Jun 21

Jun 21 PRODUCT REVIEW: FIRST AID BEAUTY FAB PHARMA BHA ACNE SPOT TREATMENT GEL 2% SALICYLIC ACID - BEST ACNE TREATMENT WITH SALICYLIC ACID, BEST SPOT TREATMENT

PM Regimen, facial treatments, facial skincare, acne probiotics, acne treatments, sensitive skin, best acne treatments, oily skin, acne prone skin

FIRST AID BEAUTY | FAB PHARMA BHA ACNE SPOT TREATMENT GEL 2% SALICYLIC ACID

I gotta say I haven’t always had the greatest success with acne spot treatments so my expectations for First Aid Beauty’s new FAB Pharma BHA Acne Spot Treatment Gel 2% Salicylic Acid were a bit tempered.

on the occasions that I spot a blemish — usually on my chin or sides of my nose — I usually just use The Ordinary’s Salicylic Acid 2% Solution or a Zitsticka acne patch (but I’m out!).

I do trust FAB and consider it the best skincare for sensitive skin; acne I wasn’t sure about.

But the new BHA Acne Spot Treatment Gel actually works. And it came just in time for me. The day I got my hands on this was the day I got my first zit in weeks — right in the middle of my chin. A few dabs and a day later, I forgot it was even there.

Of course, as with wrinkles and signs of aging, the best treatment for acne blemishes is preventative. A little daily pore maintenance with a Niacinamide serum and an exfoliating, pore-refining toner like the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant goes a long way to limiting the occurrence of acne breakouts.

PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA LIQUID EXFOLIANT – BEST TONER FOR OILY SKIN

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Salicylic Acid is currently the active of choice for controlling acne- and oily-prone skin. It’s so effective at optimizing skin health that it should be a staple in every pro-skin health routine, not just an acne routine.

What Is Salicylic Acid and Is Salicylic Acid Good for Acne?

According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team, Salicylic Acid is among the best ingredients for promoting skin health and specifically the treatment of acne blemishes:

“Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, or BHA, which is a desmolytic ingredient. That means it targets certain protein bonds in skin, known as desmosomes, that keep dead cells clinging to skin instead of sloughing off. Skin’s natural shedding process can become faulty due to age, sun damage, and problems like acne and excess oil. Exfoliating helps restore this natural ability.
“Salicylic acid is unique because it not only loosens the bonds between dead skin on the surface but also deep in the pore lining, where spent cells mix with oil and debris, becoming trapped below the surface. Left unchecked, all this buildup leads to dull, rough skin and clogged pores, setting the stage for blackheads and bumps.
“Compared to water-soluble alpha hydroxy acids, this type of acid is oil soluble, so it’s able to get through the oil, thinning it so it can flow freely to skin’s surface where your cleanser washes it away. Its oil-soluble nature makes it preferred for oily, breakout-prone skin, and it’s why medicated salicylic acid products for acne work so well; however, all skin types can benefit from this ingredient.”

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FAB promises their new spot treatment gel will “visibly improve blemish-prone skin in as little as 24 hours”. It sure delivered. I’m almost excited to get another zit just to try it again to be sure it wasn’t a fluke.

So what makes the First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma BHA Acne Spot Treatment so effective?

Well, a deep dive into the INCI and I see the anticipated 2% Salicylic Acid. But there’s also the curious addition of two exfoliating AHA’s — Glycolic Acid and Citric Acid — as well as Willow Bark Extract, a natural BHA which functions similarly to Salicylic Acid. That added exfoliation helps to clear skin of dead surface skin cells that can (and do!) clog pores — a real issue for acne-prone skin.

Additionally, in classic FAB fashion, there are multiple skin-soothing actives: Urea, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bisabolol, Colloidal Oatmeal, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Feverfew Extract and Radish Root Ferment Filtrate.

That’s a veritable cocktail of irritation soothers, something that’s often missing from even the best acne serums — but that First Aid Beauty clearly got right. (I told you I trust them when it comes to sensitive skin!)

If you manage acne, you know skin irritation, redness and sensitivity are part of the battle. First Aid Beauty’s FAB Pharma BHA Acne Spot Treatment Gel 2% Salicylic Acid is kind of an extra-ordinary spot treatment for sure. I think they did a fab job with this baby!

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma BHA Acne Spot Treatment Gel 2% Salicylic Acid for $29 here.

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