Acne.org : AHA+ (Glycolic Acid - 10%)

I was hoping to find a silver lining with this one. I have this AHA+ multiple chances and have broken out each time. Nothing horrendous, but definitely some nasty little bumps and tons of clogged pores. I was really hoping this would work as it's hard to find a lotion that compliments my cloggy skin. On the upside, I absolutely loved the moisture and the softness this added to my skin.I am almost certain I wouldn't have any trouble if it wasn't for the magical ingredient "Cyclomethicone". If you are extremely sensitive to this ingredient or any of the "cones" this may not work for you. Silicone sensitivity is rarely talked about. And unfortunately, it's in almost everything! Consider ditching this ingredient from your face lotions, washes, ointments etc. and see if you a see a difference! I sure do.

After some trial & error and research, I've concluded that I'm allergic to one of the ingredients: Glyceryl Monostearate/Glyceryl Stearate. Less than 1% of people have this reaction. I'll explain a little... I had been using this with Acne.org's AHA and BP with MUCH success for about 6 months with no reaction. So, when my eyes swelled and got scaly, red, & sore patches around them along with dry, cracking and bleeding skin in the corners of my mouth, I didn't think these products were the culprit. Eventually, I did change everything... No bp, no aha, changed make-up, changed everything. My skin started to heal. Because I had been using my products for a long time before this reaction, the culprit became difficult to pinpoint. I always remember my mom having sensitive skin. I discussed my new issues with her, and she revealed that she didn't have any skin sensitivity issues until sometime in her 30's, which was when I started to have problems. So, it would seem possible to develop an allergy and become sensitive to something that never caused issue before. Over the next few years, I developed a completely new regime that wasn't as effective as the Acne.org's BP/AHA/moisture but also didn't freak my face out. My initial thought was that it had to be the bp or aha causing sensitivity. AHA is notorious for being intolerable to some. When I would get a break out, I'd spot treat with acne.org's AHA and BP, and I'd start to feel the inklings of a reaction- patches under my eyes, itching, watery eyes... Then, I started just spot treating with the BP; that was ok. Eventually, I worked back up to using it all over every night. Other than normal BP dryness, I experienced no allergic action. I came to the (false) conclusion that it was AHA causing harm; however, I still longed for the BP/AHA results I had before my skin went crazy. I did some research on AHA's and found that people could better tolerate them when a blend of AHA's were used. I started on the (ridiculously expensive) Drunk Elephant Glycolic (AHA) serum. I've used that for months, until my first bottle was gone. Things were going well. No reactions. And now, we come back around to the Acne.org moisturizer. After months of being on the same regime (BP/Drunk Elephant AHA/same cosmetics, etc), I decided to revisit Acne.org's moisturizer. Last night, I used the moisturizer, and I woke up with swollen, watery eyes and itchy skin- all the same reactions I had years before and with Acne.org's AHA. I compared the ingredient list of both harm causing products (Acne.org's AHA and Moisturizer), and found 3 common ingredients: Butylene Glycol, Licochalcone, and Glyceryl Stearate. Butylene Glycol was also present in Drunk Elephant's AHA; I ruled that ingredient out. I researched Licochalcone and found no evidence of it as an allergen. Additionally, it's a great product for soothing sensitive skin reactions. When I researched Butylene Glycol, I found that some people can have terrible reactions. It is rare, but if you find yourself reacting to Acne.org's AHA and/or Moisturizer. This very likely could be the culprit.

Burns like a mother, but works like a CHARM! Would have given it 5 stars if it didn't burn so badly!! Edit on 3/19/16: This does not burn my skin AT ALL anymore. When I first started using this I did not wait the full month, like Dan recommends. I now have been using the regimen for 4 months and I use the AHA moisturizer every other night and it doesn't burn at all. Just a very mild tingle. Still highly recommend this!! The longer I use it the better my skin looks :)

So I've never in my 20 years had acne. But recently I started breaking out. Probably because of stress, diet and hormonal imbalance. This made me feel insecure as I was previously used to people around me envying my skin and asking me for tips. I know I should've worked on my diet and all that but i wanted a fast fix. I read about this site online and was excited to try out the regimen. However, I don't really apply much chemicals on my face soo I only switched to cetaphil cleanser which is an alternative to the acne.org cleanser and also brought this item. It's been about 5 days now and I can feel my skins texture getting smoother and softer! I'm breaking my rules! I'm gonna get the Treatment too! 😭ðŸ'¸ take my money and give me my clear skin back!

This has almost single handedly saved my life and my skin. I was on the brink of suicide with regards to my severe cystic acne and and even more severe scarring (pitting and red marks on my brown Indian skin). Nonetheless I ordered the AHA with some remaining glimmer of hope that ok let me try one last thing before I give up. On first use, this stung like hell and made my skin go beet red. But I could tell the texture of my skin was changing so I persisted. In the first week or two, I noticed some new pimples forming to my dismay. But old pimples were receeding! And the texture and feel of my skin again, was so ultra smooth. The way I used this in order to dilute the product was to cleanse (BTW best cleanser in the world for acne is from an Australian company called ASAP - gentle cleansing gel, also containing glycolic. removes makeup and does NOT cause acne, lifesaver in itself please try it) then apply Nivea creme in the blue container plus almond oil to my skin, then immediately apply AHA over this moisturiser. This is so the AHA doesn't sting as much and is diluted to allow the skin to take it easy but STILL gives you full benefits of the AHA. Please try to use it in this way before discounting the product. Now I am at week 2.5 after starting the AHA and my skin is transformed. Only one new pimple, all other pimples have FADED. I'm not joking. I feel slowly some of my red scars are improving a little but I will need to use consistently for a few months before I can tell that for sure. Right now I use it every second night but when I use it every night I do see more benefits. I just don't want my skin to develop a tolerance to it by using every night. But this has saved my life and my skin. I just ordered an extra large pump dispenser of this. THANK YOU DAN!!!!! EDIT - this is also excellent for people who tend to break out after hair removal e.g. waxing/threading on the face like me. Cleanse the area with witch hazel/alcohol prior to hair removal, then after hair removal slather on AHA (only if your skin is not too sensitive otherwise it will BURN). I get no breakouts anymore after hair removal so I'm a very happy camper :) EDIT - spoke too soon. I'm still getting acne despite using AHA. Oh well. It wasn't the miracle for me after all. Definitely contemplating suicide now.

