Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment ~ Review

Disclaimer: I received this product free for review, but all opinions are my own!

Acne has been a hot topic on this blog since the beginning. What causes it, how to prevent it and what to treat it are often discussed here. If you've been following me for a while, you may recall my post on Neutrogena's Light Therapy Acne Mask last year (you can find that post here ). In short (and seriously over simplified), it's a chemical free mask to treat and prevent acne. I'm quite fond of it, but sometimes I only have a single pimple and don't want to pull out the whole mask. Sometimes I want to spot treat. And now I can, with Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment.

Neutrogena recently released the Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment and it combines what I liked about the original Light Therapy Acne Mask (chemical free, easy to use, etc.) with some new improvements. One of the things that I didn't like about the original was that you needed to replace the cartridges and the batteries after 30 sessions. With this, all you need to do is replace is the battery once it dies (FYI it only takes 1 AAA battery). Not only is it less of a hassle, it's less of a burden on the environment.

Neutrogena's Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment is really easy to use. Simply wash and dry your face as usual, place over the pimple you want to treat and turn it on. Once you hear the beep, the device is now on and will run for 2 minutes. You should treat the pimple 3x a day til it's gone. The red and blue light delivers a targeted dose of acne-killing light directly into the source of the breakout.

I personally prefer this over the original Light Therapy Acne Mask because it's portable, less wasteful and easier to store. Plus when my skin has broken out lately, it has been localized, so this is a much better fit.

If you suffer from light to moderate breakouts, this is for you. If you have wider spread breakouts, then you may want to check out the Light Therapy Acne Mask.

You can find Neutrogena's Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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NeoStrata's New Acne Clear Line ~ Review

If you suffer from breakouts, you should check out NeoStrata's new Acne Clear line. Widely available at most major drugstores, this line will help treat active pimples while helping to prevent future breakouts. There are 2 different treatment options and today I'm sharing my thoughts on the system for severe acne.

The first step in any anti-acne routine is cleansing. NeoStata's Acne Clear Clarifying Gel Cleanser (200ml, $24.50 CAD) deep cleanses to wash away bacteria, oil and impurities. It's formulated with 2% salicylic acid to help dry up any active breakouts and unclog your pores to prevent future breakouts.

I love how clean my face feels after using this cleanser! I use it in the evening after oil cleansing and it leaves my face feeling deeply cleansed. A little goes a long way - which means this bottle will last a long time. Since my skin is prone to drying out, I only use this in the evening. If you have oily skin or have lots of breakouts I'd recommend using it twice daily.

The next step is applying NeoStrata's Acne Clear Clarifying Solution (200 ml, $29.50 CAD). Chemical exfoliation is key to treating and preventing acne. This clarifying solution contains both BHA (2% salicylic acid) as well as AHA (10% glycolic acid). In case you're not sure how BHA's and AHA's work here's a quick breakdown as found on NeoStrata's website .

GLYCOLIC ACID

The alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) of choice. Its small molecular size makes it effective in removing the build-up of dead cells on the surface of the skin. Has an ideal pH for better results.

SALICYLIC ACID 

A beta hydroxyl acid that dries and helps clear up acne pimples while reducing the severity of acne pimples, allowing skin to heal.

If you're new to using chemical exfoliants, its best to start slowly to build skin tolerance. Start by applying it at night, every other night, and gradually increase the frequency of applications. If you have severely problematic skin you can use it twice daily. If you have minimal breakouts or just want to prevent them, you can get away with applying it a few times a week. Alternatively, you can use it as a spot treatment. Always wear sunscreen when using AHA and BHA because they make your skin more susceptible to sun damage.

I personally use it every other night and as a spot treatment because my skin tends to dry out fairly quickly. Even though I don't use it daily, the effects are still noticeable - smaller pores and reduced breakouts.

The final step is to apply NeoStrata's Acne Clear Acne Fluid Treatment (50 ml, $29 CAD). It helps to dry out pimples, absorb excess oil and minimize dilated pores. It also moisturizes leaving a shine-free finish, soothes skin and calms redness.

I don't know why, but I was expecting this to have more of a lotion texture seeing how it's the final step in this anti-acne routine. As the name suggests, it is indeed a fluid. Even though it is quite viscous, it feels very hydrating and that feeling lasts. It absorbs quickly and leaves my face looking calm and shine free. I only apply it once a day because my combo skin is prone to drying out when I use too much salicylic acid.

This anti-acne treatment plan has been helping my skin stay clear amidst the stress of moving so it gets a definite thumbs up from me!

You can find NeoStrata's Acne Clear range at most mass drugstores and online at well.ca

*press samples were provided for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own.