My sister and I are cursed with on-again off-again acne. Anyone else who has had the same problem knows the cost of effective treatments to keep your skin clear. While I have had some success using Proactiv, the cost of it (for a college student) is a little too much for me. So, I hit the stores and found two products that are just as effective, natural, and have the reviews to prove it!
Alba Botanica Natural AcneDote: Deep Clean Astringent & Invisible Treatment Gel
Product Description: Eradicate icky oil with this powerfully natural , botanically effective, cooling astringent made with max strength 2% salicylic acid. It penetrates deep to help prevent zits before they start. Formulated with proven zit zapper Salicylic Acid (naturally derived from Willow Bark Extract), this oil dissolver unclogs pores for a visibly clearer complexion without over-irritation. Instantly, skin is super clean, without a trace of oil. In just 8 hours breakouts are reduced.* Over time scars and acne marks fade. 70% of testers saw clearer skin in just 7 days.
I’m going to start off by raving about the smell of these products. Normally, any acne ‘washes’ have a very noticeable ‘acne wash’ smell. These, on the other hand, smell minty. I never knew that a face wash & gel could actually feel and smell refreshing after each use. Both of these products have 5 star reviews too, which only encouraged me to turn to them when my on-again off-again acne angrily reappeared months later. I’ll admit, I was a little concerned about using these products in the beginning because of my super sensitive skin..but I had NO problems with it whatsoever!
The best part? The cost of one of these products is around $9 and is just as effective as using the ProActiv line.
Have any of you Lovelies tried any natural facial products? Which products are you raving about?
rose / 937 posts
I have a feeling Proactive would be better for my skin than this. Natural ingredients have a higher probability of causing irritation, and from irritation can come acne. And plenty of natural ingredients are comedogenic as well. I purchased the NARS eyeshadow primer and reacted quite poorly to it, and one of its touted ingredients was sea whip extracts. I cannot use anything sea or plant derived.
But also, in my opinion acne washes should not actually be used by anyone unless all other options have been tried and were unsuccessful. A gentle cleanser is always recommended over an acne cleanser on skincare boards. Unfortunately the above cleanser has quite a few essential oils and fragrance, neither ideal for sensitive skin. Obviously it will not be a problem for all but anyone with acne should be very cautious (as acne-prone skin is generally inherently sensitive as well). Personally I cleared up my acne (at 20-21) by going water-only, although it definitely took a lot of transitioning before my skin cleared up. If I didn’t have scarring and red marks right now no one would have guessed I had bad acne.