I really like to put an excessive amount of product on the flare-ups because I WANT THEM GONE!
Repeat after me: “Even people with perfect skin get acne.” Acne is normal. A flare-up is normal. Perfect skin is not normal. I’ve been working on my own personal perspective of accepting my skin how it is, loving what it looks like, and promoting skin health.
With that said, I have been loving the new Inkey List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment. [I received this item as PR with no obligations to post.] For some reason, I have been having some really bad acne on the right side of my face as of late. I have no clue what the cause is, but maybe it could be due to my pillowcase? Anyway, here we are. It’s a prime time for me to try out a new acne treatment because I normally do not use one specifically formulated for acne. Instead, I will use a “daily” AHA/BHA serum as a spot treatment. Examples of these include Otzi Multi Acid Drip, Allies of Skin Mandelic Acid Treatment, and Biossance Lactic Acid Resurfacing Serum. These are all intended to be gentle enough for a nightly usage, but I found that my combo-oily skin will become inflamed if I use them daily. Instead, I use them 2x a week and as a touchup if I get any flare-ups.
The Ingredients
Let’s chat ingredients first because that is what they are known for!
2% succinic acid: unblocks pores, reduces oils, and prevents pores from getting clogged up again. It’s certainly an all-around savior when it comes to pimples. Sound like our favorite BHA salicylic acid? Despite having very similar skincare properties, the chemical structures are dramatically different. Succinic acid is a dioic acid with no benzene ring that salicylic acid has. Translation: different chemicals but the results seem similar. And since they are different, we can expect to see some synergy occur when you have a formulation combining them both. Succinic acid is a much smaller molecule, meaning that it has the potential to penetrate more deeply into the skin than salicylic acid would based on the size diffusion. But more on that later…
1% salicylic acid: BHA babe! It helps reduce the blemish and cuts off dead skin. Even though the molecule is bigger than succinic acid, it is much more oil-soluble, thanks to the benzene ring. That means that it can travel pretty deeply into the oil-filled pores. Once it makes it into the pore, it helps clear out the gunk (buildup of skin cells, bacterial cells, any products you might have in there) by cleaving the skin’s molecular connections. As it gets sloughed off, it will take the other debris along with it, out the pore. The FDA sets acne-fighting ability of salicylic acid at 0.5% to 2%, so this fits squarely in that range.
Hydrating ingredients: glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, ethylhexylglycerin. These will help your skin with the water-retention so that it is not just getting blasted by these succinic and salicylic acid actives with no help.
Moisturizing ingredients: capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, stearic acid, cetearyl alcohol, squalane. These ingredients will provide the essential fatty acids that your skin needs to remain moisturized. While we do want to clear out the pimple, we do not want it to dry out excessively, which could cause hyperpigmentation, discomfort, and delays in the recovery process.
The Results
Before on top & after on bottom
You can use the Succinic Acid Acne Treatment as a spot treatment or as a general serum-like treatment for your entire face. I thought the latter would be overkill, so I just dabbed it on both day and night on my problem areas. I liked that the product was green, so it could help with reducing the redness of your pimple spots, almost like how the Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment works. I didn’t notice too much of a difference for color correction, likely because I did not use that much product. But I could definitely see if being beneficial if you are layering it on under makeup!
In my Instagram Reel, I included a before and after video (screenshot on the left here) and I was able to see a dramatic change from one use overnight. What were the changes? I noticed a decrease in redness, a decrease in the pimple size, and less irritation. I did not have any issues with the product causing any dryness.
I really appreciated that the product smooths out to be almost clear when I used it during the day. In fact, I used it during a modeling shoot and it was totally fine as well! I had no one comment on random parts of my skin being green, which is a testament to how it worked well! I also would imagine that this increases your skin’s photosensitivity, so I think it is important to add on an SPF! Otherwise, you could be frying your skin more. But we all know you’re wearing your SPF anyway. WHO AM I KIDDING?
Final Thoughts
Isn’t this how everyone uses their skincare?
For $9, can you really hate this product? Inkey List is always known for really affordable options, and the Succinic Acid Acne Treatment is no different! It is packed with strong ingredients that will help clear out your pores, while moisturizing fats maintain a balance in your skin to prevent over-exfoliation and dryness. I would definitely recommend this product if you have acne-prone skin or if you have the occasional breakout. It can be used for all skin types.
They really hit the problem right on the nose with this product! I love that it is so simple to use, that it is so effective, and that it costs so little! One thing that I wish was different is the dispenser. It is a tiny, white nozzle. I wish it weren’t white because the green product ends up getting pretty messy on it. And I just want to keep it was clean as possible!