Price
For the last few years I had been using Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder, but the formula changed, and I thought I’d try the Maybelline Dream Matte Powder because it was getting better reviews online than the revamped Neutrogena, and it’s a few dollars cheaper (it’s about $7). Plus my favorite foundation is Maybelline Pure Makeup, and I’ve had good luck with several Maybelline products.

Packaging
I think the packaging of the Maybelline powder is good, and it seems sturdy and it’s easy to access the product, but a lot of people hate the packaging for some reason. The bottom part swivels out and there’s a powder puff and mirror in the bottom. As long as nothing breaks with it, I am happy with the packaging.

Safe for acne-prone skin?
Most drugstore powders contain pore cloggers that cause cosmetic acne, but this powder doesn’t as far as I can tell, and in theory it should be a good choice for acne-prone skin. It’s oil-free and it’s also free of cornstarch, which can be a problem for acne. I haven’t had any breakouts since I started using the Dream Matte Powder a few weeks ago, but a lot of people on Makeupalley.com report they have broken out from it. The ingredients appear safe for acne-prone skin, but unfortunately the only way to know for sure if something works for you is to try it yourself. I breakout pretty easily from makeup, though, but this one is safe for me.

*Buy Maybelline Dream Matte Powder*

Colors and Coverage
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder only comes in 4 colors (one light shade, and 3 medium shades), so it’s pretty limiting. In the store none of the colors looked like they matched my skin, but I chanced it and picked up Beige, and on my light/medium olive-toned skin, the color looks perfect (probably because it’s almost translucent). I use a big powder brush to apply this (not the puff it comes with). The coverage of the product is really light, though, so rather than adding a lot of color to my skin, it just gives it a more matte finish. If you need a decent amount or a lot of coverage, this product probably won’t cut it for you. Also, I’ve only worn it over foundation and sunscreen, so I’m not sure how it looks on bare skin.

The finish of this is sort of matte, but since the coverage is so light, my glowy/shiny sunscreen shows through slightly. Up close the powder looks slightly “powdery” but it doesn’t sink into my wrinkles and make them look worse, which is a problem I have with a lot of powders. It doesn’t achieve the absolutely flawless look I would like, but it looks good enough to keep using it, especially for the price. I have dry skin, and this makes my face feel slightly drier. This should be fine for slightly dry, normal or oily skin, but since the coverage is so sheer, I’m not sure how well it works to control oil. The powder still looks fine at the end of the day, and it doesn’t change colors and turn darker like some powders. This does contain talc, in case you have an aversion to that ingredient.

Final Thoughts
This is a good powder – not horrible, not awesome. It offers sheer coverage, it’s cheap, and it’s good for acne-prone skin (in theory). It only comes in 4 colors, though, and even though it’s non-comedogenic, some people still report breaking out from it. Since I don’t love this, I’ll try something new next time, but I’m okay using it for now. Have you tried it? What’s your favorite drugstore powder?

*Buy Maybelline Dream Matte Powder*

Ingredients:
Talc, Nylon-12, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Magnesium Stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Methylparaben, Triisocetyl Citrate, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben. May contain: Mica, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.

Related posts:

1. Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation
2. Avoid Cosmetic Cornstarch If You’re Acne-Prone
3. My Favorite Makeup

How to pick a salicylic acid product
There are tons of salicylic acid products out there, but not all of them are effective, or even good for your skin. A lot of them contain alcohol, which is irritating and unnecessarily drying for your skin. And some of them even contain pore cloggers, despite the fact they are intended to get rid of acne! Finally, salicylic acne treatments work best at a concentration of 1-2%, and a pH of 3-4. How the heck do you know what the pH is of a particular product? You don’t! The only way to know is to buy pH strips and test the product yourself, but I don’t even know where you’d get those, besides in a junior high science class.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment
This Neutrogena product doesn’t contain alcohol or pore clogging ingredients, and it has a 2% salicylic acid concentration, and a pH of 3.4. How do I know the pH? I haven’t tested it myself, but this product got an excellent rating on Paula Begoun’s Beautypedia.com website, and she tested the pH. It has a light gel feel to it, and it leaves your face feeling soft and smooth. It has a light cucumber scent, which is somewhat pleasant. Even though the product has the word Hydrating in the title, after a few hours it makes my face feel dry, so it’s definitely best for someone with normal to oily skin. Before this, I was using Paula’s Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Gel, which I like, but I wanted to try out the Neutrogena because I hate the smell of the Paula’s Choice salicylic acid product, and I like the fact that Neutrogena products are sold everywhere, so they’re cheap and easy to find.

