Acne 101
Why You’re Still Getting Breakouts as an Adult
Your skin grew up. Your zits didn’t. Thought you’d graduate high school and leave breakouts behind? Same. But adult acne didn’t get the memo. It’s showing up more than ever—especially for women in their 20s, 30s, even 40s. And while it might look like the teenage stuff, it usually runs deeper, heals slower, and laughs in the face of your old drugstore spot treatment. So what gives? Let’s break down what’s really going on with adult acne, and how to manage it without spiraling.
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PCOS, Acne, and Acceptance: Real Talk From the banu Community
When your skin keeps breaking out, your period feels unpredictable, or your body is sending signals that just don’t add up, PCOS could be part of the picture. Affecting about 1 in 10 people with ovaries, it’s super common in our community — yet still overlooked far too often. And if you’ve ever researched the best skincare for PCOS acne (you're not alone here), you already know how confusing and overwhelming the answers can sometimes be. The signs don’t always look the same for everyone: irregular or missing periods, higher testosterone levels, ovarian cysts (though not always), blood sugar or insulin resistance, and acne that just won’t seem to clear. The important thing to remember? You don’t need to check every box to be living with PCOS.
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How to Support a Friend Who’s Struggling With Their Skin
We all know someone — maybe a friend, coworker, or classmate — navigating adult acne or severe acne. Knowing how to be a supportive friend in a situation like this matters, because a strong support system can make progress feel achievable and their mental health a little easier to handle. First, recognize that acne isn’t the same for everyone, it’s usually deeply personal and individual to their own bodily makeup, hormones, and other factors. Adult acne and severe acne can obviously affect confidence, mood, and how your friend navigates the world. So your role? Offer empathy, not judgment (of course). A few encouraging words or simple check-ins can go a long way toward empowering them on their journey.
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Let Your Skin Just…Exist: Embracing Acne Neutrality
We’ve all had those mornings. Your reflection greets you with a fresh breakout, and suddenly every scroll on social media feels like a reminder that perfect skin is still the beauty standard. It’s exhausting. That’s where acne neutrality comes in: a mindset that shifts the focus from chasing perfection to finding balance and progress in your skin journey. Instead of idolizing “clear at all costs” or forcing constant self-love, acne neutrality creates space for something more realistic: acceptance and action. It’s about acknowledging that skin can have texture, spots, or redness and still be healthy. And it’s about protecting your mental health and acne by loosening the grip that social media’s highlight reels have on your self-worth.
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Latest Blog Posts
“Eventually, I realized the hard truth: there’s no real industry standard for what makes a product acne-safe”
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Body Breakouts Are Definitely a Thing — Here’s How to Manage
Let’s talk about body acne — aka bacne, chest acne, shoulder zits, the whole crew. It shows up without warning, overstays its welcome, and doesn’t care that you have a strappy dress to wear Friday. It’s common, it’s manageable, and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
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read moreAcne 101
Why You’re Still Getting Breakouts as an Adult
Your skin grew up. Your zits didn’t. Thought you’d graduate high school and leave breakouts behind? Same. But adult acne didn’t get the memo. It’s showing up more than ever—especially for women in their 20s, 30s, even 40s. And while it might look like the teenage stuff, it usually runs deeper, heals slower, and laughs in the face of your old drugstore spot treatment. So what gives? Let’s break down what’s really going on with adult acne, and how to manage it without spiraling.
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read moreAcne 101
Is It Acne or Rosacea? Let’s Break It Down
You’re breaking out — but something feels…off. It’s red, inflamed, maybe a little itchy. Is it acne? Is it rosacea? Is your skin just mad at you? Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out what’s going on before you start spiraling on Reddit. Not every breakout is actually acne. If your skin’s always flushed, your “zits” never get heads, or you’ve got stubborn cheek bumps that laugh in the face of regular acne treatments, it could be rosacea—a chronic skin thing that loves to masquerade as the real deal. The catch? Treating it like acne can make it worse. Knowing the difference means you can actually calm it down instead of accidentally starting beef with your skin barrier.
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Breaking Out or Purging? Here’s How to Tell — and What to Do About It
You finally commit to a skincare routine — maybe it's your first dip into a retinoid, or you’re flirting with exfoliating acids — and boom: your face suddenly switches up on you. You’re spiraling. Is it a skin purge? A breakout? Is your barrier about to disown you? Take a breath. This might actually be a good sign. A skin purge happens when actives like retinoids or BHAs speed up cellular turnover and push all the junk (clogged pores, micro-breakouts, bad decisions) to the surface. It’s temporary. It’s annoying. But it can be a turning point if you know how to ride it out.
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Cryotherapy for Acne: Is It Worth It? Here’s the Chill Breakdown
Cold plunges. Ice rollers. Cryofacials. The skincare world is deep in its “frozen era,” and cryotherapy has officially entered the acne chat. If you’ve seen videos of skin icing or heard about cryofacials and wondered if there’s any real benefit, here’s what you should know. Cryotherapy won’t replace your acne treatments, but it can definitely support them. The right kind of cold therapy helps calm inflammation, reduce redness, and give your skin a little post-breakout breathing room. Let’s get into how cryotherapy works for acne and where a cryofacial fits into your routine.
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Skin Cycling 101: How to Reset Acne-Prone Skin
If your shelf is full of half-used exfoliants and “miracle” products you gave up on, same. Skin cycling offers structure, but in a chill, supportive way that actually respects your skin barrier. This routine keeps things gentle, effective, and sustainable. No more guessing games. It’s not a social media trend. It’s a smarter way to treat acne, support your barrier, and finally get consistent results—especially if your skin is sensitive, acne-prone, or just plain tired. Skin cycling can be adjusted according to your skin type, whether it’s oily, dry, or reactive.
