My relationship with acne is the longest one I've been in. I've dealt with hormonal breakouts since college and I've even taken spironolactone to help get my skin under control. After a never-ending cycle of pimples, I finally figured out the key to keeping my skin (mostly) clear: a consistent simple skincare routine and managing my stress as much as possible.

Well, the past two years have completely thrown all of that progress out the window because hey, it's hard to remain zen when the world is falling apart around you. Needless to say, the lower half of my face was covered with acne at the beginning of the pandemic in the spring and summer of 2020. I started back at square one, and while I have since gotten my breakouts back under control, I still get a few blemishes from wearing a mask and at certain stages in my cycle.

One product that's helped speed up the healing process of my blemishes is Good Light's New Moon Balm. The formula is stacked with a plethora of soothing, nourishing, and calming ingredients, like panthenol, allantoin, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E, to reduce the aftermath of blemishes. (Think redness, hyperpigmentation, and dryness.)

While the spot treatment is supposed to be used post-blemish, I rely on it throughout the entirety of a pimple's life cycle. I've found it helps pimples go down faster and minimizes any redness, which makes them easier to cover with concealer.

Most importantly, it doesn't dry out my skin like other spot treatments, which usually results in a flaky patch that is only further accentuated by my complexion products. I've even taken to using it on bacne caused by my sweaty ponytail brushing against my shoulders during spin classes.

VIDEO: The Best Skincare Routine for Acne, According to Dermatologists

Good Light also suggests using New Moon as a cuticle salve and a soothing treatment for sunburns, post-waxing, chafing, shaving, and dry lips. And given that most of these things are side effects of summer, I plan on trying it on all of the above. If only the tube were bigger.

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