Skincare Success Story: Treating Acne With Dry, Sensitive Skin

Victoria came to us late October 2020, explaining that our Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Peel had become her go-to product for preventing acne on her acne-prone skin. Although our Ultra Gentle Peel promotes clear, acne-free skin, we were interested to learn why she hadn't used a stronger acne-fighting formula, like the Alpha Beta Extra Strength Peel.

She shared that she's been experiencing maskne throughout the pandemic, but her skin is dry, sensitive, and reactive; making it hard to find products that treat her skin without irritating it. We were so excited to assist Victoria with a routine that would give her the results she'd been looking for, without the fear of damaging her skin. Read below for more details about Victoria's impressive progress!

Before using Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, what was your skincare regimen?

In the morning, I just used sunscreen and a light moisturizer. At night, I double cleansed with an oil-based cleanser and followed up with a gentle cleansing foam. I would then apply some pimple patches to problem areas. I used a hydrating serum, followed by a BHA-based acne serum and then a thick layer of moisturizer.

Even though I had a set routine in place, I felt like the products just didn't work with my skin. Sometimes a cleanser would be too harsh, or a moisturizer would break me out; I also didn't have a way to deal with large breakouts. I didn't really exfoliate much because my skin was so sensitive, so I would have a lot of rough texture and build-up.

How did you feel about your skin before using Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare?

I think that my skin was sort of in a perpetual state of breaking out. It rarely ever felt like it was "clear" or fully healed. It would get irritated easily, and I didn't have a great way to relieve that irritation. Also, my skin was often dehydrated, but it felt sort of dry and oily at the same time.

What was the length of time between your before and after shots?

I took the photos two and a half months apart. The before photo was in mid-November and the after photo I took at the end of January.

For clear, glowing skin, what changes did you make to your routine?

I incorporated more Dr. Dennis Gross products into my routine! I had only used the Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Peel previously, but my new regimen consisted of the Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel, Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Peel, Hyaluronic Marine Modeling Mask, and the Hyaluronic Marine Oil-Free Moisture Cushion. I really liked using these products because they elevated my routine, while also working with my skin type and addressing skin concerns I've had for a while.

What did you like about each product in your regimen? What results did you see?

What are your Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare product essentials? What is on your wishlist?

What’s the best skincare advice you’ve ever received?

I think that learning about, and switching to, double cleansing was the best thing I have done for my skin. I used to use a really harsh cleanser to remove everything at the end of the day, and it would leave my skin super dry and tight. My skin was super dehydrated and I didn't really know how to properly moisturize it either. But the double cleansing method has allowed me to effectively cleanse my skin without having to strip all of my natural oils. I think that the Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel works perfectly with double cleansing because it's really gentle, but effective!