If you read my acne cure post, you’ll see that I don’t just use salicylic acid products to control my acne – I do several different things, and salicylic acid is just one part of my personal regimen. For someone with really light acne, maybe all you would need is this product, but most people will probably need a combination of things. The Neutrogena Acne Treatment didn’t really do much to get rid of my blackheads on my nose, but that’s no surprise because I have yet to find something that really gets rid of them. Ugh. Because I use several products to control my acne, I can’t exactly test how well this product worked for me on its own, but it definitely didn’t cause breakouts, and it doesn’t have any drawbacks (except it’s a bit drying if you have dry skin). If you are in search of a salicylic acid product, definitely try this one!

If you’re going to use a salicylic acid/beta hydroxy product, definitely wear a good sunscreen because it will make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Also, salicylic acid is derived from aspirin, so you must avoid it if you’re allergic to aspirin. What’s your favorite product that contains salicylic acid?

Related posts:

1. Light Therapy Acne Treatment
2. Murad Acne Complex
3. Neutrogena Hand Cream – Fabulous For Dry Skin

Retin-A Gel
Retin-A has been around the longest, and I remember using it in high school for acne. I believe I got the gel version, and after about a week my face was so red and on fire that I couldn’t bring myself to use it anymore, so I suffered through high school with pimples instead. Even though I followed the instructions and started out slowly, and I had oily skin at the time and lived in a humid climate, it was still too much for my skin. If your skin can tolerate it, the advantage of Retin-A Gel is that it comes in a generic version, which can save a lot of money.

Retin-A Micro
This gel product is the newer form of Retin-A, and it’s also used to treat acne. It has a special microsponge technology, which release the tretinoin slowly over time, so this helps minimize skin irritation. I tried Retin-A Micro maybe 5-7 years ago when I got acne once again in my late 20s. Despite the new microsphere technology, I still couldn’t handle Retin-A Micro and once again found myself with red, flaky, painful skin, so once again I gave up. A lot of people have great success with Retin-A Micro, and it’s best for oily skin, so it’s definitely worth trying if you have oily skin and acne. This would also be a great product to try if you have oily skin and want to combat fine wrinkles, facial roughness, or uneven pigmentation. Unfortunately, I don’t believe Retin-A Micro comes in a generic, but if you have good health insurance, that shouldn’t matter.

Retin-A Cream
I tried Retin-A Cream last year to see how it would work for my fine wrinkles, slight hyperpigmentation and enlarged nose pores. I made the mistake of not checking the ingredients of Retin-A Cream, and I totally broke out after a few days, and every day after using it. It turns out isopropyl myristate is one of the first few ingredients in it, which is a major pore clogger. The cream is much more hydrating than the gel version, but I had to give up on this product after a week due to the acne it caused. This would be a great cream to use if you aren’t prone to acne because it comes in a generic, so it’s cheaper than the name brand.

Renova
Finally I decided to try Renova, which does not contain any pore cloggers, plus like Retin-A Cream, it’s good for normal to dry skin, and it’s meant to treat wrinkles, and smooth out the texture and tone of your skin. The first time around I thought I was being smart by getting a generic version, which was still expensive, but the generic was made by a compounding pharmacy, and they didn’t use the exact same ingredients as Renova. The cream also expired after two months, but I probably would have had a lot left over since I only intended to use the product every other night. The generic Renova also made me break out like crazy! Ugh. Not all compounding pharmacies use the same ingredients, but I wouldn’t risk it, and you aren’t really saving much money by having to throw out a half-used container every two months.

Finally I bit the bullet and paid the big money for the brand-name .05% Renova (it’s like $170 but should last me a year since I don’t use it every day). Success! Most insurance companies don’t cover Renova because it’s indicated for wrinkles, so if you have acne and your skin can handle it, Retin-A Micro will help with wrinkles and acne, and your insurance might cover it. So I’ve been using Renova for at least six months now, and it doesn’t cause any breakouts! Yay. It still took a lot for my skin to get used to it, and my skin was peeling for at least a month when I first started using it every other night. I didn’t get any redness or pain, though. In other parts of the world – Asia, Mexico, and Europe, for example, Renova is call Retacnyl, which is exactly the same thing, so if you don’t live in the US, you can probably save yourself a ton of money by getting Retacnyl.