Ok so I started using the regimen a couple months ago and while my skin was clear of acne, I was left with really dry flaky tight skin which created an awful texture that was SUPER visible. I hated it as much as my acne, so I really wasn't feeling to happy about the results. I purchased this as it is recommended for fading post acne marks as well as getting rid of dry skin, i've been using this for a couple weeks in the evenings and omg, my skin not only isn't flaky and dry but it looks amazingly smooth! You wouldn't even know I'm an acne sufferer. I can't wait to see the results in a month because my spots are already fading and I love the way my skin looks! BUY THIS!!! and follow the instructions!

After 3 weeks of using the Acne.Org regime, I couldn't help wonder why my skin was still so flaky despite using the moisturiser and jojoba provided. Initially I had stayed away from the AHA+ due to the fact that some people had said it was too strong for their skin and they were experiencing some stinging feeling from it, and I was scared. I'd previously used Proactive and those stinging pains didn't go away after sooooo long and I was deterred from using the AHA+. But I tried it on to just see if it could help the flakiness go away, and lo and behold, it did!! Now I use it as a moisturiser instead as it works better for me. It has helped me achieved a smoother skin surface and I'm just super thankful for it! Hope it might work the same for the rest of us acne sufferers!

I added this to enhance Acne.org BP effectiveness for persistent adult acne. Acne has been gone for years but this AHA -- I use it once or twice a week all over to smooth, exfoliate and fight dry, aging skin from my face to my feet. The price is right and the ingredients are non-comedogenic. Customer for life, here.

This stuff really works - here's my experience with it. I had persistent back acne that started up at about age 14, eventually becoming more severe, with cysts on my shoulders and light acne on my lower back and chest. I tried various body washes and scrubs that didn't have much of an effect, and briefly tried the Acne.org AHA+/BP routine, but had to stop using it because the BP was bleaching my clothes. Finally about six months ago, still dealing with active acne and residual scarring all over my upper back, I decided to give the AHA+ another go. Although I only used it once every other day after showering (versus 2x a day as per the regimen), I quickly began to notice a difference in the texture of my skin. The change was slow - don't expect results overnight, or even in 2 weeks. However, eventually my active acne decreased dramatically, down to 2 or 3 spots instead of 20-30, and the scars began to fade. Fast forward to this summer and my back looks better than I ever thought it would, clear of acne and relatively smooth. I was even able to wear a bridesmaids dress in my friend's wedding - the first time in 7 or 8 years that I had been able to show my shoulders in public. While I don't consider myself "healed" of the internal causes of my acne, AHA has given me skin that I don't have to be embarrassed of, and I could not be happier with it. Thank you Dan! Tips for use: As a side note, AHA can be somewhat tricky to use, since it is a thick lotion and absorbs slowly. The routine that has worked best for me is to use Dan's cleanser in the shower to clear my pores, then gently towel dry and use a hairdryer on my back to get it as dry as possible. This helps the AHA absorb faster, since there's no water in your skin/pores. Then after applying about 2 pumps and rubbing it in gently, I use the hairdryer again for a few seconds to help speed along the drying process. After putting on AHA, I recommend wearing a shirt you don't care about, like an oversized T. It takes about an hour for the AHA to completely absorb, and it can leave a yellow residue on shirts.

It's been two months since I started using glycolic acid once a day and my skin is significantly more well-behaved and clear. My scars (from picking - you can pop, but DON'T pick) are also disappearing. I'm 26 years old and had moderate acne due mostly to overly sensitive skin (it's usually on the side of my face that I sleep on). My personal regimen is: Neutrogena Acne Cream Wash with salicylic acid (no exfoliating beads, that's just more irritation) in the morning. Then I mix a tiny amount of glycolic acid - I'm talking like half a pea here - in with Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Lotion and apply to my whole face except close to my eyes and lips. The ratio that works for me is such that I hardly feel the glycolic acid "tingle." If I use too much, my skin freaks out. There is a happy medium in there somewhere. I never put it on directly, except maybe as an occasional spot treatment. Wear sunscreen if necessary. Before bed, I do another salicylic cream wash. Everything I put on my face is non-comedogenic. Overall I feel SO much better about my skin; the only time I ever really break out is just a little during my cycle. It's calmer and less volatile. I just had to find a gentle, consistent routine with the right medicated products and my skin fell into line. Try it! P.S. I have a slightly bizarre presentation of seasonal allergies - they trigger eczema on and around my eyelids. If you have eczema, make sure glycolic acid goes nowhere near it; the last thing that skin needs is even more exfoliation.