Was it a new laundry detergent? Cutting out chocolate from your diet? Drinking more water? Wearing less makeup? Trimming your bangs? Going to bed earlier? Finding a new product? A procedure? A new dermatologist whose knowledge parted the clouds and let the sun shine through?
There are a few things that really helped me, but one immediately springs to mind: Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion, which I’ve been using and loving for years. Finding it straight-up drastically changed my skin for the better. Without it, I will break out, no question.
For a little bac story (get it? haha, bad pun), I started struggling with acne at around 11 or 12 and dealt with it off and on (mostly on) for most of my life.
For years, I (thought I) tried everything — every OTC paste, pad and cream; antibiotics (which many dermatologists prescribed for acne back in the day), facials — seriously, everything. Then in college I ended up doing a round of prescription Accutane.
I don’t remember the potency, but I remember my skin (even my lips) being painfully dry while I was using it, and every pimple going crazy and coming to a head at once. It was very uncomfortable, but it worked. My skin stayed clear for several years afterward, but then in my 30s I started getting hormonal breakouts along my chin and around my mouth, and that was rough.
Again, I tried everything I could get my hands on — every new ingredient and product I could find. Good old salicylic acid products helped a little, like Clinique’s Mild Clarifying Lotion, but they didn’t clear up my skin completely.
What eventually did really help was old-school benzoyl peroxide, but not just any benzoyl peroxide. What worked for me was Proactiv Repairing Treatment (the one with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide), which I used for years, but I hated the scent (BP smells like plastic toys to me). I also hated that I couldn’t just go to a store and buy it when I needed more. Proactiv had like a subscription system, and they would automatically ship out more bottles of things (and charge me, of course), and I ended up with so many extra bottles of things I never used.
Eventually, the mall near my house got a Proactic vending machine, but it was right in the middle of the mall, and I always felt weird buying zit medicine with everyone walking around me…
Anyway, Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion was a game-changer. I was a little nervous about trying it because it was a 5% benzoyl peroxide formula, and I’d used creams with that same amount before that dried out my skin, but Kate’s didn’t. It also doesn’t have that funky BP smell, it layers well under makeup, and I can pick it up at Sephora. 🙂
I’ve gushed about it before, and I’m sure I will again, because it drastically changed my skin for the better.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Oh, yeah, and here’s something that drastically made my skin worse.
Shireen L. Platt says
May 11th, 2018 at 3:16 pmI’m lucky, very very lucky that I have been blessed with good skin all my 39 year of life. I didn’t break out during my teenage years and actually experience more breakouts now because I am constantly testing skincare. Honestly I can’t think of a product that truly changed my skin but I could pinpoint it down to one ingredient; retinol.
Shireen L. Platt recently posted … THE FACIAL SUNSCREEN YOU SHOULD DISCOVER – VICHY IDÉAL SOLEIL SPF60 ANTI-SHINE DRY TOUCH LOTION
Karen says
May 11th, 2018 at 5:03 pmHi Shireen,
I’ve tried retinol a few times but have quit because my skin gets so uncomfortable. Were you able to use it right off the bat without any issues?
Shireen L. Platt says
May 13th, 2018 at 8:35 amMy first retinol product was Palmer’s Face Oil Therapy which a very tiny percentage of retinol in it and then I moved on to Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol Booster and thankfully my skin was fine with both. My skin is not sensitive though and very rarely reacts to skincare. The only ingredient that I noticed my skin is not a huge fan of is Lactic Acid. I have to be careful with it, certain formulation causes me to breakout like a normal teenager. LOL!
Shireen L. Platt recently posted … THE FACIAL SUNSCREEN YOU SHOULD DISCOVER – VICHY IDÉAL SOLEIL SPF60 ANTI-SHINE DRY TOUCH LOTION
Reehana says
May 11th, 2018 at 3:31 pmDifferin! It was a complete game changer for my skin. Throughout, and afterwards too, my last pregnancy my skin was absolutely terrible. Bad breakouts, redness, rough texture, etc. and nothing I tried would make a difference. I started using Differin almost a year ago and it’s totally changed my skin. My breakouts are rare, heal much faster than before and the overall texture and appearance of my skin has drastically improved. Pregnancy takes a huge toll on my skin in general, but I’ve been using Differin throughout my current pregnancy and my skin’s been behaving really well.
