My dermatologist is one of my favorite people, she keeps my skin care in check. She always has an oily skin care tip or two to help me achieve a clear complexion. When I first visited my dermatologist it was because of my acne scars. I tend to pick my blemishes, which then leads to hyperpigmentation and then scarring. Treating acne scarring is unfortunate but my dermatologist recommended trying to prevent acne by using three things, drink mineral water, take Millet oil pills and use Salicylic Acid. I drink Perrier, and I’ve added supplements to my diet but I had not really added Salicylic Acid to my regime.
Salicylic Acid is great for oily skin because it helps the skin to shed dead cells more effectively, thereby preventing pores from getting clogged. Clear pores = acne free skin! Salicylic Acid helps by neutralizes bacteria within which prevents pores from becoming congested again and allowing room for new cell growth. Salicylic Acid has several benefits:
- Acne Prevention
- Eliminate Ingrown Hairs
- Exfoliation
- Psoriasis treatment
Here are some of my favorite cruelty-free facial cleansers that contain Salicylic Acid:
Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash, $20 – Contains no artificial fragrance or color. This cleanser contains an anti-acne combination of Licorice, Milk Thistle, Lemon, Arnica, and Bergamont botanicals to soothe and help prevent future breakouts. Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Golden Seal and Matricaria are added to help eliminate acne-causing bacteria.
Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Purifying Gel Cleanser, $9.99 – This gel cleanser is 99.4% Natural with 1% Salicylic Acid so it’s pretty gentle. Evening Primrose and Beet Root Extracts were added to help soothe acne prone skin. This formula is non-comedogenic and dermatologist-tested, so you can be sure that this formula won’t cause further breakouts.
Alba ACNEdote Deep Pore Wash, $9.95 – With 2% Salicylic Acid this cleanser is said to help banish existing zits and prevent new ones. 70% tested saw clearer skin in just 7 days -based on consumer evaluation. The cleanser contains Lemon Balm and Parsley Extracts to cleanse deeply and act as a natural oil blotter and Organic Green Tea Extract helps soothe and calm irritated or inflamed skin.
Caution: While using products that contain Salicylic Acid be sure to monitor your skin for any irritation. Common side effects are redness, irritation, dryness and skin peeling and in rare severe cases there could be an allergic reaction. With regular salicylic acid treatments the skin can be more sensitive to the sun. Even though you should be doing this already-be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen to prevent the increased sensitivity to the sun.
Do you use a cleanser that contains Salicylic Acid?
I suffer with dry/dehydrated skin but these tips will be good for my daughter who is entering the adolescent oily skin phase. She also said tea tree oil is helpful.
I love tea tree oil, it’s great for acne.
Hmm, I normally use a cleanser with salicylic acid but can’t say I’m familiar with millet pills for acne. So intrigued now, gonna google & see what I find.