Mar 19

Mar 19 PRODUCT REVIEW: THE INKEY LIST SUCCINIC ACID ACNE TREATMENT – BEST GENTLE ACNE TREATMENT, BEST ACNE TREATMENT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

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The Inkey List | Succinic Acid Acne Treatment

I first featured this cool acne innovation from The Inkey List on my IG page two weeks ago on #skincarmasaturday — when I share a glimpse of my new skincare discoveries of the week.

I’m always on the prowl for new acne treatments — and particularly gentle, effective treatments that don’t dry out the skin and compromise the microbiome and overall skin health.

Inkey is an innovation machine and the brand’s new Succinic Acid Acne Treatment is a fascinating new product for the treatment of acne.

The Succinic Acid Acne Treatment is a blend of two proven actives for the treatment of acne, Sulfur Powder and Salicylic Acid, which are combined with Succinic Acid. I know, I’d never heard of Succinic Acid either. So I googled it.

I found an insightful piece on Refinery29 titled, I Used Buzzy Ingredient Succinic Acid For 4 Weeks & It Changed My Skin.

What is succinic acid and how can it treat acne, fine lines and wrinkles?
“Naturally found in amber or sugar cane, succinic acid is sustainably obtained through a process of fermentation and is similar in aim to salicylic acid. It has skin-softening and bacteria-inhibiting properties and helps to control sebum, therefore reducing shine and excess oil, which can potentially lead to breakouts. It also restores the skin’s pH balance – something some skincare products (such as foaming cleansers or harsh exfoliating acids) can disrupt, causing redness, dryness and cracked skin.
“Although new to us in the beauty industry, succinic acid has been used in European countries for many years for its medicinal properties. Its skincare properties are especially intriguing, though. ‘As succinic acid balances oily and congested complexions, it’s ideal for patients with acne,’ says skin expert and facialist Renée Lapino. ‘This leads to fewer spots and blackheads. But succinic acid also reverses the visible signs of ageing, and is especially useful for those with sensitive skin that gets red or irritated easily.’”

Inkey’s Succinic Acid Acne Treatment contains 2% Succinic Acid as well as an effective 1% concentration of tried-and-true Salicylic Acid, which may or may not be enough for the treatment of your own acne. Like so many skin concerns, the occurrence of acne is specific to each individual.

I like the inclusion of 0.4% Hyaluronic Acid to help prevent dryness.

How do I know it works if I haven’t treated acne with it directly?

Well, the INCI list is always where I start. Given its sufficient level of proven Sulfur Powder and Salicylic Acid. it’s logical to extrapolate that it would have an effect of acne. To what extent is the question.

What about people who’ve actually used it? There are more than 200 reviews on the product page for The Inkey List’s Succinic Acid Acne Treatment on Sephora.com — with an overall 4.6/5 stars rating.

Of those, 145 reviewers gave the Succinic Acid Acne Treatment five stars and only six rated it with just one star.

One user exclaimed, “Can I just say that my favorite thing about this acne treatment is the fact that it doesn’t bleach anything? Love the price point, and the fact that it doesn’t strip or irritate my fairly sensitive skin at all. It does the job and gets rid of acne/pimples in about 2-3 days. Even shortened the life of some of those really difficult, painful hormonal cysts. Definitely my new favorite spot treatment.”

Yet, another wasn’t exactly a fan, saying, “This product does nothing!!!! I have tried and tried and tried it over and over. It does nothing except make me look like Shrek.”

Hmm. It’s a spot treatment. I don’t think it’s intended for use over the entire face!

Anyway, you may want to read the reviews and decide for yourself if Inkey’s Succinic Acid Acne Treatment is worth the $8.99. That’s how it goes with new product innovations…

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Inkey List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment for $8.99 here.

BUY THE INKEY LIST SUCCINIC ACID ACNE TREATMENT