Our guiding principles

Here’s what we believe in and what we stand for, when it comes to products, purpose and breaking the acne cycle for good.

ON ACNE

Calm the causes. Soothe the symptoms.
Band-aid solutions are like flings; exciting, promising and temporary. We’re here for the long-haul, which is why we educate and advocate for targeting the underlying causes of adult acne to prevent future breakouts. We know that acne is a complex collaboration of inherited aspects, hormones, diet, gut health, pore-cloggers, environmental factors and so much more. We work from the outside in and inside out to care for acne-prone skin.

Knowledge guides action.
We’re talking peer-reviewed, clinically-proven, esthetician and dermatologist-approved information that inspires effectiveness. 

Choose your own adventure.
Hormones, lifestyle, the moon. So many factors contribute to the overall health and appearance of our skin. Our secret to balance? Aiming to control what we can 80% of the time, while figuring out what we can afford to get away with the rest of the time. Because, chocolate is a lifestyle. 

Skin neutrality over forced positivity.
Living with acne is hard. It’s okay to not be okay with it. We’re here to normalize a zero-judgment approach, whether you are comfy in your skin or you aren’t.

“Perfect” skin is not our end-game. 
The journey is different for everybody. We’re here for all the burden-free bases between your last breakout and wherever you’re headed. 

Intel board.
Acne is a complex burden that needs intelligence and guidance from numerous different angles. Our Medical Advisory Board features a mix of experts that inform our approach to breaking the acne cycle. Our ever-expanding expert panel includes a Board Certified Dermatologist, an OB-GYN and Hormone Specialist, an Acne Specialist Esthetician, and a Psychotherapist.

Be cool as a cucumber. 
Being calm, cool-headed and consistent has helped us get clear and stay clear. Instead of chasing trends or giving into the hype, we step back, soak up the facts, make a plan and stick with it. Even when the topic is chili-hot, we resist the sprint and stay committed.
 

ON FORMULATIONS

Prevent breakouts. Nourish your skin barrier.
We believe in powerfully kind formulations that don’t compromise your skin’s moisture barrier. Effective products that clear adult acne while supporting aging skin to nourish, strengthen and repair itself.

The acne edge™.
We design each product with an acne edge to address multiple acne pathways. Formulated like pieces of a puzzle to complete the bigger picture, our thoughtfully selected ingredients and innovative formulations work hard to give you sustained results. It’s just the edge you need.

All our ingredients have full time jobs.
We strictly source high-grade, esthetician and dermatologist-approved ingredients from trusted suppliers so that our formulas are made with carefully considered ingredients that are beneficial to acne-prone skin.

Clinically effective doses. 
Informed by third-party clinical data, we only incorporate active ingredients in doses that are clinically-proven to be effective, so that our formulas deliver the benefits as intended. Otherwise, what’s the point? 

Potential irritants need not apply.
While not every pore clogger clogs every pore, when formulating for acne prone skin, we skip them all together. 

ON TESTING

We ace lab tests so you don’t have to experiment.
We work with third-party labs to clinically test our products on acne prone skin, because it’s only right that we offer you proof our products actually work.

Dermatologist tested. 
All of our products are made by FDA-registered manufacturers in the US, clinically-tested by third-party labs and approved by dermatologists to ensure their safety and efficacy. 

Quality in every batch.
We test the microbiological, physical and chemical properties of every batch to ensure its quality, safety and efficacy. 

Inspired by our EU neighbors.
We complete extended stability testing, informed by rigorous EU guidelines to make sure our formulas stay potent and efficacious, as intended.

The best defense is a good offense.
To ensure nothing interferes with our products, we complete preservative-efficacy testing (also known as the challenge test) to ensure our preservative system is strong enough to prevent contaminants. 

Irritants need not apply.
Our products are third-party lab-tested for irritation with consenting humans (never animals) to ensure they’re safe for all skin types. 

ON COMMUNITY

1 in 3 adults experience acne.
Let’s make this clear: you’re not alone. Acne affects up to 1 in 3 people over the age of 25. So the next time you feel isolated or silently defined by this skin condition, remember there’s a community ready to back you up by calling out the elephant in the room.

Sharing is freeing. 
Laughing, venting, commiserating, celebrating: connection can be so therapeutic. That’s why, no matter where you’re at in your acne journey (yes, even the folks that cringe at the word ‘journey’), we’re here for you.