I have so much acne!! This isn't a really good representation. I am a teen and growing. Will tatcha products work!!?? Because that's what I bought. Please help.
Hi @hotcheetogurl ! Different types of acne may need different kinds of treatment. Rather than focusing on the brand, it's best to focus on ingredients and product types that can help treat acne. Here are 3 go-to ingredients that can be bought over-the-counter:
Salicylic acid (aka beta hydroxy acid or BHA) - gets down into your pores to degunk 'em, and removes dead skin cells from the surface of your face. Salicylic acid products are easy to find at your local drugstore. Consider CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser (contains 2% BHA) or the leave-on CeraVe Acne Control Gel. Note that the gel also contains AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), though I don't know what %. CeraVe claims this gel can be used up to 3 times a day, which sounds awfully excessive to me... applying AHAs that frequently can over-exfoliate skin, especially in addition to BHA. I recommend using the gel just 1-2 times a week (not twice on the same day) unless a doctor tells you otherwise.
Azelaic acid - attacks acne-causing bacteria, treats post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (including dark marks left by acne), and has antioxidant properties. A doctor can prescribe azelaic acid at 15-20%. Or (if you're in the US) you can try a 10% over-the-counter option: of those, my fave is Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster 1 oz/ 30 mL . I've also used The Ordinary Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream and Facetheory Lumizela A10 serum.
Benzoyl peroxide - very effective against acne-causing bacteria. This is another ingredient you can find at the drugstore. The easiest product to find is probably PanOxyl cleanser: it comes in 4% and 10% strength, though the one you'll probably see in stores is 4%—and that's probably all you need. Higher strength isn't necessarily better, depending on your type of acne and your particular skin behavior/condition. Many people are sensitive to leave-on benzoyl peroxide, which is why a cleanser's a good option: it has contact with your skin for just a few minutes before it's rinsed off. If your skin's not sensitive to this ingredient, a good leave-on option is Paula's Choice CLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide 2.25 oz/ 67 mL .
Have you already tried products that contain those ingredients?
Since you're a teen, can your parent/guardian take you to see a board certified dermatologist or primary care doctor? I left the entire vitamin A family off my list of ingredients... vitamin A is retinoic acid (tretinoin), and there are several related ingredients like tazarotene, adapalene, retinaldehyde, and retinol. A doctor might prescribe tretinoin or tazarotene for acne, depending on what type you have and your skin condition. Or a doc could prescribe Rx-strength adapalene or another retinoid. You can also find over-the-counter adapalene at lower strength at the drugstore: the 2 most common are Differin Gel and La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel. Adapalene's often used to treat acne. You might wanna talk with a doc before trying it, though, because it comes with some irritating side effects.
One more product you should definitely use if you don't already: broad spectrum sunscreen, at least SPF 30, applied to ALL skin exposed to sunlight (eyelids, ears, behind ears, nape of neck if exposed, hairline, wrists, ankles, feet, etc.), all year long, regardless of weather or season. UV rays can worsen acne, among other badness they can cause (like skin cancer). Do you already use sunscreen?
@hotcheetogurl asking if Tatcha products will work for you is a little nebulous. Did you have specific products that you were considering? Are you trying to look for a good cleanser, an acne treatment, a moisturizer...?