Last year, I was at war. I had waged war against my adult acne that had decided to pop from the blues. I documented a bit of my journey by reviewing two products I hoped would help. Check out the review on the Black Face Mask and Bio Oil. To be honest those were just samples of the products I used with many having little to no effect. The bio-oil was actually a good product but over time my acne seemed resistant. However, I am glad to report that I won the war. Well, somewhat. If you have had any experience with adult acne you know it isn’t an easy thing to shake off completely. But the worst is surely behind me.
Unfortunately, my struggle was not over. The acne went down swinging. It left me with another problem on my hands. The scarring on my face was pretty significant. So I began the hunt for a product to reduce the appearance of the scars. My cousin put me on the path to Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. Figured it was worth a try.
Product
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash is a daily foaming scrub. It comes in a plastic squeezable container in 198ml. It has a small nozzle that allows you to squeeze as much product as you need. The Micorclear Technology is known to deliver the product to the source of acne breakouts. Its main active ingredient is Salicylic Acid which is why I was enthusiastic about using it. Salicylic Acid is very similar to benzoyl peroxide. It is said to remove discolouration from the skin. Those were the magic words I needed to hear.
How To Use It
Use it twice a day. Start by wetting your face. Press the bottle to release some product onto your palm. Add some water then massage your face very gently for about a minute. The product will start to lather just like soap. After, rinse it out thoroughly with water. As simple as that.
Review
Month One
As usual with a new product, I was excited to try it out. I would use it in the morning and again in the evening right before I jumped into bed. I loved how refreshed my face felt after every wash. However, I struggled with how dry my skin felt. I naturally have very dry skin so this was only making things worse for me. I would experience flaking especially between my eyebrows. My only saving grace was my moisturizer, my trusted Aramis.
To be honest there was barely any change in the first couple of weeks. The scarring was still very much visible. However, if there is anything this acne journey has taught me is the power of patience. So I pushed on.
Month Two
I continued on with my evening and morning skin routine using the facial scrub. No matter how much I just wanted to jump into bed, I made sure I washed my face. The flaking was getting worse. However, at this point, I did not care much about it. I was starting to see a change in the appearance of my scars. They were fading into my skin. Still visible but better than the initial appearance.
Month Three
Of all the products I have used in my life, I can confidently say this is by far the most effective. By the beginning of the third month, my scars were barely visible. The flaking was also not as bad anymore. By the end of the month, I was acne scar free. Yes, no visible scarring left. You can imagine my sheer joy. I am almost done with the first bottle I purchased and I am definitely repurchasing it. It is now a staple in my skincare routine. I am actually scared to add something else at this point and ruin the progress.
Pros
- It is oil-free which is something you need for an acne product.
- It has gentle exfoliators which are great since they remove the dead skin on your face.
- The foaming scrub contains Salicylic Acid a great ingredient for acne treatment.
- It smells amazing. So good you can eat it. (Of course, you should not)
- You only use a pea-sized amount so it will last you a while.
Cons
- The exfoliators can irritate your skin especially if you have very sensitive skin.
- It really dries out the skin after use which may cause flaking.
Moving forward I will continue to use it. The thing about acne is, if you slack on your skincare, you may find yourself right back where you began. I still get a pimple or two here and there. So I have learned to keep my hands away so I do not pop them and keep up with my Neutrogena Acne Wash routine. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something to clear the acne. However, keep in mind that different products behave differently for different people.
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