I haven’t seen too much change in my skin since I’ve been using Renova, but that’s probably because I’ve been using .1% Differin for the last several years, which has probably already improved my fine lines.

Differin
Differin is another prescription acne treatment, and it’s generally more tolerated than Retin-A Gel or Retin-A Micro. It contains adapalene, instead of tretinoin, which is a different type of retinoid. It doesn’t come in a generic. I’ve had good success with Differin helping my acne, in conjunction with other acne products, and I haven’t had any of the peeling, stinging, or redness that I had with Retin-A Gel. Differin comes in an acne-safe cream or gel, so if you have dry skin, try the cream first, and the gel is better for oily skin. However, I use the gel on my currently normal to dry skin, and my skin can tolerate it well. For acne, some people do better on Differin, and some do better on Retin-A Micro. The reason I wanted to try Renova is because I wanted to see if it works better on my wrinkles than Differin. I have yet to find any studies that say how well Differin works on wrinkles, and if it does reduce them, I wanted to see if Renova was even better. From what I’ve concluded, most doctors believe Differin does work on wrinkles, but that a tretinoin like Renova may work better.

Conclusion
Renova, Retin-A, Retin-A Micro and Differin all come in different strengths, so talk to your doctor about what strength is right for you. Bottom line: Do Not use Retin-A Cream or generic Renova if you have acne. If you have acne and dry or sensitive skin, try Differin before trying Retin-A Micro. If your skin can handle it, Retin-A Gel generic is cheapest for acne, and Retin-A Cream generic is cheapest for wrinkles. Do you use one of these products? What do you think?

Related posts:

1. My Dermatologist Visit
2. How To Pick A Retinol Product
3. Old-School Beauty

I’ve been relatively acne-free for a few years now. I had pretty significant adult acne which took a few years of trial and error before I found an acne regimen that worked for me. The fear that my acne will come back as bad as it was before is constant, but I feel like I have enough knowledge now to know how to prevent my face from going completely haywire. For the past few weeks, however, I’ve been getting several small breakouts – it’s nothing major, but enough for me to take action.

I feel like I’ve personally cured my acne and can now prevent acne breakouts by following my self-created regimen. So why am I suddenly breaking out then? It’s because I’m not following my own advice and regimen! If you find a skin care routine that works for you, stick with it! If you haven’t found a routine that works, then hopefully you will find that my own regimen works well for you.

Go back to basics
It’s now been a week since I had the last breakout. What did I do? I went back to using the exact products I know don’t cause me to breakout, and that I know help to prevent acne.

It gets boring using the same products month after month, and since I write this skin care blog, there’s always something new to try. The temptation is so great to be always searching for the best new product. But if you’ve found a routine that works, stick with it – it’s boring, but it works, and it will save you money!

Try one new product at a time
If you are like me and can’t resist trying out new skin care products, then only try one new product at a time. Keep everything else the same, and give the new product a week, or two ideally, to see how it works for you. If you try multiple new products at the same time, it’s impossible to tell what works and what doesn’t. Even if you pick a new product designed to help with acne, it could always make your acne worse, so the only way to know is to test it by itself.

Prevent future breakouts
Even if you rarely breakout, using at least one daily acne product can prevent future breakouts. Daily use of a strong retinol, retinoid, or good salicylic or glycolic product can help prevent breakouts if you rarely get pimples. To keep my acne under control, I need a whole slew of products, and I think my current breakout crisis happened partly because I ran out of my acne prescription for Differin several weeks ago. By not using Differin, I’m pretty sure my skin is much more susceptible to having problems with products that don’t usually cause issue for me. So it’s back to boring ole basics for me right now since it’s better to be safe than sorry (and pimply).

Related posts:

1. Cosmetic Acne
2. Light Therapy Acne Treatment
3. Red Acne Spots

Paula Begoun says cornstarch is a ”Starch obtained from corn and sometimes used as an absorbent in cosmetics instead of talc. However, when cornstarch becomes moist, it can promote fungal and bacterial growth.” About rice starch, she says it’s an ”Absorbent substance sometimes included in products rather than talc. It can cause allergic reactions and, because it is a food derivative (as opposed to a mineral derivative like talc), it can support bacterial growth in pores.” 

