Your skin, explained

Breakouts & Acne-Prone

Skincare for breakout-prone and acne-prone skin — Sorrel & Co
How to deal with breakout-prone skin? The evidence points away from stripping, and toward supporting the skin's balance — keeping the skin barrier intact.

Your recommended routine

The Clarity Routine
The Clarity Routine

Breakout routines that make skin worse? Three gentle steps, no stripping.

$111.60

3 products inside

Clearing Cleanser with Tea Tree & Charcoal Clearing Cleanser Clarity Serum with 10% Niacinamide Clarity Serum Balance Gel with Green Tea & Bisabolol Balance Gel
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Kris on breakouts

Kris, founder

“I spent years scrubbing my skin raw trying to fix breakouts. What finally helped was doing less, not more — and being patient enough to let it work.”

Kris, founder

The basic routine for breakouts

CleanseStart your routine with a non-stripping cleanser
ActivateThen apply an active ingredient for breakouts
MoisturizeAlways end your routine sealing with a moisturizer

Why these ingredients

What the research points to for Breakouts & Acne-Prone

NiacinamideA form of vitamin B3 that supports the skin barrier and helps visibly even tone and calm the look of congestion.Read the research →
Tea TreeA botanical that helps blemish-prone skin look clearer and more balanced.Read the research →
CharcoalHelps lift away the look of excess oil and congestion for a fresher, clearer complexion.Read the research →
BisabololA gentle chamomile-derived ingredient that helps calm the look of redness and reactive skin.Read the research →
Connor, founder
“Breakout-prone skin doesn't need to be stripped. We chose formulas that calm the look of congestion and support the barrier, so skin can settle instead of overreacting.”
Connor, founder

What’s happening to your skin

Why breakouts keep coming back

Most breakout routines work against the skin: harsh actives strip the surface, the barrier weakens, and oil swings back harder. The look of congestion returns, and the cycle repeats.
  • A stripped barrier loses water and overproduces oil to compensate
  • Harsh actives can leave skin red, tight, and more reactive
  • Pores look more congested when dead surface cells aren't gently cleared
  • Consistency matters more than intensity
The result

When the barrier is supported instead of stripped, skin looks clearer, calmer, and more even — without the rebound.

The Two-Cleanser HouseholdThe Two-Cleanser HouseholdRead the research → Oil-Balancing Without StrippingOil-Balancing Without StrippingRead the research → Adult Skin, Teen Products: Why the Breakout Aisle Fails People Over 30Adult Skin, Teen Products: Why the Breakout Aisle Fails People Over 30Read the research → Clearing Cleanser: The First Step for Breakout-Prone SkinClearing Cleanser: The First Step for Breakout-Prone SkinRead the research →
Read all the research →

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We'll send this research and our recommended routine for this skin challenge — revisit anytime, and adjust as your skin changes.

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Solutions for Breakouts & Acne-Prone

Clarity Serum with 10% Niacinamide

Clarity Serum with 10% Niacinamide

For breakout-prone skin — 10% niacinamide to refine the look of pores, even tone, and help manage visible oil.
$48.00
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Clearing Cleanser with Tea Tree & Charcoal

Clearing Cleanser with Tea Tree & Charcoal

For oily, breakout-prone skin — an aloe-based gel that lifts surface oil and grime with activated charcoal, without stripping the barrier.
$34.00
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Balance Gel with Green Tea & Bisabolol

Balance Gel with Green Tea & Bisabolol

For congestion-prone, combination areas — green tea and bisabolol to calm the look of breakouts and balance shine.
$42.00
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Defense Serum with Green Tea EGCG

Defense Serum with Green Tea EGCG

For breakout-prone skin facing daily stress — green tea EGCG adds antioxidant support without heavy oils or added fragrance.
$44.00
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View all Breakouts & Acne-Prone products →

The research library

Everything we've written on Breakouts & Acne-Prone

Peer-reviewed research, ingredient by ingredient -- read the evidence before you decide.

The Two-Cleanser HouseholdHow-to Oil-Balancing Without StrippingExplainer Adult Skin, Teen Products: Why the Breakout Aisle Fails People Over 30Explainer Clearing Cleanser: The First Step for Breakout-Prone SkinSpotlight Why Am I Breaking Out More as an Adult Than I Did as a Teen?Explainer Zinc + Niacinamide: Why They're Always PairedIngredient Why Do I Keep Breaking Out Along My Jawline?Explainer Why Is My Skin Oily but Dehydrated?Explainer Green Tea for Oily Skin: How Polyphenols Modulate SebumIngredient Activated Charcoal in Cleansers: What It Actually Adsorbs (and What It Doesn't)Ingredient Tea Tree Oil for Breakouts: What the Studies Actually ShowIngredient Niacinamide for Breakout-Prone Skin: The Sebum PathwayIngredient
Browse the full research library →

Not sure this is your main challenge?

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