My Favorite Products to Prevent/Treat Breakouts

WHY do pimples always show up at the worst time?!

I’m fortunate – I rarely get breakouts, but when I do, I’ve got a handful of products on hand that make all the difference in the world.

My (not-so-secret) weapons:

Retinol– there are two types of retinol I reach for – an RX retinol from Curology (0.1% trentanoin – I only use 1-2x a week MAX) and an OTC Retinol called Differin (0.1% adapalene gel). Both are excellent for acne prevention, and anti-aging. They essentially help push all your “fresh” younger-looking skin cells to the top (aka, increase cell turnover). Curology is an RX, but incredibly affordable. Differin is also extremely affordable and easy to find at local drug stores without an RX.

BHA/Salicylic Acid– this is an oil-soluble acid that can penetrate and clean out your pores. Excellent for prevent blackheads and whiteheads (aka the gunk buildup that causes those pesky pimples. BHA can come in many forms, but some of my favorites are below.

Masks: Herbivore Blue Tansy ($48), The Ordinary Peel ($7.20)

Toners: Paula’s Choice 2% BHA ($29.50), Bliss Clear Genius Clarifying Toner ($12.99)

Hydrocolloid patches– These are simple, but a lot of people use them wrong. They won’t work unless the “wound” is open or a whitehead is formed. These are not at all medicated – they will simply drain the pus (gross, I know) from the site of the pimple. These are great if you are one of those people prone to squeezing/picking at active lesions. Put one of these patches on, and leave your poor skin alone!

I hope you found this review informative. As always, feel free to reach out with questions/comments.

Until next time,

Amanda Kennedy

Follow along on IG: @amandadev4

This post contains affiliate links. Product was gifted by brand, all opinions are my own.