It did however, work exactly like the instructions say it would. It was a good 3-4 months before I noticed major changes and for a while it did make my skin more sensitive and irritated, but I also think it gave me realistic expectations on what to expect and how long it would take to see a difference. Even though I switch out other products in my skincare routine depending on the condition of my skin, Differin has pretty much become a constant for me and I’ll probably continue using it long term.
Karen says
May 11th, 2018 at 5:04 pmHi Reehana,
I’ve heard from several friends here on the blog that Differin has been a game changer. You’re so lucky! I’ve used it before and it did nothing for me.
Abbey says
May 11th, 2018 at 5:26 pmTwo things have really changed my skin. Epiduo (Differen and benzoyl peroxide combo) and Biologique Recherche P50 PIGM 400. My skin went insane after I had my daughter and I had huge, painful cystic acne. Epiduo cleared it up and P50 faded the marks.
Michele DiCola says
May 11th, 2018 at 6:05 pmAt age 70 my skin has always been fabulous .
But this winter : Dryness took over !
Tried every cream there is but Acquaphor is working !
Shannon. N says
May 11th, 2018 at 9:00 pmI have chronic cystic acne from a condition in my ovaries. so for my my honest answer would be my prescription anti acne medication 😛
But my other answer would be GLYCOLIC ACID!!! my skin loves the stuff, and i look so bright and even toned after almost a year of daily SPF and glycolic acid!!!!
Lexi says
May 11th, 2018 at 9:30 pmSunday Riley’s Good Genes serum and Tidal moisturizer. I haven’t looked back since!
Janet Shepherd says
May 12th, 2018 at 1:49 amI had probably the best skinnif my life when I lived in the UK, which was probably a combo of the milder, damper climate (Aussie sun is harsh) and Liz Earle’s cleanse & polish hot cloth cleanser. Pretty much all the Liz Earle skincare, hair care, body products etc are somewhere between good and really fantastic. I don’t think I tried any products I hated or that didn’t suit my skin. I wish they retailed here in Australia, that’s my dream. ?
Angie B says
May 12th, 2018 at 6:33 amThank you for sharing this, Karen. My skin is so much like yours. Although my skin has been pretty clear for years it is still highly reactive. 40 years old now and my faithful anti acne products are starting to overdry my skin. I need to make some changes and would love to start a good anti aging regime but every time I try a new product or line I break out. So frustrating. Guess I’ll never be able to “anti-age”. Or maybe I will be able to because I’m going to get some of that anti bac lotion and see if that does the trick for me. I must keep it simple to. My skin doesn’t like a lot of product. Pores have to breathe. Thank you for the recommendation.
Renee says
May 12th, 2018 at 7:44 amHi Karen,
Kate Somerville Antibac is a total game changer for me, too!! Although I find that my acne is seasonal. When the weather warms up I get oily and that is when I need it. In the wintertime I get dry and I don’t need to use it. Another game changer for me as far as texture, pores, wrinkles, etc. is The ordinary.’s rose hip seed oil (its an oil but it feels as if it controls oil on my face, so weird), their vitamin C, and their mild retinol (its more for wrinkles). I swear my pores have shrunk. Plus their items are only around the $6 mark. But Kate’s Antibac is gold in a bottle. Its amazing what it does for acne!
Swoozy says
May 12th, 2018 at 8:29 amRetinol and acids! I’m at the age where I am trying to burn my wrinkles away. Wash with Kate Somerville (KS) Exfolikate wash, Lancome Bi-facil on eyes and hairline, then Biologique Recherche P50 1970, then – if my skin feels dry – Algenist Serum and Algenist Oil. If my skin feels normal, a glycolic peel (KS Retasphere peel or Drunk Elephant Baby Facial) with KS +Retinol eye cream. That’s not one thing, and for most people it would cause your face to fall off, but I look as good as I’m going to get without surgery, Botox, and fillers.
