne. If you can find one, you’re golden and more than halfway there! For most people this is what makes or breaks their routines.
So why do we have to moisturize?
Because treating skin with active ingredients can be quite irritating. We need to counteract this by replenishing our moisture barrier with support products. For my younger readers, this step will be of less concern (but still important!), because youthful skin is quite resilient and can handle the onslaught of therapeutic agents like tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide.
However, if you’re an adult and reading this make sure to pay particular attention to this step. The nature of the skin changes as we age, and so does its potential for irritancy. If you’re suffering from adult acne you need to be really focusing on the moisturizing aspect of your routine. I’m willing to bet the leading cause of adult acne is simply a result of excessive irritation or a ruptured moisture barrier from a damaged acid mantle. (Unless it’s hormonal, which is another story entirely.)
By the way, this is what Asian beauty is all about: moisturizing. If you’re unfamiliar with Asian skincare, you might know it as those crazy 10+ step routines you’ve seen on the TV or internet. Interestingly enough, almost every step in those routines focus on providing hydration in some form or another.
And it clearly works. Take a look at how incredible people’s skin is when they follow those guidelines — it’s because they primarily focus on the protective and moisturizing aspect of their skincare routines; treatment comes second.
Contrary to westernized advise, you don’t want to kill your acne by drying it. Trust me when I say this. Acne has to be killed gently. This means no lemon juice, no baking soda masks (read why in my pH guide), no harsh scrubs etc. None of that. You ever heard of pinterest? Yeah, avoid it. 90% of the content on there is absolute nonsense, and quite frankly — stupid.
Just remember this: damaged skin has less ability to fight acne, so you want to baby your skin as much as possible, reduce irritation where you can, and be above all else — be gentle.
One final note on this: me saying this isn’t just mere hearsay. Studies have shown that a moisturizing routine treats acne faster and with less side effects than a drying one. (2, 3) In the words of the American Academy of Dermatology,
“Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Keeping the skin properly hydrated is the key to successful acne therapy, and the daily use of a moisturizer has been shown to increase the skin’s ability to tolerate medications that often cause irritation.”
This is why so few people see success just using benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin mono-therapy, it’s simply too drying for the skin which inhibits its ability to heal and repair itself.
With all that said, here is a list of the best moisturizers for acne prone skin. I have written extensive reviews about some of them in case you’re looking for more information. To be on the safe side, I’ve also included moisturizers that work for malassezia-induced conditions like pityrosporum folliculitis, better known as “fungal acne” — the culprit behind many adult acne cases.
Use this list accordingly, and choose what’s best for you depending on your skin type and what unique concerns you have. I have tried my best to consider ALL skin types here. If there are any recommendations you think I missed, feel free drop a comment below.
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Best Moisturizers for Acne Prone Skin
| CeraVe Baby Lotion | Good for sensitive acne-prone skin. Aids in barrier recovery. Contains ceramides, cholesterol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and 1% dimethicone. Has a cosmetically elegant finish. Full Review Here. |
| CeraVe Cream | Good for acne, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, pityrosporum folliculitis ("fungal acne"), and psoriasis. Great for barrier recovery. Contains ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid, and petrolatum. Best for dry to normal skin. Note: CeraVe Lotion is a lighter version without petrolatum. Full Review Here. |
| CeraVe PM | Good for acne, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, pityrosporum folliculitis ("fungal acne"), and psoriasis. Excellent for hyperpigmentation and barrier recovery. Contains ceramides, cholesterol, 4% niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Best for dehydrated, dry, or normal skin. Though many oily folks also report success with it too. Full Review Here. |
| COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion | Light weight, gel-cream moisturizer. Soothes the skin. Great in conjunction with salicylic acid. Contains hyaluronic acid, allantoin, panthenol, dimethicone, betaine, and tea tree oil. Good for all skin types. |
| COSRX Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask | Very light, gel-like moisturizer that hydrates well. Doesn't actually contain honey, but has betaine, allantoin, panthenol, dimethicone, and hyaluronic acid. Best for normal, combination, dehydrated-oily, or oily skin. |
| EltaMD AM Therapy (My Holy Grail) | Good for acne, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, pityrosporum folliculitis ("fungal acne"), and psoriasis. Free of fatty alcohols, which makes it a great option for those that break out from every moisturizer. Excellent for hyperpigmentation. Contains niacinamide, willow bark extract, piptadenia colubrina peel extract, hyaluronic acid. Good for all skin types. Full Review Here. |
| Sebamed Clear Face Gel | A no-frills, very barebones moisturizer. Contains no oils or emulsifiers. Doesn't provide much hydration, but if you absolutely cannot tolerate any moisturizers this is your best bet. Note: Dr. Lin Daily Hydrating Gel is a similar option with added extracts. Full Review Here. |
How to Build Up A Routine.
START SLOWLY DAMN IT. You hear me! >:/
The last thing you should be doing is throwing everything at your face at once. You need to build your way up slowly through PATCH-TESTING. Personally, I would start with just a cleanser, and do that for a few days to see what my skin does naturally. It’s a good way to assess your starting point.
Some people find a gentle cleanser is all they need to treat acne! They just never knew it because they were constantly nuking their faces with products for years, not realizing it was making things worse. This is known as “acne-cosmetica.” In other words, acne caused by skincare products.
Are you skeptical? Don’t believe anyone can realistically clear their skin by just cleansing? Check out examples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 — you get the point!
Wanna know why it worked for all those people? Because they let their acid mantles take a break! In the absence of disease, skin does a mighty fine job of regulating itself and shedding corneocytes (dead skin cells) all on its own. This will be particularly true in cases of adult acne. Less so during our teenage years because our sebaceous (oil) glands are working in overdrive.
So yes, start with just a cleanser. Do that for about a week or so, then incorporate your moisturizer by patch-testing. Make sure to patch test it for at least a week before applying it all over your face! After you’ve established that your moisturizer doesn’t break you out, it’s time to incorporate your active ingredient of choice.
Again, start slowly with this as well! If I sound like a broken record: OH WELL. Here have some more: start slowly, start slowly, start slowly!
Which active ingredient you chose will dictate how many times you can use per week. For example, a salicylic acid product should only be used about 2-3 times a week when starting out, but sodium ascorbly phospate can be used twice daily because of how gentle it is. The maximum amount of times you can use any of these active ingredients is twice a day!
The best way to gauge how often you should use your treatment step is to examine your skin closely and proceed as tolerated. In other words, use it as much as you can, but once you start seeing ANY signs of irritation (be it redness, dryness, skin feeling “hot” or tight, flaking etc.) — BACK OFF. Continuing on this path will only lead you down a dark road.
