Skip to main content

The Manual Guide to Fighting Adult Acne

While acne is a nuisance during your teen years, it can be even more annoying as an adult. We turned to a few acne experts for tips:

Recommended Videos

Celebrity dermatologist and acne expert, Dr. Whitney Bowe:

Clean Up Your Diet Nutrition may influence acne for some people.[1] Maintaining a diet of low glycemic index foods like non-starchy vegetables, steel-cut oatmeal and most fruits has been associated with improvements in acne.It may also be beneficial to avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white bread or white rice.

Give Probiotics a Try People with acne-prone skin can benefit from daily use of a topical or oral probiotic. When applied topically, probiotics cause bacterial interference and protect the skin. When taken orally, such as Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium or in yogurts containing live cultures, probiotics could influence skin conditions such as acne by affecting what is known as the “gut-brain-skin axis.”

Talk to your dermatologist It’s important to visit your dermatologist to discuss treatment options and figure out what works best for you.

Television host and blogger, Lindsey Calla lives by these simple wellness tips:

More Matcha Matcha has a high concentration of antioxidants. Try it in a latte or add it to your morning green smoothie.

Breathe, Stretch, Meditate Engaging in a form of relaxation such as yoga, tai chi or meditation can greatly reduce stress, which may cause acne to flare in women. I also recommend taking five to ten minutes at the beginning or end of your day to focus on deep breathing in order to relax.

Make Time to Sweat Regular exercise is important for overall well-being and can improve some skin conditions that are worsened by stress.8,9 Exercise can also improve your mood by reducing stress and increasing the production of endorphins.

Annie Chiu, Los Angeles-based dermatologist and acne expert:

Make easy adjustments to your skincare routine For example, if you tend to have oily hair you may want to consider shampooing daily.

Watch what you eat Nutrition, specifically carbohydrates, may impact acne for some people. In this case, it may be beneficial for those who suffer from acne to adopt a diet consisting of low-glycemic foods, such as non-starchy vegetables and 100% stone-ground whole wheat or pumpernickel bread, and avoid refined carbohydrates.

Proativ+ Complete Kit
Everybody from Diddy to Justin Bieber endorses this, and it’s been tried and true for years. If you have severe acne, this is probably your best bet.
$69.95 at proactiv.com.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo and La Roche Posay Effaclar Gel
There’s a reason why the French have such good skin. They wash their faces with the refreshing La Roche Posay Gel, and then they treat their acne with La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, which has Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide (5.5%) to fight acne deep in the skin, plus Micro-Exfoliating LHA provides precise cell by cell exfoliation to clear away dulling cellular debris and oil.
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, $39.95 at laroche-posay.us; La Roche Posay Effaclar Gel, $14.99 at laroche-posay.us.

Jack Black 3-in-1 Clear Complexion Solution Razor Bump & Acne Treatment
This handy product treats acne, razor bumps and it also acts as a daily astringent
$25 at nordstrom.com.

Menscience Men’s Acne Treatment System
This treatment system was developed specifically for the needs of men.
For more information, visit menscience.com.

Kiehl’s Acne Blemish Control Daily Skin-Clearing Treatment
This treatment is formulated with a powerful blend of blemish-fighting Dioic, Salicylic and Lipo Hydroxy Acids to clear up your skin.
$30 at kiehls.com.

Ann Binlot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
Atwater’s new Smooth Target aims to provide complete beard care
Atwater's Smooth Target offers complete beard care
Atwater beard oil

Given the explosive growth of men’s beards — both literally and as a product category — many beard companies are expanding their range of offerings, pumping out everything from oils and balms to basic grooming tools like beard combs.
But Atwater is going in a different direction. The company’s new 5-in-1 beard oil, Smooth Target, is designed to be all things to all men when it comes to beard care.

Complete beard care in a single package

Read more
Iconic monsters define the latest Dr. Squatch soaps
Dr. Squatch gets monstrous for its latest soap release
Dr. Squatch Godzilla King soaps

When it comes to new soap releases and the role that marketing plays in the clean-up process, breaking down a Dr. Squatch promo is like entering a unique portal where some of the specifics take some very different twists and turns.
That’s definitely the case for this release, which features a pair of iconic monsters: Godzilla and King Kong. They’re inspired by last year’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which redefined this old-school sci fi rivalry by bringing in over $500 million at the box office.

Monsters on the loose

Read more
ALTAIA’s Woo(E)D features exotic international fragrances
ALTAIA is an Italian company with an international approach to fragrances
ALTAIA WOO(E)D men's cologne

With a product name that leans heavily into the concept of seduction, ALTAIA is taking an intriguing approach to masculinity in its latest eau de parfum release. There’s more than a little ambiguity behind the “who seduces who?” question behind the name, and the foundation fragrances are designed to enhance and deepen that mystery.
ALTAIA is an Italian company with a flair for internationally-based fragrances, so it isn’t completely surprising that the foundation here consists of a combination of Atlas cedar, Gaiac wood, and cistus. This combination is well worth exploring, so let’s go there.

Not the usual woody foundation fragrances
 
While cedar might feel familiar as a foundation ingredient in men’s fragrances, this particular version is different.  Atlas cedar is native to the Atlas mountains in Algeria and Morocco, and it’s prized for having a warm scent that also offers a hint of delicate sweetness.
Gaiac wood is equally unique. It comes from a tree native to South America, and its smoky, sweet scent blends with both its woody cousin and the leather in the next layer. It offers traces of amber, too, and in its natural form this versatile, super-hard wood is used in both tool handles and traditional medicine.
Cistus has its own special origins, too. It grows wild in the areas around the Mediterranean, and it produces labdanum, a sticky resin that’s a staple of the perfume and fragrance world. It’s often used to support wood fragrances in the base layer, so it’s not surprising to see it turn up here. Perfumers see it as both cozy and romantic, hence the appeal in a fragrance that seeks to evoke this level of romanticism.
After an early April release, WOO(E)D is now available in the US. It is available in 100 mL  quantities for $230. It’s an expensive offering, but ATLAIA is hoping it will entice younger buyers, especially, to try some of the company’s other unusual fragrances.

Read more