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When actress Jenna Ortega first started dealing with acne, “it sucked,” she says. A combination of heavy stage makeup, an inconsistent sleep schedule, and hormones created a perfect recipe for breakouts, and the Wednesday star knew she needed to make some changes to her regimen.
“The most important thing [for improving my skin] was being consistent about my nighttime routine,” she says. “Not falling asleep in my makeup and washing my face as well as I possibly could were big [factors], and so was being really consistent about cleaning my pillowcases.”
The actress—who’s a brand ambassador for Neutrogena—also integrated two acne-fighting products into her regular routine. “I’ll use the pink grapefruit Oil-Free Acne Wash, and follow it up with moisturizer and a lot of sunscreen,” she says. “I’ve also been getting into the brand’s new Skin Perfecting product. It’s a daily liquid exfoliant, and basically what it does is improves the skin’s natural renewal process and gets rid of dead skin on your face.”
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Acne Wash Foaming Scrub — $5.00
Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash is a perennial fave for good reason: It’s as effective as it is affordable.
Neutrogena Skin Perfecting Exfoliant — $15.00
Formulated for normal or combination skin, this product uses glycolic acid (an AHA) to gently exfoliate. “It makes my skin really soft,” Ortega says.
These two products combine some of derms’ favorite acne-treatment ingredients, which explains why they’ve helped Ortega see such major changes in her skin. The pink grapefruit cleanser is made with salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid that gets way down deep into your skin to fight the root causes of pimples.
“BHAs encourage exfoliation, helping to prevent and treat blocked pores,” says David Lortscher, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Curology. “Salicylic acid works by penetrating and dislodging the gunk (sebum) in your pores, so that it’s no longer trapped—resulting in a lower chance of triggering an acne breakout.”
The Skin Perfecting exfoliant, meanwhile, is made with a blend of AHAs and PHAs, which melt away dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, helping to unclog pores and regulate sebum production.
With the help of this one-two punch product combination, Ortega’s skin is ready for its close up.
Still getting breakouts as an adult? Check out the video below for the derm-approved tips on how to deal.
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