I Tried a 3-Step Natural Acne Treatment for 30 Days | KitavaMD Review

Back in February, I got an email from KitavaMD asking me whether I’d be open to try a few of their skincare products in exchange for an honest review on my blog. I said “yes” because I’m always down to try new skincare and, not only that, but KitavaMD seemed to tick all of my boxes. It is vegan and cruelty free and has natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals (no sulfates, SLS, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances or artificial dyes). 

Plus, it’s founded by two board-certified dermatologists whose mission is to change the beliefs around natural skincare by creating products that actually work. (If you’ve ever tried switching to natural skincare and personal care products, you know the struggle! It’s not easy to find products that perform as well as the traditional, not-so-clean products.)

For the past 30+ days I have been using KitavaMD’s Acne Skincare Kit which consists of three products/steps that I will discuss in more detail in this blog. But, first let me start with a little intro about my skin and where it’s at after using KitavaMD for a month. 

ABOUT MY SKIN

I have a combination skin, it’s usually oilier in the summer and kind of dry in the winter. Also, it’s oilier in my T-zone and dry/normal everywhere else. 

My struggles with stubborn acne (especially in the chin area) started around the time when I turned 25, but in the past few years (I’m 31 now), I have been able to finally take control of my skin. Then COVID happened and wearing a face mask all the time definitely had a negative impact on my skin – my chin breakouts started showing up more and more and even though I wasn’t wearing makeup and was really diligent about my skincare routine, nothing seemed to help. 

Right before I started using KitavaMD and in the first two weeks of using it, I was getting a new (and substantial) pimple on my chin pretty much every week. And, in the beginning I wasn’t feeling very hopeful that these products were really working for me. 

As time went by though, my skin calmed down a lot and I’m happy to report I haven’t had any new breakouts in the past two weeks. The scars from my most recent pimples are also fading away. 

THE PRODUCTS

Acne Cleansing Gel

Key ingredients & benefits:

• Willow Bark Extract (Salicylic Acid)
  • Naturally derived beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) to gently exfoliate and unclog pores
  • Actively treats and reduces acne
  • Reduces whiteheads and blackheads
    
• Tea Tree Oil
  • Reduces appearance of breakouts and blemishes
  • Soothes breakout prone skin
  • Contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
    
•  Vitamin C
  • Brightens skin complexion
  • A potent antioxidant
  • Lightens the appearance of dark spots

My skin tends to be a little dry in the winter, so I decided to ease my way into the cleanser by using it every other day or a few times a week instead of twice a day. This routine worked for me, so I kept it up, but if you’re struggling with very oily skin, you can definitely bump it up to morning and night.  I definitely found it effective in cleansing the skin and getting rid of any oiliness I accumulate during the day. 

The moisturizer was my favorite product. I used it every day both morning and night and I thought it provided the right amount of hydration for oily skin. As I mentioned, my skin tends to get drier in the winter and sometimes I needed a bit of extra hydration, so I used facial oil on top of the cream (usually at night). 

Tea Tree Spot Treatment

Key ingredients & benefits:

• Tea Tree Oil
  • Reduces appearance of breakouts and blemishes
  • Soothes breakout-prone skin
  • Contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
    
•  Licorice Extract
  • Lightens the appearance of dark spots
  • Brightens the skin
  • Improves the look of uneven skin tone
    
• Green Tea Extract
  • Gentle antioxidant
  • Helps protect the skin from UV damage and pollution
  • Improves the appearance of sun-damaged skin

I used this product once a day on existing or new breakouts. To be honest I didn’t use it a lot after the first two weeks because at that point I was getting fewer and fewer breakouts, but I can say that it’s one of the best spot treatments I’ve ever tried and I’ve tried A LOT! A little bit goes a long way, so I think this product will also last me forever. 

OVERALL

In general, I can say that my acne situation is easier to manage than it used to be, so I didn’t have to use the products as often or as much as it’s recommended on the labels. But, after seeing their effect over the course of a month, I truly believe they can be very helpful to not only people in my situation, but those with much more severe acne struggles. 

Kitava MD also offers a dietary supplement (Skin+ Daily Boost) which I didn’t try, but that’s another way to enhance the effect of the products if you need it.