PCA Skin

Acne Gel.

Acne

About this product

A spot treatment gel designed to target breakouts and unclog pores, formulated with salicylic acid to address acne and ingrown hairs.

Full ingredients

Salicylic Acid (2%), Water/Aqua/Eau, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Ethoxydiglycol, Azelaic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Poterium Officinale Root Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract

Guru Score

72%

Mixed

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

2Gurus

1Yay

1Mixed

0Nay

What they liked

Works as a spot treatment at night
Minimal amount needed per application

What they flagged

Pricey for what's in it
Fewer actives than some alternatives

What the gurus are saying

This gel works well as a targeted spot treatment applied before bed, though a little goes a long way and salicylic acid may be too strong for everyday use across the whole face. The main trade-off is the price tag; while gurus find it effective for small problem areas, similar products exist at lower cost and with more active ingredients packed in.

Synthesized from 2 expert reviews · most recent take April 2024

Best for

Acne-prone skin

Type

AcneGel

Key actives

Salicylic acid (BHA)Azelaic acid

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeContains drying alcohol

Where to buy

Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Mixed Makeup

1.46M subs

~Yay

"Acne Gel, throughout the day sometimes you know certain little pimples pop up and I want to make sure I take care of it, so it's important to do it at night. We only need a little drop of this, and so I normally have little areas of concern around my beard or maybe on my forehead, and so I make sure that the night before that I put a little Acne Gel on it. It's very, very important for me. [...] It's something that's very important before bed. [...] I would [...] assume that salicylic acid might be a little too harsh to use on a regular basis, so it makes a lot of sense to use this Acne Gel more as a spot treatment. You don't have to use it as a spot treatment, but it makes sense to use it in places where you do get a pimple or along your beard because salicylic acid is really great to unclog your pores but also it helps when you have any kind of ingrown hairs."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Mixed

"The PCA Skin Acne Gel, which is very expensive, is probably the closest dupe. It doesn't contain as many actives as the neutralizing gel does."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Azelaic acid

Azelaic acid has clinical evidence for both acne and rosacea, and it is one of the gentler options for calming redness while also working on marks left behind.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is PCA Skin Acne Gel?

A spot treatment gel designed to target breakouts and unclog pores, formulated with salicylic acid to address acne and ingrown hairs.

Is PCA Skin Acne Gel worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 72%.

What is PCA Skin Acne Gel's Guru Score?

PCA Skin Acne Gel holds a Guru Score of 72%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.