Acne is a humbling experience. Even more so, when it surpasses puberty and high school into adulthood. While acne doesn’t make you less sexy, it does make you feel less sexy, diminishing your confidence and becoming a pain to deal with⎯physically and mentally. 

Every person’s acne is different, and that’s why different types of acne have different treatments. Why some treatments work for others and not you. Why tretinoin or birth control can save your skin or make you wish you didn’t mess with it in the first placeFor . Apparently our skin found out that it’s the biggest organ in the body and decided their ego was too, doing what it wants when it wants. 

Since middle school I’ve struggled with nodules, hormonal acne, skin texture, and blackheads, always envying those with skin as clear and smooth as a baby’s. While I still struggle with acne and breakouts, especially of the hormonal kind, I’ve found ways to manage it both holistically and with skincare. 

I take a multinational route when combatting my acne, using both American treatments and Korean skincare. Because sometimes a girl just needs some good ‘ole skin-drying American retinol.

For the past couple months, I’ve been using an adapalene gel, seeing an improvement in not only my skin texture and breakouts but also in faster healing. It doesn’t solve all my problems, but it does keep my skin in check⎯for the most part. Because unfortunately the world’s most recommended skincare product by dermatologists won’t stop breakouts during travel, stressful periods, and menstrual cycles, no matter the advertisement.

But retinol can cause irritation to the skin, drying it out and causing inflammation. That’s where Korean skincare comes in handy.  

Korean skincare is known for its commitment to skin barriers. Your skin barrier is what keeps your skin healthy, protecting you from free radicals and pollutants while retaining hydration from water and oils. Since Korean skincare products focus on hydration, they help heal and maintain your face’s skin barrier. 

There are many different causes to a damaged skin barrier. Overuse of exfoliants and active ingredients is a common cause of damage with intense multi-step skincare routines and negligence when using products too often or mixing active ingredients. 

My Favorite Korean Skincare Products for Acne-Prone Skin 

 

@stylecartelmediahere’s everything you’ll ever need if you’ve got acne prone skin Dr.G : ☀️ R.E.D Blemish Clear Soothing Cream ☀️ PH Cleaning R.E.D Clear Soothing Foam♬ Moonlite Love – Abir’yah

Because of the implications with intricate skincare routines, I’ve reverted back to a simple routine to heal my skin and keep my acne away. I use only a cleanser and moisturizer daily combined with an eye cream and adapalene gel (retinoid) a couple nights a week. 

The routine is simple but mighty. The key is the products. For the past year I’ve been using Dr. G’s R.E.D. Blemish line, and it has caused significant improvements in my skin and acne. 

I ran out of the cream I used in September and decided to not waste money or product by using a travel sized Tula moisturizer I had bought in an emergency a few months before. Over the few weeks I used it, I had constant breakouts. 

I looked up the cream I was using, and their website said it was non-comedogenic, so I don’t know why the moisturizer caused the breakout. However, I know the perpetrator was the cream as it was the only new skincare product I was using, and I didn’t have any new introductions into my environment with detergents, sheets, or anything of that nature to cause constant breakouts. When I switched back to my Dr. G products, my skin cleared and breakouts lessened. If that’s not a testimonial to these products’ powers, I don’t know what is. 

R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream 

The Clear Soothing Cream is formulated to be hydrating and soothing while calming sensitive skin using ten Cica ingredients and reducing redness. The cream reduces skin sebum levels by 14.5% and acne severity by 46.7%.

Dr. G claims the cream gives 100 hours of hydration with its implementation of moisture particles that are smaller than pores, able to penetrate the 10th layer of skin. The sensitive formula excludes fragrance, alcohol, and animal-derived ingredients. The cream has 4.9 stars from over 150 reviews on Dr. G’s website. 

My Review

I will be keeping this cream in my skincare arsenal for a long time. I love everything about it and no negative remarks. The consistency of the cream isn’t too thick or too thin. It hydrates my skin without feeling oily. I can’t emphasize that enough. My skin feels soft and hydrated without the weight of extra oil making my skin feel heavy and gross. The cream lasts me months to where I only need to buy it twice a year. From someone who struggles with acne prone skin and never thought they’d find the perfect product for them, I highly recommend Dr. G’s Clear Soothing Cream. 

PH Cleansing R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Foam 

Dr. G’s R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Foam is made for acne-prone skin, formulated to be moisturizing and soothing with the aid of five Cica complex ingredients and eight layer hyaluronic acids. The cleanser is also designed to heal and maintain your skin barrier function with key ingredient, Bifida Ferment Lysate. The Clear Soothing Foam has 5 stars on Dr. G’s website. 

My Review

This cleanser is one of the first acne specific cleansers I’ve tried that doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped, tight, or dry after using. This is the biggest reason I love it and know it’s working. As it’s designed for acne-prone skin in mind, the cleanser hydrates the skin so your body doesn’t feel the need to produce extra oil to make up for dryness while effectively cleansing your skin from the day’s dirt, sweat, pollution, and germs.

Since the cream specifically targets your skin’s barrier, I’ve noticed my skin doesn’t overproduce oil or become dry. I was recently in Montana, US, and no matter the time of year, the air is so dry my knuckles crack if I don’t religiously apply lotion. While I was there, my face experienced no dryness or overproduction of oil to compensate. I think this cleanser and its accompanying cream will be in my life for a long time. 

Acne Is A Bitch, I Hope This Helped

Acne is unfortunately a journey many of us go on, a journey that is often experienced in different ways. It affects up to 15% of adult women and around 85% of those aged 12-24. So, if you’re struggling with your acne, know that you aren’t alone, and you’re still sexy! 

Thankfully over the years the shame and judgement around acne has lessened, leading to more awareness, support, and products that keep our minds and skin healthy. Now we have accessible products from around the world from France to South Korea that can help us on our journey.