Give your skin a breather, let it regroup, then pick up where you left off. Missing a day or two in the grand scheme of things isn’t going to realistically set you back. Remember: treating acne is a marathon not a sprint. The trick is to have the willpower to do less and not jump the gun. I said this already, but it bares repeating: more is not better, often is the case that less is more. Progress isn’t about speed; it’s about direction. You need balance before anything else!
I know a month or two on a consistent regimen may seem like a long time, especially when you so desperately want your STUPID stubborn acne to just die! But trust me on this one, a month or two to make substantial progress or eradicate acne completely is nothing in comparison to the lifelong satisfaction you’ll feel from finally having clear skin.
So start slowly, and go as tolerated. Repeat after me: I need balance before anything else.
Good job, young cricket. Consider that your new nightly prayer, and you’ll be well on your way.
Summary.
1. Begin with a cleanser only. Use it for about a week to assess your starting point.
2. Incorporate your moisturizer by patch-testing for at least a week before going full faced.
3. Once you’ve established your moisturizer doesn’t cause blemishes, incorporate your active step as tolerated. Any signs of irritation? Back off then resume in a couple days.
4. Repeat the cleanse, moisturize, and treat step once or twice a day (depending on your skin) for at least 6 weeks! By the 6 week mark you should know if something is working for you or not.
Ten Additional Tips to Get Rid of Acne Faster.
These are not required, but in my opinion WILL significantly speed up your progress! Don’t avoid these, and try to hit as many of them as possible. If had to pick the most important tips from this section they would numbers 1, 3, 5, 9 and if you’re brave enough — 4.
1. Reduce irritation whenever possible.
This can be done in many ways. For example, say you are using benzoyl peroxide and it’s drying out your skin immensely. Try applying it after your moisturizer; this will provide a buffer, slow down the penetration, and increase the time it takes to reach its end point.
If you want to reduce its irritation even further, do “contact therapy” — in other words, put it on your face, let it dry, then wash it off before proceeding with the rest of your skincare routine. Doing so will only slightly decrease it’s effectiveness. (4)
If contact therapy works for you, THEN DO THAT! There is no reason you should be adding more into your routine if it doesn’t have to be there. “If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it,” as they say.
Example #2: say you decided to opt out for stridex or paula’s choice BHA, but are finding your skin is dry and tight. Try using the COSRX BHA instead. It’s more hydrating, gentle, and in my humble opinion — works better anyway.
I’ll give one more example. Are you finding that your skin is dry after your morning cleanse? Try a more hydrating cleanser, or skip the morning cleanse altogether and see if that doesn’t work. There are so many ways of doing this. None of them are wrong. Just experiment, and try to reduce irritation wherever you see fit.
2. Add a hyaluronic acid toner.
My favorite is the Hada Labo Rohto Gokujyn HA Lotion. This is such a basic product, but a great way to add some serious hydration into your routine. The Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion includes three different types of hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is a power humectant capable of holding 1000 times its water weight. It hydrates the skin by drawing water from the environment and dermis (deeper layer of skin), and significantly speeds up the wound healing process. (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
3. Clean up the diet.
Reduce your intake of dairy, gluten (barley, rye, oat, wheat, spelt), poly unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. canola oil, corn oil, nuts etc.), and glycemic-rich foods (e.g. white rice). All of these have been implicated in systemic inflammation or acne. (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Hint: saying there is no link between diet and acne is a load of horse doodoo.
But more importantly, focus on your gut health! The easiest hack for curing digestive problems, which will as a result clear up skin immensely, is by taking high quality probiotics. I have written an extensive guide all about probiotic supplementation for treating a wide array of skin issues and concerns. Check it out! I’m serious. Probiotics did more for my skin than most skincare products I have ever tried. I cannot recommend them enough.
And lastly on the subject of nutrition, make sure you’re not vitamin D deficient. Best way to get it: sunshine! Yes, sun protection is important, and will go a long way in preventing skin aging, but remember that avoiding the sun altogether increases all causes of mortality (e.g. heart disease, cancer)! One study found that sun avoiders had a lower life expectancy by about 2.1 years on average, in comparison to those that got a lot of sun exposure. (19)
You only need about 600 IU of vitamin D a day, which is roughly 15 minutes of sun exposure. Of course, this will vary depending on your location, altitude, and overcast. I like to use an app called “dminder,” which allows you to track all of the above to let you know approximately how much vitamin D you generated. Here’s a screenshot:
4. Eat beef liver. Wait what????
Yes, tis true. Beef liver is the most nutritiously dense food on planet earth. 100 grams of that stuff has 28,571 IU of Vitamin A! (20) To put that into perspective, 100 grams of carrots only has 16,705 IU of Vitamin A.
- Beef liver (100 g) = 28,571 IU of Vitamin A
- Carrots (100 g) = 16,705 IU of Vitamin A
In case you didn’t know, vitamin A will DESTROY your acne. (21) Ever wonder what Accutane is? A.k.a what I called the “nuclear option” at the beginning of this article. It’s just a synthetic metabolite of vitamin A: lots of it.
Now, before you go try overdosing on vitamin A — Chill out! Vitamin A toxicity is a thing, and its dangers are very real. If you’re going to supplement with vitamin A, talk to your primary doctor first.
Other natural sources of vitamin A include organ meats, egg yolks, grassfed butter and cream, salmon, and cod liver oil (among others).
Want to read a story about why I swallowed 6 pounds of raw beef liver? Click here.
Also consider taking a zinc supplement (keep the dosage below 50 mg a day). Studies have shown that zinc is beneficial for inflammatory acne. (22, 23, 24)
5. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to stop thinking about your acne as something to hammer away at. Acne is strange in the sense that it has to be killed with kindness. Find ways to moisturize your skin deeply.
One of my favorite ways is by taking a trip to slug-life boulevard. For the uninitiated, that means putting vaseline over your moisturizer as the last step in your skincare routine.
“Vaseline over my skin?!?! BUT THAT’S GONNA CLOG MY PORES!!!” I can hear you already.
Contrary to popular belief vaseline is non-comedogenic. It’s molecules are simply too big to clog pores. And it is the most effective occlusive on planet earth, capable of preventing 98% of transepidermal water loss (TEWL). That’s just fancy science talk for saying IT’S A DAMN GOOD HYDRATOR SON.
Don’t resist the slug life! >:)
6. Exercise.
Stop being a fatty. It’s good for your overall health, and sweat produces lactic acid (good for skin) as a byproduct of energy depletion. (25, 26)
7. Need to pop a pimple?
Read my guide about how to do it properly to speed up recovery time and prevent acne scarring.
8. Change your pillow cases often.
Nuff said.
9. BE GENTLE WITH YOUR SKIN.
Your skin does not serve you; you serve your skin! Imagine you just had a baby, and someone glued it to your face. Treat it accordingly.
