Acne.org Products
I should also add that the continuous control cleanser also makes me a little red right after use. The redness goes away in about 20 mins. This does not happen when only using the c.c. cleanser and I think it has something to do with the mixture of s.a and b.p products.
I am back to using both products because it seems to help the b.p. soak into the skin better.
On a side note drinking lots of water daily has also helped bring that success ratio up higher. I have found that if I get dehydrated I break out more. I was dehydrated and didn't even know it. Once you build up a water supply within yourself it seems it is easier to maintain proper hydration.
I've noticed that my redness has diminished a little bit but it is still visible on my neck. I do moisturize and drink a lot of water. I'm doing the BP only at night to see if that helps a little bit. I'm just going to wait a few more days to see if the redness keeps fading away.
You are washing twice a day right? Since you had some irritation I would suggest maybe using the S.A. cleanser morning and night one day. Then use the B.P. cleanser and S.A. cleanser the next day. I personally found using the B.P. cleanser worked best in the morning and the S.A. cleanser at night. it might be different for your skin though so I would say experiment and see what works best for you and causes the least amount of irritation.
Yea, I wash my face twice a day. Right now I'm using the SA in the morning and at night I wash with the SA and BP. So far I see that it's working its just I still kinda have my neck red. I kind of ruled out being allergic to the BP because that's the only part that is red and no where else. I'm just going to wait it out longer. It's been exactly one week since I started, so I guess I'm just going to wait a little bit more. Oh and by the way, I do moisturize as well.
How are you lads going with this ?
I have been using proactiv for a week or so but I lost the cleanser! I left it in a hotel room lol dammit it was basically full!
So I went the the supermarket and grabbed the 2 Clean and Clear products mentioned here, wow so cheap 
I used them last night and this morning so I will see how it goes. I kinda like the idea of not having run through all the 3 proactiv steps and then moisturize. I think I will still be using moisturizer for a while because my face is pretty dry after cleaning and I get a fair bit of sun during the day.
If anyone else is using these products chime in and make me feel better 
I have been on this regimen for 2 months now and it has cleared 90% of my acne but it has not helped at all with red spots. Although i am almost acne free my face still looks horrible because of the red spots covering my cheeks which look like acne if not examined from close. I wash with both washes morning and night. What would be the best way to incorporate Azelaic Acid (Finacea) or Alpha Hydroxy (Wallgreens) into my regimen to clear these red spots?
You might try skipping a night of the clean and clear and use those products in its place.
I stopped using the products for about 2 weeks and switched to tea tree oil. It made all my spots red but it did work. I have since switched back for a couple of reasons. I like the smell of the continuous control cleanser and it actually kills the redness on my face while fighting and preventing acne.
I do not like the idea of using b.p. for a long period of time because of the damage it does to the skin but it looks like so far I do not have any other viable choice.
hi psytra,
i read ur earlier post describing ur acne, and it sounds almost identical to mine.
was wondering what ur current regime is with using these two products and how clear u r.
I am mostly clear with the combination but it does seem like my skin has grown used to the products. I have been experimenting with different moisturisers and that has caused me to have some small pimples on my forehead. I have also recently found out that when I drink beer I break out which is a major bummer since I love a nice porter or stout.
The combination seems to work well since the product with bp helps me stop acne from forming while the product with ss helps me heal any that does appear faster.
I am still using both products but I feel there must be better ones out there.
so i have a question. at the moment i am using neutrogena acne stress face wash with 2% salycic acid, but i recently bought the clean and clear continuous face wash with 10% bp in it. i want to continue using the neutrogena because i do love how it makes my skin feel after i use it in the morning but i also wanted to try the combination of the 2 because after reading some reviews it seems to help. would it be bad to substitute the neutrogena with SA instead of the clean and clear with SA and then use the bp? if anyone has suggestions it would be sooooo much appreciated!
