Acne is treatable for everyone... From teens to menopause. With the proper products, even severe acne can clear up in just weeks. Have the face you love!

Acne, especially severe or cystic acne, is nothing if not persistent. It’s a problem that starts deep at the cellular level and can be aggravated by many factors. To control and conquer acne, people try all kinds of treatments and tricks. And many, despite all their best efforts, lament that clearing acne feels like a losing battle.

In communication with our customers, reveals story after agonizing story of people who are discouraged and distraught over their struggles with acne. Nearly all of them include the phrase, “I’ve tried everything.”

These kinds of stories are heartbreaking to us because we know that it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right treatment, these can become stories of power instead of pain.

HERE’S WHAT TO TRY WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE TRIED EVERYTHING.

The Right Products
We know. That sounds way too simplistic, but it’s amazing the amount of wrong that people get up to when driven by desperation—using comedogenic products (hello, coconut oil), moisturizing when they should be drying (more on that later), using baking soda, applying lemon juice to the skin; all pore-clogging, harsh, pH-destroying, irritating, unhelpful, saboteurs of clear skin.

Four main ingredients are the heart of any successful acne treatment. If your products don’t contain some combination of these, you’re using the wrong ones.

Benzoyl Peroxide kills acne bacteria and clears pores. (See: Benzoyl Peroxide 10% Gel, Benzoyl Peroxide 3% Cleanser)
Mandelic Acid targets acne, age spots, discoloration and wrinkles. (See: Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum)
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (especially mandelic and glycolic) clear cellular debris and oil to unclog pores and allow better absorption of corrective serums. (See: Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum, Exfol-A, Normalizing Tonic, Rejuvenate T.R., Rejuvenating Glycolic Facial Scrub)
Retinoids (Vitamin A) accelerate cell turnover, unclog pores, peel out impactions, and reduce oiliness. (See: Exfol-A, Exfol-A Forte, Derm-A-Gel)

A Consistent, Four-Step Regimen Finding the right products is the first step, using them in a consistent regimen is how to make them work. You need a cleanser, a toner, a serum, and an SPF. In a synergistic regimen, each step enhances the benefits of the next, so don’t skimp or skip.

Our cleansers support a healthy barrier, clear away pore-clogging oil, dirt and dead skin cells, and allow the toner to do its work. Our toners remove all traces of cellular debris, dirt, and product residue to enhance the absorption of serums. Serums produce cellular repair and regeneration to retexture your skin.

Time
Give your regimen time to work. A pimple takes thirty days to form and come to the surface, so thirty days is the minimum amount of time you should give your products before evaluating your results. If you expect to see a dramatic change within a few days, you will be disappointed. During the first thirty days using our products, you will see some flaking and other small changes as your skin acclimates, and anything that has been brewing under the skin gets pulled to the surface cleared away. Within four to six weeks, the signs of acclimation will disappear, but the benefits will continue to grow.

Pay Attention to Underlying Causes
Inflammation at the cellular level creates oxidative stress in the sebum follicle leading to a buildup of dead skin cells, which clog pores. The impaction traps acne bacteria and creates more inflammation, and the whole cycle stays in perpetual motion. Reducing inflammation is essential to controlling acne. What causes the cellular inflammation? Things like stress, poor diet especially excess sugar, UV damage, harmful chemicals, smoking, harsh treatments. To reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, pay attention to both internal and external factors.

Avoid Moisturizing
Effective acne treatment kills bacteria and causes peeling down inside the pore. The process is inherently and necessarily drying. It will cause flaking while the skin acclimates to the treatment and the impactions clear. The active flaking phase is the active clearing phase. Adding moisture at this stage interferes with the process of peeling the impactions. It also inhibits the action of your products by blocking them from being absorbed into the skin. Depending on the type of moisture, i.e., something too heavy or occlusive, it may clog pores and lead to further impactions. Unless you have dry skin, which is uncommon with moderate to severe acne, you should be using little to no moisturizer during active acne treatment.

Rather than adding a moisturizer, you can make adjustments to your products. For instance, Mandelic 3-In-1 Wash is a gentler alternative to the BP 3% Acne Wash, but it is still highly effective in treating acne. Mandelic acid suppresses acne-causing bacteria and is a particularly good option for dark skin tones that are more prone to hyperpigmentation.

Don’t Over Treat
One customer mentioned that she washes her face three times a day and still her acne doesn’t subside. Please don’t wash your face three times a day. If you wash too frequently or over exfoliate, you may irritate your skin and worsen acne (see underlying causes). In this case, you should dial back the use of your products to every other day. Stop any physical exfoliation like scrubs while you repair your skin barrier with some healing ingredients.