Skincare Saviours

As I mentioned in a previous post, I suffer from a very annoying bout of acne on my chin. This started back in February when I wore a certain fake tan which should have been suitable for face and skin - it was not.

So for the past 5 months, I've tried various gels, creams, lotions and potions to remove the little blighters but very little worked.

I went to see my doctor about a month ago who gave me a prescription of Oxytetracycline (I've had it before and it seemed to do the trick). But I couldn't understand why I was taking the medication and nothing was happening. Spots would disappear, then reappear even worse than before.

Then it hit me! I needed skincare products that didn't make the claims of clearing acne and were most likely too harsh for my skin, making the situation even worse. I therefore took 2 of my regular skincare products - which seemed to be working - and bought the complimentary products. I can't tell you how pleased I am with the results. Though I still have scarring and that will take a while to clear, the spots are now mostly gone and my skin feels much fresher than it did even 2 weeks ago!

But what are the magical products and do they cost a fortune? Thankfully no. They're just your regular run-of-the-mill drugstore products which do an amazing job of letting the medication clear the spots and keeping the skin comfortable and able to heal rather than interfering with the process. I've listed the products below and each product links to the best price I could find online.

The morning belongs to Neutrogena.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser and Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Facial Wash 

I will admit, I was not completely blown away by the facial wash. It was fine, it didn't irritate my acne and it smelled fresh and fruity. Basically, I had nothing against it. But then I combined it with the moisturiser...

I often see, "for best results, follow with our...." and think that they are just trying to flog me more of their products. But this combination is absolutely worth it.

The moisturiser is so cooling on the skin. When you walk out of the bathroom, the slight breeze of just walking makes your skin feel cool and fresh (like when you've just used mouthwash..just me?). It really does just feel wonderful on the skin, without overpowering it.

The two combined create a lovely pair which keeps my skin comfortable all day and also, as a side note, make for a great primer - my makeup stays on much better when I use these.

The only downside is the moisturiser does not contain SPF, so either use a face suncream on top or at least make sure your makeup contains SPF.

And onto the night where I have come back to a brand normally targeted at teenage skin, but I maintain is one of the best skincare brands..Simple!

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes and Simple Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream

Firstly, never EVER pay full price for the wipes. They are always on offer (either buy 1 get 1 free, 3 for 2 or 3 for £5) so stock up when you see an offer!

Secondly, I must apologise to my skin for continuing to use a retinoid cream instead of switching over to something like this night cream. I had read up that retinol/retinoid cream is great for treating acne, so I continued to use it, unaware that my medication does not work in conjunction with taking retinoids - topical retinoids couldn't be that far of a stretch! I switched to the Simple night cream knowing it would be much lighter, keeping my skin comfortable at night but not drowning it in unnecessary ingredients that do more harm than good.

I cannot recommend the combination highly enough. My skin feels cared for, but not overpowered.

Simple just do good skin, and at a not bad price tag either..

So the products listed above helped my skin when combined with prescribed medication. Always make sure you see the doctor first as you will most likely save a huge amount of money buying every miracle cream under the sun when a simple antibiotic will do most of the leg work.

Are there any products that you think are "hidden gems" when it comes to acne? Leave me a comment below and follow me on Twitter!

Love Nicola x