I would give it a shot and see what happens. I do not think the clean and clear product with S.A. is that great of product. The beads get stuck in large pores and it seems to break me out a little bit. The good thing about it is it does calm my skin and make it heal a lot faster. Your results might differ but I think you'll be completely safe.
so i have a question. at the moment i am using neutrogena acne stress face wash with 2% salycic acid, but i recently bought the clean and clear continuous face wash with 10% bp in it. i want to continue using the neutrogena because i do love how it makes my skin feel after i use it in the morning but i also wanted to try the combination of the 2 because after reading some reviews it seems to help. would it be bad to substitute the neutrogena with SA instead of the clean and clear with SA and then use the bp? if anyone has suggestions it would be sooooo much appreciated!
These two products have worked amazingly to get rid of my acne. I am now 95% clear, when no other methods had worked at all. The only problem is I have many red spots left all over my face from years of acne. I use both products morning and night everyday. This treatment has lightened the spots significantly with the combination of aha and azelaic creams morning and night but it is taking much longer than i had hoped.
I was wondering if this version of the clean and clear continuous control would be more effective for removing the spots, while also keeping my skin acne free? Any feedback would be appreciated.
It might be too much exfoliating if you use it with the C&C S.A scrub. Other than that I can't imagine it being much different than the stuff we are already using.
I think I might incorporate that product in my own regime. I have switched it up and started using only the continuous control cleanser. I have to make sure to moisturise every couple of days because the stuff is so drying. I can not use moisturiser every day because it makes my skin too oily. I found if I do it three times a week the bp doesn't kill my skin and it continues to keep me clear. Since I no longer am using the S.A scrub that exfoliating C&C might be a good addition for once a week.
The two exfoliating products seem to be over exfoliating, instead of helping reduce red spots its makes them more visible. I have also added palmer's skin success eventone fadecream to my regimen and that seems to be helping with spots. I am still unsure if the spots are scarring or just hyperpigmentation from having acne for so long.
Thanks for the update. I never did get the other clean and clear product since I have been pretty happy with just using the continuous control cleanser. I am about 99% acne free these days but I do still have a little scarring/hyper-pigmentation.
I also find that I break out when I do not drink enough water or I eat/drink junk. It sucks because the dark beers I love make me break out but light beers with no flavour do not.
To wrap things up my current ritual is as follows:
Continuous Control Cleanser twice a day, every morning and night.
Moisturiser at night, every other day.
this is an updated version of the original post. most has been unchanged, but i have changed some parts to make them clearer, and i added the tips section at the bottom to answer many questions people have.
first off i want to say that i'm not a salesman or here to sling a product. i have had acne for approximately 10 years. from my early teens until recently (i'm in my early 20's). i have tried everything and nothing has worked. neutrogena products are crap. i have finally stumbled upon an absurdly simple regimen that has cleared me completely.
my hope is that i can help 1 other person get a clearer face, if not a completely clear one. i know what acne can do to a person mentally, i am that person. it has destroyed my self-esteem and confidence as it does so many others. sorry if this post is very long, just trying to be helpful.
so anyways, here's what i did. a friend of mine several years ago recommended a product to me that he said worked well for him. thinking not much of it, since i had tried everything else i figured i would give it a try. so i bought the tube. it is called "clean & clear continuous control", made by johnson & johnson. here is a picture of the stuff so you know exactly what it looks like.. ( ) i began using the product and within about 2 weeks my face had cleared significantly. this product remained in my regimen for about 2 years and did a really good job. i only got a pimple every now and then. nothing big at all. of course after a while i got greedy and figured there was something out there that would clear me 100%. i stopped using the C&C continuous control for about a year, and had disastrous results with other products. nothing else worked.
then i started reading stuff about the acne cure. i was reading how it is important to use salicylic acid AND benzoyl peroxide both.
the reason of course is that salicylic acid (or BHA, beta-hydroxy acid) has a couple of functions. one, it promotes healthy exfoliation by making your dead skin cells shed off. it clears the surface of the skin of dead skin and oil. second, it is oil-soluable, so it has the added ability of being able to loosen and remove oil and dead skin cells from the inside of the pore itself.
benzoyl peroxide's purpose is to create an oxygen reaction which kills bacteria on the skin (and if you're lucky, in the pores too).
