'This changed everything.' The 5 products that helped clear my acne.

Breakouts, dark spots and a compromised skin barrier. They’re not a fun combination and they can be stubborn to get a handle on. As a skinfluencer, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to test different products, but the downside is that not everything works for me.

This is exactly what happened to me a few months ago when I was testing some products which were just too strong for my sensitive skin. 

Watch: Here are 7 ways to improve your skin while sleeping. Post continues below.

It broke me out in pustules and cysts which left me with texture and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). 

*Insert cry face here*.

Image: Supplied/Nissie Bungbrakearti.

Luckily, I also know what does work really well for me and what products to go back to when this happens. 

So, here are some of the products that I find make the biggest difference to my acne and hyperpigmentation.

Morning skincare.

Aspect Pigment Punch + $149.50.

Image: Adore Beauty/Mamamia  

Okay, she’s pricey, I know. But hear me out. Usually we assume that the highest percentage of vitamin C is what will help our PIH the best, but this is what actually caused my irritation and acne in the first place! 

This lightweight and super effective serum from Aspect has been a game changer for someone like me with skin which is sensitive to vitamin C, but is super prone to dark spots. 

Worth every penny.

Naturium Azelaic Topical Acid 10% $34.95.

Image: Naturim/Mamamia  

Azelaic acid is a wonderful ingredient for those with sensitive skin who are looking to combat dark spots and balance excess oil. It contains niacinamide, coffee seed extract, and vitamin C (but this doesn’t irritate at all, don’t worry) and helps to brighten up dull skin. 

This isn’t like your typical strong chemical exfoliant acid, like a glycolic or salicylic acid. This is extremely gentle and I can use it every morning with no issues.

Evening skincare.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence $38.

Image: Adore Beauty/Mamamia  

An absolute staple in my routine. If you haven’t tried this yet then what are you waiting for?! This essence is extremely nourishing and helps repair the skin barrier in times of need. 

It also helps to heal breakouts and hyperpigmentation and gives the healthiest glow. 

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 $79.

Image: Adore Beauty/Mamamia  

Retinol products are a tricky one for me. Having acne and PIH, I’ve heard again and again that retinol is the holy grail ingredient to target and combat. But as someone with sensitive dry skin, retinol has never played nicely with me. 

Then I tried this one from Medik8. Their lowest per cent retinol at 0.01 per cent is the best vitamin A product I have tried for my skin type. 

It causes zero irritation and flaking and actually does what I hoped it would; address my acne and speed up cell turnover. If you’re a retinol beginner, I would highly suggest trying this one.

Aspect Clear Skin Complex $136.

Image: Adore Beauty/Mamamia  

If I could recommend you take anything away from this rant of things I love, it's this: Aspect’s Clear Skin Complex. 

This has changed everything when it comes to my acne and my PIH. I don’t know how this magic product works with such a short ingredient list, but the main heroes are citric acid (AHA) and glycerin. 

It can be used all over the face or as a spot treatment (I prefer to use it as a spot treatment), and it’s so good that I have stopped using my usual go-to spot treatments at night. 

It doesn’t irritate my skin, but it has significantly helped my acne while simultaneously providing a light exfoliation to address the PIH. 

Now let's be realistic; these products are not going to give you clear skin overnight. What these will do, is help strengthen your skin barrier while evening out your skin tone and reducing blemishes. 

After a month, you can see that my acne has improved and although I still have PIH, it's significantly reduced. 

Image: Supplied/Nissie Bungbrakearti. 

So, if you are ever looking to try a product for your PIH or acne, make sure to check out the ones listed above. 

They absolutely did wonders for me and I couldn’t recommend them enough.

Image: Supplied/Nissie Bungbrakearti. 

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Attention beauty fans: Mamamia's first ever You Beauty Awards are here.

Beauty should be a democracy, and we want to know what products you slap on your face, slather on your body and comb through your hair, day in and day out.

Click the link below to vote for the products that have made the BIGGEST difference to your face. And hair. And body. You get the drill.

VOTE IN THE YOU BEAUTY AWARDS.

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Feature image: Supplied/Nissie Bungbrakearti.

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