Savannah says
May 12th, 2018 at 8:47 amHmm, my skin isn’t good but it isn’t bad. Just to give some info about it. I got the typical pubescent acne (mild to med) I’d say that lingered for about eternity and once the acne left, I still had white heads, textured skin and enlarged pores. No skin care is miraculously going to change much of that and I suspect the only things that truly helped anything were a better diet and hormones that finally settled into place. Buut, I did something a few years ago and I’m certain there was/still is improvement. It sounds cray.
But change your pillow case every night. Buy a whole bunch extra, keep them in a clean space and change them every day. I still do this but only every second night. Worth a shot, right?
Gina Bullard says
May 12th, 2018 at 11:35 amHi Karen,
I have used many things for acne – from prescriptions to drugstore stuff. I basically now use neutrogena creme cleanser, an antibiotic (like) paste where my face is known for helping blemishes. I use Sunday Riley’s- All In One… There absolute differences in the texture of my skin! I forget sometimes that I have it…lol. I also use Hylamide’s (sp) “Noid” clay mask. The mask itself is messy, it has a distinct smell to it, however, user beware — it has a sting to it. I wonder however, if this doesn’t mean that it’s working? Stranger things have happened!!! I also change foundations pretty regularly – but I found one I really enjoy it is a JEM!! It’s the Sephora’s 10 Hour Perfecter Foundation. It’s beautiful on the skin. If anyone is the lest bit curious, feel free to ask questions – it’s long wearing, doesn’t transfer, keeps oil at bay – look flawless for hours!!
Suzanne C says
May 12th, 2018 at 12:01 pmI’ve been blessed with my grandmother’s skin genes, so I’ve never had a problem with acne and I have very few lines now in my 40’s. My problem was always having super sensitive skin. Discovering the FAB skincare line was a game-changer for me. Other products for sensitive skin would either still be too harsh or just didn’t get my skin clean. FAB is just the right balance.
Frances says
May 12th, 2018 at 2:05 pmNon-cosmetically: Eating more veggies and drinking more water.
Cosmetically: Biologique Recherche P50 1970 has completely improved my skin (and I did not have bad skin to start with). That and May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon. Spendy but so very worth it.
Chelsea says
May 12th, 2018 at 8:09 pmGentler, simpler routines! My breakouts seem to be more rosacea than acne, but I still need to go to a derm.
Miki Nyckel says
May 12th, 2018 at 9:19 pmRecently, the most amazing change I’ve made to my skin is to stop using hyaluronic acid! I have been fighting insanely dry skin for months. Like, we’re talking rough dry patches that NOTHING helps. And I normally have extremely oily skin. I had put it down to pregnancy. Though, I hadn’t experienced dry skin with previous pregnancies, but who knows right. All pregnancies are different. But last week it was just awful. I couldn’t even understand it. And something dawned on me, around the same time I got pregnant I also started using hyaluronic acid. I also remembered how my fave cosmetic scientists, Beauty Brains, had mentioned on one of their episodes that for some people, hylaluronic acid actually dries out the skin (and it also depends on the size of the molecules in the product. If the molecules are large, it will dry out skin as well). I was shocked that it’s the hyluronic acid. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be! It’s made to seem so amazing. And it’s in so many products now. I literally had it in four products that I had been using regularly! Ugh. Boy I wished I’d considered it months ago, but at least I figured it out!
I suffered cystic acne as an adult. I wasn’t interested in treatments like Accutane. Though it was recommended as the only treatment. I just didn’t want the nasty side effects. I suffered for years before I discovered it was hormonal. I also breakouts due to oily skin too, but that’s an easier fix. For me caffeine seems to have caused a hormonal imbalance. I stopped caffeine, and my skin totally cleared up. Amazing. How nice it was to have clear skin again! I really wanted to drink coffee again though, I can’t live without it! LOL. So I did and started taking menopausal supplements to calm my hormones (I know, crazy right? Haha I was only in my late 20’s to early 30’s, but it worked). My acne calmed down on it’s own later in my early 30’s, but I’d still get some cystic on my chin (where I also have a bit of rosacea) and small breakouts elsewhere (due to my oily skin), so I started using retinol. And retinol has done wonders. It has even helped diminish fine lines caused by the dreade Benzoyl Peroxide!
