According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “Approximately 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience at least minor acne.” I personally have struggled with acne for as long as I can remember, and it’s still something I struggle with to this very day. For a while it felt like I had tried every product on the market and NOTHING was working. I felt ashamed of how I looked and spent hours putting on makeup to cover it, only to make it look worse. It seemed to be a never ending battle that I was desperately losing. It wasn’t until discovering these products that I was able to see improvements in my acne with my own eyes, and was actually able to feel comfortable in my own skin.
Stridex
If there’s one item on this list I COULD NOT live without its Stridex. These facial cleansing pads come in three different varieties – sensitive, essential, and maximum. I prefer the maximum kind. They are pretty strong, but they certainly deliver what they promise. This product is perfect for all skin types and leaves your skin feeling extremely clean. After one week of using these pads, I noticed a difference in my acne. The best part about these is the price, you can usually get them around $3, and trust me they are beyond worth the money.
Neutrogena’s Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent
Now this stuff is the real deal. However, I do not recommend this product to people with naturally dry skin because it might cause you more pain than its worth. If you have naturally oily skin like myself, this product works perfectly for clearing acne and making your skin less oily. Don’t get me wrong, using too much of this product still dries out my skin, but it basically dissolves my acne overnight, so as long as you incorporate facial lotion into your skin care routine this product is a must.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray
This is a product I recently started using, but now I can’t imagine my life without it. This spray comes in three scents – cucumber, rose, and lavender. My favorite is cucumber, but all of them do the job. While these sprays don’t specifically target acne, in coordination with the other products mentioned above, you can definitely see improvements in your overall complexion. This spray hydrates and refreshes your skin and is extremely beneficial to use after the two products mentioned above, since they tend to dry your skin out. This spray is safe for all skin types, gentle, and non-irritating. This spray can also be used to set makeup!
Clean & Clear Acne Spot Treatment
This product is perfect for targeting specific acne spots. I’ve been using this stuff for a couple of years now and this product is definitely worth it for the cheap price you pay. This product also has drying effects on your skin so I prefer to only use a little dab and only directly on the acne spot. Honestly this product has had the same if not better results than more expensive acne spot treatments I’ve used before, so it’s a must use especially if you have large cystic acne breakouts.
Burt’s Bees Daily Moisturizing Lotion
If you plan on testing out a good majority of the products I mentioned–especially at the same time– a facial moisturizing lotion is a MUST. Most of these products are very harsh and drying for you skin, and while they get the job done it’s important to follow up with a lotion such as this one in order to prevent more harm than good. The smell of Burt’s Bees facial lotion is enough to win me over alone, but I also love knowing that all of the ingredients used in the lotion are all natural, which makes me face feel that much more refreshed.