It has been a very long time since a Clearasil product has made its way into my skin care routine. The last time I owned one, Madonna was still singing “La Isla Bonita.” Thankfully, over the years the need to keep acne products in regular rotation diminished. Every now and then, though, about once a month, the pimple demons pop up and require battling. My usual MO was to wash with the usual non-acne fighting cleanser, use a spot treatment, and hope the offenders would disappear. That was until I was introduced to new Clearasil Ultra Overnight Wash.
This is a dermatologist tested, no-fuss facial wash. It comes in a handy pump dispenser, which can be “locked” for travel convenience, and claims to help “visibly reduce redness and pimple size overnight.” The pearlescent steel-blue liquid contains 2% salycilic acid and claims to be formulated to work continuously through the night to fight acne when your skin is actively in the process of cell regeneration and renewal. Makes sense to me, but does it work? I waited for my skin to get moody and took it for a test run.
The first time I massaged this wash into my face, I was expecting it to be highly astringent. Though the scent is purely chemical (no flowery or fruity scents here), it is surprisingly gentle. The suds rinsed clean, minus the squeaky-tight feeling most acne washes leave you with, and left my skin soft. I went to bed without moisturizing for maximum effect. Surprisingly, my skin did not dry out nor did it overcompensate by cranking up the oil production.
The next day, my face felt good. The wash managed to do what it says it will and kept developing breakouts at bay, reducing redness and pimple size. It wasn’t all gone, but the difference was clear. It gets bonus points for being gentle enough to use on a regular basis. In my book, it’s an effective acne-fighting product.
Disclaimer: Note that this was tested on a mild, small-scale spot breakout. Results might differ with bigger, more aggressive breakouts.
Check out our review here on the Best Acne Treatments of the Year.
– by Michelle Kuo
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