I’ve been oversharing about my battle with adult acne on here for over 13 years now, so I get a lot of requests from brands to feature their new launches aimed at treating breakouts and, to be honest, I take a lot of it with a pinch of salt. For many, adult acne isn’t something that can be solved with skincare, instead it needs to be treated like a chronic condition, taking a multidisciplinary approach and accepting that it’ll probably always be something that will be triggered by various things that are out of our control, such as stress, hormonal fluctuations, physical and even mental health. I’m 40 next year and I’ve spent over half my life tackling breakouts, with various levels of success, so I’ve come to accept that there will be things that work, things that don’t, and most of the time I need to be creative and try to keep my skin guessing – the one thing I know about my skin is that it is very stubborn and very determined to breakout at any given opportunity – FUN!
I was sent two products from the Hyclo Skin range and I will start this review by saying that if you struggle with any kind of inflammatory skin problems, you need at least one of these products in your life. My biggest issue with skincare designed to help with acne is that it’s almost always overly harsh and very active – thankfully we’ve come a long way since the Clearasil Lotion days, but we still have progress to make – and often adult acne is something that needs to be treated with such delicate care, particularly for those of us with older skin that isn’t overtly oily or hardy like the skin of a teenager, so we have to find that tricky little balance that a lot of acne products don’t really allow.
The Hyclo Skin duo is wonderfully gentle, clearly designed to sooth and repair rather than attack and it just ticks all of my boxes for the type of products I’d like to recommend to those with tricky skin. There are currently two products in the range: Hyclo Skin Repair Acne Treatment Gel and the Hyclo Skin Repair Gentle and Nourishing Moisturiser and they both contain Hypochlorous Acid, an acid with a low pH level and impressive antimicrobial properties, that’s produced by our own immune systems to attack and kill invading germs. It’s also a component in water treatment (when chlorine dissolves in water) which is why the smell of the products produce nostalgic memories of my Sunday swimming sessions as a kid!
The Hyclo Skin Repair Acne Treatment Gel is a light, clear serum that feels very watery and absorbs very quickly. It can make skin feel a little tight and I was expecting skin to feel really dry after use, but there was no drying at all, instead the product seemed to quickly and effectively reduce my severe inflammation as a result of a recent kidney infection – it successfully tackled one of the worst breakouts I’ve had in years – and I think you could quite happily get away with using this under makeup and with other skincare.
The Hyclo Skin Repair Gentle and Nourishing Moisturiser is an absolutely perfect option for anyone who wants a really hydrating moisturiser that doesn’t feel greasy or leave a residue. It contains a really lovely mix of emollients and humectants alongside the Hypochlorous Acid, so it can be used as a standalone treatment product if you don’t want to buy both. It dries to a matte finish, which I think a lot of people would really like, but for me, I need to feel hydration so I use a moisturising mist after application to reduce the matte feeling and bring back a little more glow and it works like an absolutely dream.
I’ve used both these products regularly and I can very much vouch for how quickly they work. I’m horribly cynical in my old age, particularly when it comes to “miracle products” for adult acne, but I would really recommend these for anyone who’s struggling with the many facets of acne; it helps with breakouts, inflammation, balance, hydration and it’s particularly good for skin barrier health. I noticed a considerable difference after the first use and I will definitely be keeping this duo in my breakout-fighting kit. I also love that they’re reasonably priced, with the Hyclo Skin Repair Acne Treatment Gel costing £36 and the Hyclo Skin Repair Gentle and Nourishing Moisturiser costing £18.75, which various deals available for buying the sets.
Find the range here – link. *Code BeautyGeek15 gives you 15% off all purchases*
Disclosure: unpaid ad – PR samples