Anyhoo … that was long, but it is sooooo nice to not have problematic skin anymore! It’s soul crushing to try and live with that 🙁
Now if I could get rid of the rosacea. But I’m happy to have my clear, oily skin back.
Cathy says
May 13th, 2018 at 8:33 amYou and I have the same “acne history.” I’ve been on accutane twice-once in my 20’s and again in my 40’s. My derm told me taking oral niacinamide 750mg daily along with Folic Acid and Zinc helps acne and I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin. At night I use Neutrogena face wipes along with their Deep Cleaning face soap and then Proactiv toner. Origins also had some great toners- United State is my favorite. I use that in the morning and the Proactiv toner at night.
Kim says
May 14th, 2018 at 7:12 amA few things have helped a lot. Clarisonic, konjac sponge, salicylic acid and retinol. The retinol has done wonders getting rid of my stubborn blackheads and minimizing my pores. I’ve been using Skin Medica .5% for about 3 months (daily, after the first few weeks) and will be moving to 1% when I run out of the .5.
Caitlin says
May 27th, 2018 at 1:22 pmChanging my diet to include more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water and changing my retinol cream from Roc to Key West Beauty.
HeatherC says
May 28th, 2018 at 5:25 pmIt’s not for my face, but the Eucerin Skin Calming cream has been a game changer for the rest of my body. It’s a thick texture that absorbs quickly. I had some issues with dry, scaly, itchy skin on my legs (I thought I was going to go nuts with the scratching – I’d wake up with scabs on my legs from scratching in my sleep) and this cream completely cured it, although I have to be pretty diligent about applying it nightly. It doesn’t have a noticeable smell, and is easily available at Target. I’m also very interested in Eucerin’s new facial sunscreen.
Karen says
May 29th, 2018 at 7:38 amHi Heather,
I’ll have to try that cream soon! Thank you for the recommendation.
ame says
June 25th, 2018 at 8:40 amI think you can get ProActiv at Ulta now, just as an FYI?
The main thing, I think, that changed my skin was switching a lot of my skincare to medical grade. Like Skinmedica, SkinBetter, etc. It’s painfully expensive but I feel like I need less “stuff.”
Rach says
June 26th, 2018 at 11:40 amHow can I pick just 1 ??
1) Turning 28. It’s like all the excess oil just disappeared and most of the nasty zits stopped.
2) Not eating Taco Bell (and other super cheap hormone filled foods). My husband and I both break out in gigantic hormonal acne when we eat this. Taco Bell is the most significant offender.
3) AHA BHA facial cleanser and leaving it on for 60-120 seconds.
4) Avon Retexturing pads made a HUGE difference for me before I turned 28. They cleared up so much of my skin and were less expensive than the brands at Sephora. You can often find them 2 for 1.
Sandra says
July 5th, 2018 at 12:21 amDr. Hauschka Clarifying Toner! For 30 years I have been fighting blemished skin with no real success and spending lots of money for testing everything you can get in drugstores, pharmacies, online shops and perfume stores. The only thing that helped for some time was Proactiv from the USA, because in Germany you don´t get the same ingredients and it doesn´t really work. Recently I came accross this toner and I am so happy, my skin is so much better, smoother, smaler pores.
Maria Ambler says
April 11th, 2019 at 9:52 amBig time skincare game changer for me was Skinceuticals CE Ferulic.. Vit C is one of my all time favorite skincare ingredients…. That and the Skinmedica TNS essential serum. Expensive AF but so worth it!
