Beauty Myth Revealed: Fighting Acne with Several Brand Names

Have you ever had a facial and afterwards, as you're feeling a little euphoric from the incredibly relaxing experience and marveling in how fabulous your skin feels, ask about purchasing some products they use? Usually I just want the exfoliant or mask they used but they insist that you MUST buy the entire skincare line to receive the full benefits of that product. I've fallen for this twice and am to ashamed to admit how much I've spent.

See, I suffer from acne. I've battled it off and on throughout the years and I've tried everything. I used to be open to trying everything. Now, after all these years, I know the specific ingredients that work for my skin and keep acne at bay. And yes, I use three different brands of skincare to achieve my clear skin.

For cleansing I stick to the same line. At night I wash my face with Neutrogena^® Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Foam Wash and then follow with Neutrogena Rapid Clear^™ Daily Treatment Pads. The face wash contains naturally derived skin-soothers, green tea and cucumbers and leaves your skin feeling refreshed and tingly. The treatment pads are just great. If you have a pimple, you definitely see improvement in the morning. I of course finish my nightly routine off with one of my two favorite eye creams, Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream by Oil Of Olay. Every third night I use Olays Regenerist Eye Derma-Pod Anti-Aging Triple Response System and swear by them.

Now, it was explained to me by a dermatologist that most acne suffers' skin does not self-exfoliate to the degree that it should. In turn, oil mixes with the excess of dead cells, clogs the pore...viola! Pimple heaven. So, I started stepping up my exfoliation. My favorite product that I have found and adore to give me a good exfoliation is Oil Of Olays Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System. The combo has two products that actively work together to give you both a microdermabrasion and a mini-peel treatment. Your skin feels fabulous and looks so healthy afterwards. It works powerfully but is mild enough to use twice a week. I do my microdermabrasion/mini-peel every third day and it has not only helped my acne, it's erased a few tiny lines I had beginning to form.

Call me a girly-girl but, I love face masks. And Daily Facials Intensives Clay Mask, by Oil Of Olay definitely has my vote. I have tried many, many mud masks but this one is superior. They advertise that the "rich kaolin clay and marine extract formula detoxifies by drawing out impurities like a spa facial." I have to agree. I use this on nights that I don't use my microdermabrasion and if for some reason I slack a night of two, I can really tell the difference.

When I do get a pimple or the batch across my jaw line at my least favorite time of month, I've found that Proactiv's Refining Mask makes an awesome spot treatment. Dot some on your pimple or across a patch of pimples and they will be dramatically reduced in size and redness the next morning. Smaller pimples may be gone all together.

Acne is frustrating and can end up costing you a lot of money sometimes as you try out a number of products to find just what's right for you. I advise figuring out the ingredients that DO work from you and look for products that contain those chemicals or even herbs. I've found that the Salicylic Acid, Kaolin Clay and products containing marine extracts (and I swear the salt water at the beach always clears my face right up) green tea and other soothers really seem to be the right combination for me. I wish you luck on your quest and I hope that maybe you'll even find relief with my skin regimen.