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Ive struggled with acne for a long, long time.
Looking back on my teenage years, I feel for baby Sarah.
All that angst, acne, and anguish brings back nothing but sadness.
My skin was out of control thanks to angry, inflamedcystic breakoutsand a plethora ofblackheadsthat coated my nose.
Nothing I tried multi-step acne systems, alcohol-based toners, harsh exfoliatorsworked.
But since I cant go back in time (wouldnt that be cool?
), Ill share my wisdom with you, dear reader.
I love theCeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser.
And if youve got fresh flare-ups, usespot treatmentson clean skin.
I love theLa Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Spot TreatmentandKiehls Truly Targeted Acne Clearing Solution.
Anoil-free or gel-based face creamis your best bet, which will help prevent excess oil production.
I love theShani Darden Weightless Oil-Free Moisturizer, which is also pumped full of hyaluronic acid.
Sunscreen:And lastly, wearsunscreen!
And be sure to find a dermatologist who can help you along your acne journeyits their job!
Reader Question
asks AnonymousAllureReader
Yes, there area couple!
Have a burning skin-care question?Send one in.
BEST ALL-OVER ACNE TREATMENT:Differin Acne Treatment Gel
Quick Tip
Have sensitive skin?
Use the sandwich technique when applying actives, like tretinoin.
Simply slather on moisturizerbeforeyour serum or prescription treatment, then lock it all in with another layer offace cream.
Book Club
Natural BeautybyLing Ling Huang
A horrifically graphic (and fictional!)
look into the dark side of the beauty industry, where magic face creams do more damage than good.
Its a nail-bitingly good read!