Erika Garner says
May 10th, 2019 at 6:01 pmOkay, super old post for me to be replying so in-depth, I know, but I have to share with all of the other acne prone ladies (or anyone actually this is NOT relegated to the realm of feminine beauty) or those with issues like aging skin, uneven skin, or really any and all skin complaints, concerns, and types. That’s right my lovelies I’ve found the holy grail… At age 37 no less, but better late than never. So enough build up, let’s talk oils. Now, I know that it’s completely counterintuitive to put oil onto oily, broken out skin but, ladies, I swear to you it’s the last thing you’ll ever have to try. (A little explanation of why it works, when our skins natural moisture barrier is in balance our pores can take a little vacay… Less oil, less acne, more smiles) We’ve been so sold for so long that oil is our enemy but it just isn’t true! Dryness and imbalance is our enemy! Now, I started with jojoba and argan, and essential oils of tea tree and lavender (I now have every carrier oil i can get and 57 essential oils, my new addiction)… Jojoba because we know it’s awesome for hair but it also closely mimics our skins natural oils and argan, because, well, argan oil, for EVERYTHING!!! Oh, and rosehip oil because of its nutrient content, including vitamin c, making it a natural serum, yay! I started using the oils, diluting the lavender and tea tree in a blend of the three carriers, and signing a week for the first time in my 37 years, at the time, (I’m pushing 40 now and no one can tell), my skin completely cleared…. Beautiful, flawless, youthful looking skin and it only took me 37 years to figure out how to get it. Then I started using my oils to remove my eye makeup, just coconut for this,… And I will NEVER go back. Even the MOST stubborn waterproof mascara doesn’t stand up, just wipes away with ease…. And those first hints of crows’ feet faded away with the disappearance of store bought remover. Most recently I went whole hog and began oil cleansing, grapeseed here because it most closely mimics our skin’s natural oils, and loved the results so much that started looking for what else I could try. Mind you, no breakouts occurred during all of this which for me is unheard of. Currently I’m using a homemade cleansing balm made with a variety of butters, oils, and kaolin clay… Removes makeup, cleanses, and is a mild exfoliate all at once leaving my skin ckean, super hydrated, and completely blemish free. I guess I say all of this hoping to encourage everyone to look at natural oils as skin care. If you decide to give it a try, I promise you your skin will thank you for it. Be beautiful and stay happy everyone.
Lynzi says
October 12th, 2019 at 2:42 pmLeaving my husband! Honestly, that’s the truth.
I’m disabled and it’s pretty severe. I spend most of my life stuck in bed because of pain (and because when I try to sit up, my joints fall apart) so my husband had to look after me 24/7. The problem was that he didn’t. I could say that my dependency made him depressed and that made him care less but the truth is, he just wanted to do nothing all day and watch TV. I was completely reliant on him for most things in the early days and over the years that grew to be everything. That included little things like brushing my teeth, having a wash, brushing my hair. (As well as bigger things like medication, food, doctors appointments… Most of the time he managed these, once a day at least, although he didn’t let me to the the appointments.) The little things? I was lucky to get those once a month so water and baby wipes were hoarded so I could wash more important parts than my face!
But that is all in the past now, after 20 years, and I have one of these silicon face massagey brush things (that look like they are designed for a completely different part of the anatomy) and proper cleanser, toner, moisturiser and serums with hyaluronic acid and hydroxy xy whatevers. The first couple of months, my poor skin was in shock (as was the rest of me. When somebody made me a sandwich, in the first week, I burst into tears) but it is now very happy skin indeed!
Ilona says
March 17th, 2020 at 10:34 amI did a few things and hardly get any painful cystic acne any longer. First, I transitioned into clean beauty products. Next, I went simple with my skincare products: double cleanse at night, moisturizer. Daytime, I wouldn’t re-wash my face (I take showers at night). I would just apply moisturizer and SPF. As needed I would apply toner or AHA. But this is only about 1-2x a week. The biggest difference was stopping dairy and limiting my sugar. Once I did this, IT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE! Sorry to yell, but after years of trying every kit available at Sephora, prescription medication (I never did accutane). This was the only thing that helped. Now, whenever I eat dairy and regular sugar, it shows on my face! I really have to watch my treats, because I have a sweet tooth!