the problem is if you use only one, it won't work 100%. the salicylic acid does not kill the p. acnes bacteria. also, without the salicylic acid, the benzoyl peroxide usually stays at the surface, killing only surface bacteria. this is because the pores are still clogged with dead skin and oil, and the BP cannot penetrate the pore.
with this knowledge in hand, i realized i had to do both. the BP i chose was a product i knew worked about 90%. it was of course the C&C continuous control. now this is 10% BP, most people tell you to avoid something with that high of a concentration. ignore it. i can tell you from personal experience, 10% works better than 3.5% or 2.5% (or, at least this product does, which so happens to be 10%, coincidence, who knows, but 10% is the only choice for this product). sure it is more irritating and drying. but that's only at first. any irritation or dryness you experience will go away within 2-3 weeks, max.
so i knew i had to get a salicylic acid product. i first tried the neutrogena oil-free acne wash cream cleanser. crap. didn't work, plus it was way too drying to use in conjunction with the BP wash.
finally i figured i trusted the clean and clear line, so i decided to get a second product from them. this is the C&C blackhead clearing scrub. here is a picture of the stuff.. ( ) this is for three reasons, one it's the C&C brand which i know is good, second it contained 2% salicyclic acid, and third, it has microbeads to scrub away dead skin. the microbeads are probably bunk, but they look cool at least, and the product still does its thing.
anyways, since this is so long, i'll get to the point. i started using these products together and i have been 100% clear since they began to work. i have been completely clear for months and months. (completely unheard of for me) my acne is cured with these two amazing products. that's it!
here's the simple regimen i follow:
wet my face with warm/slightly hot water. wash with the C&C blackhead clearing scrub (salicylic acid), massage around/into my face for about 45 seconds to a minute. wash it off. immediately apply the C&C continuous control (benzoyl peroxide) and GENTLY massage that into your face for about 30 seconds to 45 seconds, then wash it off. pat dry with a clean towel.
you will notice that when you apply the BP cleanser to your face, after the other wash, your skin will feel SUPER smooth. it feels so nice. then, after you wash off the C&C continous control, you will feel your pores tingling deep inside for a bit after you wash. kind of like noxema if you've ever used that. it's a good feeling. you can really tell it's working.
that is ALL. in the morning, use ONLY the SA wash. then, at night before bedtime, use BOTH.
this regimen is SIMPLE and there is only TWO PRODUCTS for a reason. i believe less is more when it comes to treating your skin. putting too much crap on your face can be bad and make you break out more.
i know i talk about these products like they're god, but i truely believe in them. they are the only two things that have worked for me in 10 years. the C&C product line is GOOD STUFF. plus, it's cheap (about $4.50 USD for each tube).
i hope this helps someone out. i really do.
NOTES & TIPS:
-the SA wash is not drying or irritating. almost the opposite, it makes your skin smooth and nice feeling. the BP is the drying/irritating one. that is why you use it only once a day.
-it is not neccessary to scrub these products in. in fact, scrubbing hard will irritate your skin more and it won't work as well. being GENTLE and massinging it around softly works just as well, if not better.
-some people may need to modify this regimen. this is what works best for me and most people. some wash with both products 2x a day, because their skin can handle it. it is up to the individual to judge. for me, using the BP wash only once a day works just as well as using it twice a day.
-when you use the BP wash, i squirt about the amount of toothpaste i would put on my toothbrush (for estimate). then, i DO NOT apply this paste directly to my skin. i rub it around my palms until it's spread around and i can put my hands on my face and massage it around the skin, evenly. applying it directly to the skin will cause much more irritation.
-this regimen works MORE the LONGER you use it. it takes a little while to reach the full effect. you will begin to see very noticable results (almost clearing of complexion) around 1 month, for some it is less time.. 1 month is a good average. at this point, you may get 1 or 2 pimples every now and then. much less that you normally get. keep using it. at the 2 month mark, it will be fully working and you should never get any new marks, and any bumps under the skin or blackheads should be gone. by three months, your old marks should have completely faded and you skin tone evened out. you will be extremely surprised how much your skin looks like that of (insert your favorite celebrity here). now, months later after i started this regimen, i still look in the mirror and it puts a smile on my face. it is still amazing to me, even after time.
