When you’re looking to find a skincare routine for acne, it’s easy to get overwhelmed – buried under a mountain of different products and steps, from pre-cleansing to serums to toners to sleep masks and more. But your skin doesn’t need countless products to fight acne and look healthy. In fact, when you add too many steps, you may be further irritating your skin with too many active ingredients or clogging your pores with comedogenic cremes. You really only need three synergistic steps that feature powerful ingredients and get the job done without overloading your skin.

The proactiv® 3-step systems are dermatologist-tested using combination therapy – a comprehensive skincare strategy that attacks acne at every stage of the cycle, stopping breakouts in their tracks while helping to prevent new breakouts from forming. With proactiv, you don’t have to worry about getting overwhelmed by different formulas or drying out your skin. Each of our proactiv 3-step systems are balanced to get the job done while keeping your skin’s moisture barrier intact.

Whether you’re a skincare newbie or you’re skincare savvy, getting back to the basics with just three essential steps is all you’ll need for your skincare routine for acne.

Step 1: Cleanse

Every good skincare routine begins with cleansing your face to remove excess oil, dirt and dead skin cells. Once you cleanse, your skin will be a clean slate, ready to absorb the ingredients from the following steps. Plus, to keep things super simple and efficient, the Renewing Cleanser in the Proactiv® Solution Acne Treatment System is a powerful cleansing and exfoliating formula all-in-one! The proactiv cleanser uses smooth exfoliating beads to gently slough away dead skin cells — without the irritation.

Step 2: Tone

Using a toner helps to build upon the results of the cleanser to further ensure that your skin is clear of impurities that can clog pores, while simultaneously replenishing and soothing your skin. The Revitalizing Toner in the Proactiv® Solution Acne Treatment System uses glycolic acid, which helps unclog pores by exfoliating dead skin cells. The proactiv toner leaves your skin feeling refreshed, and as the name implies, revitalized!

Step 3: Repair

The proactiv repair step is the final part in the ideal skincare routine for acne that tackles yet another major root cause of acne – bacteria. The Repairing Treatment in the Proactiv Solution Acne Treatment System delivers benzoyl peroxide deep in your pores. Benzoyl peroxide is excellent at fighting acne-causing bacteria. It functions by flooding the bacteria with oxygen, creating an oxygen-rich environment where the bacteria cannot survive.

And there you have it! With these 3 easy steps, you are cleansing, exfoliating, toning, moisturizing and fighting acne — all with a simple 3-step system.

The bottom line

The best skincare routine for your acne isn’t the most complicated one. It’s one that gives your skin what it needs and one that is easy to stick to on a daily basis. The Proactiv Solution Acne Treatment System gives you three dermatologist-developed multi-tasking products that provide a comprehensive defense against the major causes of acne. It’s just 3 easy-to-do steps each morning and evening and you’re done.