BEAUTY

Kendall Jenner’s Skincare Guru on How to Get a Perfectly Clear Complexion Just in Time For Spring

A 101 on quickly dealing with acne from the woman who takes care of Kendall's skin.


Kendall Jenner and Blake Griffin ''Were Never Serious''
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It’s March, and bare skin season is quickly arriving. If you suffered through a harsh winter as we did—or if you’ve just generally been stressed out, and breaking out as a result—here’s the quick rundown on how a supermodel like Kendall Jenner tackles the problem, courtesy of Jenner’s skincare guru Christie Kidd.

What’s the best regimen for Kendall or other patients with similar skin? Kendall uses CK Perfect Skin 4 Step regimen twice daily. The regimen consists of step one, clean face wash, which is a natural wash to fight acne yet it is very gentle to the skin. Fresh pads are step two—medicated pads to reduce the bacteria and oil on the skin, as well as redness. Step three is renewal; this is acne/scar treatment which helps to keep pores tight and invisible and dries up active blemishes. Because it helps with cellular turn over it works wonders on acne scars. Step four is clear protection, which is for the daytime—it’s sunblock and acne medication all in one. It controls oil, reduces redness, and gives you sun protection.

What are the fastest ways to clear up breakouts? Keep your regimen simple and effective. Try to be as gentle as possible to your skin. Remember, pimples are angry and inflamed, so try not to make matters worse by picking or scrubbing the skin. Some large cysts may require an injection to help them go away quickly. LED light treatments for acne can also be very helpful.

What’s the difference between salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and sulfur acne treatments? Salicylic acid is used to help unclog pores as well as to aid in preventing new breakouts, but does not kill bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide can kill the bacteria causing the pimple as well as help dry it up. Sulfur is also used for acne; it gently unclogs pores and dries up the blemish.

Which ingredients work better or faster for clearing up breakouts? This really depends on one’s skin type and the type of acne they are experiencing. Typically products with Retin A work very well but can be very drying for some, so proceed gently.

How should you treat existing scaring or marks if you are still experiencing breakouts? All acne treatments should be addressing active acne and simultaneously helping with scarring.

What are the best ways to handle acne scarring and hyperpigmentation? Are dermal fillers something you would recommend for this? Deep acne scars can be very frustrating. I like to use dermal fillers for an immediate improvement, it only lasts a few months but very worth it. For permanent improvement I like doing Fractora, IPL [Intense Pulsed Light], and Laser Genesis. The depth of the scar will determine which treatment; most commonly it is a combination of all three. The results are fantastic. For hyperpigmentation, IPL works nicely, but that is dependent on skin type. Chemical peels and hydroquinone creams also work very well.

Can you realistically clear skin before spring? It is very likely once you start the correct regimen and stop using acne offenders, such as scrubs and tinted moisturizers, your skin can turn around quite quickly.

Related: Oily Skin 101: Everything You Need to Know About the Best Skincare Treatments from a Top New York City Aesthetician