I thought that by the time I reached my 20s, my skin would be done rebelling against me. Finally, I’d wake up without worrying how I could cover the huge shiner on my chin, or that one I “accidentally” picked on the tip of my nose.
But here I am today still actively hunting for ways to get rid of my acne. Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to try out ClarityMD’s 2-Step System, a face cleanser and clarifying serum duo that fights acne, while reducing signs of aging (how unfair would acne and wrinkles at the same time be?) and preventing future breakouts.
Product: ClarityMD 2-Step System
What’s inside: A Deep Pore Cleanser and a Clarifying Serum. Each utilize salicylic acid as the active acne-fighting ingredient; the rest of the formula includes nature-powered ingredients like chamomile (to calm any nasty inflamed redness), glycolic acid (a natural exfoliator that helps re-texturize skin, even out discoloration, and minimize pores), and bakuchiol, a popular ingredient in holistic medicine that actually works like a natural retinol alternative: similar skin-clearing benefits, zero irritation. That promise alone could be enough for any woman to give it a whirl. The Deep Pore Cleanser also is completely free of microbeads—those little plastic exfoliators in a lot of older acne cleansers, which don’t actually dissolve and instead, pollute our oceans after they swirl down your drain—making it both skin- and eco-friendly.
How It Works: The directions say use the system twice a day, every day. I generally don’t wash my face in the morning, but for the sake of results, I started doing it. After cleansing, either with or without the complimentary konjac sponge (these things are amazing for gently exfoliating, btw) and patting dry, apply the clear serum to trouble spots—mine like to gather on the sides of my face, by my chin, and right under the crease of my nose. Not cute.
Results: After using diligently for two weeks, my skin never became irritated, even with washing it twice as often—something I can’t honestly say about the majority of acne products I’ve used (and trust, I’ve used more than I’m proud to admit). And save for a tiny hormonal breakout around that time of the month (no topical products will stop those babies, I’ve learned to accept), I had zero new breakouts. I actually mentioned my acne to a few people last week, and each time got the response, “What?! Your skin is so clear!” And getting that praise from people other than my biggest critic (myself, of course) is a clear confirmation that what I’m doing is working.
This post is brought to you by YouBeauty and ClarityMD.
READ MORE: 4 Nature-Powered Ingredients That Fight Acne
