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Breakout Triggers, Meet Your Match: Burt’s Bees New Clear & Balanced Collection Is Really That Good

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Paula Boudes

There’s a good chance you are pretty familiar with Burt’s Bees for their iconic lip balms (you know, the ones you stockpiled in college so you could keep one within reach at any given moment?). Well, just like your lip balm habit has carried over into adulthood, Burt’s Bees also wants to help you address another problem that has unfortunately followed most of us well into our 20s and 30s…breakouts.

The brand—which is the number one dermatologist-recommended natural skin care brand, ICYMI—has recently launched Clear & Balanced, a clean, dermatologist-tested skin care line set out to work harder, not harsher to clear and soothe blemishes.

The full collection consists of six products, ranging from cleansers to spot treatments. And while the whole lot comes with some rave reviews (just peep the comments), as someone who has struggled with breakouts for much of my adult life, I’d like to focus on two of the heavy hitters: The Even Tone Liquid Exfoliant and the Herbal Blemish Stick. Both products work to reduce and improve the appearance of blemish marks to support even-looking skin and an even complexion. Here’s how.

burts bees clear and balanced even tone liquid exfoliant
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Best for Improving Blemish Marks

Burt’s Bees Clear and Balanced Even Tone Liquid Face Exfoliator

Burt's Bees

This product is a game-changer for setting your skin up for success. If you’re someone who struggles with uneven pigmentation, such as dark spots or post-acne blemish marks, then this is for you. Formulated with a 10 percent blend of AHA, PHA and BHA, it gently exfoliates the skin on your face (and body) to reveal brighter skin after regular use. It’s suitable for all skin types, in fact it was developed with a dermatologist whose professional focus has been on melanin-rich skin. But the best part about this exfoliator is that it's formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum or SLS (which cannot be said of many blemish-fighting skin care products).

burts bees clear and balanced herbal blemish stick
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Best for On-the-Go Spot Treatment

Burt’s Bees Clear and Balanced Herbal Blemish Stick

Burt's Bees

Unlike most spot treatments on the market, this one comes in liquid form (vs. cream) and uses a combination of tea tree oil and BHA to kick blemishes to the curb. The idea is simple—just roll a bit of a product directly onto any pimples and the spot treatment will help unclog pores, reduce the blemish and even prevent future ones from happening. We’ve seen the effects happen pretty quickly. Pro tip: Make sure your face is clean before application, as the packaging features a rollerball that can potentially redistribute bacteria if used on dirty skin.


angela pares

VP, Design + Branded Content

Angela Pares is the VP of Design + Branded Content at Gallery Media Group, where she oversees the ideation and execution of sponsored content campaigns across PureWow, ONE37pm and the company’s social portfolio. Angela began her career in copywriting and fashion editorial before joining PureWow in 2012. Since then she has written and edited countless articles and helped produce some of GMG’s top performing content. She lives outside Boston with her husband and 2-year-old.