10. Avoid stress.
Pssssh, yeah. Easier said than done. But uh… avoid that stuff. It’s not good.
Here are some ideas: listen to music, write music, paint, go to a park, take a hiking adventure, write a poem or letter to someone you hold dear, do some deep breathing exercising, get a massage, talk to friends, make yourself a nice dinner, watch a good movie or T.V. show…. Stranger Things, anyone?
If all else fails, watch this video for more ideas.
11. Be an Eleven.
Final Words.
I’m going to leave you all with a quote from a woman I absolutely admire. She said what I want to convey better than I ever could.
“I’ve learned that you pretty much have to let acne runs its course. If you get a breakout, there’s only so much you can do until your skin pushes the blockage out on its own. Topical skin care products definitely help to refine your skin, but only to a certain extent. Along with acne treatments, you just have to figure out what other things you can do to make your skin happy. You have to be calm (not-frustrated or angry), level-headed (mind-over-matter), and even somewhat scientific about treating your acne.”—Skinacea
I hope you’ve enjoyed this and found it useful. With love.
Very warmly,
—f.c.
I got nothing witty to say this time. Just, please share this. It could change someone’s life.
This was super informative.
I also wrote about my experience conquering acne on my blog
https://choronghi.wordpress.com/category/skincare/
Eliminating dairy has made a huge impact for me. I used to get big flamed acne on my face when I drank dairy. Looking Clearly that wasn’t “normal” acne . Of course it wasn’t cystic but it was still big and painful and left pih
Thanks for sharing your experience. I like the advice you gave here: “PLEASE PROCEED with caution and work into it slowly like once a week, or 2 times a week.”
Couldn’t agree any more!
What do you think about the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser? I currently use it but not sure anymore since reading this post. Is it still a good option?
Hi. Great question! That’s actually a fairly popular cleanser, but I’m not a big fan of it. Here’s why:
1. It has a pH of 6.7, which is way too alkalizing and irritating for the face.
2. It uses sodium lauryl sulfate as a surfactant/detergent. This too, is too irritating for the skin.
Hope that helps!
Thank you! I am looking to try another cleanser that you recommend, but my skin is more combination that gets drier during winter time. Based on that I don’t think the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser would work? Or would it work? Is there a drugstore cleanser that would be like the Cetaphil which is for all skin type? (I live in Canada though so we don’t have some products) 🙁
CeraVe Foaming would still work. It might just be a tad too drying for winter time though. I’m not sure what products Canada has, but here is another very good list of cleansers which I think should help you out!
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/cleanser_recs
Thanks so much! 🙂
No problem! 🙂
Amazing progress!!
I have a question. How long did it take you to recover from overexfoliation on your forehead?
Hey Ashley, I saw you asked a similar question over at the COSRX BHA review blog post, so I answered it there. :p Here it is copy pasted for you:
Hi, I’ve been on the acne.org regimen for a few years now, and my skin is super dry, irritated, itchy, and my skin complexion is darker. I’ve also noticed that I can’t be in the sun for too long or else my skin would get super sweaty. I’m only 20 but I fear years of putting so much stuff on my face has caused permanent damage. Is this reversible, and if so what can I do to make my skin what it once was
Hi, Jason! One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that skin is incredibly resilient, so let me assure you that yes it is completely reversible. I went months on end thinking to myself that my skin was just broken or permanently damaged. But with the right skincare routine, lifestyle habits, and some patience you can all but reverse that “permanent damage.”
“My skin is super dry, irritated, itchy, and my skin complexion is darker.”
These are all signs of dehydrated skin. Given that you’ve been on the acne.org regimen for several years, my guess is that your potential for irritancy is simply increasing with age. Like I mentioned in this blog post, as we age our skin becomes less pliable. It sucks but it’s just a natural part of aging process.
When I was a teenager using the acne.org regimen, I was able to slather on BP twice daily and experience minimal dryness. If I tried doing that now, it would immensely irritate my skin to the point of causing breakouts and extreme PIH/PIE.
To reverse the side effects you’re currently having, focus on hydration and reduce irritation! Those are the biggest tips I can give you. In your situation I would first start off by doing benzoyl peroxide contact therapy. In other words, rather than letting the BP sit on your face all day/night wash it off after it dries.
Try doing this, but start slowly. So if you’re using bp twice daily, use contact therapy only a couple times per week. As the weeks go by, increase the amount of times you do it. For example:
-Week 1 = do contact therapy twice.
-Week 2 = do it four times.
-Week 3 = do it six times.
So on and so forth. The goal should be to eventually ween off the benzoyl peroxide completely to only contact therapy sessions. That’s what I’ve done, and right now I’m at the point where I only use it once nightly. I simply apply it on my skin, let it dry, then wash it off and continue with the rest of my routine.
Besides that, don’t forget to ALWAYS moisturize. You can add in a couple other things like the Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid lotion I mentioned in this blog post. Maybe look for a moisturizer that includes skin-repairing ingredients like cermamides and cholesterol. CeraVe PM would be one such example.
Hopefully this gives you an idea of where to start. There’s a lot of routes to take, and this barely starts to scratch the surface. If you’re confused about anything, or have any other questions feel free to drop them here.
Hey f.c.! I stumbled upon your site a while ago and started a new routine based alot upon what you have explained here. I am one of many who is very appreciative of your work and research to help others in this “hell” called acne lol I’ve struggled since my early years with it and like many have tried countless things that didn’t help much. Probably the most successful I had been in the past was using proactiv+. It kept me clear for several years but finally just sort of stopped working.. I remember taking a break from it and trying to pick it up again but it always made my skin super red, irritated and resulted in more breakouts. So I started a clean slate here and have been on my new routine for four weeks tomorrow. At the start I had several cystic breakouts in my t-zone area and below my lower lip. My sister has used the acne. Org BP for years and likes it and had an extra tube that I could use. I had some cerave foaming cleanser from before that I nominated to be my daily as my skin is naturally more on the oily side as well as cerave pm and am. I only used the pm as my morning and evening moisturizer. I did this routine for the first week and noticed the BP was giving my face that “hot” feeling and making it look a little red. Not super red and not flaking from dryness but I knew it was irritating. So I started using it very lightly in the evening and contact Therapy in the morning and that helped. I believe the pm moisturizer Maybe wasn’t for me because I was noticing black heads forming which I usually never had a problem with before and overall just a look of clogginess ha. So I bailed on that and actually ordered the elta MD am and am very fond of it. A week later the blackheads pretty much took care of themselves and it just seemed to moisturize and balance my skin better. So I figured that was a keeper and proceeded. I also ordered elta md’s spf 46 and I dig that alot.. I’ve always hated how facial sunscreen applied and felt but like you said this one truly is a unicorn lol so right now the acne I had is mostly gone with dark spots left. I have had other pimples form and pass throughout this time but sort of came and went quickly and have one or two like this right now. I’m wondering if maybe they are still just coming through as I reach the end of the skin cycle period or if maybe something I am doing is causing them. I was going to just keep doing what I am doing for now and see how it is in a couple weeks but I wanted to know your thoughts. Once again thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing from you! 🙂
Hi there, Brandon. It sounds like you’re making progress on your current routine, and that’s what matters most. I would recommend sticking with it for at least 6 to 8 weeks until deciding to incorporate anything else. The skin cycle is approximately 28 days, so it takes a while for things to surface completely. Cheers!
