Skin Care Advice

[Austinsmith]

What are the best products for acne skin care?

[jelly9]

I have had acne for years and these are some products that helped me. Youth of the people face wash (best face wash I’ve ever tired it’s so gentle but very hydrating) then I used to Paula’s choice bha (made the biggest difference) caudalie vinoperfect helped out a lot with my scaring it faded it a lot. If I just want to spot treat I like the inbeauty pimple paste. I would start slow with these products. So if your skin reacts to one you know which one it was. Add one on every week or two. 

[WinglessOne]

@Austinsmith  "The best products" depends on a few things, because we don't all have the same skin: 

• The type of acne you have - different kinds of acne respond well to different ingredients and treatments. Example: for cystic acne, I recommend seeing a dermatologist or your primary care doctor; this type of acne doesn't often respond to the usual over-the-counter acne ingredients/products. Same goes for hormonal acne. Having your skin diagnosed by a doc, if you can, is a good starting point, especially since some skin conditions can mimic acne. 
  
  
• Your skin type/behavior - dry, oily, a combo of those, or "normal"/balanced (not too dry or oily). Some acne products are formulated for dry skin, others for oily skin, etc. 
  
  
• Your current skincare routine - what products do you use on your face, from cleanser to sunscreen? 

For many types of acne, a few go-to ingredients are salicylic acid (BHA), benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, retinoids (the vitamin A family which includes tretinoin, adapalene, retinaldehyde, retinol, etc.), and sulfur. A clay mask can help oily skin with blackheads. 

When looking for BHA products, note that willow bark extract is not the same thing, regardless of "a natural form of salicylic acid" marketing claims. You want the real deal salicylic acid. Most leave-on products are 2% strength which is fine for many people. Many people's favorite (for good reason) is Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 4 oz/ 118 mL . 

[CynthieLu]

There are alot of different acne products, what have you tried @Austinsmith is there anything that dosen't agree with your skin?

What's your routine like now?

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque is pretty great for  acne prone skin