For those of us who struggle with acne, it’s hard to find products that give us the right balance of cleansing and moisturizing. Most products can help clear up our acne, but leaves our skin irritated and dry. In my quest to find the right routine for my skin, I discovered five products that have changed my skin completely and given me better skin than I could have ever imagined!
As a dedicated lover of K-beauty products and a person who obviously wants flawless skin, check out these five products that I personally recommend for all people with acne-prone skin!
1. SKIN FOOD Aloe Vera Foaming Cleanser
I am a huge fan of SKIN FOOD products! If possible, I would go around the world telling people how amazing their products are and helping them find the right line for their skin type. It’s no lie when I say this product literally changed my life! The SKIN FOOD Aloe Vera Foaming Cleanser has a deliciously soft foam that moisturizes your skin on a deep level, while the aloe vera has drying proponents that help clear up your acne and give you beautiful, clear, shiny skin. After using this product, your skin will literally feel squeaky clean. You also only have to use a tiny amount each time so the product lasts a long time. I totally recommend this product and will continue using it to maintain my skin from now on.
2. MIZON Snail Recovery Gel Cream
Once I found this product, it quickly became a staple. Between the Aloe Vera cleanser and this product, my skin truly changed completely. Even if you only get these two products, you won’t regret it! Once the Aloe Vera worked its magic for me and cleared up my skin, I still had some stubborn acne area on my jaw that’s been there for years. When I started using the MIZON Snail Recovery Gel Cream (which isn’t a cream at all, but a smooth gel), that acne finally disappeared! I keep a tube of this in my purse and one by my bed. I use it multiple times a day, keeping my skin moisturized without feeling greasy or oily. This is the one product I can put on to moisturize and hydrate my skin without breaking out or looking oily within an hour or two. While it’s not a super deep moisturizing gel, it’s a great product to use throughout the day and truly help your skin “recover,” leaving it clean and clear!
3. SKIN FOOD Parsley and Mandarin Emulsion
Despite having acne-prone skin and redness, I have really dry skin that requires a lot of moisturizing. The problem is that most creams and lotions give me breakouts. However, SKIN FOOD comes to the rescue once more! The SKIN FOOD Parsley and Mandarin Emulsion is a great addition to my beauty routine. Once I get out of the shower, I apply the emulsion to really give me the added moisture I need. This entire line from SKIN FOOD is actually made for troubled skin, so if you don’t like the emulsion (which is like a very light, non-greasy lotion), then try the Parsley and Mandarin Toner. The only downside to this product is that it has a very strong, spicy smell. The toner isn’t as strong though, so you may find it suits you better.
4. CNP Laboratory A-Clear Spot Patch
Despite all our best efforts, our skin will always suffer breakouts due to hormonal issues and more. When those ugly spots rise up, it’s great to have a few products on hand to combat those bumps. The CNP Laboratory A-Clear Spot Patch is a great way to clear up bad pimples and bumps. You can put these tiny clear patches directly on your spots and leave them on all day. Not only do they have ingredients to help the acne and clear up the bacteria that’s causing the issues, the smooth, matte patches helps mask the problem area and even allow you to cover it up with makeup. While the little dot will still be slightly visible, it’s great to leave on all day to let the tea tree oil and other ingredients work their magic!
5. Innisfree Jeju Bija Trouble Spot Essence
Another product that’s great for when you have a sudden breakout, the Innisfree Jeju Bija Trouble Spot Essence has a plethora of amazing, natural ingredients to combat those nasty breakouts. Innisfree is a proud company from Jeju that uses the natural riches of the island in their products. This particular product has Jeju torreya seed oil, green tea, tangerine, and more. Simply apply the essence to your problem areas when you have a breakout, and you’ll see a great improvement within just a day or two. The scent is very fresh and nice as well!
BONUS: BANISH Kit
Despite my skin being clear and acne-free now, I still have the unfortunate scars of one who battled with severe acne as a teen. While this isn’t a Korean product, it’s still such a life-changer that I had to share it with you! Microneedling is a treatment that uses tiny needles to prick your skin. When the skin has these tiny “wounds” from the needles, the body reacts by sending collagen to those areas in an attempt to heal them. The result is that your old scars are treated as new wounds and receive the needed collagen and healing proponents from your body to help shrink up those scars. While microneedling is usually done at a dermatologist, BANISH is a great invention that allows you to do the treatment at home. It’s a small roller with tiny needles that you roll over your scars once every two weeks. Within a month of using it, my large scars had improved tremendously! It does hurt a little, but the soothing vitamin oil included with the kit helps calm the redness and irritation. While it’s not the most pleasant feeling in the world, it’s definitely worth it to shrink those scars as much as possible!
Although all of us have different skin types and will respond differently to certain products, these are definitely five products that I recommend each of you to try for your own acne-prone skin! Hopefully, you will experience the same great results that I did!
What K-beauty products do you use for troubled skin? Have you ever used the products we mentioned? Did we miss an even better product that should be on the list? Let us know in the comments section below!
lee1086 is the co-founder and director of What The Kpop. When not writing or editing articles, she is watching Kpop music videos or Kdramas. She is a huge fan of Super Junior and the perfection known as Eunsihae. When not obsessing over the flawlessness of Donghae or trying to decide if her SHINee bias is Taemin or Key, she is playing the piano, loving on her dog, and hanging out with her family and friends.
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