Another amazing article. I feel like I have had the worst year of my life. I had never previously suffered from acne. Then all of a sudden this last year full blown adult acne which im sure has a hormonal component. Nightmare. Ive read everything u can imagine. Spent thousands of dollars this last year. And my face went from beautiful to destroyed. I now feel like I have to wear make-up to cover the marks. I love Cosrx products but have yet to order their BHA. Im using a 2% retinol, Klairs pure Vit C serum, and the Cosrx good morning cleanser but really not much improvement. Im also using some items from DECIEM’s sub brand The Ordinary, specifically the 10% Niaciamid and 1% zinc, and a few other things here and there. I guess I need to strip it back.and start from scratch? Ive tried HA’s but Ive woken up with my skin all dried out??? I dont understand it at all. I NEED a moisturizer but for someone with sudden acne thats a terrifying step. Even my Dermatologist who Ive seen countless times this year hasnt been much help other than doing some painful biopsies to rule out certain things. Im hoping you might have some advice on hormonal adult acne? Truly lost and at my limit –
“I guess I need to strip it back and start from scratch?” If you feel like you’ve tried everything so far and still aren’t making progress, then yes — this would be the first step. Sometimes you really need to see what the heck your skin does on its own before adding stuff into your skincare routine. It’s what I did, and it helped me waaaaay more than I could have ever imagined. Sure, it’s a painstakingly slow process. Even somewhat scary if you’ve been using products nonstop for years, but necessary in some cases.
About hormonal acne. This is another beast entirely and I don’t have all the answers. I’ll try my best to steer you in the right direction though. But quick disclaimer: most of this is coming off the top of my head, so please don’t take everything I say as gospel! Some of this may not be 100% accurate.
The way I see it, is you can either approach things holistically, or do some anti-androgen/other hormonal therapy. Maybe even both.
As far as hormonal therapy goes, birth control is obviously the most common option. Problem is you gotta find one that works for you! No two people will react identically to the same medication. But generally, you want something that has low androgenic activity (i.e. is anti-androgen). Excess androgen activity can cause all kinds of things like insulin resistance, SHBG inhibition lalala… etc. all this other really technical stuff that’s linked to pathology of acne. Particularly excess sebum production and hyper-proliferation. In other words, it makes your skin oiler and skin cells more “sticky,” causing them to clog more easily. Generally when people suffer from hormonal acne, they often have very oily skin as well. Maybe this is true in your situation?
So again, anti-androgen = good for acne. Here’s a great resource that shows the androgenic activity of common birth control prescription. Remember, the lower the better. http://www.fpnotebook.com/gyn/pharm/PrgstnAndrgncActvty.htm
My younger sister, for example, was able to completely clear her acne with Gildess Fe — a birth control that has Norethindrone (i.e. a progestin with the least androgenic activity).
Alternatively, if you don’t wanna do birth control you can try spironolactone. It’s not something I know very much about, but I’ve read dozens and dozens of stories throughout the years of people clearing their hormonal acne with it. Examples:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/28caww/before_and_after_spironolactone_was_a_miracle_for/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/3hv4y4/ba_my_progress_7_months_story_and_spironolactone/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/3w48nw/ba_found_an_old_picture_today_cant_believe_my/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/30v3ml/6_months_of_progress_pics_spironolactone_and/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/4jioxt/ba_spironolactone_saved_my_skin/
So on and so forth.
As for approach number 2 — the holistic stuff. Argh, I don’t even know where to begin with this because it’s so comprehensive. But the biggest pointers I can give you is to stop eating dairy, high glycemic foods, wheat, and focus on supplementing with vitamin A (retinoic acid! not beta cerotine — so stuff like cod liver oil is good), vitamin D (best to get from the sun), probiotics, and possibly zinc.
The most important would be vitamin A, diary, and glycemic index. Why? Because all of these have been shown to mess with androgens. If you recall from the information above, this can lead to hyper-proliferation and excess sebum production.
I promise you I will have a VERY extensive guide out about acne and diet soon! Aiming for the end of this week! So make sure to check it out. I will go way more in depth about the nutritional side of things than I can in one comment here. It will certainly touch on some of the hormonal stuff.
EDIT: Here it is!
And last but not least, spearmint tea might help. Labmuffin did a great post about it here: http://www.labmuffin.com/spearmint-tea-can-relieve-hormonal-acne/
Lastly, make sure to read Julie Lin’s story from Skinacea. I absolutely admire that woman, and curiously she had hormonal acne like you. Like the both of us, she tried absolutely everything and what made the biggest difference was vitamin A supplementation. Here’s here story: http://www.skinacea.com/personal/how-I-cleared-my-skin.html#.WFDAAKIrK8o
Hopefully that helps a bit! And make sure to check back in a couple days for the acne and diet article.
Wow thank you for that well thought out reply. I plan on digging in to your reading lists. As far as the oil…yep I have it. Again only in certain areas and never before this year. So we have these drinks here in Canada called Ice Caps from our local Tim Hortons. Its full of cream and I go through like 3 large ones a day. Addicted to the caffeine im sure. Ive been told its like the absolute worst thing I can be doing for this problem so over the holidays I plan on being extra grumpy as I let them go haha I also plan on reading EVERYTHING u have writen this far and am so looking forward to the amazing information. Thank you so much :0
P.S – Are u on bloglovin? Wasnt sure if u had a button somewhere I was missing? This way we can access your blog easier. Thanks again :0
Sorry for just getting back to you! I’ve been super busy the past couple days. Haven’t even had time to log into the site.
Hahaha I love ice cream! But unfortunately keeping a food diary showed me it gives me breakouts. :'( I’ll still indulge every now and then though. 🙂
Blogloving? I wouldn’t even know what that is. Sounds like something I should be doing though haha.
Thanks for all of this information. I’ve been binge reading all of your posts! What are your thoughts on the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser?
Hey, Kimberly! No problem haha. Glad you’ve found it informational. 🙂
I think it’s very solid cleanser! pH balanced, gentle, non-drying etc. The only thing to be cautious of are the fatty alcohols. However, if you don’t have any sensitivities to them, then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Hope that helps!
