If you type ‘clear acne naturally’ into Google, you’ll come across some awful suggestions: Cut out gluten, dairy, sugar and carbs immediately (ok, shall I just eat lettuce then?) Use coconut oil as a moisturiser (even though coconut oil quite literally blocks your pores?) And the worst one, use lemon juice to target spots (um, ouch?) It’s immediately clear that most of these articles have been written by a blog writer with clear skin, rather than someone who’s actually experienced acne and come out the other end. Well, that’s where I come in ? My name’s Alice and I’ve had acne on and off s ..read more

Turmeric: it stains your clothes, it makes a very Instagrammable latte and – yes – it can be a lifesaver for anyone with acne. I know this from experience. I had acne for over 10 years and, after tens of rounds of antibiotics, a stint on accutane and, more recently, a huge diet and lifestyle overhaul, I’ve finally managed to wave goodbye to it. These days, in my all-new clear skin era, turmeric supplements are a key part of my acne-preventing routine. Turmeric for acne: Everything you need to know You’re probably here wondering if turmeric supplements could help your skin and whether they ..read more

If you’ve been following my acne story for a while, you’ll know I’ve tried absolutely everything to clear my skin. Antibiotics, topical treatments, accutane, spironolactone, various supplements (which were previously based on guesswork) – the lot. Accutane worked for a couple of years, spironolactone worked while I was on it, and topical treatments like tretinoin have definitely played a role in keeping my acne manageable. But a few months back, after 10+ years of sore, spotty skin, I was desperate to try a different route – one that kept my skin clear for good. I was on a mission to clear m ..read more

DIM, DIM, DIM… it’s really fucking great for hormonal acne, it means ‘no’ in Welsh (I just had to throw that in there) and, most annoyingly, it’s surprisingly hard to come across in the UK. Yup. If you’re like me and looking to stock up on DIM supplements to help balance your hormones and nip those spots in the bud, you’re probably wondering where the heck to get it. There’s no sign of it in Boots or Superdrug, it’s nowhere to be seen in good ol’ Holland & Barret and it’s not even on Amazon. What’s going on, DIM? Where you at, bro? Well, I’m here to help. I’ve found a super reliable bran ..read more

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (a really, really, really big one), you’ve probably already heard of the CeraVe Moisturising Cream. It’s a real holy grail in the skincare world, which means, as a skincare lover, I should’ve tried it years ago. The thing is (and I probably sound like a broken record at this point), any moisturiser that’s described as ‘creamy’ or ‘rich’ or ‘nourishing’ scares me. Yep, I have moisturiser fear (yes, weird, I know). But I’m super duper acne-prone; and it’s this kind of moisturiser that has the potential to make my skin go from clear to ‘oh, hello, 265 spot ..read more

If you know that wearing SPF is important but struggle to find one that suits your chaotic, acne-prone skin, I feel your pain. The good news? You’re in the right place. I’ve been testing out loads of ‘acne-friendly’ (uh, we’ll see about that) SPFs to find which ones are worth your hard-earned cash… and which belong in the skincare-sin-bin. With that said, here’s my full review of the Purifide (Acnecide) Daily Moisturiser with SPF30. (Spoiler: for the price, it’s a good’un). Purifide (Acnecide) Daily Moisturiser SPF30 review Just in case you don’t want to read the full review (I don’t blam ..read more

I’ve lost count of the number of moisturisers I’ve tried. I’ve got extremely acne-prone, kinda oily-kinda-dry skin that’s – in all honesty – a bit of a nightmare. Most moisturisers are either rich enough but break me out… or not rich enough but don’t break me out. So if you’re an acne-prone gal or guy like me, you’ll know that it’s pretty damn tricky to get the balance right. Well, that’s what brought me to the Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion. Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion review This moisturiser claimed to be non-pore-blocking, light-weight and non-greasy, but nourishing enough to restore an ..read more

If you’re acne-prone and combination-skinned like me, you’ve probably done this too: Used the strongest cleanser you can possibly find, lathered way too much of it on your face in a bid to clear your skin and made the whole situation 10x worse. Think red skin, stinging and endless dryness – by the scientific term, a compromised skin barrier. That’s exactly why I was so excited to try the Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser. It claimed to ‘deeply clean and minimise pores’ without drying the skin, thanks to Cetaphil’s savvy blend of niacinamide (vitamin B3) and panthenol (pro-vitamin B5). For an acne ..read more

Acne-prone skin & facial SPF = a nightmare waiting to happen. I’ve tried so many well-known SPFs that have made my skin go from calm and clear to bumpy and inflamed within days.  But that’s no excuse to skimp on SPF – which, arguably, is the most important skincare product of them all. With that said, I’ve been testing loads out and have found another great SPF for acne-prone skin: the Ultrasun Face SPF30. Ultrasun Face Anti-Age SPF30 review Summed up, the Ultrasun Face SPF30 is super lightweight and – even better – non-comedogenic, so doesn’t make me breakout. Plus, there’s none ..read more

A few months back – and around 2 years since my last accutane pill – I was desperately searching for a natural option to treat my hormonal acne when I came across DIM. I’d already gone through most conventional treatments antibiotics, topical creams like Epiduo and Differin, spironolactone, Accutane and contraceptive pills. Most worked short-term, but my acne has always come back, at least to some extent. Women on Reddit, blogs and even in magazines like Women’s Health were touting DIM as the ultimate cure for their stubborn hormonal acne – and I wanted a piece of that magic, too! Your quick g ..read more