I get it. You don’t want to admit you have back acne—aka bacne—because let’s be honest, those nasty red bumps are, to put it bluntly, disgusting.

But it happens to nearly everyone, especially as so many of us have been working out at home. (And yes, chasing children around the house while in lockdown qualifies as cardio.) And for me, regular body washes were not helping to solve the problem.

Having been a loyal Curology fan for a while, I was so excited when they sent me one of their new offerings to try—their Acne Body Wash, along with their clear pimple patches for the face.

Because the entirety of my skin has decided to revolt and revert back to Teenager Days, I’ve been experiencing more breakouts along my back than normal. So this package arrived at the perfect time for a little pimple intervention.

On top of that, I had been using a separate body spray to target any back breakouts, so the idea of eliminating that step from my routine immediately appealed to me.

I did a whole IGTV video where I dig into specifics, but here are the basics of the product, and why it has found a permanent spot in my routine!

The Best Body Wash to Beat Bacne: Meet Curology

Like I said, I’ve used Curology’s custom skincare for a while. My special-blended combination of retionol, niacinamide and azelaic acid was prescribed by a dermatology expert (with whom I communicated extensively after taking their quiz), and I stuck with it for months, to great results.

This body wash is a new part of their product offering, and can be combined as an add-on to your Curology routine as well!

Why This Formula Works So Well

The Curology body wash formula contains 2% salicylic acid, which is my personal holy grail ingredient when it comes to busting breakouts on both my face and body. Salicylic acid—also referred to as a beta hydroxy acid, or BHA—gets deep into your pores, clearing out acne-causing bacteria and preventing future breakouts.

How I Use It

…Like any other body wash! I squirt a small amount—less than the size of a dime—into a plastic pouf, and it bubbles up beautifully. I swipe it over my back and any other breakout-prone area, like my chest, let it sit for 30 seconds or so, then rinse off.

I also use this on my arms and legs, but just a heads up that you might want to use some lotion after drying off, since salicylic acid can leave your skin feeling a little tight after drying off.

How Quickly You’ll See Results

Honestly, this body wash seriously eliminates any back breakouts I have within days. It’s kind of insane. And I made sure when testing this to switch back to my regular body wash on my back to see if it truly was working as well as I thought. When I went back to the other wash, what do you know, my breakouts came back.

I’ve been sticking with this body wash since, and can’t recommend it highly enough!

How to Try It for Yourself

Curology is here to help! Click here, get your custom skincare kit started (it’s only $4.95 to try it for 30 days!), and add the body wash to your cart. It’s that simple!