Well written post! It helped me so much. What’s your opinion on Neutrogena’s Ultra Gentle Cleanser? It seems to work for me.
Thank you! 🙂
It’s a great gentle cleanser with a pH around 5-6. If it’s working for you, there is no reason to stop! Like they say, “if it ain’t broke don’t try and fix it!” No truer words have ever been spoken haha.
Waking up today, I’ve noticed that I’ve been getting a bit of acne around the hairline of my neck. Could you recommend a possibility to treat this, or how it can be treated by an AB routine? My current routine has only been for my face, and in an attempt to remove my excessive PIH–Tretinoin included, and as my only active. Do you think some sort of BHA would be best, especially in that I don’t want use Benzoyl Peroxide because of its bleaching effects on fabric?
In other words, are there any specific products that I ought to get, and in what steps should they follow? I would also like to get a new cleanser, since my current one only focuses on hydration with Hyaluronic acid, and of which its pH I’m not even aware of (heads must be rolling).
As per my face, I’ll definitely be picking up the CeraVe PM as a moisturizer for after I apply Tetinoin, and if it’s any consolation, I’ve been slugging it up with Vaseline, and will continue to do so as my final step.
Thank you for any further help you can provide, and I’m glad I’ve come across your website.
Hey, C.I.! Thanks for the kind words.
What’s your current routine like now? I think it would be easier to help you out if you listed it here. Given the info you provided, I think a BHA would be a good place to start. I’m not sure how sensitive your skin is, but if it isn’t easily irritated you can try a stronger BHA like Paula’s Choice; if you’re more on the sensitive/dry side the COSRX BHA would be a great option.
Just remember to patch test before trying anything new (e.g. CeraVe PM, or a BHA)! It’ll save you a headache later should anything not work.
omg this is so great, I’ve been dealing with adult cystic hormonal acne for 3 years now literally tried errryyyythang.
I have a q about facial oils: I love them, so moisturizing and luxe but are they contributing to my acne? I’ve tried: straight up rosehip, sunday riley luna (stopped cause i use a topical retinoid already), farsali, nude omega, fresh seaberry.
Any advice?
Just ordered the cerav lotion!
I honestly can’t say. Unfortunately this is one of those “it will depend” things. There’s no real way to determine whether a specific oil will cause you breakouts, unless you patch test it and try it out yourself. For reference, I’ve tried a sh*t ton of oils in the past: olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower, rosehip, neem, mineral oil etc.
None worked for MY skin except MCT oil (a.k.a caprylic/capric triglycerides) because I discovered my skin has malassezia (fungal) sensitivities, meaning using facial oils was like adding fuel to the fire because most of them fed the genus of fungi that was giving my skin problems. It’s something I discuss in more detail in my CeraVe PM review.
The takeaway here is to PATCH TEST. It’s the only way to know if an oil is causing you to break out. Simply use the oil of your choice on a small area of skin where you would normally break out for a couple of days. If you notice that things are not getting worse, or improving that’s a good indication you can use that oil on the rest of your face.
I’ll eventually do a post about the best oils to use on acne-prone skin, but in short try to find ones that are very high in linoleic acid (e.g. hemp or sunflower), or oils that are pretty inert by nature (mineral, MCT).
Hope that helps!
Hi F.C.!
I LOVE your blog, I just discovered it (while googling Azelaic acid and you popped up!) and I truly enjoy your writing style, sense of humor and openness about your acne struggles!
I am 30, female, and struggle with hormonal acne (some cystic and some inflammatory) and lots of redish/purple PIE all on my cheeks and jawline (beard-zone) as well as some congested pores in my T-zone – that don’t bother me too much. I am super pale, so every little bump and spot stands out so much. I have what I consider moderately sensitive and oily skin, prone to redness.
I have been on 3 different Rxs from 2 different derms (EpiDuo (BP and Adapalene), Benzefoam (BP foam) and most recently Veltin (clindamycin and tretinoin) all of which have produced little to no results, and I used them RELIGIOUSLY. My last visit with my derm I brought up Fineacea after having read that a lot of people with hormonal acne had great success after being unresponsive to BP, to which she curtly replied, “no, tretinoin is better”…
So I have decided to go rogue after 8 weeks of having ZERO results from the Veltin and bought some products thinking I might have better results on my own (hopefully?!) So, long story longer, wondering if you might help with an order of use? Or any thoughts on replacing one thing for another etc etc? This is what I have in my arsenal (some old and some new based on your blog) and a few other things I found while googling OTC Azelaic Acid products:
Cleanser:
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
Serums:
Sesderma Azelac RU Facial Serum (do you know this brand? This serum contains 20% Azelaic acid 10% Mandelic acid 5% Phytic acid 5% 4N-butyl resorcinol 2% Ferulic acid)
Cellex-C High Potency Serum (vit C serum)
Toners:
Biologique Recherché P50 PIGM 400
Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion
Moisturizers:
CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM (spf 30)
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
Sesderma Azelac Moisturizing Gel (contains Azelaic acid, Hyaluronic Acid)]
Thank you SO much for your time!
Best,
MM
Hey, MM! Thank you for the lovely words. I’m glad you enjoy it. 🙂
Azelaic Acid works really well for cystic/inflammatory acne. Given that you’re 30 years old, it sounds like your skin was simply getting too irritated with the benzoyl peroxide/tretinoin. Azelaic Acid is a good option, and works better for sensitive skin as is the case with adult acne.
As for which products to try, can you tell me which you’re currently using right now? And are you prone to breakouts from cosmetics? That’s a lot of products to consider, and you have to remember it is best to introduce one thing at a time every couple weeks. Otherwise you won’t be able to pinpoint what’s breaking you out in the scenario that one of these products doesn’t work for you.
Hi! Yes I think you are right the BP just made me so dry and the tretinoin made me flake and peel without ever killing any active spots and also seemed to make my skin look super dull too? And NONE of my make up would lay correctly on my face, it was patchy and terrible.
To my knowledge I am not cosmetic-breakout prone, I use a powder foundation which I apply all over my face (and I am crazy about cleaning my brushes :)) and only seem to break out on my jaw-line/lower cheek and no where else on my face. I also wash my face the moment I get home from work because I really hate wearing makeup (but have to because I work in a retail/customer service position and would prefer not to scare away customers! and of course for my own self-esteem).
So I stopped using all BP and tretinoin all together and all the crazy patchy/flakiness stopped, but of course I still have the same active pimples and cysts from when I started the tretinoin. Since starting my NEW routine below, I have noticed maaybbee 1 new pimples and no new cysts (only has been one week though).
