Masks have become a necessity in this time and age, and I wouldn’t dare go out without one. However, as someone with oily skin working in the middle of a hot summer, my skin paid the ultimate price. My face looked how it did back in high school. Acne covered my chin, cheeks and the rest of my face. However, with the right skincare routine, I finally managed to get rid of the painful bumps on my face.
I love skin care, and I always seem to be getting Instagram ads for different products. This time I finally gave in and ordered a 30-day acne control system from Murad Cosmetics that included: the Clarifying Cleanser, Outsmart Acne Clarifying Treatment, Oil and Pore Control Mattifier Broad Spectrum SPF 45, and a Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treatment. This kit didn’t include a moisturizer, but Murad Cosmetics has a Skin Perfecting Lotion for blemish prone/oily skin, which I already had at home and ended up using along with this system. I used the clarifying cleanser in the morning, followed by the acne clarifying treatment, the skin perfecting lotion and lastly, the sunscreen. I used my go-to Clinique sunscreen as well since the set was a trial size, and I didn’t want to use 30 days worth of sunscreen in a short amount of time. In order to let my skin breathe, I refrained from using any foundation all summer. It’s not like anyone was going to be seeing my face anyways! I followed a similar nighttime regimen, except I substituted the sunscreen for the acne spot treatment on my problem areas. I have extremely sensitive skin, so three days out of the week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday for me), I added the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% molecules by The Ordinary to my nighttime routine.
The active ingredient in the Murad Cosmetics system is Salicylic Acid, which has a 1.5% concentration for all of the products, except for the spot treatment, which is at 2.0%. Salicylic Acid is a ß-Hydroxy acid (BHA) compound that is an excellent exfoliant for the skin. It dissolves away the “glue” that holds your dead skin cells together, in turn keeping your pores clean which can help reduce acne. Niacinamide is a vitamin B3 derivative that helps reduce the appearance of acne and congestion, making the skin look bright and lively. Zinc is a powerful mineral that is helpful for inflamed acne and helps control oil production.
I’ve been using this combination of skin care products for about a month and a half now. I ended up ordering the Murad Cosmetics system again, and it’s been working out great. This wasn’t a “miracle” acne system; however, my skin has improved drastically since before I started using these products. I still have some blemishes and scars, but I’ve only been using these products for a small amount of time. I do believe my skin will continue to improve if I continue this regimen.
Keeping my skin care regimen simple was the key to getting healthy skin again. I used trustworthy ingredients that I know are great for the skin, and I couldn’t be happier with the results!