-this one is a HUGE one. here it goes: DO NOT PICK OR SQUEEZE. if you continue to do this, your face will never get better, and you won't see nearly as much improvement. TRAIN YOURSELF OFF OF THIS. so many times i would go to the mirror every morning or night and get up close and pick at every single thing (even things that weren't noticable unless you get right up to your face). of course i'd end up with red marks all over my face and look 10x worse than i did before i started. this is just something you have to force yourself to stop. as much as you want to, do NOT let yourself pick or squeeze. (unless it is completely obviously ready to be popped, for example, an obvious white head that you can open with a pin). if you must pop it, be as gentle as possible, and STOP as soon as you see any clear liquid come out. if you can get over the initial month without picking or squeezing, you will naturally stop within time. when your face becomes clear, you will have nothing to pick or squeeze at. it kinda works for itself. i know it's hard to stop, but this is one of the most important points.
-some people seem to have sensitive skin, and SOME people experience an initial breakout. most, it seems, do not. this shouldn't last past a week or two. most people get scared and bail at this point. unfortunate, because quickly thereafter everything will quickly clear up. those who stick with it past an original breakout end up very surprised of how it clears things up and begins working right after that. don't be scared of this, i would say judging by responses that only about 25% of people experience an initial breakout.
-for guys, i shave immediately before the evening or morning regimen. after i finish shaving, i got straight into washing my face.
-add things to this regimen at your own risk. some people want to add in other things like AHA lotions, this and that. i do not think that other products besides this are necessary. these two work enough. using AHA or other acids on your face often times just irritates it more than anything. i know when i use AHA lotion, it makes me break out. so if you're using my regimen but also using 5 other things on your face, don't blame me if it doesn't work.
-my face tends to get flakey and oily at the same time. so i have to use a moisurizer. its reduces flakes and limits the amount of natual oil that my own skin has to produce. has anyone ever tried this regimen with a moisurizer? and if so, which one? i dont want to over do it when it come to medications or products. but it doesn't matter what system i try, or if it even works on my acne or not. i have still ALWAYS needed a lotion or a moisturizer. i guess i have to try it for myself and see if i even need it. and if i do, i guess, i'll just add it. i'll prolly start with and oil-free, nonmedicated moisturizer of the same brand. i know that produst of the same brand ar formulated to work together and compliment each other. but if i still need some kind of acne combatant in my moisturzer i will switch to a medicated one. any advice? let me know. =) thank you! =)
If you do not want to use BPO, benzoyl peroxide, then find a product with 2%-5% tea tree oil. It has been proven to work as well as BPO and is not irritating like BPO. BPO does provide oxygen, which does destroy p.acne bacterium. The thing that is important to know is the long term effects of BPO, b/c it is technically a free radial (rouge oxygen molecules) that can cause premature aging over time. Try also finding a hydrator with niacinamide and yeast extract which are are not nearly as drying or irritating. Also avoid sulfate based cleansers, they are irritating, over drying, and penetrate the epidermis, this not a good thing for a surfactant to do it can over dry and cause skin to produce more oil to replace what was lost. The oil creates a protective mantle that keeps dirt, debris, and infections. So you do need some of your natural oils. I do agree with the salicylic, this is a must in the treatment acne. I am only offering this alternative solution b/c some might be like me, and are sesitive to BPO. I can't use it and I am sure others have experienced this problem. I also want to add that it will take 2-3 weeks longer to see success, but as an esthetician who has treated acne for 5 years I stand by this treatment for BPO sensitivity.
hello, been really interested in trying this, Dan's regimen really isn't convenient for me.
i am wondering if anyone from the UK has tried this at all? i'm finding it hard to get these products shipped to england or to find alternatives. if anyone has had success over here in the UK, please let me know!
thank you.
So, here's how my recent journey on Botchla's regimen has been going. . .
