By Dorcas Lee
Breakout skincare has a tendency to promise overnight miracles and deliver irritation instead. Acnes takes a different approach, treating acne-prone skin as something to understand and support, not punish into submission. Mentholatum Acnes’ latest release comes with three new products with a clear mission: calmer, clearer skin without the sting.
The headline act here is a pair of serums, both built around ACNITECH™, Acnes’ own nano-encapsulation technology, which essentially packages the active ingredients so they can travel deeper into the skin rather than sitting on the surface. The brand claims four times the penetration of non-encapsulated formulas, allowing actives like Totarol, Niacinamide, Licorice Extract and Magnolia Bark Extract to reach deep into the layers – where breakouts actually start.
Both serums boast a skin-friendly pH of 4.5 to 5.0 and are free of alcohol, fragrance, MIT, paraben, mineral oil and colourants entirely, using a natural formula that works well with sensitive skin.
For the oily-skin girlies, do not miss this step in your nighttime skincare routine. Powered by 4% niacinamide concentration, the Acnes Anti-Acne & Brightening Serum, $22.90, is for the marks and uneven patches that cannot seem to go away. So you can start your day by melting away the frustrations that come with dark spots and lingering redness.
Come morning, the Acnes Anti-Acne & Pore Tightening Serum, $22.90, gets into congested pores and clears them out without the stripped, tight feeling often left behind by exfoliating acids. With a combination of 1.7% encapsulated BHA and 3% mushroom extract, it gently exfoliates, removes impurities and excess sebum, leaving you with refined and smaller pores all day.
Alongside the serums is the Acnes Anti-Acne & Soothing Mask, $15.90 for a pack of five. Formulated with Pionin and a triple dose of Centella Asiatica (including a fine, deep-penetrating CICA form and Centella cell water), treat this as your reset button. Designed to calm inflammation fast, the sheet mask comes in handy for the mid-week breakouts when the skin needs immediate rescue. Or, slot it into your regular routine for some extra skin pampering.
Without having to overhaul your entire routine, Acnes provides a refreshing way to incorporate some TLC into your skincare routine, whether day, night, or the unexpected flare-ups.
Acne may be unpredictable, but your routine does not have to be. With consistency and a product that works with your skin, a fuss-free routine can help prepare and treat those inevitable flare-ups throughout the week. The rhythm is simple: cleanse with your daily cleanser, treat with the Acnes Anti-Acne & Brightening Serum or Acnes Anti-Acne & Pore Tightening Serum, mask 2 to 3 times weekly, and moisturise and protect with a moisturiser and SPH to set it all in.
The Acnes Anti-Acne & Brightening Serum, Anti-Acne & Pore Tightening Serum, and Anti-Acne & Soothing Mask are available now at Watsons, Guardian, Don Don Donki, and via official stores on Lazada and Shopee.