'My skin hates me, so I tried CeraVe's new anti-breakout range.'

Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your weekly review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellness. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Beauty and Health Editor Erin Docherty reviews CeraVe's new Blemish Control range.

Story time. I've been struggling with some pretty gnarly breakouts for the past several months. You know the kind of cystic baddies that feel like they have their own heartbeat? Yes? Those.

It's probably due to many different things (stress, hormones... eating chocolate before dinner), but mostly because I recently went off the Pill after 12 years.

To layer on an added level of fun, as Mamamia's beauty editor, I test a lot of new skincare and makeup products. Which is very cool and all, but when your skin is angry and sore and doesn't want to be messed with, playing with seven million different ingredients is Not Great.

So, I stripped it all back and tried sticking to some basic gentle cleanser/moisturiser combo for a while. 

But the skin. She was still pi**ed. 

Watch: You know what I also tried? Lube. On my face. Post continues below.

Then, in case you've missed me talking about it every three seconds, I went to New York with the skincare brand CeraVe. (I also interviewed Charli D'Amelio about her beauty routine — and YES she was a perfect button of a human).

ANYWAY. As if the beauty Gods were staring right down at me themselves, while I was over there CeraVe introduced me to a new Blemish Control range of products for mild acne-prone skin (I audibly gasped cause, meant 2 b).

So, I thought I'd share my results after using it for the past few weeks.

Here's how I went with it.

What is CeraVe Blemish Control range?

CeraVe's Blemish Control range is made up of three core products: CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser, $23.99, CeraVe Blemish Control Gel, $25.99 and CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum, $41.99.

CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser. Image: Supplied.

As with all of CeraVe's cult products, the range has been developed with dermatologists and is formulated with ingredients such as salicylic acid (a heavy-lifting ingredient when it comes to unclogging pores) and niacinamide (a solid all-rounder) to help target blemishes and prevent future breakouts. 

The difference with this range? It delivers results without compromising the health of your skin, containing three essential ceramides that do very good nourishing things to help support your all-important moisture barrier. 

Because if you're anything like me, you'll remember burning the absolute marbles out of your skin when you were a teen to try to get rid of breakouts. The result? Tight, irritated and red skin that is not even a wee bit happy.

Unlike a lot of other pimple products on the market, the CeraVe range promises to tackle the appearance and recurrence of blemishes, all while supporting the skin's moisture barrier and not stripping or over-drying the skin.

How did you go with it?

I've been trialling these three products over the course of a month, and as someone who loves CeraVe's OG Hydrating Cleanser and Renewing Retinol, I was excited to see if the range would help clear my persistent breakouts, without irritating my skin.

Now, just for reference, my skin is quite sensitive (probably from all of those years of burning it off with acne products haha... sighs), so I made sure I patch-tested beforehand, like a good beauty editor.

I also sandwiched the lotion and retinol with hydrating serums and moisturisers to keep things really comfy and minimise the chance of irritation. I also *actually* used a pea-sized drop of each instead of going ham (like I do with everything else) and spaced out applications. 

For example, I used the Blemish Control Cleanser at night, the Blemish Control every other day (for maintenance), and the Resurfacing Retinol Serum a couple of times a week to ensure my skin didn't get irritated or freaked out.

As with most products, I think working active ingredients into your skincare routine slowly is the way to go — especially as I'm someone who doesn't usually tend to play with spicy salicylic acid. 

Overall, my skin felt hydrated (instead of stripped and sore) and over the weeks I felt like I was experiencing fewer flare-ups around my chin area — one of my main areas of concern.

Here's what my skin looked like before: 

Before using CeraVe Blemish Control range. Image: Supplied.

And here's what my skin looked like after using the CeraVe Blemish range:

Clearer! Less angry! Image" Supplied.

A noticeable difference, wouldn't you say? In fact, it's miles better than it was.

Less redness. Fewer cystic breakouts. Just happy, clear skin.

The verdict.

My skin has been the calmest and clearest it's been in MONTHS. The redness has subsided and for the first time in yonks I don't feel like I've got a crew of angry cystic pimples waiting to come to the surface right before every wedding/big event for the rest of the year. 

Along with a reduction in those under-the-skin baddies, I also noticed a reduction in the pesky blackheads I usually find around my nose and chin. Everything just feels smoother and clearer, and my makeup actually sits on my face without patching and flaking off.

A big plus is also the price range. I love how these products are affordable and you can grab them in the supermarket or chemist alongside the stuff for tonight's bolognese. The products are all around the $24 to $42 mark, but you can pick them up at stores like Chemist Warehouse for even cheaper.

As anyone who's struggled with breakouts will tell you, acne skin care is notoriously expensive — which can make it extra painful when you don't see results. I love how this range makes quality ingredients and products way more accessible — and for me, it actually works.

I can honestly say my skin is better than it has been in quite a while (or at least, pre-Pill). 

These products (particularly the Retinol Resurfacing Serum) will remain a constant in my routine to keep my skin clear, bright and healthy.

Want to hear more from Erin Docherty? Follow her on Instagram, but not on TikTok (she thinks she's too old for that).

Feature image: Erin Docherty.