First of all here's my skin type: I'm 30 years old and I have super-sensitive oily skin. I have always had mild to moderate acne (never cystic) ever since I was about 13 years old. Fortunately, my skin heals very fast, so whenever I get red marks from acne (even when I use to pick the heck out of them) - they fade pretty quickly without any special fading products & disappear as if they never existed, so I don't have any acne scars. I don't have a problem with blackheads (I have a few on the sides of my nose in the crevice). The main problem with my skin is that I deal with continuous break-outs, and then my skin breaks out even worse with hormonal acne (mostly on my chin, jawline, and above my upper lip) right before my menstrual cycle. My skin is the clearest towards the end of my cycle and the week after it ends (because the hormonal acne subsides & stops breaking out), but my skin still isn't even half-way clear because of the regular continuous break-outs. I do get compliments on my skin tone a lot, because I have an even skin tone (I have never dealt with an uneven blotchy skin tone), and my acne isn't extremely noticeable at first glance because I don't get a lot of red/inflamed acne. My acne is mostly flesh-colored bumps, and whiteheads. . . so if you look at me in passing, my skin looks nice. But if you look at my skin up close (especially right after I wash my face) you can tell that I have acne issues.
Like many of you, I have gone through sooooooooo many acne products: Noxzema, Neutrogena, Stridex, L'Oreal, Acne Free, Mary Kay, etc. None of this stuff did anything for my acne. It just irritated my skin, wasted my money, and took up a lot of my time with useless regimens.
I was at my wits end, then I finally ran across this website. I started off with Dan's regimen using a gentle cleansing soap bar by Almay, Neutrogena's on-the-spot benzoyl peroxide cream, and Aveeno's Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer.
The pro's that I experienced on Dan's regimen: My acne did clear up *some* - probably about 50-60%. It cleared up enough that I could put on a little lipgloss and leave the house without any makeup on, and my family complimented me on my skin and how much my acne cleared up. I credit this to the fact that Dan's regimen teaches you how to *GENTLY* wash/moisturize your face, and use gentle products. Like many people that struggle with acne, I use to do the exact opposite (i.e., scrub the heck out of my face, use super hot water, & use STRONG products thinking that it would help clear up my acne). Even though my acne cleared up some, I still had mild to moderate acne from continuous break-outs & hormonal break-outs. I was not satisfied, because I knew that my acne could clear up better than this.
The con's that I experienced on Dan's regimen: 1) I hated using 3 products two times a day - I felt like I was piling layers of different chemicals (even if they were gentle) on my face everyday. It made me not want to wear makeup (which I LOVE experimenting with), because the makeup was simply an additional layer on top of the 3 layers of facial products. I don't care how gentle, light and well-rinsing your facewash is - it still leaves a residue. Then you pile a layer of BP on top of that. THEN you pile a layer of moisturizer on top of all of that, and it just sits there on your skin all day for hours. It was just too much for me. It felt like my skin couldn't breathe, and I never had that "fresh face" feeling. 2) Dan's regimen does absolutely nothing to exfoliate your skin. And even with super-sensitive skin, you still HAVE to exfoliate your skin at some point during the week. Exfoliating clears dead skin cells off your face and helps unclog your pores of oil, etc - it makes your skin have a natural, youthful, supple glow from the layer of fresh skin. Then when you apply an acne treatment that kills bacteria, the treatment has a better chance of soaking into your pores and killing the bacteria. When I was on Dan's regimen, I had a lot of dead skin chillin on the sides of my nose in the crevice, on my chin, around my mouth, and just all over my face in general. It led me to have flesh-colored comodones, and the pus had a hard time coming to a head because of all the dead skin covering the pimple. So these comodones just sat there for weeks and months - mostly on my forehead, cheeks, and beneath my chin. 3) I love washing my face and moisturizing, but I hated the BP. It didn't irritate my skin or anything. But it just didn't seem like it did a whole lot for my skin overall. It cleared up a bit of my acne, but it gave my face a dull chalky look. The BP cream made the worry-lines/wrinkles on my forehead more noticeable. I stopped using Neutrogena's on-the-spot BP cream and got some 5% BP aqueous gel & AcneFree's 5% Terminator BP gel (both of them are WAY better than Neut.), but at the end of the day - I hate BP creams and gels. I hated spreading that stuff around my face 2 times every day. Then you have to find a good moisturizer that works well with your skin type AND won't interfere w/the BP. It was just tedious, and I wanted a light maintenance regimen.
