Mild Acne SOS - Duac Once Daily Gel

I have always been extremely lucky with my skin, apart from the odd spot here and there, I didn't really have any issues whatsoever. However, this has all changed. Due to one reason or another, my skin has gone completely crazy. Although I still have combination/oily skin, I've developed acne on my forehead, a patch on my cheek and more mildly on my chin. It has been driving me crazy but the most frustrating thing is that I have no clue how to deal with it all. Where do you start?!

Well, I suppose I 'started' my quest for my old skin - oo how I miss thee - by visiting the doctor. At first I though it was some kind of rash, maybe even an allergic reaction? But no, I had acne, okay it's a milder version than some people have to endure, but all the same it's still god damn annoying. I was prescribed Duac Once Daily Gel and although I've been using it now for well over a month, it unfortunately hasn't made that much difference. Yes, it brings spots to a head, but that's about it. It doesn't seem to prevent any further breakouts, although it's certainly doing an excellent job of drying my skin out to the max :-( So, maybe I actually have combination/oily/dry skin now.

One of my major worries is that I'm going to accidently scar my face, as I have no idea about which spots are actually 'popable' and which are best left alone. I've been reading some well-known skin care blogs and although I have a better idea about how to treat my skin problems - which wasn't hard as I knew nothing before - I would still really appreciate some advice!

Have you experienced sudden onset acne? Do you have any products that you could recommend?

Current Cleansers - SOS

Although my skin has a been a little crazy lately to say the least! I have been enjoying switching up my skincare routine, in particular my cleansers. At the moment I seem to switch between The Body Shop, Super Facialist Una Brennan, Liz Earle and Clarins offerings.

To make this post interesting and not too wordy I've decided to list my likes and dislikes about each product below:

Body Shop Aloe Vera Calming Cleaner (£7.99) - I have been using this cleanser for years! I love it, although its aimed solely for use on the face I usually use this to take my eye makeup off. It does the job perfectly and as its aimed for sensitive skin it never irritates them. It also doesn't sting if it accidentally goes into your eyes too, which is always a plus. No negatives to report with this, I will continue to repurchase for the foreseeable future.

Super Facialist Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser (£7.99) - This is a great cleanser that I discovered recently whilst browsing the boots website. Although I only purchased this product due to it being on offer, it has turned out to be a real gem. I also really like the fact that you can use it like a facial wash or alternatively remove it with a muslin cloth. The only negative that I can say is that the rose scent is very intense, so it might be slightly overpowering for some people.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14.75) - A holy grail skincare product! Although there's not as much hype about this product anymore, I think it's amazing and it's also my go to cleanser when my skin is behaving badly (like now). I can't think of any negatives with this product apart from the price, I wish it was more affordable!

Clarins Cleansing Milk (£18.00) - I think this cleanser is great if you can't for whatever reason wash your face with water afterwards (a must in my skincare routine). It removes makeup quickly and doesn't leave residue on the skin, instead absorbing and leaving the skin feeling squeaky clean. It also has a gorgeous scent and a little goes a long way. Again, I can't really point out any negatives with this product (apart from the price), I'm really enjoying using it.

More importantly, thanks to all these cleansers I've also nearly kicked my face wipe addiction once and for all! Apart from those days I'm just far too lazy  tired of course ;-)