Reducing pimples & acne scarring in Singapore

Anyone who’s ever dealt with acne knows that it can feel like a never-ending battle. The moment your old pimples start to heal and fade, new ones start to sprout right on schedule. 

Not only do you have to constantly feel self-conscious about people staring at the bright red spots, uneven skin texture and dark blotches of scars on your face, the skincare products you have to invest in probably cost way more than those who are blessed with naturally clear complexions.

Having been plagued by pimples, persistent comedonal acne and pigmented marks since she was just 10 years of age, Fiona (now 23) has pretty much tried every acne-fighting product on the market, and has now come to a state of acceptance. We got her to try out the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum, said to be a game-changer for acne-prone skin, for a full month to see if it lives up to its claim.

Suffering from pimples and acne scarring for over a decade

We all know how much power a single new pimple holds over our lives, from cancelling dates to refusing to be caught on camera. Now imagine the struggle for acne sufferers, who have to deal with continuous breakouts, often with multiple spots over large areas of the face. 

Image credit: Fiona D.

Besides pimples on the cheeks, Fiona also had a case of what is known as comedonal acne – small and stubborn white bumps dotted across the forehead and around the chin. 

This proved to be of utmost annoyance, as she was constantly torn between hiding her forehead with headgear or a fringe, versus letting the area breathe but also baring the little bumps to the world. It doesn’t help that we reside in sunny Singapore, where the humidity leads to sweat and oil build-up as soon as we step out of air-conditioned premises. 

Most of us have probably struggled with comedonal acne and facial bumps at some point in our lives. As pesky as it is, standing in the way of a flawless complexion in terms of both texture and appearance, comedonal acne and facial bumps are actually an extremely common pain point among Singaporeans.

After years of trial and error (mostly error), Fiona had come to a point where she decided to just #DealWithIt. With pretty much nothing to lose, we invited her to try out La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Serum daily for one month straight. 

How La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Serum combats pimples & acne scarring

Formulated for oily and acne-prone skin, La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Serum contains a tri-acid complex which aims to treat pimples and reduce acne marks. 

Tri-acid refers to its composition of active ingredients, namely 1.5% salicylic acid, 0.45% LHA and 3.5% glycolic acid, balanced out with La Roche-Posay thermal spring water along with popular skincare ingredient, niacinamide to soothe skin and calm inflammation. We’re no chemists ourselves, so here’s a brief breakdown of what each of these cheem ingredients do:

• Salicylic acid (1.5%): Salicylic is able to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin barrier to unclog pores and combat sebum build-up.

• LHA (0.45%): Short for lipohydroxy acid, LHA gently exfoliates and helps to eliminate dead skin cells, paving way for cell regeneration.

• Glycolic acid (3.5%): Activates cell renewal for radiant skin even without makeup, and boosts skin clarity to reduce visibility of marks and scars.

• Niacinamide (2%): Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is found naturally in the body and works to repair the skin’s natural barrier. It brightens pigmentation and dark spots, and reduces the size of pores while soothing skin inflammation.

• La Roche-Posay thermal water (2%): This signature ingredient in La Roche-Posay products repairs and relieves the skin, calming the skin to minimise inflammation and discomfort.

In a nutshell, this complementary blend of peeling acids and soothing ingredients is able to give acne-ridden skin the power-packed treatment and maintenance it needs – without being so harsh that it risks damage on the delicate dermis skin layer.

Reading off a product’s label is one thing, though. Here’s how it fared on Fiona after a month-long trial:

Review of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum on acne-prone skin

Going into this trial, Fiona had three main concerns to check off the list in order to determine whether the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum actually works. Keeping new pimple breakouts at bay, reducing existing facial bumps, and treating the stubborn comedonal acne on her forehead and chin.

Efficacy aside, there was also a set of criteria pertaining to the usage experience. Namely, how easy and convenient it is to apply, and whether it’ll feel comfortable. After all, ain’t nobody got time for a tedious 10-step regimen, nor a product that’s so harsh that you have to grit your teeth and sit through the pain in order to see results.

Luckily for Fiona, the discipline to commit to daily application for one whole month wasn’t difficult to muster – as the Effaclar Serum takes literal seconds to apply. After her cleansing routine, all she had to do was apply two to three droplets of the product and massage it into her skin.

While there was a slight tingling sensation, Fiona mentioned that it’s nothing as compared to the worrying stinging feeling that harsher products have incurred on her delicate visage. If anything, it was a heartening sign that the tri-acid complex was working its magic and steering her skin towards bump-free smoothness and radiance.

Results after using the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum for one month

Having grown accustomed to regular breakouts and comedonal acne which just refuses to budge, Fiona admits that her long-term struggles with pimples and scarring have dampened her self-esteem significantly. It came to a point where she absolutely could not leave the house without slapping on foundation and concealer, even if it’s just to dip out for a quick errand.

Results after seven days

Thankfully, results could be seen and felt from as early as seven days into the Effaclar Serum trial. Fiona’s pesky acne scars had visibly reduced, leading to her skin texture looking a lot more refined whether you take a gander from afar or up-close.

This was a pleasant surprise she noted during her makeup routine, as her complexion was now a smoother base for her cosmetics to glide on more effortlessly, and she needed significantly less amounts of concealer to cover up pigmented marks and comedonal bumps.

She also woke up to a brighter and complexion within a week of consistent usage, and marked less new bumps and breakouts – especially on the forehead and chin.

Results after 28 days

After a full month of using the Effaclar Serum, the results are encouraging to say the least. There is a marked difference in the level of natural radiance, decrease in new pimple breakouts, and reduction in the visibility of old scars.

Her pimples were significantly reduced and even when they did appear, they were nowhere near as inflamed as before. Even her patches of little comedonal acne bumps have cleared out, with smooth and clear forehead and chin areas taking their place.

Now, the moment of truth. When asked if she would recommend the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum to others, Fiona’s response is a resounding yes. She also highlights that it’s a potential game-changer for folks who have been at the mercy of relentless acne, facial bumps and scarring for years on end, and urges those who can relate to give it a try.

The Effaclar Serum is part of La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar range, which also has cleansers, lotions and moisturisers, micellar water and a targeted imperfection corrector, all of which are suitable for oily, acne prone skin.

Loads of scientific research has gone into creating the Effaclar range, including a dermatological study conducted on over 26,000 subjects with oily and acne-prone skin. So if you belong in the same boat, consider introducing these items to your skincare regimen.

The new Effaclar Serum is now available at Guardian and Watsons, both online and at their physical stores islandwide, as well as on Lazada and Shopee. Retailing at $54.90 for 30ml, you can enjoy discounts of up to 25% off on the Effaclar Serum for a limited time!

Find out more and sign up for a free Effaclar Serum sample here

This post was brought to you by La Roche-Posay.
Photography by Natalie Ng.