La Roche-Posay Effaclar Acne Face Wash with 4% Benzoyl Peroxide

Most Helpful Positive Review

Thank you!

*long review, but hopefully it'll help someone like me!* I'm 31, but when I was 22 I was diagnosed with cystic hormonal acne. absolutely nothing topical worked for me, and I was put on an oral medication that has kept me *mostly* clear for nearly a decade. specific times of the month, I usually wou...ld break out here and there, but nothing severe. I've been washing my face 2x a day with just a basic 2% SA cleanser for as long as I can remember. about 2 months ago, something happened with my skin. A combination of a new foundation and hormones wreaked absolute havoc on my skin, and I could not get it under control. my pimples weren't cystic- the acne I have now is very different from the acne I had at 22. I have a lot of texture, redness, and small bright red zits rather than the deep, large and painful cysts I had at 22. my skin became incredibly sensitive to products id been using for a while, and I had to start completely over with finding skincare that wouldn't break me out. I spent so much money on different moisturizers and serums, but they were all SA acne products and they did absolutely nothing for me (I'm assuming because I've been using a SA cleanser for so many years) and my skin was just getting worse. I picked this up because it has benzoyl peroxide in it, which is an active ingredient I hadn't tried yet. I purchased this product on 11/7, so a little over two weeks ago, and I'm FINALLY seeing clarity in my skin! all of my closed comedones and texture are nearly gone. I still have spots that are red from healing zits, but they're significantly smaller and lighter now. through a lot of trial and error i've found a moisturizer and serum that work well with this cleanser and my skin, and I see daily improvement. this face wash was my first step in getting my skin back to normal, and I'm so grateful I gave it a try. I use it morning and night, and REALLY wash my face with it. I wet my face, emulsify this cleanser in my hands, and start rubbing it all over my face while really focusing it on my cheeks and jaw line (which is where I have the most texture). you HAVE TO wash your face for at least a minute- you want the benzoyl peroxide to really have time on your skin to work. I follow it with my ampoule and moisturizer and I haven't had any sensitivity issues with it. I absolutely love the ingredients in this and it's very gentle- yet still effective. though my skin has some work to still go, I'm confident that in time this cleanser will get me back to clear, healthy skin. NEVER discontinue this product, please!