Etude House AC Clean Up After Balm | Review

Despite all your best efforts in taking care of your skin, you might still see some pesky pimples surfacing on your face occasionally. After some time, they get healed leaving behind red-brown marks/scars on your skin that seem to take forever to fade. Using topical scar treatment products will help promote healing and accelerate the healing process. Look out for products that have whitening properties and contain anti-inflammatory ingredients like salicylic acid and tea tree oil, as they work to reduce inflammation, kill bacteria and unplug blocked pores.

For the past one month, I have been treating my acne marks/scars with a new topical treatment called the Etude House AC Clean Up After Balm, which I will be doing a review today. It is a revamped version of AC Clinic Red Spot Balm.

This spot balm takes care of red, blotchy blemishes left behind by pimples and at the same time, it forms a protective film on the skin and cares for your troubled skin. It contains salicylic acid, madecassoside and tea tree oil to treat and prevent the occurrence of pimples.

It has a 6-FREE system — Free of animal ingredients, mineral oil, imidazolidinyl urea, triethanolamine, tar coloring and artificial fragrances.

Ingredients List: Water, Glycerin, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Madecassoside, Allium Sativum (Garlic) Bulb Extract, Ampelopsis Japonica Root Extract, Allium Cepa (Onion) Bulb Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Glycoproteins, Glyceryl Caprylate, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xylitol, Xanthan Gum, Colloidal Sulfur, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Propanediol, Peg-100 Stearate, Peg-40 Stearate, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Disodium Edta, Fragrance

The new version comes in a squeezable soft tube with a twist off cap. Compared to the previous version which comes in a jar that needs a spatula to scoop out the product, this is more convenient and hygienic.

How To Use:
Apply an appropriate amount (a thin layer) on blemishes.

Tried and Tested

This has a lighter, softer creamy consistency compared to the former version. It tends to leave a slight balmy residue after applying it on the skin, but it isn't greasy.

I've been using this on my acne marks/scars a.k.a post inflammatory hyperpigmentation every day for a month, and I saw results in two weeks. Here's my before and after pictures:

The redness of my acne marks/scars subsidized after two weeks of using it. And after a month of constant use, the marks/scars were pretty much faded away. So far I'm quite impressed with the results, and I'm glad that it didn't irritate my skin or trigger an outbreak.

P.S. I only tried this product on post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. For your information, I don't have severe acne marks/scars, so I'm not sure if it helps severe acne marks/scars.

I noticed it works better on newer marks/scars than old ones. Well, it still works to fade old marks/scars eventually, but it may take longer time. So take note that the healing time varies depending on the age and types of acne scars.

Overall, it lives up to what it claims to do. If you are looking for a topical treatment for post acne marks/scars, this is not a bad choice. However, you do need to be consistent and patient while using it.

Remember, healing is a process, which means it takes time. So whatever treatment you use to treat your acne, don't expect results overnight.

If you are interested in other AC Clean Up products, you can check out my review here: AC CLEAN UP PRODUCTS REVIEW