Summer is a season we have a love/hate relationship with and we bet we're not the only ones. Sure, on the days we're glowing and feeling summertime fine, we don't want the sunshine to ever end. But when humidity is high and excess oil production is through the roof, the congestion is real and can seriously trigger major inflammation. And who wants to think about blackheads, flare-ups and breakouts at this time of the year? Not our glow getters đź™… Believe it or not, there are ways to keep the acne flare-ups at bay, and that's why this week, we're spotlighting a major staple in our summer skincare collection: Solution I & II.
If you are someone who often battles breakouts, you'll notice that it can really worsen during the summer. Along with the multiple layers of sunscreen, makeup and other skincare products is a slick coating of sweat, dirt and dead skin buildup that lives on our complexion. No wonder why our skin experiences major texture, acne-prone or not, during these warmer months! It's why we usually recommend incorporating an exfoliating agent into your daily regime to combat active acne and blackheads. Thankfully, we offer two strengths of a heavy-hitting toner made for oily, acne-prone and normal skin types that are battling this exact issue.
Solution I
Off the top, it's important to understand just how vital safe exfoliation is for a healthy complexion. Using a physical or chemical exfoliator 1-3 times a week (depending on your skin tolerance and needs) is one of the key steps in a skincare routine to keep the glow going, combat excess sebum and increase collagen production.Â
When our president and founder Ann Marie was crafting Solution, she wanted to make sure it hit on all the key elements: Treats acne, heals hyperpigmentation, and encourages a healthy turnover rate. Ann's formulation was so good that she created two variants to allow for more skin types to benefit from it. Solution I is our slightly gentler formula with 3% glycolic acid. This chemical exfoliating toner is meant for those who have normal to acne-prone skin types. When used regularly (AM and/or PM), it minimizes acne flare-ups while also tackling excessive sebum production.Â
If you are someone with more delicate skin, you may want to stick your AHA Cream for more gentle exfoliation. But if you wish to try Solution I as a treatment once a week, we highly recommend spot testing a small patch along the jawline to determine if this formula is right for you.
Solution IIÂ
For the guys and gals with acne-prone skin that tends to get worse in the summertime we recommend reaching for Solution II. Solution II is our more advanced formula from the O.G. Solution. It's infused with 5% glycolic acid for deep exfoliation along with salicylic acid which is our go-to ingredient for taking care of those pesky blackheads. We've also added kojic acid into the mix to really tackle those hyperpigmentation spots and give the skin a more even-toned complexion.Â
When incorporating Solution II into your summer routine, we recommend using it 1-2 times a week. This will help to slowly introduce the active ingredients to your skin without damaging your skin barrier or causing further irritation. After cleansing your face, we recommend adding a couple of pumps on a cotton pad or into your hands and pressing them into your skin. This can be added to your AM or PM routine but if you're dealing with a bit more irritation than usual, opt for PM use until your skin calms down.
If this is your first time using Solution, we always recommend a patch test along the jawline 1 or 2 times before committing to a full face application. If no irritation occurs, your skin is good to go! Everyone has their own unique complexion which means that your tolerance level may vary from others. Depending on your needs, using Solution I or II 1-3 times a week is a healthy routine that will deliver major results. If you're already a Solution-lover, we would love to know your experience in the comments below!