Your Skin > Acne Treatment > Skincare Products Needed for Perfect Clear Skin

How to get perfect skin with fewer products

If you look around your bathroom and find products piling up on the counter, each claiming to do different things using different ‘miracle ingredients’ to treat acne, this article is for you.

Using more products does not mean you’re doing more for your skin. Take a moment and ask yourself, "What skincare products do I need?" and get back to the basics. It’s time to remove the extra products from your routine — and crowded bathroom counter. Then, the focus becomes about how much skincare product to use and how often. Skincare routines are a balancing act. You need a skincare routine composed of products formulated to be used together. All the extra miscellaneous products can throw off the whole equation, potentially damaging your skin’s health.

With the Proactiv® acne treatment system that’s right for you, you’ll get 3 products that cover all your healthy skincare needs. Finally, achieving healthy, balanced skin is as easy as 1-2-3! Plus, each system is made with clinically-proven ingredients and is dermatologist-tested to be gentle on your skin.

Is Proactiv the secret for how to get perfect skin? Well, getting your Proactiv system is the first step, but the second is using it consistently because the true secret is that results don’t happen overnight. Achieving your clearest, healthiest skin is a journey you have to keep working toward and maintaining.

To help you get started, we’ll break down which Proactiv system is right for each skin type.

For oily & combo skin: cleanse, tone, repair

The Proactiv® Solution Acne Treatment System applies powerful ingredients to target the root causes of acne. Begin with the Renewing Cleanser, once in the morning and once at night, to gently wash away excess oil and dirt with smooth, exfoliating beads. Rinse with water, then apply the Revitalizing Toner to sweep away impurities to leave your skin feeling refreshed. Follow up with a thin layer of Repairing Treatment that uses microcrystal benzoyl peroxide to fight acne-causing bacteria deep in your pores.

For dry or sensitive skin: exfoliate, treat, hydrate

The Proactiv+® Acne Treatment System was designed with dry and sensitive acne-prone skin in mind. Start with the creamy Skin Smoothing Exfoliator to smooth away dirt, oil and other impurities. Exfoliating beads and glycolic acid work together to gently exfoliate skin and unclog pores. Rinse thoroughly with water, pat dry, and then apply the Pore Targeting Treatment that delivers blemish-fighting benzoyl peroxide directly into pores. Finally, apply the Complexion Perfecting Hydrator, a silky rich cream that combats dryness as it fights breakouts, hydrates, and brightens skin. It includes a Moisturizing Complex with a powerful humectant, hyaluronic acid, and other hydrating ingredients to help alleviate dryness for softer, smoother looking skin.

Stubborn breakouts: cleanse, treat, moisturize

The ProactivMD® 3-Piece System is perfect for stubborn breakouts with its tiered approach. The Ultra-Gentle Cleanser helps remove dirt, oil and debris without stripping your skin of vital moisture. The Adapalene Gel is a powerful retinoid that can help address inflammation in areas you experience breakouts while it also targets clogged pores and restores the look of a more even skin tone. Finish with the Ultra-Hydrating Moisturizer which alleviates dryness to help ensure that your skin doesn’t need to overproduce hydrating oil (sebum) in order to keep its protective barrier function intact.

The bottom line

Proactiv acne treatment systems are developed to attack acne from multiple angles without drying out or irritating your skin with too many products. Find the three-step system that’s right for you and make some room on your countertop for the products that actually make a difference.