Every year we welcome submissions for our Acne Expert of the Year contest to celebrate the life-changing results achieved by our community of Acne Experts and their clients. Our 2020 winner, Zaida Gordon, took some time with us to share her esthetics journey and how she’s found success as an Certified Acne Expert. From a really young age I was obsessed with all thing’s beauty and glam. I would watch my mom get ready and she would have her make-up and potions and I just loved watching her transformation, so whenever I could I was like ‘oh let me play with this make-up, let me play with these p ..read more

The new year has become synonymous with resolutions big and small—whether it be setting a work or school goal or making a small adjustment to your life, resolutions are typically about making progress. At Face Reality, we like to celebrate not just the end goal, but every step taken toward that goal. Skincare is not just about how it makes you look, but about how it makes you feel. Our dedicated community of Acne Experts believe that skincare is self-care, and there’s no better new year resolution than to care for yourself. With the skilled guidance of a Certified Acne Expert, you will feel a ..read more

The holiday season may be cheerful, but it certainly brings some challenges besides the usual planning stress and shopping rush—especially for the acne prone! Acne should be the least of our worries when we’re setting up to gather and be merry, so we’ve taken care of the search for the perfect acne safe holiday essentials. Whether you’re giving suggestions to acne clients or purchasing yourself, we have everything from stocking stuffers to unboxing excitement to celebrate the holidays with confidence! Priia Acne-Safe Lip Balm Created by Acne Expert Kelley Maddison, Priia Cosmetics are formul ..read more

In 2018, we began holding an annual Acne Expert of the Year contest to celebrate the incredible life-changing results accomplished by our talented community of Acne Experts and their committed clientele. This is not just an opportunity to win a prize, but to gain exposure as an exceptional esthetician that not only achieves results but supports and guides their clientele towards the ultimate reward of their hard work: confidence. As we hold our 3rd year of this contest, we picked the brain of our 2019 winner, Michelle Fuller, to reveal just how special being an Acne Expert is, and how success ..read more

Who would have known that doing your part during a pandemic could lead to facial trauma and breakouts? Even Acne Experts like us couldn’t have foreseen the unsavory pandemic side effect known as Maskne. The technical term for Maskne is Acne Mechanica which is defined as acne caused by friction, heat, and pressure on the skin. These three elements block the skin from air, making sweat build-up inevitable. Like other acne types, Maskne can be treated and prevented using the right products and a little foresight! Treating Maskne at Home Rest assured that you can easily treat your Maskne from t ..read more

Everyone wants brighter, healthier skin but it seems to be so much work to achieve. The summer months can take a toll on the skin’s brightness and texture from heat, dry air and increased sweat production—all of this creates the perfect storm for dull skin to take hold. Whether you’re struggling with natural forces or with the appearance of hyperpigmentation, we have a few easy ways to obtain brighter, clear skin without hassle. A Gentle Everyday Exfoliation First in our line-up is Sal-C Toner—in just one swipe, this toner is quite literally the easiest way to add a boost of radiance to you ..read more

Everyone knows that feeling: you wake up, shuffling groggily into the bathroom to get your day started only to catch one glimpse of your face in the mirror—and there it is, an angry pimple that wasn’t there last night. You don’t have to tell us that your entire day flashes before your eyes with that inflamed uninvited guest on your face pulsing away. And even worse? All the acne spot treatments you have or have tried before either didn’t work (cue frustration and wasted money) or left behind a dry, rough patch that isn’t much better than having the pimple in the first place. While there are so ..read more

Physical? Chemical? Mineral? Zinc? Broad-Spectrum? What’s the difference? These days there are a myriad of sunscreens on the market. But which one is best for you? And how does it affect your acne? In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness month we felt the need to inform everyone of the benefits of sunscreen, why it’s important and which one is the best for your skin type. There are a few different sunscreen options and you should most defiantly know the differences. Physical Sunscreens mean that they physically block your skin from UV rays. They will often use minerals such as zinc oxide and titan ..read more

written by Francesca Buongiorno Omega-3 fatty acids are found in high concentrations in cold water ocean fish such as sardines, anchovies, herring, salmon and mackerel. Research indicates that Omega-3 fish oil promotes an anti-inflammatory response in the body, preventing and improving symptoms of common diseases and ailments. Studies have shown that people who suffer from chronic inflammatory acne may benefit from taking therapeutic doses (1000-1700 mg) of purified omega-3 oils daily. With recent scares regarding the purity of ocean fish, and thereby the safety and efficacy of supplements der ..read more

Salty foods and food high in iodides are the culprit in making acne worse. Below is a list of foods typically high in iodides. We tell people to not go crazy around eliminating these foods, just be aware of eating too much of them. For example, we had a client who was almost clear. She then came into our clinic all broken out and we couldn’t imagine what was going on – I asked her if she was eating a lot of seafood or seaweed. She said, “why yes, I’m sprinkling kelp on my food every day.” As you can see by the chart, kelp has the most iodide of any food. We got her off the kelp and helped her ..read more