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Whether it’s a pesky set of blemishes that pop up during your period or cystic acne that never disappears, zits are a bummer in every case. But even though an acne skin condition is a daily part of life for fifty million Americans, we rarely give women the #realtalk spotlight to speak about how acne makes them feel or share the skincare secrets they use to treat their breakouts.
To generate more conversation, we put college women center stage and asked them how using Clarisonic, the #1 cleansing device recommended by U.S. dermatologists, makes them feel good about their skincare routine during Acne Awareness Month. Surprise! – they have a lot of insight and magical beauty moments to share.
Finding that one life-changing skincare product.
There are only so many days you can go washing your face with hands alone before you realize it’s time to bring out the big-girl cleansing brush. For women living with acne, they know just how ~involved~ a beauty regimen should be, right down to having a reliable tool that tackles every blemish with ease.
“I would say that I started to love taking care of my skin when I found a set of products that worked for my skin instead of just trying to destroy it into submission. I have the most sensitive skin, so a lot of products didn’t work for me because they aggravated my face,” explains Lindsey, a student at UCLA. “I use a Mia 1 to take off my makeup and wash out my pores. Once I found a multitasking brush that didn’t bother my face… that’s when I started to feel good about skincare instead of pessimistic.”
As the champion and innovator of cleansing for 15 years, Clarisonic thought it crucial to find a product gentle enough to accommodate various skin types, especially for women who rely on a step-by-step acne fighting routine. For women who have sensitive skin like Lindsey, the Clarisonic brush head oscillates on the skin to remove dirt and oil that causes breakouts without any irritation. Fun fact: Clarisonic devices don’t exfoliate, so they’re gentle enough to use twice-daily too!
Realizing that skincare is also self-care.
What can Clarisonic transform besides your skin? Kadyn, a student at Boston University, tells us how her skincare routine often affects her wellness in tandem with her complexion. “Having a skincare routine is a way for me to love on myself and be gentler with myself at the end of a busy day.”
Women who live with acne know how intense treating skin can become, which often entails loading up on astringents, acids, blackhead removers and more that attack more than they help. But Kadyn realized that burning her face wasn’t going to help her skin – or her mental health, since assailing her acne with no results only made her feel worse internally. The shift happened when she started noticing how a thoughtful skincare routine could boost her wellbeing.
“Liberally applying cleanser and water and just standing at my sink gliding the brush over my face is honestly my version of meditation,” Kadyn says. “It’s my quiet time to refocus and reconnect with myself, and I know it’s pretty much the same for my friends who also have an involved morning or nighttime skincare regimen.”
Not giving up, even when it’s hard.
Acne isn’t the same for everyone, and there’s no overnight formula that does the trick, so hang in there. Stick with your skin routine even when it feels the most frustrating.
Hannah, a student at Western Washington University, has cystic acne and understands the struggle of caring for skin that takes time to heal. “Honestly there are some days when I’m in the middle of cleansing and just want to tap out. But I don’t,” she explains. “One thing my derm emphasizes to me is that regularity works better than fast fixes… Knowing that this brush and moisturizer I’m using now will make my skin better in two weeks definitely gets me through.”
Skincare is about more than just your face: It’s having a blast and feeling confident as YOU. This Acne Awareness Month, we encourage you to help normalize the conversation surrounding acne, and to spend an extra bit of time loving on your skin. TLC is the name of the game, and it definitely deserves to be incorporated into your acne-fighting routine.
Ready to take the next step towards radiant-looking skin? HC readers can get 15 percent off all devices featured at https://www.clarisonic.com/shop-by-skin-concern/acne-pimples using the code HERCAMPUS. (Psst, we recommend starting with the Mia 1, plus the Pore & Blemish Gel Cleanser and Acne and Radiance because they’re designed specially for acne-prone skin.)