Clear Skin Edition: If You Can Only Buy Three Products
When your budget, your time constraints, or just plain laziness (no judgment) limit you to three skincare products.
The biggest aggravators of acne are excess sebum, bacteria and inflammation. Oil mixes with dead skin cells clogging pores and spurring the growth of bacteria, which then leads to inflammation, which appears as raised bumps, redness and pimples.
Keeping skin clear means keeping pores unplugged, killing bacteria, and fighting inflammation. How do we do that? Deep cleansing, gentle exfoliation, cell renewal, and strengthening the skin barrier. Alpha hydroxy acids and retinoids (vitamin A) are requisite in this equation. The mistake that some people make is using harsh ingredients, over scrubbing, and over stripping skin, all of which weaken the skin barrier making it more vulnerable to irritation, inflammation, reactive pigmentation, and breakouts.
Using the right combination of ingredients in a consistent regimen that’s kind to skin but tough on acne factors will bring results. Reducing stress, eating a healthy skin-supportive diet, exercising and hydrating are also on your to-do list for healthy skin.
Your Top Three Must-Haves For A Smooth, Healthy, Clear Complexion:
Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser
A good cleanser is the foundation of clear skin. This one combines the gentle exfoliating strength of mandelic acid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory green tea extract, grape seed oil and kiwi extract. Mandelic acid’s larger molecular structure means it’s absorbed more slowly, making it less irritating that other alpha hydroxy acids. This, along with its anti-bacterial properties, makes mandelic an idea choice for treating acne. Bonus: this fresh, hydrating scrub contains bio-degradable, luxfoliating microbeads.
Combatting acne is all about keeping pores clean and free of surface buildup. A clarifying toner is an essential step in that process. Additionally, toners help to keep pH from getting out of balance and weakening the skin barrier. When that happens, skin is more vulnerable to bacteria and irritation from environmental stressors. But perhaps the most important contribution your toner makes is in prepping skin for follow-on products. Using a toner before a serum ensures better penetration and optimum effectiveness from your corrector serums.
We like this formula for its unique pairing of regenerating mandelic and lactic acids with nourishing witch hazel and natural humectants to refine surface texture without drying.
If there’s such a thing as a magic bullet for acne, vitamin A is it. While a lot of attention gets focused on its anti-aging benefits, vitamin A was originally developed in the form of the gold standard Retin-A® to treat acne. Dr. Fulton was its co-developer and later developed and patented Vitamin A Propionate, a non-prescription alternative that delivers the prescription strength, minus the irritation.
Derm-A-Gel® is Vivant’s vitamin A starter formula for skin new to vitamin A. This multi-tasking skin resurfacer accelerates cell turnover to clear away dead skin, excess sebum and debris that would otherwise create the foundation for clogged pores. It also helps to thicken the dermis and strengthen the skin barrier. Use it to clear, control and conquer.
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