Need to Nuke Acne? Try This
Getting breakouts as an adult can be frustrating, whether it’s because you’ve got something important to go to, have a date, or just have to go into the office. You want something fast and effective to treat it, especially if it’s just one or two spots. Sure there are the ones that promise to reduce redness in 2 hours, and by and large they work okay. But if you need something stronggg, we recommend Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel.
This guy is a prescription-strength topical treatment with salicylic acid, and you’ll feel like it’s prescription-strength when you put it on. This is a lightweight, clear gel that you’ll apply obviously after cleansing. The moment you put it on, it’ll smell like rubbing alcohol, so much so that it might cause your eyes to water (ours did). Note that this contains salicylic acid to help clear dead skin cells that can contribute to clogged pores.
What you’ll then begin to notice is your skin immediately starting to feel tight and dry which may be that witch hazel it’s packing, helping de-shine your skin’s surface and tighten pores. There is also laminaria saccharina extract in it which helps prevent oil buildup that can lead to breakouts.
After the tightening and drying, we felt a slight burning which wasn’t unpleasant per se, but if you’re used to the gentle creams you used as a teen, this is not that.
The next day though, we couldn’t argue with the results - the redness and swelling was down by around 75% at casual glance. You can apply this up to 3 times per day, so we can only imagine how effective this would be at battling acne.
Since everyone’s skin is different, it does advise that you start with once per day and work your way up. We noticed dryness and flaking the very next morning, and Clinique advises in this instance to reduce usage to every other day. Still, it’s nothing that we weren’t able to manage being aware that it might happen. This worked for us personally and we recommend giving it a try if you need something stronger than your average over-the-counter topical treatment.
Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, $22.00
Price point: High
No parabens, phthalates, oil, synthetic colors, SLS, SLES, gluten, fragrance