L’Oreal True Match Powder
Originally this post was going to be about this foundation, and how I really like it, and how it hasn’t caused me any breakouts. All of that is true, however its second ingredient after talc is corn starch. To be on the safe side, I wouldn’t recommend using a cosmetic with corn starch as one of its main ingredients if you are acne prone. Personally I will probably still buy this product because it goes on smoothly, has a nice finish to it, it comes in a lot of shades, and I have not had an issue with it. I never would have bought it if I remembered at the time to avoid cornstarch, so it’s only by accident that I’m using it.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder
This is the pressed powder I usually use, and I think it is totally safe if you are prone to acne. It only comes in three light shades, so the color choice is pretty limiting. I started using the L’Oreal True Match, because now that summer is here, I wanted a slightly darker shade to go better with my fake tan. Currently, the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder is the only powder I’ve tested that looks good, and that does not have aggravating acne ingredients!

3/19/2010 update: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder has been reformulated, and I haven’t tested it yet to see if it’s still safe for acne. It now contains 3% titanium dioxide, which gives it an SPF 20, and it comes in 4 shades. I hope they didn’t change anything else about it:(

Related posts:

1. Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
2. Cosmetic Acne
3. How To Prevent Cosmetic Acne

The ThermaClear works on mild to moderate inflammatory acne, usually characterized by red pimples or bumps. ThermaClear is not intended for use on blackheads, whiteheads, or cystic acne. The device works by sending heat to the source of the pimple, and it can make the pimple go away up to four times faster. I personally have not tested the ThermaClear, but have read a lot of good reviews about it, and a lot of my fellow beauty bloggers swear by their ThermaClear.

Win a ThermaClear from Savvy Skin!
The contest starts today and ends Friday, April 18th. To enter, just write a comment to this post telling us your worst pimple story, and include your name and email address (which will not be visible to viewers). As you know, my worst pimple story includes having acne all through high school, and then suffering from it for several years in my late 20s! My persistent acne is what caused me to make a whole website devoted to skin care! The ThermaClear winner will be chosen at random, and will be notified by email after April 18th.

edit: please note that the contest is now closed and the winner has received their ThermaClear.

Related posts:

1. RevitaLash Contest !!!!
2. Freeze 24-7 Review And Contest

Wrinkles and Acne
The other main reason I was there was to get a presciption for topical acne/wrinkle products. I have been using Differin for several years for acne, however I don’t know if it’s the best treatment to use for fine lines as well. I have used Retin-A Micro in the past, but it was pretty harsh on my skin, so I wanted to avoid that. After some research, I discovered that Renova looked like a promising alternative. Renova is basically Retin-A, but in a moisturizing base. For some reason, I thought Renova contained pore-cloggers, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

The doctor gave me a prescription for both Renova .05% cream, and Differin .03% gel. Differin is usually preferred over Renova for acne, however now that my acne is minimal, Renova should be strong enough for my acne, and it will give me a chance to see if it works better on wrinkles than the Differin. If I end up hating the Renova, then I will just go back to Differin. I had been using the .01% Differin, but the doctor said the new .03% isn’t any harsher, and that I might as well try the stronger one. Renova is generally not covered by insurance for acne (but my insurance doesn’t cover Differin either) so I order my products through a reputable online pharmacy.

Blackheads
The only acne I can’t seem to get rid of are the blackheads on my nose. They are super annoying, and they are always there! I also asked the Dermatologist for a prescription for Tazorac, because I’ve read that is the best treatment for blackheads. Luckily he gave me some sample tubes of it, which I will only use on my nose. Tazorac is similar to Differin, but it’s stronger, and also harsher. It’s probably better for someone with oily, non-sensitive skin.

Eyebrows
Finally, I told the doctor my eyebrows have been thinning a lot – especially the outer edges of them. They also feel itchy all the time – like something is crawling on them. Ugh. He said they look fine, and since there’s no redness or scaling, that there’s nothing he can do. He said it’s probably just heredity, or possible an auto-immune problem, but he had no suggestions. I briefly mentioned I have been struggling with hair loss for five years, but he had no comment or suggestions.

