Makeup
The #ProductEmpties We Loved to the Last DropFrom new finds to longtime favorites, these are beauty products that our editors use until the bitter end (of the tube) |
|
PHOTO 46/255
Chalk it up to disastrous encounters with early aughts-era super-strength astringents and salicylic acid-packed foaming gel cleansers that left my complexion drier than the Sahara, but I've always treated acne products with a little respectful fear.
Working as a beauty editor has gotten me to (slowly) embrace some of the harsher (yet often most effective) products like retinol serums and exfoliating treatments like glow tonics — I even consider them staples in my ever-more complex beauty routine. Still, I've somewhat irrationally continued to regard acne-specific treatments with trepidation; despite the fact that adult acne remains a daily struggle for me.
Three weeks with Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster, $36, and I'm singing an entirely different tune. The creamy gel product, which is designed to be layered or mixed with the rest of your skin care routine, has helped curb my breakouts and left my skin about as clear as it's ever been, without causing any irritation or dryness. It's also helping to eradicate the PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) that's taken up a constant residence on my cheeks and chin since early adolescence.
What can I say? The stuff has already earned a place in my heart — and medicine cabinet — right next to my beloved pimple patches. — Rosie Narasaki
Intro image via @paulaschoice
SEE NEXT PAGE: This Refreshing Fragrance Is Like a Walk in the Park
