I used to be 100% clear when my daily cleanser was the Clean & Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub. I used it every day, and my face felt so fresh. However, after about 5 months, I began breaking out very badly. I thought it was just bad luck, so I decided to keep going with my routine, but my breakouts would not get any better. Eventually, I switched to Purpose Gentle Cleanser, and after a couple of weeks my skin was miraculously cleared up. Now I'm wondering, did the different active ingredient in my new cleanser clear up my acne? Or was it more likely that my face was being irritated by the daily exfoliation? I'm just worried that this new cleanser will eventually lose its effectiveness.

 

A few things could be causing that:

1. The ingredient contains an antibiotic that P. acnes bacteria can develop a resistance to over time (OTC would be triclosan).

2. Over-exfoliation, which can irritate the skin and make the acne appear worse.

3. Formulation flaws, product age and improper storage can degrade the beneficial ingredients, making them less effective.

4. Your acne is cyclical (as with most acne), especially if you are a woman.

5. You bought the cleanser once, then when you bought it again the formulation changed.

6. You have an acne-like disease (some forms of dermatitis can mimic acne)

Hope this helps! 🙂