So, to exfoliate while I was on Dan's regimen I bought Alpha Hydrox's oil-free enhanced cream. BIG mistake. To be fair, this stuff did exfoliate and make my skin radiant. BUT it broke me out like heck all over my forehead, chin, around my mouth, jawline, and a on my cheeks a little. I also tried it on my chest to clear up red marks from acne, and it broke out my chest in little pimples. I had to stop using that stuff, and clear up the irritation/acne with Cetaphil's Antibacterial Cleansing Bar (a lifesaver for me), Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion SPF 15 (on my face), and AcneFree's 5% Terminator BP gel to clear up the pimples on my chest. I phased out the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer because the fragrance was WAY TOO strong (even though it smelled good) and it started irritating my skin and causing little pimples and comodones on my forehead, chin, and lower cheeks. It seems like it was clogging my pores. Then I started using Cetaphil Moisturizer, which didn't break me out, but it made my face look and feel like I dipped it in oil. So anyway, now I use Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion if my face gets dry, and it works wonders. My forehead started clearing up, and it doesn't feel sticky or oily, or make my face look like I've been frying chicken all day.
I ran across this post on Botchla's regimen, did A LOT of research, and finally went out and bought the products. My face was so irritated and broke out that I had nothing to lose. I do Botchla's regimen in the shower (doing it in the sink would be TOO messy). I wet my face really well, use a toothpaste amount of the CC Blackhead SA scrub, and GENTLY massage the SA scrub in a circular motion all over my face, then rinse it off really well. Then I take a toothpaste amount of the CC 10% BP wash, gently smear it around my fingers and palm a little bit, then GENTLY spread it all over my face, then I rinse it off. I GENTLY pat my face dry with a clean towel - and that's it. Now. . . the first few days that I tried Botchla's regimen, I loved the fact that his regimen is SO easy, quick, light maintenance, and my skin was actually able to BREATHE. BUT my skin broke out like heck and I freaked OUT, so I quit - BIG mistake. I assumed that since I have super sensitive skin and this stuff was breaking my skin out worse than it was in the first place, that it didn't work, and this just wasn't the regimen for me. Little did I know that the SA was simply purging my skin, and in the process of exfoliation - it uncovered little bumps that were trapped beneath dead skin. So anyway, I went back to Dan's regimen for a few days and did more research on Botchla's regimen. I had second thoughts that maybe I did something wrong, or maybe there's a better way to do his regimen. Come to find out, I just needed to stick with it and stand through the "storm" of purging. So I went back to Botchla's regimen and this time there was no initial break out. . . because the underlying acne was already purged the first time I tried his regimen. This time I just had clean, smooth skin. Everyday I notice that I have less and less acne on my forehead, cheeks, chin, and jawline. My skin feels free and like it can finally breathe. I don't have layers of products sitting on my face all day trying to work in conjunction with each other and at the same time not break me out. On Botchla's regimen, the only thing on my skin throughout the day is just SKIN and natural oils. I have not had to use my Purpose Dual Treatment Moisturizer lately because my skin isn't dried out. During the day I use the SA only, and at night I use the SA and BP wash. I'm looking forward to having the skin I've always dreamed of very soon. I can't believe how fast my skin is clearing up, and it feels so soft and smooth. So for those of you with super sensitive skin, don't be afraid of the SA scrub, or the 10% BP wash, and when your skin starts to break out chances are that it's just purging. I know that it's scary as heck, because I freaked out too, but once you get past the purging phase it's smooth sailing and you'll see improvement everyday. Sometimes I'm lazy and I only do Botchla's regimen once a day, and my skin still improves. Thanks Botchla!
this is an updated version of the original post. most has been unchanged, but i have changed some parts to make them clearer, and i added the tips section at the bottom to answer many questions people have.
first off i want to say that i'm not a salesman or here to sling a product. i have had acne for approximately 10 years. from my early teens until recently (i'm in my early 20's). i have tried everything and nothing has worked. neutrogena products are crap. i have finally stumbled upon an absurdly simple regimen that has cleared me completely.
