It wasn’t until I started experiencing persistent adult acne earlier this year that I realized I had pretty good skin throughout my teenage and young adult years. I never had to do much acne control, besides the occasional pimple patch, so I had nothing to rely on when constant breakouts became the new normal for me. After a few stressful months of trial and error, I’ve finally found my holy grail products for breakouts. These products help banish blemishes, clear up pores, and calm and hydrate stressed skin. I hope you are able to find something helpful to incorporate into your skincare routine.

My Holy Grail Products for Breakouts

Double Cleansing – One Love Organics Cleansing Oil

Double cleansing with this cleansing oil has transformed my skin. This multi-tasking oil takes off makeup, softens and restores moisture, and gently exfoliates. Most importantly, this oil keeps my pores in check and makes my skin feel balanced and clean, especially when I’m breaking out. I use it every night and follow up with a gentle cleanser.

Exfoliant – Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This fast acting liquid exfoliant works wonders on cleaning out pores and banishing blemishes. It’s the only product that has helped get rid of the small, stubborn acne clusters on my forehead. Overall, this is a great product for clearer and more radiant skin. I use this exfoliant almost daily to treat breakouts and to keep them at bay.

Spot Treatment – Rael Miracle Patches

For bigger blemishes, I use these pimple patches. They effectively extract pus and oil, which is quite satisfying to see in the mornings. These patches are also great for suppressing pimples that haven’t surfaced. I’ve tried many brands, and these Rael patches have remained my favorite for years. When I’m out of these patches, I use this drying treatment. I also like these salicylic acid acne dots, but they are much pricier.

Mask – Indie Lee Clearing Mask

This do it all mask is my go to when my skin is in need of some extra loving. Salicylic and glycolic acids exfoliate while bentonite clay and colloidal sulfur draw out impurities. Hyaluronic acid, zinc oxide, and red seaweed extracts hydrate and calm the skin. This is a great mask to clean, clear, and calm blemish prone skin. It also makes my pores appear much smaller.

Post Treatment – Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm

Post acne care is just as important as the acne treatment itself. More breakouts have led to more scars. To help heal and prevent scarring, I use a recovery cream. This treatment reduces redness, smooths recovering skin, and helps with the appearance of scarring. It’s like hitting the fast forward button during the healing process.