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This Gentle Cleanser
Avène Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser
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This Gentle Cleanser
Avène Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser
Credit: Amazon.comThe last thing you need to be using when you have acne is a cleanser that also has a ton of harsh acne-fighting ingredients. This ultra-gentle, soap-free one clears away any dirt and grime and helps keep your skin blemish-free with thermal spring water, sebo-regulating patented monolaurain, and anti-inflammatory zinc gluconate without stripping your face of its natural oils.
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This Spot-Fading Cleansing Bar
Urban Skin Rx 3-in-1 Even Tone Cleansing Bar
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This Spot-Fading Cleansing Bar
Urban Skin Rx 3-in-1 Even Tone Cleansing Bar
Credit: Courtesy ImageThis cleansing bar kinda-sorta does it all: It dissolves dirt and oil on contact, it doubles as a spot-brightening mask (just leave the suds on your skin for three minutes before washing off), and it gently exfoliates dry patches and dark patches as you rub it around. With ingredients like kojic acid and niacinamide—two of the best and most gentle skin brighteners, this cleanser will help you fight dark spots from the moment you start your day.
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This Brightening Serum
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
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This Brightening Serum
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
Credit: Courtesy ImageMassage a few drops of this serum over your clean, dry skin every morning to boost your skin’s natural protection against UVA/UVB rays and infrared radiation (heat)—both of which create dark spots and worsen acne scars. This cult-favorite serum also contains huge doses of vitamins C and E and ferulic acid, which work together to noticeably brighten your skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
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This Skin-Smoothing Peel
Beautycounter Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel
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This Skin-Smoothing Peel
Beautycounter Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel
Now 12% Off
Credit: beauty counterThis multi-acid AHA/BHA peel (it uses glycolic, malic, and botanically derived lactic acid to get the job done) is safe enough for sensitive skin and helps cells turn over faster, clearing away dead skin that can leave behind a dull appearance. Translation: You have a dark spot from that blemish you picked, you use this, and then you see the acne mark diminish within a week. P.S. Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you can use this three times a week, but start once a week at first to ease into it.
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These Resurfacing Pads
Cane + Austin Acne Retexture Pad
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These Resurfacing Pads
Cane + Austin Acne Retexture Pad
Credit: Courtesy ImageNote: These pads are not for the sensitive-skinned, so keep reading if your face routinely stings. These resurfacing pads, which contain 5 percent glycolic acid and 2 percent salicylic, not only help fade existing acne scars but also prevent future blemishes from popping up and ruining your day. Gently swipe one over your clean face two to four times a week for an overall brighter complexion.
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This Skin-Renewing SPF
Kinship Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 32
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This Skin-Renewing SPF
Kinship Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 32
Credit: KinshipWhat’s cool about this sheer, luminous sunscreen is that it contains Kinbiome, the company’s proprietary blend of plant-based probiotic ingredients that keeps your skin barrier strong (and less susceptible to breakouts—and thus acne spots), helps balance oil, and leaves you looking like a protected baby angel. It also contains turmeric, which helps improve the appearance of damaged skin (aka you picked your face and are now in SOS mode).
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This Scar-Preventing Sunscreen
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen
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This Scar-Preventing Sunscreen
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen
Credit: Courtesy ImageIf you’re trying to heal a scar, the sun is your enemy and sunscreen is your hero. Why? Because UV rays cause excess melanin (pigment-containing cells) to flood the area, causing spots to look more pronounced. To protect your face—and keep dark patches from getting, well, darker—try this sunscreen that’s completely sheer and caste-free, making it perfect for every skin tone.
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These Scar-Fading Peel Pads
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel
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These Scar-Fading Peel Pads
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel
Now 20% Off
Credit: Courtesy ImageEach of these exfoliating peel pads are presoaked with glycolic and lactic acids that work to soften skin, smooth fine lines, and boost cellular turnover. This combo not only combats hyperpigmentation on your face but also helps your body churn out brighter, newer skin at a faster rate. Swipe one over your clean, dry skin two nights a week, then follow with a moisturizer (they can be drying).
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This Illuminating Serum
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense
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This Illuminating Serum
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense
Credit: Courtesy ImageSpread a thin layer of this brightening serum all over your face morning and night, and expect to see an improvement in the evenness of your skin tone in just a few weeks. Its key ingredient is tranexamic acid, a topical lightener that works to diffuse hyperpigmentation without burning your skin off.
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This Healing Serum
IS Clinical Pro-heal Serum Advance+
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This Healing Serum
IS Clinical Pro-heal Serum Advance+
Credit: Dermstore.comAny spots left behind from your stress- or period-induced pimples are no match for this healing serum. It uses anti-inflammatory zinc sulfate with time-released brightening vitamin C, acne-fighting kojic acid, and regenerating vitamins E and A to leave you with the clear skin of your damn dreams. Oh, and fun fact: It even heals bug bites.
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This All-in-One Retinoid
Differin Acne Treatment
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This All-in-One Retinoid
Differin Acne Treatment
Credit: Courtesy ImageIt brightens! It kills zits! It smooths scars! It totally resurfaces your face to give you the skin of a baby! IT’S DIFFERIN! This over-the-counter retinoid (an umbrella term for all vitamin-A derivatives, including retinol) is the only active ingredient that’s proven to speed up your collagen production to increase cell turnover, and, in turn, give you the skin of your dreams. It can be irritating at first, so start slow: Apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin one night a week for one week, two nights a week for two weeks, three nights a week for three weeks, and then every other night indefinitely.
Carly Cardellino was the beauty director at Cosmopolitan. If you follow her Instagram, then you know she'll try just about any beauty trend or treatment once (the pics of her purple hair are on IG to prove it). But her favorite part about being in beauty is finding the most effective products, and then sharing that intel with others—because who wants to spend money on stuff that doesn't work? No one, that's who. Her most recent discovery: De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment, which will change your blemish-clearing game! Hopefully through the beauty stories she writes—and the experiences she shares—you can see exactly why she's in this business.
Ama Kwarteng was previously the associate beauty editor at Cosmopolitan.
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