my hope is that i can help 1 other person get a clearer face, if not a completely clear one. i know what acne can do to a person mentally, i am that person. it has destroyed my self-esteem and confidence as it does so many others. sorry if this post is very long, just trying to be helpful.
so anyways, here's what i did. a friend of mine several years ago recommended a product to me that he said worked well for him. thinking not much of it, since i had tried everything else i figured i would give it a try. so i bought the tube. it is called "clean & clear continuous control", made by johnson & johnson. here is a picture of the stuff so you know exactly what it looks like.. ( ) i began using the product and within about 2 weeks my face had cleared significantly. this product remained in my regimen for about 2 years and did a really good job. i only got a pimple every now and then. nothing big at all. of course after a while i got greedy and figured there was something out there that would clear me 100%. i stopped using the C&C continuous control for about a year, and had disastrous results with other products. nothing else worked.
then i started reading stuff about the acne cure. i was reading how it is important to use salicylic acid AND benzoyl peroxide both.
the reason of course is that salicylic acid (or BHA, beta-hydroxy acid) has a couple of functions. one, it promotes healthy exfoliation by making your dead skin cells shed off. it clears the surface of the skin of dead skin and oil. second, it is oil-soluable, so it has the added ability of being able to loosen and remove oil and dead skin cells from the inside of the pore itself.
benzoyl peroxide's purpose is to create an oxygen reaction which kills bacteria on the skin (and if you're lucky, in the pores too).
the problem is if you use only one, it won't work 100%. the salicylic acid does not kill the p. acnes bacteria. also, without the salicylic acid, the benzoyl peroxide usually stays at the surface, killing only surface bacteria. this is because the pores are still clogged with dead skin and oil, and the BP cannot penetrate the pore.
with this knowledge in hand, i realized i had to do both. the BP i chose was a product i knew worked about 90%. it was of course the C&C continuous control. now this is 10% BP, most people tell you to avoid something with that high of a concentration. ignore it. i can tell you from personal experience, 10% works better than 3.5% or 2.5% (or, at least this product does, which so happens to be 10%, coincidence, who knows, but 10% is the only choice for this product). sure it is more irritating and drying. but that's only at first. any irritation or dryness you experience will go away within 2-3 weeks, max.
so i knew i had to get a salicylic acid product. i first tried the neutrogena oil-free acne wash cream cleanser. crap. didn't work, plus it was way too drying to use in conjunction with the BP wash.
finally i figured i trusted the clean and clear line, so i decided to get a second product from them. this is the C&C blackhead clearing scrub. here is a picture of the stuff.. ( ) this is for three reasons, one it's the C&C brand which i know is good, second it contained 2% salicyclic acid, and third, it has microbeads to scrub away dead skin. the microbeads are probably bunk, but they look cool at least, and the product still does its thing.
anyways, since this is so long, i'll get to the point. i started using these products together and i have been 100% clear since they began to work. i have been completely clear for months and months. (completely unheard of for me) my acne is cured with these two amazing products. that's it!
here's the simple regimen i follow:
wet my face with warm/slightly hot water. wash with the C&C blackhead clearing scrub (salicylic acid), massage around/into my face for about 45 seconds to a minute. wash it off. immediately apply the C&C continuous control (benzoyl peroxide) and GENTLY massage that into your face for about 30 seconds to 45 seconds, then wash it off. pat dry with a clean towel.
you will notice that when you apply the BP cleanser to your face, after the other wash, your skin will feel SUPER smooth. it feels so nice. then, after you wash off the C&C continous control, you will feel your pores tingling deep inside for a bit after you wash. kind of like noxema if you've ever used that. it's a good feeling. you can really tell it's working.
that is ALL. in the morning, use ONLY the SA wash. then, at night before bedtime, use BOTH.
this regimen is SIMPLE and there is only TWO PRODUCTS for a reason. i believe less is more when it comes to treating your skin. putting too much crap on your face can be bad and make you break out more.
i know i talk about these products like they're god, but i truely believe in them. they are the only two things that have worked for me in 10 years. the C&C product line is GOOD STUFF. plus, it's cheap (about $4.50 USD for each tube).
i hope this helps someone out. i really do.
