Yes, yes, of course we love 300mg of CBD in our facial serum and moisturizers. But in the tricky product space that adult acne and CBD inhabit, ClearBalm by BalmLabs has managed—incredibly well—to procure the right formulary mix of pure cleansing, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory healing to those suffering from acne vulgaris, periodic, hormonal breakouts or severe cases of accelerated oil production and large pores.
BY MARCO MEDRANO
While I don’t have acne, I do suffer from occasional ingrown hairs which carefully require quasi-surgical tweezer removal of a singular boorish follicle on my otherwise flawless skin (which makes it all the more frustrating and still requires calming and spot healing). For men, I always recommend a really good electric razor to avoid breaking the skin on top of acne-broken skin. For younger men, some extensive YouTube research is in order until you find the best shaving how-to video for you. And we all must practice not touching our face throughout the day or resting your chin on your hands! I know it’s very difficult to change lifelong habits, but we must try. But, since I’m human, for the occasional larger-than-life pimple, I like to sleepwith a clarifying or purifying mask (spot treat) on my face. Game changer.
Before we go further, do know I personally tested the product line (as I always do prior to writing about it) and was very impressed with ClearBalm’s unique texture. As a plant-based, cruelty-free, fragrance-free skincare line with a big “no” list of ingredients you don’t want on your face, this super conscious brand checks all the boxes with six targeted actives. I mean, they did it right.
As a three-piece remedy, start your ClearBalm journey with the Gentle Foam Cleanser ($34) packed with bixa orellana seed extract and natural AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids for cell turnover, bacterial purification and texture smoothing for broken skin). Remember, stripping your skin with acne is actually making it more reactive. The goal here is that you want calm, gentle thorough cleansing that diffuses bacteria. The brand’s Power Elixir ($58) is the serum step with a rare viscosity that’s also “active” as an anti-bacterial and skin rejuvenating exfoliant with a matte finish. The full spectrum hemp-derived CBD is generous and can also double as a serious summer-only pore-refiner for those not on an acne program. The Serum Hydrator ($84) completes the third step. Infused with niacinamide (which tackles fine lines, hyperpigmentation and acne spots), squalene (a plant-sourced healing hydrator) and hemp-derived CBD make this a powerful combo to normalize and stabilize skin inflammation, red spots and cell turnover to resume an even-toned complexion.
While sea water is great for curing many skin afflictions, the outdoor sun is not. One of the most important things when treating broken skin is to find a pure, clean sunscreen protector to avoid small marks on your face from turning into dark spots. We don’t want to undo all of our hard work. ClearBalm is plant-based, simple and effective at minimizing breakouts and aging skin in three easy steps.
It’s good to see a beauty product joining forces with CBD for good. Nicely done, BalmLabs.