I Tried Go-To’s Clarifying Face Hero For 4 Weeks. Here’s my Review on True Acne Prone Skin
Have acne-prone, fussy skin that hates anything fun?
You’ll find a skincare friend in me.
Woah- That was surprisingly cheesy to write, but I want to hit home here.
Sometimes having spots means you opt for skincare and ranges that don’t look…well…Luxe? Nice?
In the end of the day: I just want something that works, even if it’s ugly.
That doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying every second using a product that is actually as pretty as it’s inside.
My (Quick) Journey With Face Oil
I had taken a handful of months away from face oils.
Having classily fussy blemish prone skin, I often found they never really hit the spot for me yet (no pun intended).
They've either been a “100% ____” of one particular oil type, which is fine- but never really sparked joy.
Those types of oils are typically no frills, and can feel like they take away from the ritual an oil can be to finish off a skincare routine.
Alternatively, oils have been quite active and strong, like some of the salicylic acid or intense retinol options.
Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's kind of moving into a different skincare category altogether at that point.
Go-To’s Clarifying Face Hero is descripted as a dry oil for acne-prone, combination, and oily skin. Let’s dive in.
First Impressions of Clarifying Face Hero by Go-To
I'm now about four weeks into using the oil now and I do look forward to using it every night (spoiler alert).
My first impressions though? Genuine shock.
I was suspicious because of my previous ventures into the “blemish friendly” oil category- and I also knew that Go-To was famous for their OG Face Hero, which is a little more botanical scented than I’d like.
The Scent of Clarifying Face Hero
The scent isn't strongly botanical or floral like I was almost expecting.
It's slightly earthy and warm (dare I say hemp adjacent?)- but there's no obvious or intentional fragrance they’re aiming for which is something I really, really appreciate.
I have had the privilege of having a lovely beauty babe over the other week and gave her a confidential sniff. She said, I quote: “I’m down with that”.
If you’re super picky with scent? It never hurts to give it a smell first. Go-To is in MECCA, so go in store and sniff/swatch for maximum peace of mind.
Like all things with skincare it’s deeply personal so if green-ish scents freak you out, double check. Think: Hemp-ish, slightly basil adjacent. I’m sure I’ve confused more than I’ve helped here.
The Texture of Clarifying Face Hero
I often hate the texture of blemish geared products. That awful tight mattifying feeling makes my skin crawl.
I’m not an oily acne prone teen (anymore at least).
So, I was sceptical. A dry oil sounded…drying.
I’m happy to report the the Clarifying Face Hero is still nourishing and relaxing on the skin, but quickly settles to a dry touch finish that doesn’t feel tight or uncomfortable like some can.
I found that quite impressive because what I truly love about oils is their ability to be relaxing and soft on the skin- and the fact that this is, but isn’t greasy or heavy is wonderful.
Bonus points: You're not going to put your head on the pillow and feel like you're stamping into your pillowcase.
The Experience & “Active” Ingredients
So we’ve covered some of the experiential aspects of this review, and although I don’t want to downplay how enjoyable this is for me to use-
I do realise that in the end of the day if it’s not actively improving your skin, you’re probably not too interested.
Let’s Chat Results
We’re not dealing with hyper active or sensitising ingredients like salicylic acid or retinols- that although do have their place- I personally think it isn’t an oil.
Bakuchiol and Vitamin F
Clarifying Face Hero has 1% bakuchiol and is packed with vitamin F.
Bakuchiol is a plant-based ingredient extracted from the seeds and leaves of the babchi plant.
Similarly to retinol, bakuchiol catalyses the pathways that trigger the creation of several types of collagen making it useful for increasing skin health and promoting well-aging. [Taken from this article written by Praise Fadzai]
Vitamin F is an essential fatty acid, and although a new ingredient to me, has proven to be amazing for my skin barrier.
Vitamin F takes the form of Ethyl Linoleate, which is oil soluble and helps not only enhance the texture, but gives amazing support for fussy skin.
Does it Get Along With Other Actives?
Due to the gentle nature of the active picks, you can easily use the oil alongside your BHA and your AHA.
You could also, like me, use it on nights you're using your Azelaic Acid or your vitamin A with no issue.
In saying that, you can absolutely rely on this to be your only active step with great results.
Clinical Trials & Consumer Studies
Go-To have completed quite a few clinical trials and a consumer study that have some really impressive results.
What stood out to me? 82% of people that use this noticed a reduction in the occurrence of breakouts and pimples.**
Via Go-To
Summing it up
This is a really well-thought-out product. Even if you're not acne-prone and you're just a little bit more sensitive, this might be a really wonderful pick for you as well.
If you’ve had Face Hero FOMO (whether it’s because of your skin type or there’s something that doesn’t quiet vibe with you on the OG) this is for you.
You can shop Go-To’s Clarifying Face Hero here. If you have any questions I’d love to answer them below.
Here’s an AD I did for Go-To, but our partnership is that video only- and I only share what I love:
Worth noting:
*This article contains commission links- but isn’t apart of a sponsorship. We’ll always disclose any relationships we have with brands- pinky promise. All funds earned from using our commission links goes towards paying our talented writers.
