Last Updated on August 8th, 2020
By Dr. Jaggi Rao, MD, FRCPC, Double board-certified dermatologist
This Paula’s Choice acne kit review focuses on their CLEAR line, which is specifically designed for acne-prone skin. Paula’s Regular Strength Kit is one of our top two acne treatments for several reasons.
Still, it’s not without its flaws. 🕵️ This review will go over every detail of the Paula’s Choice CLEAR Regular Strength Kit so you can make an informed decision about whether it’s right for your skin.
Article Table of Contents
The very first thing we look into when reviewing a product is its formula. If the formula is ineffective or unsafe, then none of the other factors could possibly make up for it. Happily, that was not the case with the Regular Strength Kit.
Pore Normalizing Cleanser: The first step in the Regular Strength Kit is the Pore Normalizing Cleanser. Its formula is designed to both cleanse the skin of excess oil or dead skin cells and hydrate and protect the skin. To do this, Paula’s Choice has combined protective ingredients like water, glycerin, and glyceryl cocoate, along with cleansing ingredients like sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and sodium lauryl sulfate. Unfortunately, this last ingredient is often irritating to dry or sensitive skin and is somewhat likely to clog pores. Sodium lauryl sulfate is an incredibly common ingredient in many face washes, but it’s something we recommend avoiding if you have acne.
Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution: The second step in the Regular Strength Kit is the Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution, which is designed to exfoliate your skin. Its main active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid, a relatively high concentration of a beta-hydroxy acid that chemically exfoliates the skin. However, it also contains several hydrating ingredients 💧💧 to prevent the salicylic acid from drying out the skin too much. The only problem with this product is the fact that it includes laureth-4, a polymer that is extremely likely to clog pores.
Skin Clearing Treatment: The final step is the Skin Clearing Treatment, which is designed to kill the acne-causing bacteria that lead to pimples using benzoyl peroxide, a common over-the-counter ingredient that has been thoroughly studied and proven to successfully kill acne-causing bacteria. 🤺 Thankfully, the Clearing Treatment only uses a 2.5% concentration, which is exactly what we would recommend. Unfortunately, this product also contains laureth-4 and thus may result in clogged pores.
One of the most underrated factors in choosing the best skincare is how much time and energy the routine requires. When you have a serious breakout and you’re determined to do whatever it takes to get clear skin, it can be easy to dedicate yourself to a 14-step program, but once your skin starts to clear up, will you stick with it? ✔️ The most important aspect of skincare is being consistent because following the program is the best way to prevent acne.
If you know you need a relatively low-maintenance routine in order to keep up with consistent skincare, then that’s just one more reason to like the Paula’s Choice CLEAR Regular Strength Kit. ⏲️ With only three steps, the process takes no more than 5 minutes to complete from start to finish, which means that it fits into nearly everyone’s schedule.
Our Paula’s Choice Acne Kit review wouldn’t be complete without talking about their guarantee. In general, if a company truly believes in their product, they will support it with a product guarantee, and that’s exactly what Paula’s Choice does.
All Paula’s Choice products are backed by the manufacturer’s Hassle-Free Guarantee.
The guarantee provides customers with a full refund (including tax) on any product returned within 60 days of purchase. Products returned between 60 days and 180 days will be refunded with a store credit, and returns are not accepted after 180 days.
This is a very generous return policy, which is ideal for skincare products. It’s important to test out new products for at least a few weeks, but if it clearly isn’t working for your skin, you really deserve your money back. 🤝🏼 Paula’s Choice understands and respects that.
One of our favorite things about Paula’s Choice CLEAR product line was how transparent they are with their products. Many skincare companies make outrageous claims that can’t possibly be supported, but Paula’s Choice supported each one of their claims about their products. On each product page, there is a column of research articles that support all of the claims they make about their products. Additionally, their ingredients list is exceedingly transparent as well. After each ingredient, Paula’s Choice has provided a brief explanation of what that ingredient is used for, like “hydration” or “pH adjuster.”
Finally, we want to acknowledge the reasonable pricing of the Regular Strength Kit from Paula’s Choice CLEAR. When considering which acne kit to purchase, price is often a major factor. 💰 It doesn’t do any good to have the best product on the market and then sell it at prices no one can afford. We’re happy to report that this is not the case for Paula’s Choice. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but if you have some spare change to splurge on your skin care, we definitely think this kit is worth the $48.
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