AM:
Cleanse with CeraVe foaming facial cleanser
Cellex-C High Potency Serum
Moisturize (either with the Sesderma Azelac Moisturizing Gel or CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM (spf 30))
PM:
Cleanse with CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
Biologique Recherché P50 PIGM 400 x1 a week only right now (didn’t want to overdo it with the acids, but this version of the P50 seems fairly mild …I used the regular P50 before and it was WAY too harsh for my face so I gave it away)
Sesderma Azelac RU Facial Serum
Moisturize (either with CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion or Sesderma Azelac Moisturizing Gel)
*I ordered the Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion but haven’t received yet, and the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream I only use if I have a SUPER dry patch on my face bc it’s so thick and rich.*
Additionally I found your post about addressing digestive heath for acne very helpful too! Because spiro. and BC are not an option for me, I have started drinking mint tea daily, upped my probiotic game and have started to address my diet (so hard!!).
PS. I am considering getting a consult for the V-Beam Laser for all of my PIE as a tax return treat for myself, because I am in a wedding this fall and would love to not feel self conscious because we be taking so many photos :/
Thank you again!!
No problem! 🙂
If that routine is working for you, just make sure to stick with it and things will get better gradually. And remember to patch test every time you introduce something new!
And awwww, don’t feel self-conscious at the wedding!! You’ll look beautiful regardless of having little red spots or not. :p But yes, v beam would give you the quickest reduction of any other treatment.
I have healed my acne and folliculitis (basically acne around ingrown hair) following your basic tenent – I started being gentle with my skin.
My skin is acne prone and with lots of sebum, but also prone to dryness and very sensitive. I have actually experienced burns from Benzoyl Peroxide, even in low concentration and avoid completely.
I researched and started a K-Beauty regimen. I’ve tried a zillion different things. I decided that anything that caused any burning whatsoever went in the bin.
My start was three things – gentle cleanser, Vitamin C +Hyaluronic Acid serum and hydrocolloid patches (which also helped me refocus away from my dermatillomania). I quickly had to drop the moisturizer I had been using, once my skin started healing as it was way too greasy.
I tried and added and subtracted so many different things as I am also older and wanted to address aging as well as the acne.
I now have attained the proverbial 10-step process. I follow it religiously and my skin has never been happier.
So, basically, I wanted to recommend just a couple of my most favorite, will never replace them products.
Moisturizer: Derma E Oil-Free Soothing Moisturizer – this stuff is so hydrating yet leaves me non-shiny.
I top off with Bioré’s Watery Essence SPF 50.
And my super duper hyper favorite is Laniege’s Water Sleeping Mask. It’s a jelly mask that you put on as your last step step after moisturizing for the evening. It stays on all night and simply absorbs. Obviously, YMMV, but it has done wonders for my skin. My 22 year old DIL uses it as her sole nighttime moisturizer after she had an abrupt change from dry to oily, acne prone skin and loves it.
Thank you for your great site – I happened upon it doing some follow-up research on vitamin c. Your efforts are much appreciated!
Haha I love it! Thanks for sharing your experience and making recommendations. I’m totally giggling to myself cause look what I’ve actually been trying out this past week! HA!
http://imgur.com/oGDRXoz
Spoiler alert: I’m loving it so far! :p Might have to include it into this post.
Now I’m curious, what’s the rest of your routine like? It might help me scavenge for other goodies in the future since we have similar skin types (i.e. sensitive, combo, folliculitis/acne-prone)! 😀
Hello! I have developed facial seborrheic dermatitis recently and I’m glad I came across your website. Would you recommend vitamin c (such as Klairs Vitamin C) for hyperpigmentation for those suffering from the condition or is it too harsh? And what is a good oil cleanser (and other products) that you recommend to control this condition? Thank you!
Hi there, Ray!
I’ve never tried Klairs personally, so I can’t say how harsh it is. But on a firsthand glance, almost all the ingredients checks out for SD except lavender oil. However, that’s pretty far down the ingredient list so it might not cause problems. Other than that, I can’t say. You’d have to try it yourself and see. In the scenario you do, let me know how it works! That’s definitely a vitamin C I’ll probably try eventually.
As for oil cleansers, I’ve yet to find one that won’t aggravate SD, because by its nature SD is exacerbated by most oils. What you can do however, is get some MCT oil and make your own oil cleanser. To do this this simply mix 85-90% of MCT oil with 10-15% Cromollient SCE, shake it, and viola. Just make sure to get MCT oil that only contains capric and caprylic acid (i.e. no lauric acid) as these fatty acids won’t feed the yeast that makes SD worse. This is the one I use.
Hope that helps!
Excellent post, and blog in general! I likewise stumbled upon it while searching for azelaic acid, an ingredient that’s been a mainstay in my routine for over a year now, and that I wish I had known about almost a decade ago when I first started struggling with acne — would have spared me the many years of slathering benzoyl peroxide all over my face daily (ala the Acne.org regimen) and the consequent damage it wrought upon my skin. I now suffer from acne and seborrheic dermatitis, the latter I suspect at least in part to have been caused by my over-usage of benzoyl peroxide.
Suffering from its ill effects, I was led on a pathway to find ingredients that would be helpful for acne whilst having minimal (or zero) risk of being irritating or sensitising. Azelaic acid was a godsend in this regard, but some other helpful ingredients are the great multi-tasker niacinamide, as well as powerful antioxidants like sodium ascorbyl phosphate (as you’ve already mentioned), resveratrol, and green tea.
I think green tea in particular should be worth mentioning, since it’s non-irritating like vitamin C, yet has antioxidant properties many times more powerful, with some studies showing it to be comparable to even benzoyl peroxide against acne. The problem is, unlike Vitamin C (with its countless 5%, 10%, 20% serums), you can hardly find any dedicated green tea topical products out there that list their concentrations. Green tea is becoming quite common in products (they often show up in the Paula’s Choice skin care line, for instance), but almost always in concentrations too low than those used in the relevant studies (anywhere from 2 – 5%).
I think another reason green tea should be explored more is because of its potential to be used in conditions that overlap with acne (seborrheic dermatitis like I suffer, but also rosacea and eczema).
It just doesn’t get enough love, in my opinion, maybe because so few products really dedicate themselves to this ingredient. It’d be amazing to go to a drugstore and see a simple 5% green tea gel among the slew of benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin gels and creams.
In the meantime, my workaround is to be a bit of an at-home chemist, purchasing green tea extract from a lotion supplier and mixing it at the adequate concentrations into toners and lotions, and my skin has thanked me for the effort.
