Remember your 15 years old fully pimpled face? How shiny, painful, and hopeless that was? Hey, look at us now, who would have thought of a much clearer version of the same face 14 years later? I wouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean we have crossed the dark side (Nope, weee didd) yet. You never know when will it happen again, your face is always a great host to the pimples. And you have to stop your skin from being so friendly. That’s why I’m sharing the best drugstore acne products for an oily, acne-prone skin routine that helped me back then like a weaponed army to fight every type of acne I had, and still until today, with the pimple or two that are trying every month to make my face their new habitat.
The Cleansers
By experience, the french pharmacy has the best cleansing gels. Try washing with La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser. It is described for the severe acne skin, but I still use it daily on my combination skin with no harm. A gentler version is Avène’s Cleanance Cleansing Gel, and the hardest of them all is Bioderma Sebium Purifying Cleansing Foaming Gel and it really drys out the skin.
The Toners
Toners are usually an AHA acid, AHAs acids exfoliate. Like the Pixi Glow Tonic which acts to loosen, and remove those dead cells. You can use Lactic acid which is a gentler AHA version. Likewise, there’s Azelaic Acid that makes pimples smaller and less red like Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
The Serums
The term “Serum” is relatively new. All of the mentioned products contain acids that do a specific task. Some serums are made of one specific acid (usually BHA acids)to target exactly the type of pimples problem you have. Try salicylic serums for whiteheads, or blackheads. It’s oil-soluble, so it slides through the oil on your skin to clean clogged pores from oil and dirt. Best drugstore salicylic serums are The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, and Glossier solution.
The Retinoids
It’s your best friend. Retinols are best for Whiteheads, blackheads, cystic acne, fine lines and wrinkles. It shrinks your pores and clears up your skin. Brighten and even skin tone. These prevent the acne from forming at all. Although, you’ll need to give it some time to work, 6-12 weeks to see results. La Roche-Posay recently launched a product called Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment that is easiest on the skin. There’s also The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 0.5% in Squalane that you can start with. Then there are three higher concentrations if you need an extra-strength—or if you want to eventually work your way up as your tolerance increases. A313 Pommade is a leave-on cream and considered one of the best retinol products out there. All best used at night and with sunscreen.
The Masks
I think we all used, or still using the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay mask because it just works. The mud plays like a magnet and pulls the dirt and oil from your pores.
The Spot Treatment
Spot treatments reduce acne blemishes and help clear blackhead, and whiteheads, Effaclar Duo is one of the best quick fixes you can try as it has benzoyl peroxide and micro-exfoliating lipo-hydroxy acid.
The Moisturizer
Have I never heard of an acne-prone skin routine without moisturizing as the last step of the regimen? Avene Clean-Ac is one of the best moisturizers I have ever used on my skin, but I can’t find it anywhere near me, so I rotate between Weleda and Nivea soft.
The Sunscreen
I hate to play favors here, but La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultralight Face Sunscreen is great as a final step of your skincare.