NOTES & TIPS:
-the SA wash is not drying or irritating. almost the opposite, it makes your skin smooth and nice feeling. the BP is the drying/irritating one. that is why you use it only once a day.
-it is not neccessary to scrub these products in. in fact, scrubbing hard will irritate your skin more and it won't work as well. being GENTLE and massinging it around softly works just as well, if not better.
-some people may need to modify this regimen. this is what works best for me and most people. some wash with both products 2x a day, because their skin can handle it. it is up to the individual to judge. for me, using the BP wash only once a day works just as well as using it twice a day.
-when you use the BP wash, i squirt about the amount of toothpaste i would put on my toothbrush (for estimate). then, i DO NOT apply this paste directly to my skin. i rub it around my palms until it's spread around and i can put my hands on my face and massage it around the skin, evenly. applying it directly to the skin will cause much more irritation.
-this regimen works MORE the LONGER you use it. it takes a little while to reach the full effect. you will begin to see very noticable results (almost clearing of complexion) around 1 month, for some it is less time.. 1 month is a good average. at this point, you may get 1 or 2 pimples every now and then. much less that you normally get. keep using it. at the 2 month mark, it will be fully working and you should never get any new marks, and any bumps under the skin or blackheads should be gone. by three months, your old marks should have completely faded and you skin tone evened out. you will be extremely surprised how much your skin looks like that of (insert your favorite celebrity here). now, months later after i started this regimen, i still look in the mirror and it puts a smile on my face. it is still amazing to me, even after time.
-this one is a HUGE one. here it goes: DO NOT PICK OR SQUEEZE. if you continue to do this, your face will never get better, and you won't see nearly as much improvement. TRAIN YOURSELF OFF OF THIS. so many times i would go to the mirror every morning or night and get up close and pick at every single thing (even things that weren't noticable unless you get right up to your face). of course i'd end up with red marks all over my face and look 10x worse than i did before i started. this is just something you have to force yourself to stop. as much as you want to, do NOT let yourself pick or squeeze. (unless it is completely obviously ready to be popped, for example, an obvious white head that you can open with a pin). if you must pop it, be as gentle as possible, and STOP as soon as you see any clear liquid come out. if you can get over the initial month without picking or squeezing, you will naturally stop within time. when your face becomes clear, you will have nothing to pick or squeeze at. it kinda works for itself. i know it's hard to stop, but this is one of the most important points.
-some people seem to have sensitive skin, and SOME people experience an initial breakout. most, it seems, do not. this shouldn't last past a week or two. most people get scared and bail at this point. unfortunate, because quickly thereafter everything will quickly clear up. those who stick with it past an original breakout end up very surprised of how it clears things up and begins working right after that. don't be scared of this, i would say judging by responses that only about 25% of people experience an initial breakout.
-for guys, i shave immediately before the evening or morning regimen. after i finish shaving, i got straight into washing my face.
-add things to this regimen at your own risk. some people want to add in other things like AHA lotions, this and that. i do not think that other products besides this are necessary. these two work enough. using AHA or other acids on your face often times just irritates it more than anything. i know when i use AHA lotion, it makes me break out. so if you're using my regimen but also using 5 other things on your face, don't blame me if it doesn't work.
-my face tends to get flakey and oily at the same time. so i have to use a moisurizer. its reduces flakes and limits the amount of natual oil that my own skin has to produce. has anyone ever tried this regimen with a moisurizer? and if so, which one? i dont want to over do it when it come to medications or products. but it doesn't matter what system i try, or if it even works on my acne or not. i have still ALWAYS needed a lotion or a moisturizer. i guess i have to try it for myself and see if i even need it. and if i do, i guess, i'll just add it. i'll prolly start with and oil-free, nonmedicated moisturizer of the same brand. i know that produst of the same brand ar formulated to work together and compliment each other. but if i still need some kind of acne combatant in my moisturzer i will switch to a medicated one. any advice? let me know. =) thank you! =)
my op on this is to use a lotion with aha in it- test it to see but it helps with peelies. Amlactin, alpha hydrox or philosophy but there are others- I can handle amlactin using this and don't get irritated.