A couple other anti-acne ingredients to note: lipohydroxy acid (LHA), a derivative of salicylic acid that works at a skin-neutral pH and is therefore considerably less irritating, as well as showing effects similar to tretinoin (although weaker, but without tretinoin’s notorious irritation). And gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid (PHA), that behaves similar to glycolic acid but, again, without the irritation, and unlike AHA’s it doesn’t increase photosensitivity. The problem is these ingredients are still quite new so it’s extremely difficult to find them in products (for example, La Roche Posay developed LHA and still has the proprietary rights to it). But it’s indeed promising news for those that want to reap the benefits of salicylic acid or AHA’s but find these too irritating.
Hi there, Ian! AWESOME AWESOME comment haha.
SD is a beast to treat, it’s a great that you’re looking for gentler alternatives. Going down that route made a world of difference for me. I think most people need to take it a bit easier with SD rather than constantly bombarding their skin with a ton of drying anti-fungals. One of the hardest parts is simply finding a moisturizer that is compatible with it/won’t feed malassezia. I’ve had great success with EltaMD AM in that regard.
Thanks for the heads up about green tea! I actually haven’t read those studies, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for them now. Now I’m gonna have to look for a product with 5% green tea in the future and try it out. :p How have your DIY green tea recipes been treating you?
And yes! I’m so excited for these new chemical exfoliants. Have you heard, COSRX is actually coming out with a PHA product! Super awesome. 🙂
Yea, once I learnt that the Malassezia yeast is implicated in SD and feeds on plant oils and their derivatives, it dawned on me that so many products, particularly many moisturisers, would need to be avoided. I had even spent a few years using jojoba oil to control the flakiness — such naïveté! In a way I took the revelation as a blessing in disguise — I was always intimidated by the sheer number of skin care products out there, and the fact that I now have to automatically eliminate a lot them means I have a smaller selection to work with, which simplifies things, ha. Still, though, it can be depressing to come across a product that looks great for my needs but then upon closer inspection I find it contains one of the culpable oils.
That’s one of the things that drew me to your blog — we might have different skin types (from what I gather yours is dry and considerably more sensitive, whereas mine is super oily and I suspect somewhat dehydrated), but we align in the sense that we both struggle with acne and SD so there is some overlap in what we use and avoid. I notice you’re a big fan of Cerave PM and the Hada Labo lotion, for example — both of which are mainstays in my routine as well.
I’ve been adding green tea for just a few weeks but I find that it’s calmed down my skin a lot. The liquid green tea extract is far too sticky to use on its own as a serum, so I actually dumped it into my Hada Labo lotion at around 2-3% concentration. I find the “lotion” (really it’s more of a hydrating toner) great, but pretty basic, so I thought the inclusion of green tea would give it a useful boost. I bought the green tea extract from LotionCrafter. I like the idea of adding it in a product I already use because it means I don’t have to change my routine; not to mention, as I said, there are hardly any products out there that contain green tea in high enough concentrations AND don’t include any oils that are counterproductive for SD. The only one I’ve come across that somewhat fits the bill is the Topix Replenix CF serum, but it is absurdly overpriced for what you get (~$40 for 30 ml). I always maintain that green tea should be cheap — it literally grows on trees!
What led me to looking into LHA is the prospect of it being another possible “overlap” product. In addition to its proven benefits with acne, I found one study where a 0.3% LHA shampoo was comparable to one containing ciclopirox olamine, an anti-fungal. So I’m trialling La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Duo + (the plus is the European version, since I’m normally based in Europe — there’s a US version as well but it contains benzoyl peroxide which I’d rather avoid at this point), to see if there will be any noticeable improvement in my SD after using it for at least 2 or 3 months. It contains some potentially SD-exacerbating ingredients, but that’s less of a concern for me if it’s in a topical that might have an overall positive effect on SD.
That’s great to hear about COSRX coming out with a PHA product. It is after all an ingredient that’s 1.) anti-ageing by increasing cellular turnover, 2.) anti-acne, 3.) hydrating, 4.) works as an antioxidant which means among other things it provides some amount of photo-protection, 5.) an anti-irritant, and 6.) improves skin barrier function — as far as I’m aware there isn’t a single other ingredient that can do all of the above. Needless to say, I hope it’ll get a little more attention in the future. Currently most PHA products are made by Neostrata, the company that first developed PHA’s, and their products tend to be quite lacklustre apart from the inclusion of PHA (not to mention pricey).
Hey there, Ian. Sorry for the late response!
Man, I am really digging all your comments. Appreciate the knowledge bombs you’re always dropping around here. :-)) Maybe you should start writing some of these ingredient articles for me. :p I’ll be honest, I haven’t looked too far into PHA but from the sounds of it I really ought to. Now I’m even more excited to try that PHA product COSRX will come out soon. Woohoo! PHA sounds like one of a kind.
You know I’ve been harping on about PHA’s in the past. Well, at long last I’ve finally found an affordable product with a high amount of PHA! It’s from a relatively new French company, SVR, and is called Sebiaclair Active. It’s a gel-cream that has 14% gluconolactone, which is the precise amount that Neostrata used in their study that showed it’s just as effective as benzoyl peroxide, but without the side effects. It also has 4% niacinamide. And I found it for around £7 for 40 ml, so I can get it for cheaper than a tube of Skinoren gel.
This is potentially fantastic news, because it should be highly effective against acne (again, as effective as BP), have all the exfoliative and humectant anti-ageing goodness that comes with PHA’s, and all of this without any irritation. No other ingredient I’m aware of can tick all those criteria, so it’s bizarre to me that it’s not getting all that much attention (although it seems in Asia it’s starting to, like with COSRX recently coming out with a PHA cream).
I’ve been on the lookout for something that could challenge my current Skinoren-Differin combo and I think I’ve finally found it. So I’ll let you know how it goes with that! It might mean I’ll sacrifice the Differin, which is funny considering you’ve recently started it, ha, but one of them is likely to get the axe and azelaic acid is difficult for me to part ways with.
I can’t get over how awesome/entertaining and informative your reviews and articles are! Such a good find! I have a question. Foaming cleansers…even the ph balanced ones seem to dry me out pretty bad and I want to try oil cleansing. I’m was about to order some cromollient sce to add to some oil to cleanse my face…but MCT oil seems to break me out in pimples now???!!! poo….I have seb derm so not sure where to go from here except for maybe pure mineral oil. I have researched seb derm, oils, and carbon chain lengths till blue in the face but cant seem to get a clear answer about mineral oil. I’m reading that it possibly cannot be metabolized by malessezia, what is your experience/theory regarding mineral oil for ocm?
