"I am 30 and have occasional acne. Why?"

If you notice the acne that you had when you were 15 has returned, rest assured, you are not alone. One in five women and men between 25 and 45 suffer from adult acne. Unfortunately, women tend to be more prone to acne than men, and, many adults will get the occasional break out – we live in dirty cities!

There are several causes of adult acne: stress, hormones, cosmetics, and simply using too many products that strip your skin (forcing it to produce twice as much oil) and clog your pores. Acne usually begins with blackheads or oil and dead skin cells trapped in a pore with bacteria. Red pimples develop when blackheads become inflamed, spreading when touched with dirty hands.

Picking the right products to treat adult acne is key. Keep in mind, the typical products you used as a teenager will not work on adult skin. Here are our MALIN+GOETZ suggestions:

Immediate Treatment

- Acne Treatment: Sometimes the occasional random pimple can’t be helped. To get rid of an existing or developing pimple quickly, try our Acne Treatment. The magic ingredient is 10% Sulfur (the highest amount allowed as an over the counter drug). Sulfer dries the spot and kills the bacteria that caused it. Zinc and organic camphour prevent drying, redness or scarring. Leave it on overnight and by morning it will be gone!

Maintenance and Prevention

- Grapefruit Face Cleanser: A gentle but thorough daily cleanser is an essential first step (for everything, FYI). Our Cleanser lifts pore-clogging oil, dirt and makeup from the skin while natural grapefruit extract kills the bacteria causing acne. Cleanse morning and night, but more often or over-washing can strip the skin’s natural oils (so can toners, astringents and harsh cleansers) and force it to produce more oil, clogging pores, etc. – very counterproductive! And remember, use warm water as hot water can be drying and irritating to sensitive skin.

- Vitamin E Face Moisturizer: Now that the face is clean, choose the right moisturizer to pH balance the skin. Our Vitamin E Face Moisturizer is intensely hydrating AND oil free choice, so it won’t clog your pores or leave any sort of greasy residue. Great for under make up and day and night use in general.

- Detox Face Mask: A deep cleansing once or twice a week can help reinforce the efforts to clear and prevent break outs. Unlike traditional clay masks that can be drying, our Detox Face Mask is a hydrating gentle gel. In 5 easy minutes, the gel oxygenates or foams, opening pores to pull impurities to the surface. Rinse off. Don’t wash before or after—it is also a cleanser. Skin is deeply cleansed and intensely hydrated for bright clarity! Instant results. (Guys, you can shave the foam off as well!)

Brian Lynch, Training Manager