A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Oily and acne prone skin? Salicylic Acid could help!

Woman washing her face

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.

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash

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.

Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Purifying Gel Cleanser,

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.

Alba ACNEdote Deep Pore Wash, 6 oz

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?

Review: Clarins Bright Plus Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel

Clarins Bright Plus Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel,

As someone with oily skin, I know that my skin needs proper yet constant attention. Oily skin when treated too roughly with harsh cleansers and over-exfoliation can make skin produce even more oil. Oily skin can begin to dry out and over-produce even more oil to keep itself moisturized and that’s what we don’t want. Facial cleansers have to have the right balance of oil removing ingredients and yet be gentle enough not to strip away skins’ natural oils. My daily cleansing routine includes washing, toning and moisturizing my skin morning and night. Occasionally (1-2x per week) I’ll add in some exfoliation and a mud mask to smooth my skin and to keep my pores clear of sebum.

Because my skin is so oily, I’m always trying different products to see which work best with my temperamental skin. For the past two days I’ve been trying out Clarins Bright Plus Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel. It’s an exfoliating lotion that helps to remove dead cells, tighten pores and leave skin radiant. It’s applied like a toner (although a bit thicker in consistency) but works like a scrub. This peel removes dead skin cells with glycolic and salicylic acids for a smoother and even complexion.

The first time that I used the peel I just washed my face normally and my skin felt incredibly smooth. Today I used my Clarisonic Mia to cleanse my face and then swapped out my normal toner for Clarins Bright Plus Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel and my skin was as soft as a baby’s bum! Afterwards I moisturized my skin and decided not to apply any makeup, my skin felt too good to cover up!

Active Ingredients:

  • Tamarind fruit extracts exfoliate and brighten
  • White nettle flower extracts have astringent capabilities
  • Mimosa tenuiflora extracts help soothe skin

The recommended use for this peel is 1-2 times per week so I’ll give this treatment another round of tests to see if there my pores look smaller but overall I love this exfoliator! Have you tried this Clarins peel?

 Clarins Bright Plus Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel, $34