The Three Muskateers of Team Anti-Acne

I think I managed to find one of the things (if not the major thing) that was causing my acne grief this past season. But first, here are the outstanding three soldiers that work very well together, though not separately, which is why I dubbed them The Three Muskateers.

(Speaking of: there's a new movie coming out. Sign me up for swashbuckling campy swordfest! Terrible script, but it looks like the action sequences might make up for it. The thing is, I think Dumas would freaking love this movie. Yeah, I said it.)

ANYWAY. Here are my muskateers:

None of the three are new. In fact, the DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex is nearly empty, the Murad Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel is half empty, and even the Murad Acne Spot Treatment is about a third or quarter down. I've been using them all separately or in combination of two, but not until recently did I regularly use all three at the same time. Together, they zapped almost all of my problematic acne issues. Amazing!!!

And the culprit? Behold the skincare equivalent of the evil Milady de Winter:

My heart? Broken. If you've been reading this blog for a while, there were several occasions I raved about this Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Cream. It seemed so amazing. It kept me from burning, it felt great on the skin, and it even acts as a fantastic primer. But I think it was making my skin crazy for some reason. I don't know what it is about it. And I can't say that they didn't warn me! "Discontinue use if signs of irritation appear." But then, all products say that. How was I to know?

As mentioned before, I break out every summer no matter what. I didn't even wear sunscreen all that much last last summer and still broke out, so I can't blame Milady for everything. But this past season was definitely her fault. I wish I hadn't tossed the insert with more information.

I had had a sneaking suspicion about this all season but never took the time to consciously think about it. It wasn't unusual for me to break out like crazy during the hot months. And we're supposed to wear sunscreen diligently and blahblahblaaaaaaaaaaah. Ugh. The thought of looking for a new holy grail sunscreen is exhausting. Anyhow, once I eliminated this bad gal from my routine, I noticed the breakouts stopped immediately.

Then one night, it finally occurred to me to use the Muskateers together as a team. It didn't seem to matter which cleanser I used, so long as I removed the makeup thoroughly. My face was swollen and scattered with sensitive bumps, so I avoided physical exfoliation. Instead, toning was a crucial step in clearing away whatever makeup the cleanser could not remove.

I was recommended this toner a long time ago while looking for ways to reduce the appearance of acne scars. I could never use it properly for a long duration because new breakouts were inevitable and I'd have to abandon this to zap the new acne first. The thing about this toner is it's supposed to help reduce wrinkle lines, which is fine since I am in my 30s and having to worry about another thing on top of the usual problem is par for the course.

Did you note the bit about the AHA and sun sensitivity? I just kind of have to laugh at this point.

After toning, I wait a few minutes and apply the Murad Acne Exfoliating Gel.

Now, I have heard good things about the Murad anti-acne line but have so many products to go through that I could not justify the purchase of the entire collection. I figured the exfoliating gel and spot treatment were good enough. On some better days, using this gel alone after cleansing was good enough to keep the horrible red bumps at bay. 

Sometimes I woke up with a glowy face. In the summer it was useless alone.

The Murad Spot Treatment, likewise, was useless alone. I dabbed triple the usual amount over angry red spots. I used a thin layer all over my face. Does not work without the aid of its brothers, the toner and exfoliating gel.

I thought about returning this one countless times. If there's one product that I expect to work right away, it's the spot treatment. 

I was utterly amazed when this actually worked overnight in combination with the other two products.

As you can see, there's our friend sulfur again.

So what I'm left to deduce is: 10% Glycolic + 1% Saliclyic Acid + 3% Sulphur = clear skin???

And correct me if I'm wrong, but all three of these guys are going to cause sun sensitivity and now I need to be more vigilant about wearing sun protection than ever before? L-O-L.

My temporary solution is to use these three only at night and rely on The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil line in the morning (review coming up). Also, I still plan on trying to develop a more healthy lifestyle. It's going to take a while to come up with a routine that I can stick to, but I've gotta work on it or else I'll be turning into a complete hermit come winter.

In any case, I'm so glad to find temporary relief from acne hell that I want to throw on a cape, put on a sword and go out and get riproaringly drunk. (There goes healthy living?)

http://www.mattsteinerwebsite.com

A part of me still thinks having to use three products on top of cleanser and moisturizer is ridiculous. But that's what works at the moment. And what's really amazing is that the solution was within my reach all along. I didn't have to buy anything new.

Have you ever discovered an amazing combination of products within your own stash? Do you like Dumas and The Three Muskateers? Who wants to throw on a cape and celebrate with me???