This is why I hate going to the doctor – they rarely have helpful answers to anything. It’s extremely frustrating going to the doctor, only to feel worse than before you got there. That’s why I do all my own research, and figure out what will be the best choice for me on my own. I just get frustrated when I have a problem I can’t fully solve (hair loss, thinning eyebrows) and the doctor knows less than I do.

Anyway, I will keep you informed on my experiences with the Renova and Tazorac!

Related posts:

1. Dermatologist Visit
2. Blackheads
3. Renova vs Retin-A Micro vs Retin-A

The difference between Cosmetic Acne and Hormonal Acne
There are several different types and causes of acne. Based on my experience, my hormonal acne shows up as bumps under my skin, which are sometimes also red. Not that you are supposed to pop pimples, but these types of pimples can’t be popped. These pimples also take a long time to go away – maybe two weeks.

Cosmetic Acne is more superficial, and shows up as whiteheads, or a clogged pore that can be popped, not that you are supposed to pop it! I can use a pore-clogging product, and end up with a few pimples the next day. When I stop using a pore-clogging product, within a few days, my skin goes back to normal.

Only test one new product at a time
I love trying new products, and used to buy all sorts of skin care products and use them all at once. It’s impossible to tell what is and isn’t working when you do this. Instead, if you buy a new cleanser, for example, do not use any other new toners, moisturizers, sunscreens, makeup, etc. at the same time. I recommend only introducing one new product to your regimen at a time. If you start  breaking out after a few days, then discontinue using the product, and see if your breakouts subside after a few days. If they do, then the product is probably clogging your pores. If you are like me, and are hoping the product isn’t really the culprit, you will start using the product again once your breakouts go away, only to find pimples magically reappear a few days later!

If you are trying a new product that is supposed to help with wrinkles, it will probably take at least a month to see results. So during that month, don’t start using any other new products, or it will be hard to tell if the first product is really working!

Related posts:

1. MAC Strobe Cream
2. Avoid Cosmetic Cornstarch If You’re Acne-Prone
3. How To Prevent Cosmetic Acne

My experience with Proactiv
When I was suffering from adult acne, I was suspicious of infomercials, but after months and months of no relief, and fruitless trips to the Dermatologist, I ordered Proactiv because the commercials were so convincing. Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Vanessa Williams – they all say it cured their acne in the infomercials. Later I found out they got millions of dollars to do the commercials!

I ordered the three-step kit for $39.95, which is a cleanser, toner, and lotion, plus a free mask. After using Proactiv twice a day for almost two months, I saw no improvement in my skin. I was only using the three products (and the mask) and no other skin care products. My face got super duper dry (but I live in the desert). My skin did not get any worse than it was before the Proactiv, nor did it get better.

My boyfriend at the time also used Proactiv (just once a day) and he thought it was working for him a little bit. I didn’t see a difference really, but he felt his skin was slightly better. But after two months, he didn’t think it was worth the money, so he stopped buying it. He went back to just cleansing with shampoo (which is really bad for your skin).

I now realize my assessment of Proactiv is not completely scientific because I was wearing some makeup at the time. I had not yet discovered the cosmetic acne list, so there is a chance some of the makeup I wore contributed a bit to my acne. Because the Proactiv really dried out my skin, I also occasionally used a hydrating mask, and I later found out that did have some pore-clogging ingredients.

Proactiv – Its good qualities
The good thing about Proactiv is that it contains no ingredients that will make your acne worse (unless you are allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide). It might dry your skin out a bit initially, but if you use a good non-pore clogging moisturizer on top of the Repairing Lotion, it will hydrate your skin. The regular Proactiv kit doesn’t contain sunscreen, so you would need to wear a separate non-pore clogging sunscreen because the sun makes your acne worse in the long run.

If someone is using super pore-clogging skin care products, and then switches to Proactiv, they will probably see an improvement in their skin. Proactiv also contains no alcohol, which is good. My estimate is that 75% of skin care products contain ingredients that can make acne worse, so if you happen to be using pore-clogging products, a switch to Proactiv can help.

The products come with a money-back guarantee. Since I was too lazy to send the products back, I don’t know how easy it is to get your money back if you are not happy with your purchase.

