The Beauty Brief: Volume 4
What I’m noticing in skincare right now - from the adult acne boom to drugstore brands racing back into acne treatments to the sudden return of high-frequency wands.
THE CLINICAL CORNER
Adult acne is officially a skincare category
For a long time, acne was treated as a teenage problem. But the reality is that adult acne is becoming incredibly common, especially in women in their 20s and 30s. Which is why it’s interesting to see major brands suddenly launching products specifically targeting this group.
Neutrogena recently introduced Evenly Clear, a new acne-focused line designed to treat breakouts while also addressing discoloration left behind by pimples. The positioning is telling: it’s not just about stopping acne anymore, it’s about managing the entire acne cycle - breakout, inflammation, and post-acne marks.
My take: the industry has realized something dermatologists already knew…acne doesn’t magically disappear after high school.
TREND WATCH
High-frequency wands are back
Another thing quietly resurfacing online is the high-frequency facial wand.
These glass electrode tools, which produce a small electrical current, were popular in aesthetic treatments decades ago and have recently started trending again on TikTok.
The idea is that the current produces ozone, which has mild antibacterial properties and can temporarily reduce inflammation in active breakouts. In reality, the effects are modest and temporary. They can help calm inflamed pimples, but they don’t address the underlying drivers of acne like hormones, oil production, or clogged pores.
My take: high-frequency tools fall into the category of treatments that feel impressive but are unlikely to replace actual acne treatments.
THE LAB REPORT
Why adult acne is suddenly everywhere
We are seeing more adult acne for a few reasons. Hormones play a huge role, especially fluctuating androgen levels that stimulate oil production. But there are other contributors too:
• Stress and cortisol
• Inflammatory diets
• Overly aggressive skincare routines
• Heavy cosmetic products
• And ironically, the rise of complicated 12 step skincare routines themselves
Many people are layering exfoliating acids, retinoids, and treatments without understanding how those ingredients interact, which can disrupt the skin barrier and trigger breakouts.
My take: sometimes the thing causing acne isn’t the absence of skincare - it’s too much of it!
THE QUICK FIX
If you’re dealing with adult acne:
Stick with simple, consistent routines
Use proven treatments like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or retinoids
Avoid constantly switching products
And if breakouts are persistent or hormonal, prescription treatments often make the biggest difference.
Acne isn’t just a skincare issue. Sometimes it’s a medical one.
OFF THE RECORD
Something I wish more people talked about with adult acne is that sometimes the cause isn’t sitting in your skincare routine at all.
When my own acne started getting worse, my first instinct was to change products. New cleansers, new actives, simplifying routines, adding treatments - the usual skincare spiral. But what ended up making the biggest difference for me had nothing to do with topical products.
It turned out there were internal things going on that were contributing to the inflammation in my skin. Working with a naturopath, we found things like low ferritin levels and environmental stressors like mold exposure that I honestly hadn’t connected to my skin at all at the time.
Once those things were addressed, my skin started calming down in a way that no new serum or exfoliating acid had managed to do.
My take: acne is often treated as a purely cosmetic issue, but it can sometimes be a signal that something deeper in the body is off balance. Skincare absolutely matters. But sometimes the real progress happens when you start looking at the bigger picture of what’s happening inside the body too.