Since high school, I had suffered from severe acne. It was mentally exhausting to constantly think that people were staring at the spots on my face.
In my desperation to stop the pimples, I’ve tried every imaginable wash, soap, scrub, peel, mask, and lotion. My bathroom cabinets were a graveyard of high end and on-trend products claiming to give me "perfect skin." Most of these products made my breakouts worse:
Results after 3 months of using Clear Out, a retinol + AZA lotion. Individual results may vary
After years of visits to the dermatologist and 3 rounds of prescription oral medication, I got wiser.
Here’s some advice in regards to products that I wish I could have told to my teenage self as it would have saved me a lot of time, money and heartache:
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Clay masks, peels and scrubs are not effective at stopping acne.
When it comes to acne, don't waste your time or money on these products as they do not penetrate deep into the pore before they are washed off¹.
Choose products that can be left on overnight so that the ingredients penetrate deeper into the pore. For example, the Clear Out has made a big difference in keeping my pores clear.
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Don’t over invest in washes or soaps.
Opt for a simple, gentle cleanser, like Cetaphil, and skip the fancy ingredients in soaps/washes since they are rinsed off before they penetrate into the pore.
Avoid washes that are harsh as they will strip away natural oils, forcing your skin to over-produce oil.
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When it comes to acne, retinoids are the gold standard.
If you look at the algorithm that dermatologists use for acne², topical retinoids are the first option for virtually all types of acne. Prescription topical lotions have been too harsh to apply to my skin (overdrying and forcing my skin to go into overdrive to produce oil, leading to more breakouts).
However, Clearly Basics’ Clear Out is a must-have in my routine. It pairs retinol³ with AZA⁴ in order to flush out my clogs with less side effects and without overdrying my skin. Many of my peers who could not use retinol in the past did well with this formulation.
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Finally a product that deals with my post-acne red marks!
I’ve spent endless nights looking for a product that could fade the appearance of my post-acne red marks and the Lighten Up has worked wonders for me.
It is important to fade the appearance of these red marks quickly as it reduces the chance that these marks would get exposed to UV light and collect stubborn brown pigmentation. A post-acne brown mark is significantly harder to get rid of as compared to a red mark.
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What is my routine to keep clear skin?
A gentle cleanser, Banish's moisturizer, the Clear Out, Lighten Up and Clearly’s Toner. Yes … that’s it! Introducing too many products in my routine increases the risk of a reaction and these products were designed to work together.
The Clear Out keeps my pores in the clear, while the Lighten Up uses multiple pathways to reduce the appearance of red marks on my face. You may find a comprehensive post about my current AM/PM routine here.
Here’s to cutting out the clutter and putting our focus on effective products worthy of our #shelfies.
It took many years to find the right formula and routine to get my skin to where it is now and it’s boosted my confidence so much. I hope my experience can inform yours and save you the money and time.
Related story
How I Kept My Acne at Bay Post-Oral Medication
I have a lot of people always sending me DM's about after care post oral medications.
Since being off it I use @clearlybasics clear out to keep acne at bay and honestly it's been a game changer for me!
I have used many topical retinol creams which have either overly dried my skin out or just made me break out but ever since I started using Clear Out it hasn't caused no issues, it's gentle and works so well.
A lot of people as me also do I worry about acne coming back and yes I use to all the time but now I know I can rely on @clearlybasics to help with my skin.
Have a look at their page, website and if you are interested in purchasing you can use my name 'ALISHA' to get 💰 off, every little helps 💖
Alisha Kalsi, 25, from Berkshire, developed severe acne when she was 15-years-old. She has gone through three rounds of prescription oral medication before finding out about Clearly Basics. Alisha’s Instagram page @skinwithak is dedicated to help those who struggle with acne and promote skin positivity. Use the coupon code ALISHA to get 10% off any item in the Clearly Basics eStore.
Recently I had a small but upcoming company contact me to help me with my acne/acne marks. I definitely don't think this company get enough credit as their products have changed people's lives! 🙌
@clearlybasics had kindly sent me the 'Clear Out' cream and waiting for the 'Lighten Up' cream to arrive to help me get rid of my red marks which have been left behind from 7 months on oral medication 👎
I wish I came across Clearly Basics before starting oral medication as I would have purchased these and wouldn't have had to put my body through so much! (FYI, I would never stick by a brand that did not work as an acne survivor the purpose of this page was to help others in their journey as I know how hard and mentally destroying it is to deal with acne/scars so I'll give you the best advice I can to my #acnefamily🥰)
As you know I was originally using diferin which was prescribed by my doctor however in such a short period of time my face become super dry and I was breaking out which was worrying me as I heard mixed reviews about the product but then with the help of all the staff at @clearlybasics they had educated me with their product.
If you have come off oral medication there's that worry of your acne coming back therefore some derms will provide you with a retinol cream however they can be harsh on the skin 😑
With @clearlybasics 'Clear Out' it does not over dry your skin as it isn't a high does on retinol which allows your skin to adapt and clear active acne aswell as fade the red scars.
I've spoken to several people in the acne community about their experiences with clear out as I wanted to compare them to mine and we are all in the same boat, a boat with clear skin! ❤
What 'Clear Out' is designed to do is penetrates deep into the pores to clear clogs, reduce the appearance of red marks and foster healing.
Have a look on their website and see the results for yourself.
You can use my discount code to get 10% off your purchase by using 'ALISHA' 💰😀
#RealResults
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