*Buy Proactiv*

Proactiv – Its bad qualities
While Proactiv may help a bit, I don’t think it will get rid of most people’s acne! The only acne-fighting ingredients the products contain are Benzoyl Peroxide, and Glycolic Acid. For people with mild acne, or maybe a handful of lucky people, this is enough to achieve clear skin, but it’s not enough for most acne sufferers. And again, a switch from bad products to Proactiv is my belief why it does work for some people.

I’ve also read that a lot of people have trouble cancelling the auto-renewal plan once they’ve ordered from the Infomercial. I ordered my Proactiv online, and didn’t opt for the auto-renewal, and had no problem.

How to get rid of acne
As I’ve discovered in my guide to cure acne, for me at least, and I’m sure most people, several more steps need to be taken to get rid of acne. The routine I use is pretty simple once you get the different products you need. You could even use the Proactiv Repairing Lotion as one of your steps, since it’s a decent 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide lotion. The Proactiv cleanser is okay also, but I would rather use a cleanser without Benzoyl Peroxide, since it can be irritating to your eyes, and it’s sort of unnecessary since you are already going to be using a Benzoyl Peroxide lotion (which doesn’t get washed down the drain like the cleanser). The cleanser is a bit drying, which is fine for oily skin, but for dry skin I would recommend a more hydrating cleanser. I would skip the toner, not because it’s bad, but because Salicylic Acid is better than Glycolic Acid for acne, and you don’t need both. Glycolic Acid is good for wrinkles, so the toner would be a good mild 6% Glycolic Acid treatment for wrinkles.

*Buy Proactiv*

What’s your experience with Proactiv?

Related posts:

1. Murad Acne Complex
2. Acne Treatments That Didn’t Work
3. Guide to Cure Acne

The Bad
The Murad Acne Complex is a three-step system, similar in concept to Proactiv, but the ingredients are different. On the acnecomplex.com website, they list the products and their ingredients. The first step is the cleanser, which contains Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, a very harsh and drying ingredient, and something that should be avoided by all skin types. It also contains Menthol, which is drying. Strike One! I would not use this cleanser, since more than one ingredient is on my do not use list. The last thing you want to do is unnecessarily dry your skin out when it’s already in a vulnerable state.

The second step of the system is the gel, which contains alcohol as the third ingredient! Strike two! No one needs to put Alcohol Denat on their face, and especially not people that already have problem skin that they’re trying to fix.

The third step of the system is the moisturizer, which appears okay at first glance. It’s supposed to hydrate and protect your skin, but it doesn’t contain any sunscreen, so that’s sort of ridiculous, considering this is the last step of the system. Plus some of the good ingredients in the products (Retinol, Glycolic Acid) will make your skin more sun-sensitive, so you definitely need sunscreen. I’ve actually used this moisturizer before (Skin Perfecting Lotion) and it didn’t do anything good for my skin, so I stopped using it after it ran out.

The Good
The concept behind the Murad Acne Complex is good – it contains Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, and Retinol, which are all good ingredients to use to help acne. It’s just a shame that Dr. Murad had to mess everything up by adding a bunch of stuff that hurts your skin, and neglecting to put sunscreen in the protecting product. He also doesn’t list the percentage of Retinol or Glycolic Acid in the products, so you don’t know how potent they are, nor does he mention if the Salicylic Acid is at the proper pH level.

Currently in the Product Review section on Makeupalley.com, 33% of users would buy this system again. There are a few rave reviews about it, but there are a ton of people saying how horrible it was for their skin! Part of it could be that it will take a few weeks for your skin to get used to using Retinol, Glycolic Acid, and Salicylic Acid if you’ve never used them before and have sensitive skin, but the bad ingredients, and the fact that no sunscreen is included obviously contribute to the bad reviews.

The Irony
I learned a lot of great principles from Dr. Murad’s books, which in conjunction with the other 20 skin care books I’ve read, and years of research I’ve done, helped me to cure my own acne and create my guide to curing acne. I just would not recommend his Acne Complex! The Murad Method is a good book to read to get an overview about skin care, though. I used it as the picture of the post, since I wanted to include something positive! Just do a bit of research first, before you buy any of his products he recommends in his book.

Related posts:

1. Neutrogena Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment
2. Proactiv Solution For Acne
3. Acne Treatments That Didn’t Work