Hi there, Brittany. Glad you like the blog. 🙂
Excellent excellent question! I wondered the same thing for a very long time. Here’s the thing, pure mineral oil is inert. It does not contain any fatty acids so it won’t aggravate SD as far as feeding malassezia in concerned. HOWEVER, the problem is that mineral oil is very occlusive, and excessive occlusion can make SD worse. So it’s kinda mixed. If you are going to try mineral oil, my advice would be to make sure to add about 12%-15% cromollient sce so it rinses cleanly. Just make sure it’s all off your face or it might cause problems.
i had a notion that might be an issue but wasnt sure. cool beans. thanks for your insight!
As I am a new blogger, and someone who struggles with problems almost completely identical to yours it was so refreshing to come on here and see how we’ve bought found very similar products that work. I’m a 20 year old female, and man, ooh maaaan what I would’ve done for the knowledge that I have now on skin. Looking forward to keep reading on your journey. Good luck to you!
Hey there, Ashley! Sorry for just getting back to this. I kinda let the comments build up over the past week on the blog. Eeeek. Got my work cut out for me.
Welcome to the blogosphere! I looked around your site. Awesome stuff! I like your theme: “FIGHTING THE PATRIARCHY WITH CLEAN SKIN.” Hahah. Grew up with only sisters and a mom, so I feel more feminine than manly. Heck, I suppose that’s why I have a “beauty blog.” Lol… Don’t tell any of my guy friends. :p
Hi, thanks for this great post! what do you think about my cleanser ingredients: aqua, cocamidopropyl betaine, lauryl glucoside, sodium oliveamphoacetate, panthenol, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, parfum, propylene glycol, benzoic acid, phenoxyethanol, dehydroacetic acid, sodium hydroxide, ethylhexylglycerin
I have oily/combo, acne skin. I’d appreciate any advice from you. thanks 😀
AHHH shoot, Han! I just realized I missed this comment. I’m so sorry for getting back to it so late. :/ On a firsthand glance it looks like a pretty good cleanser. The only thing to watch out for is the parfum and flower extract, both of which are fragrances that could be problematic if you have eczema. Other than that, if the pH is around 5.5, then this should be a fine.
I can’t find a cleanser that doesn’t dry me but that also takes off cosmetics, so I’m trying mineral oil with 15 percent cromollient. It just won’t rinse off though. It mixes up with my makeup and then it won’t budge when I wash. This didn’t happen when I tried it with coconut oil, only it broke my skin out horribly. Do I need to use different amounts of cromollient for different oils?
Hmmmm. I wish I could be of more help here. I personally haven’t tried the cromollient sce mix with mineral oil. I know my younger sister uses mineral oil for OCM, but she wipes it off with a gentle facial microfiber cloth. That’s one option you have. The other is trying MCT oil or pure caprylic acid oil (what I’m currently using). It’s much thinner and less occlusive than mineral oil so it washes off pretty cleanly with just 10% cromollient. And it shouldn’t give you any problems like coconut oil since it doesn’t contain lauric fatty acid, which is the thick part that makes it pore-clogging for many people.
Also, for whatever it’s worth I’ve been using the Vanicream Gentle Cleanser for the past 4 days because differin has been drying the crap out of my skin and I needed a new cleanser. So far I’m REALLY liking it!
For the past couple months I had been using nothing but straight up colloidal oatmeal (fine oat powder mixed with water) to cleanse my face because everything else was drying me out during the winter months. But I’ve been pleasantly surprise with the vanicream cleanser. The air is still very much dry where I’m at, and my skin hasn’t dried out in the slightest! Might be worth a shot. It has a super basic and gentle formula, right pH, doesn’t strip the skin, cleanses well, and leaves no residue. You might be able to find it at your local pharmacy or target. And it’s super cheap too (~$6).
Just a heads up. 🙂
Ok thanks for the suggestions! That is a great deal for that cleanser.
No problem! 🙂
Hi f.c.! Thank you so much for creating this wonderful site. I would just like to know your thoughts about SebaMed Clear Face Antibacterial Cleansing Foam. I’m trying to look for a good cleanser that fits the categories you wrote above and is also very available here in the Philippines. SebaMed is unfortunately the only thing that I could find here that claims to be pH balanced (5.5).
Hi, thank you very much for providing this load of information and more. I stumbled upon your site whilst i was looking for acne.org regimen review. However I believe i have learnt much more than I expected. I suffer from cystic acne – very prominent along my jawline, I also have all over my face though. I’m looking for new products to try, i saw you suggestion for (cerave foaming cleanser) however when i went on amazon and other websites to read reviews about the product, people complain that it made them break out more. I’m dark skinned (african) and i want to find out if the products you recommend e.g the korean products – cosrx, can also work for acne on a dark skinned person. I am currently using dove beauty cream bar to wash my face, i doubt it is working. After trying products upon products i resulted to that bar soap.
Hi there, OmoJesu. No problem! 🙂 If you’re worried about a cleanser potentially clogging pores or causing breakouts I recommend you try the Vanicream Gentle Cleanser. It’s what I use and love. Super cheap, has no dyes, harsh surfactants, irritating preservatives, esters, oils etc. Yes, COSRX works perfectly fine for darker skin tones. Hope that helps!
Thank you for your reply. I actually tried the Cerave Foaming Wash (patch test, thankfully) and it caused rashes around my eyes and on my nose. I guess i am reacting to one of the ingredients. I also had that same reaction when i tried using Sebamed Cleansing Foam. I tried to do a bit of research (tiny weeny, lol) and i think the culprit might be ‘Cocamidopropyl Betaine/Hydroxysultaine’. I dont know if you know much about that compound. I’ll definitely give Vanicream wash a try, thankfully it does not contain coca betaine.
Hi,
First of all, I’d like to thank you for sharing your knowledge regarding acne. Reading your articles helped me know more about the type of acne I am experiencing (fungal acne). I’m trying to treat the root by cutting out all ingredients that may induce growth of Malassezia. I found out that it feeds on oils that have carbon chains ranging from 11-22. My question is, what oils/oil cleansers do you use for removing sun screen? I’m using the Biore cleansing oil, and I’m not sure if there’s an ingredient that Malassezia is able to feed on. Also upon reading up, I found that Malassezia can’t feed on MCT oil. I’m browsed for MCT oils available in my country, and found an MCT oil that contains Lauric Acid, which has a carbon chain of 12. Will this MCT oil induce growth on Malassezia? Thanks!
Hi there, Marco. Unfortunately, yes. Lauric acid should be avoided. MCT oil should only contain capric and caprylic triglycerides for it not to aggravate fungal acne. I just wrote an entire post about malassezia and treating it in case you’re interested. It can be found here.
Hi there! Wow your posts are amazing! I am going through and reading them all! I have been on the acne.org products for a year now, its cleared up all my big cystic pimples (odd monthly one) but my black heads, scarring and all over texture is just crap. Also the acne.org moisturizer is so greasy, what would be a good option for me? (I get super oily during the day) PLEASE HELP ME!