Most people with acne could probably relate to the same struggle I had with trying product after product, only to wake up with new breakouts every week.
If you're struggling with acne, you're not alone! Acne is the most common skin condition that people face, with adult acne becoming more increasingly common in recent years.
Acne Vulgaris, which is the medical term for acne happens whenever a pore becomes clogged and inflammed or infected. It can have several causes from lifestyle, genetic, physical irritation, hormonal, or dietary factors.
The good news is that there are lots of ways to treat acne and here are some of the best products that work for acne.
BEST SKIN CARE PRODUCTS THAT WORK FOR ACNE?
How do we find skin care products that work for our acne-prone skin and how do we determine what are the products that work and what are the products that don’t?
Skincare, and the process of treating acne in particular, are ongoing processes that take time, consistency, and plenty of experimentation.
Understanding your skin type is equally important. Acne skincare products are often marketed to those with oily skin, but even those with dry skin can suffer from acne.
There are the usual over the counter acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide for inflammatory acne, and salicylic acid, and retinol and it's derivative like adapalene to address clogged pores and acne. With acne, usually unscented products are better too.
But if you've tried those above products already and notice your skin is getting too irritated and dried out, here are some more gentle and natural alternative products to try that can work for acne!
Top Skincare Products That Work For Acne
- Banish Serum
- Banish Vitamin C Crème
- Banish Fighter Gel
- Banish Pumpkin Masque
Gentle Acne Fighting Product
Banish Fighter Gel: Contains Organic Sulfur known as MSM, Organic Green Tea Extract.
The Fighter Gel is best for inflammatory acne and cystic acne and one of the most underrated products for acne. Its main purpose is to provide some slight pain relief for inflammation which helps relieves painful pimples and brings down the inflammation fast.
It is a skin-soothing water based gel. The key ingredients of the Banish Fighter Gel include dimethyl sulfone or MSM which is a form of sulfur. Sulfur is known to treat acne and this type of sulfur is gentle on the skin.
Green tea extract may also reduce excess sebum production & treat acne.
Best for: Oily or Combination Skin
How to use: Apply a small amount of the fighter gel 1 to 2 times a day and leave on. Use the gel after cleansing and after your serums or treatments, but before creams, oils, or sunscreen.
Exfoliate with Glycolic Acid - But Don't Overdo It
Banish Pumpkin Enzyme Masque – Exfoliating AHA Mask. The Banish Pumpkin Masque is formulated with natural pumpkin enzymes, and glycolic acid. Why this product is good for acne is that it exfoliates your skin with AHAs, which keeps your pores from being clogged up leading to the acne breakouts.
This can also help existing acne come to a head and clear up faster.
This mask is made with natural ingredients and does slightly tingle, but skin always feel very smooth and brighter afterwards.
How to use the Pumpkin Masque:
- Spread a thin layer on the face and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash off thoroughly.
- Use 2-3 times a week or as often as needed.
Try a Gentle Vitamin C
Vitamin C is known for reducing acne scars and hypeprigmentation, but it can be beneficial for acne too.
The key is to use a vitamin c that isn't too highly concentrated and acidic as it can be irritating to acne.
Vitamin C can work on acne because it is anti inflammatory and the only way to increase vitamin c in skin is through topical products containing ascorbic acid.
Also make sure your vitamin c product is not oxidized or turned dark yellow as that is a sign it has gone bad.
Gentle Vitamin C products include
Banish Serum - this serum is simple and made with natural ingredients, has l-ascorbic acid, and stabilized with ferulic acid and vitamin e. Adds an instant hydrated glow to the skin.
Banish Vitamin C Creme - Great daily moisturizer to use and works if you have oilier or combination prone skin since it quickly absorbs into the skin.
Sulfate Free Cleanser
We know, cleansing is common sense but it does make a difference in managing acne. Cleansing at least twice a day is shown to overall be the best for keeping acne away. Some cleansers can be too stripping so look for sulfate free cleansers.
If your skin is extremely dry and compromised, cream cleansers may work better for you, but for most people there are gentle foaming cleanser options available.
All Clear Mint Cleanser
This is a sulfate free cleanser that also gently foams to deep clean pores and remove excess oil without stripping the skin. Contains calming cucumber and chamomile to help reduce inflammation. Mild fresh mint leaves you and your skin feeling very refreshed.
How Long Does It Take For Products To Work?
You have to give your products a few weeks of consistent use to really be able to tell if it is working for you. It's recommended to give the product at least 30 days to see if there is a difference since that's how long it can take for a full skin cell renewal cycle.
If a product works well, your skin will start to reduce in the amount of active breakouts, redness and irritation near the 30 day timeframe, with continued improvement!
Addressing Inflammation
Acne is at the core an inflammatory condition, and a lot of the immune system health and inflammation come from our digestive system.
It's important to try to reduce inflammation from within our bodies too, consider how you feel after eating. If you notice a lot of bloating, sluggishness, or any belly pain and heartburn - consider removing the offending foods for 2-3 weeks and see how you feel and if your acne improves.
Conclusion
There’s never a 100% guarantee that everything will work out in the end, but becoming more knowledgeable about skincare and acne can help improve it!
Dealing with acne is no easy task along with finding products that work for acne, but with these steps you're sure to make progress in combating acne! Be patient, stay consistent. We’re all different, have different bodies, different skin and sometimes you just have to experiment and find what works for you!
Sources:
Green tea and other tea polyphenols: effects on sebum production and acne: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5384166/
Understanding Female Adult Acne https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935648/
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